Most people think solo travel is about being brave.

The truth? It's often about being free.

Free from compromises. Free from schedules. Free from spending half an hour debating where to eat dinner.

At 63, travel writer Joanna Moorhead has taken more than 35 solo trips across 14 countries over the last two decades. And after all those adventures, her biggest lesson isn't about destinations.

It's about learning to trust yourself.

Here are a few of her favorite solo travel insights:

Hotels can be great, but after a few days they can start to feel lonely.

For longer trips, Joanna often chooses apartments instead. On a recent trip to Rome, she rented a small flat overlooking the lively Campo de' Fiori.

The best part?

She could step into the energy of the city whenever she wanted—and retreat to her own peaceful space whenever she didn't.

That's solo travel in a nutshell: freedom on your terms.

One of her simplest travel hacks is eating her main meal in the middle of the afternoon.

Restaurants are quieter, good tables are easier to find, and there's no rush.

Instead of feeling self-conscious dining alone, she turns it into one of her favorite parts of the day: people-watching with a good meal and nowhere else to be.

One myth about solo travel is that you're either lonely or constantly making new friends.

Reality lives somewhere in the middle.

Joanna doesn't travel specifically to meet people, but she stays open to conversations wherever they happen—a museum line, a café, or the next table over.

Some of her favorite travel memories started with a simple hello.

Others started with absolutely nothing at all.

Both are perfectly okay.

Her biggest money-saving tip?

Use public transportation whenever possible.

Taxis add up quickly when you're the only passenger paying.

But when it comes to memorable experiences, Joanna believes it's okay to spend a little extra.

A balcony overlooking a town square.

A rooftop cocktail at sunset.

A room with a view you'll remember years later.

Some upgrades cost money.

The best ones become stories.

This may be her most important lesson.

Some of Joanna's favorite travel days weren't planned at all.

An afternoon in Lisbon turned into hours listening to live fado music because she followed her curiosity instead of an itinerary.

No committee meeting required.

No group vote.

Just a simple decision:

"I like it here. I'll stay."

When you're traveling alone, it's easy to think about who isn't there.

Joanna suggests doing the opposite.

Focus on where you are.

The people you're meeting.

The places you're discovering.

The freedom you have.

She has danced with strangers in Dublin, shared drinks with new friends in Italy, and stumbled into experiences she never could have planned.

And that's the beauty of solo travel.

Nothing is required.

And almost anything is possible.

You don't need to visit 14 countries.

You don't need a perfect itinerary.

And you certainly don't need to wait for someone else to join you.

Sometimes the best travel companion you'll ever have is the person already holding the passport.

Tell me your destination, dates and budget and I'll send you a ready-to-book flight plan in 24 hours — points or cash.

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