Solo in Paris: Why Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone is Always Worth It

Written by Samantha Bache

I almost did not go.

For weeks I sat on the fence about travelling to Paris alone. I had been invited to the press preview of ÉPICENTRE Paris, a major photography exhibition during Paris Fashion Week presented by adidas Skateboarding, and every single person around me was telling me to go. It was too big an opportunity to pass up. But I kept finding reasons to hesitate.

Then one night, less than a week before, I just booked it all. Flight, hostel, the lot. Once it was booked I could not go back on it. Sometimes you just have to make the decision before your brain talks you out of it.

I am an introvert who hates flying

Let me be honest with you. I am an introvert. I hate flying. The idea of navigating a foreign city alone, walking into a room full of strangers and spending two nights by myself in a hostel was genuinely terrifying to me. This is not the kind of thing I do.

When I told people I was going the response was mostly stay safe, with a side of being absolutely gassed about the opportunity for me. My friend Richie said something that really stuck with me. He said it is okay to be scared before something like this. And he was right. Being scared does not mean you should not do it. It just means it matters.

The thing about fear

Here is what I have learned about myself after years of being scared of things. I always get scared before. But when I am actually in the moment I am absolutely fine. The anticipation is always worse than the reality. At some point during every scary thing I have ever done I have just had to put my big girl pants on and get on with it.

Paris was no different.

The airport was fine. The flight was fine. Navigating the RER from Charles de Gaulle into central Paris with my carry on bag and camera was fine. It was all fine. And everyone I encountered was friendly and approachable. When you are travelling alone people talk to you more, not less. There are some weirdos around, as there are everywhere, but you just stay away from them. Your instincts are good. Trust them.

The heat wave nobody warned me about

The one thing that was genuinely daunting was the weather. Paris was in the middle of a massive heat wave, temperatures hitting 40 degrees, and I had to plan my days around it. But honestly it was manageable. The museums had air conditioning which was a lifesaver. I kept stopping at cafes to cool down and stayed hydrated. When life gives you a Parisian heat wave you find the nearest cafe and order something cold and call it research.

Having a plan before I went made everything so much easier. I knew where I was going, how I was getting there and what I was doing each day. That structure took so much of the anxiety away. I cannot stress enough how much having a plan helps.

The moment it all clicked

The evening of the press preview I stood outside the gallery on rue Arquebusiers for a while before going in. I only knew one person there and that was from Instagram. I was nervous and hot and slightly overwhelmed. And then I thought about how special it was that I was even there and I walked in.

By the end of the evening I had lost my voice from talking so much. I had met some of the most influential people in skateboarding history. I had been given a personal tour of the exhibition by Jacob Rosenberg himself. I had been told by Jamie Gray Hyder that I was supposed to be there.

After the event I called my bestie and that was the moment it really hit me. I had actually done it. I had gone to Paris alone and it had been one of the most incredible nights of my life.

I walked back to my hostel through the warm Paris streets with ABBA in my ears and the biggest smile on my face.

What I learned about travelling alone

The thing that surprised me most was that I did it. Simple as that. I did not think I could and I did. And now I know I can do it again.

Travelling alone as a woman does not have to be scary. Here is what I would tell anyone thinking about doing it for the first time:

Stay in a hostel with a private room. You get the best of both worlds, a social environment where you can meet people if you want to, and your own space to retreat to when you need your quiet time. As an introvert this was perfect for me.

Have a plan. Not every minute needs to be scheduled but knowing your route, your accommodation and your key plans takes so much anxiety out of the equation.

Stay hydrated and know your limits. Especially in a heat wave. The cafes and museums are your friends.

Trust your instincts. They are better than you think.

Call your bestie when you need grounding. That is what they are there for.

What I would do differently

Honestly not much. Maybe go when it is not quite so hot. And I would have loved to have gone on a night out in Paris but I did not want to push myself too far outside my comfort zone in one trip. There is always next time. And there will be a next time.

The best decision I made

Going to that event and meeting people I never in a million years thought I would meet. I am so glad my friends pushed me out of my comfort zone. I am so glad I booked that flight on a whim less than a week before. I am so glad I stood outside that gallery for a little while and then walked in anyway.

I feel more confident now. More content. More sure that I can do things on my own and enjoy my own company. Paris gave me that.

If you are sitting on an opportunity that scares you, if you are on the fence about something that feels too big or too far outside what feels safe and familiar, I want you to hear this.

Have a plan. Stay safe. Put your big girl pants on.

And just go.