SECRET RENDEZVOUS

But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms

And if you like having secret little rendezvous

If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn’t do

Then baby, I'm perfect

And if you like midnight driving with the windows down

And if you like going places we can’t even pronounce

If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about

Then baby, you're perfect

-One Direction (Perfect)

Sagittariuses are fire signs, whether star signs are believable or not, I am fiery and bold nonetheless. I have a thing for activities that give a rush of adrenaline, whether that is getting up to late night mischief, going on roller-coaster rides or discovering new experiences. I can be wild and crazy in the silliest way. And with this recent adventure, I pushed myself to experience time away from home in a foreign city alone. 

There is a real sense of serenity in being alone, your own thoughts ten times louder without the company, because your own thoughts are the only company you have during times such as the empty train rides from the airport into the city. And that is where I find the time to type this up as I speak. Despite this, I wouldn't label it as lonely. You can be alone but not feel lonely. However I must admit there were certain moments where I thought to myself, maybe it would be a better experience if there was someone there in that particular scenario. Transferring from the airport to the destination was not particularly exciting alone, it would have been more interesting with some company to pass the time. Or as we waited in the long line in immigration. Just small moments here and there. But then there is always music, your own thoughts, and... snapchat!

Pros about travelling alone? Asking cute guys for direction! ;) But most of all, not knowing where you are and having to rely on yourself to find your way around is extremely empowering. However the biggest pro in travelling alone has to be the freedom, you get to eat whenever you want, wherever you want and you get to do whatever you want. I do love wandering around aimlessly, I love discovering little alleyway restaurants and cafes and roaming the city in search of good images to take in my camera. Having to go to sleep whenever and wake up whenever and get ready at your own pace, yes freedom is also good in that respect.

And another kind of freedom is the freedom to walk around the hotel room in barely anything. At first it felt a little weird because my household is dominated by men so I've never walked around with so much freedom before. It does feel good, especially in this Hong Kong summer heat. I do love having the hotel room all to myself, I think this is what living alone feels like. You can play whatever music you want, make quirky dances and be weird and crazy all in your own space. Nor do you have to worry about leaving your mess around temporarily.

A con about solo travelling is the lack of motivation to do certain things, it is often nice to have someone drag you to do something you weren't too interested in doing in the first place, but afterwards you realise it was a really good idea and you were glad to have done it. S would tell you, for the three days she joined me, if not for them, I would have been asleep for the majority of the day instead of wandering around doing activities.

To summarise, the biggest thing I found in solo travelling is being super comfortable with being alone, that real sense of independence and the enjoyment of that independence. I have found it once more: the emotional independence, the I-don't-need-someone kind of vibe. It really does remind you of the now, that is the inexplicable beauty of travelling and especially travelling alone when you can have time to really think for yourself. It reminds you of all the good things you already have. Travelling is a really therapeutic way of letting go of the past. And it allows you to reconfigure your direction in life and refocus your future. If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu

I wasn't too sure about travelling alone at first, the idea never made me think 'yes I am so going to enjoy it' but as the days went by, I honestly did find comfort in doing things my way, at my own pace, at my own will without having to compromise. All my life I have been such a big compromiser, sure it's good for those around me but what about me? This is the new level of self love that I have acquired. Less compromising and more 'doing whatever the f* I want'.

One thing to note though, don't over plan. I didn't over plan and I rarely do but further to this I realised you must learn to be okay that you don't end up doing things you planned. No matter how much you wanted to do it. No matter how simple it seemed to have executed it. Sometimes it just doesn't end up happening. Because nothing ever goes to plan, no matter how well you made the time for it. Sometimes you just go completely off course. But enjoy the experience anyway, wherever it brings you instead. What a great analogy for life.

This trip allowed me to discover a new side of me as I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. For someone who lacked independence, who once hated things such as eating alone in public, this was an amazing adventure of discovery. For detailed stories of what I got up to in Hong Kong, you'd have to sit down and have an exclusive chat with me about the wild adventures! Not everything is publicised you see. One must keep some privacy to themselves.