Traveling Solo

As I mentioned in the last post, traveling separately isn’t our preferred way to go. 99% of the time, Krissy and I want to be together — to experience life, adventures, and even the mundane side-by-side. That’s a huge part of why we dream of going full-time in the RV. Life is simply better together!

But… there’s also that 1%. The little slice of life where a solo trip sneaks in — a reset, a renewal. For both of us, these trips look very different, and we each try to make room for one a year.

For me, a solo trip means simplicity: a camping chair (if that), firewood, sturdy hiking boots, snacks, a water bottle, and maybe a book or craft. I’m the type who notices the tiny details — the curve of a single petal, the flicker of a flame. I’ll miss the giant mountain in the background because I’m studying the way the light hits the leaves in front of me. Being alone gives me the quiet space to soak it all in, away from the never-ending to-do lists of home. Long hikes and focused fires — that’s my jam.

Hiking on my solo trip last year.

Last year I took a week off for what was supposed to be a silent retreat. The retreat center ended up canceling my reservation, but I kept the time and rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere. It was a challenge, because I’m a noise person. I like to talk, and I usually have a podcast in my ears (double speed, of course) or the TV on for background sound. Suddenly, without all that, the noise in my head got very loud. It wasn’t quite the silence I wanted — because I wanted to learn how to be silent around others, not just alone — but it taught me a lot about how my brain focuses. A true silent retreat is still on my list.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Oh Yay I visited a gator park on my last solo trip

Krissy’s solo trips are the opposite of mine. She’s all about the gadgets — multiple chairs, a hammock, fun food, her computer, and more. She often cuts her solo trips short because she misses me (sweet, right?). For her, the best part of going solo is the quiet — not having to listen to me chatter on nonstop!  Krissy on the other hand sees the forest and not the leaves.  Solo trips let her put it all together. And because water always feeds her soul, she usually finds her way to a lake or river.

So now I’m curious — what do you think about solo trips? Do you take them? What do they look like for you?

Renew and refresh,
Anne