My Inspiration for Solo Travel

Where did I find my inspiration for solo travel?

In 1992 I hadn’t traveled very much yet. As a kid my family made an annual trip to Vancouver Island to visit my grandparents. I had taken a couple of trips to Europe for two or three weeks at a time and I always had a travel companion.

Still living in my hometown of Calgary, Alberta and working at the same company for a number of years, now bored with my job. I enjoyed working there but the work wasn’t challenging anymore.

Recently divorced and living on my own for the first time in my life, I enjoyed living in the city center where there were always things to do and plenty of restaurants and bars.

Visiting nearby Prince’s Island Park for a walk I took time to relax and daydream while sitting by the Bow River.

READ: 10 Inspirational travel quotes about every day life

Solo travel spark of inspiration

One evening I happened to watch the National Geographic special Bali: Masterpiece of the Gods.

The Hindu Dharma religion practiced in Bali is based on an intriguing blend of Hinduism, Buddhism and ancestor/spirit worship.

I found the whole culture fascinating, the rituals, artwork, music, and dance performances.

It seemed a utopia for artists. I was mesmerized.

The overwhelming desire to go see this magical place had enveloped me.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Hand carved masks – Bali, Indonesia

The initial spark of inspiration struck and my mind couldn’t let go of the possibility that I could actually travel to Bali, Indonesia.

I decided my next vacation would be my very first solo trip. I was extraordinarily excited.

Planning a solo trip

I had studied for a year at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary and still had a keen interest in the arts.

My favorite subjects in school included math and art, and since I decided that I couldn’t make it as an artist I veered back to math and enjoyed working in accounting.

I enjoy planning and organizing and maybe that’s part of what appeals to me about accounting.

Planning skills also come in handy when traveling.

READ: Traveling Alone Tips for Planning Solo Travel

My original plan was to take three weeks vacation to visit Bali.

When I started telling my friends about my plans a few of them told me that I should instead go for a year and travel around Southeast Asia since the cost of the airfare was so pricey but the cost of living is so cheap.

A few of my coworkers had traveled around the world before and their stories intrigued me.

Balinese dancers – Ubud

Researching travel guides

I scoured bookstores and the library for books about travel and the idea of traveling for more than just a few weeks became my new goal.

I started to believe that this little dream could become a reality.

Everything seemed to fall into place. Replacing the boredom of my job with excitement over the idea of long term travel, I soon decided to quit my job in order to travel.

I purchased the Lonely Planet guide Southeast Asia on a Shoestring and started saving my money.

At the time I had been exploring the Hindu and Buddhist religions on my own and I had seen the Glenbow Museum’s Many Faces, Many Paths: Art of Asia exhibit a few times already.

The stone sculptures were impressive as were the stories of the many gods and goddesses and the rituals of their followers.

I became a frequent visitor to the exhibit, dreaming about viewing such stone carvings in the ancient temples that I would soon visit when I traveled to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.