The pleasure of travelling alone

My last trip to London, UK was over a decade ago. But my reminiscence of walking through the streets of London is still fresh. Growing up in Bangladesh as a girl is pretty difficult at times as girls face may NOs (restrictions) during their lifetime. If you are not brave, it would be hard for you in Bangladesh to live upto your dreams and wishes. After completing my studies, I right away got engaged in a job. Three years of nonstop service made me feel I needed a change, so I was planning for a solo trip to abroad. As I had foreseen it, presenting my idea to my family was the first and foremost hurdle for me. But I was obstinate to meet with my friends and cousins in London.  To my utter surprise, my parents did not raise any question and acted quite like the coolest parents you can ever have.
Playing solo is indeed a hard nut to crack. I had planned to do all the necessary tasks on my own that starts with collecting essential documents, processing my visa, purchasing tickets and of course packing my stuff. I found it tremendously difficult to gather my papers and submit them to the UK Embassy for processing my visa. After eleven days, I came to know that I have got the visa. I still remember how I felt on that day before getting it. I was so nervous and jumpy that it was like the result publishing day after sitting for the month long tiring public examination. But it was not done. A processing snag during my Shenzhen visa application made me change my flight booking twice and just two days before boarding on the aircraft, I got my visa at my hand. The happiness I received was beyond price.
It was a beautiful morning and I can recollect the memories of boarding on the plane. My parents came to see me off. I boarded on a flight of Jet Airways. Excitement was running through my nerves. The flight experience was overwhelming. The 15 hours journey landed me at one of the busiest airports, Heathrow. Luckily it took only 30 minutes to get immigration and customs clearance. My cousin came to receive me. The moment our car left the airport terminal, I felt like I have done something. Lungful of fresh British air, views of the streets and London cityscape, the historical aura that London always have charmed me. The month long solo trip to Europe which started with London made me believe in myself. My mind got refreshed and matured as I started to believe in myself, my strength and my courage. I felt the power and bliss of doing something solo. I feel sometimes which is necessary to let it go, listen to you only and give time to yourself. Primarily you may face difficulty in moving alone but gradually you may find it comforting to be solo. Once you learn to travel on your own, you will be able to undertake any challenge. Do not take it as allowing any risk but take it as a puzzle that you are solving alone. And once you put the last piece of the puzzle altogether, you can always share that moment of happiness with everyone surrounding you. To me, going solo aids you in becoming the architect of your surroundings.
This was journey, of self actualisation. I did not know I was able to plan and accomplish something on my own. However, I do not want to end the line of my travel history because I believe the best is yet to come.
The writer is an MBA student at University of Dhaka, email:nashid.mahjabeen@yahoo.com