Issue eight | Check-in
EXPERIENCE
Leah Stockford, 43, London Each issue we chat to a solo traveller about their experience going it alone, this time Leah shares her thoughts after heading to the Arctic with Aurora Expeditions Travelling with Aurora Expeditions was not my first time travelling solo. Having made my first solo travel trip when I was 17 to Australia and Asia and then multiple trips thereafter you actually get the bug of going by yourself. As much as I love travelling with friends and family there is nothing better than going into the unknown when you actually end up meeting more people by yourself. I have made some very dear friends over the years and I enjoy having the freedom to do what I want when I want – it’s so very invigorating. For this specific trip I chose
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the Arctic as I had always wanted to see Greenland’s ice shelf, polar bears and experience the magnitude of icebergs. My friend wanted to come but couldn’t make it work so I decided I would go regardless. It was a lifelong dream, so nothing was going to stop me fulfilling it – I’m so glad I made that decision. It was a bit nerve-racking going on a ship by myself, which I hadn’t done before, but everyone was very friendly. Since the Arctic trip I have actually booked with Aurora Expeditions again to go to Antarctica in 2021 by myself
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again. Before joining the trip I had a few worries about whether I might get on with people on board – you are on the ship for a long time. I was more used to travelling from destination to destination rather than being in one place, so to speak, and I was a little nervous about my roommates. What would they be like? Especially as I don’t like to share! But you then realise you are worrying about nothing. And I had the best two roommates you could hope for – you just respect their space and they respect yours. I was unsure about whether the age group
