I spent months traveling solo around Asia. A trip with a friend showed me how much I'd changed.

Macie Strum finds solo traveling less stressful. Provided by Macie Strum Macie Strum has been traveling alone for eight years. During a trip to Japan, she realized that traveling with a friend was more stressful than traveling on her own. Now, she credits years of solo travel for helping her gain more trust in herself. After spending two months traveling alone through Thailand and Vietnam in early 2024, I went to Japan to meet a friend. I was excited, but within days, traveling with someone else felt more stressful than being on my own. For months, I'd made every decision myself: when to wake up, where to eat, and how to spend the day. I could change plans on a whim. Suddenly, every choice involved another person. After months of solo travel, apparently, I'd become terrible at compromising.