I have never done it but my husband has traveled alone for most of his adult life. Today I thought that it would be nice to share some of the insights that he has had about traveling alone.

No matter where you are in the world, a journey can take different shapes and sizes, no matter if you spend the weekend in another city or country each trip is unique. This can be said no matter what. Whether you choose to travel alone or as a group is up to you.

But when you travel as a family you are certainly not looking for the same experience as when traveling alone.

First decide what the objectives of the trip are, in clear terms. What are you looking for? It is important to be clear before leaving to ask the right questions about the reason for your trip.

For my husband it was to go beyond beyond the limits, to test himself. Other travelers attempt to claim a certain spirituality, or even a connection with nature. Just to get aways isn't the right reason, because what you are trying to escape is internal, not external. What I am saying is that it is important to leave for the right reasons.

And it is even more important to take precautions.

My husband had traveled a lot with his family growing up. It was something that he was used to and it was a chance for him to learn something very important.

Vigilance.

A trip alone requires more vigilance than when you travel together. There is no room to take reckless risks and if you will be traveling outside of the country you need to learn about security in your destination country. Though this goes for both genders, it is especially true for women who sometimes have to take more precautions in some countries than in others.

While my husband has been traveling for many years I would really encourage you to consider going with somebody else.

If you feel ready to travel alone, however, set your goals for the trip. If you travel alone for the purpose of meeting people it really sounds like you should have somebody join you on the trip. Each trip alone is made of short encounters and long stretches of solitude. For my husband loneliness is not necessarily negative at times, nor is it something that he registers in a different way as you and I do. For him, these still moments as he calls them, can be a very rewarding element.

In my mind this creates a lot of apprehensions, because I am afraid of loneliness and not sharing these precious moments with somebody that I love. It might be true that I may see a landscape that would take my breath away, but without somebody to share it with it is empty. As you may recall I mentioned earlier that you need to have reasons for your trip, in moments of loneliness you need to remember them. This allows my husband to enjoy these unique moments, turning them into enjoyable moments. Sharing is different. During a trip alone, there are many ways to stay connected; exchange a smile with a passerby, chat with the locals, maintain a connection with the outside by writing, or capturing certain moments in a picture of video to show your family when you are back home.

They seem to be positive, it allowed my husband to learn something new every day and I think that it was important in allowing him to develop his extraordinary adaptability! You get to learn to be resourceful, you gain confidence, and you get out of your comfort zone.

Here are a few of the ways my husband has learned to overcome these trips and keep his goals in sigh: observe your progress, trust yourself, motivate yourself through the experiences of other travelers like you, and keep a journal.

For many it is an adventure that turns into a form of accomplishment when it is over. For many of us it is an adventure outside of our comfort zone; it provides opportunities for you to meet the goals you could have set yourself, as well as discover aspects at home that you would not have looked at the same way.

But it is also laced with risk.