🌍 Traveling Solo — But Never Alone
“The silence of solo travel invites encounters you’d never find in conversation.”
I often find myself hungering for someone to travel with — someone to share laughter with over an unexpected café find, to marvel with as we gaze into the sunset, or to hold me close as we listen to the waterfall’s whisper. The loneliness can sneak up quietly, especially when surrounded by so much beauty. Yet, even in that ache, I’ve come to realize there are countless gifts in traveling solo.
✈️ The Freedom to Choose
First of all, I get to choose the place.
Oh, the places I could go! No waiting, no debating — just me, my passport, and a world full of “why nots.” My Google Maps is overflowing with pins — each one a dream sparked by a travel reel, a photo, or a passing conversation. The only challenge is deciding which one to chase next.
Solo travel gives me the freedom to move entirely at my own rhythm — to go where I want, do what I love, and rest when I need to. I’m not following anyone’s schedule but my own.
As a hiker and photographer, I often linger longer than most — pausing to notice the way a single leaf curls, or how the light filters through moss-covered branches. The smallest details tell the biggest stories.
One day, while hiking the Grotto Falls Trail on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail just outside Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I heard a rustle behind me. I turned to see two black bears padding softly onto the path, just twenty yards away. My heart raced, but I stood still. They looked at me, then wandered quietly down the trail. It was a surreal, breath-holding moment — one I would have missed if I’d been chatting with a companion. The silence of solo travel had invited that encounter.
🙏 Dependent on Jesus
You might think that traveling solo would make me more independent.
But honestly? It’s had the opposite effect.
I’ve become more dependent — not on people, but on Jesus.
When I’m alone, I find myself talking with Him more than anyone else. Traveling solo draws me closer to my Lord, my Daddy. In the stillness, when it’s just me and the world He created, I sense His presence in the smallest of moments.
Sometimes, as I watch an inchworm stretch toward the next leaf, I hear His whisper in my heart:
“Stretch. Reach. I’ll be there for you. Trust Me.”
My solo travels often turn into conversations with Jesus. When things go smoothly, I see His fingerprints all over my path and whisper a quiet, thank You. When plans fall apart — well, that’s when I lean into Him even more.
Like the time my phone slipped from my pocket. My watch had disconnected, so I couldn’t track it. After a quick thought of panic — I turned to prayer. “Okay, Jesus,” I said, “how are we going to find this phone?”
Then I remembered the concierge who’d told me to text anytime if I needed help. Of course, I couldn’t text her — I had no phone! I went to the concierge’s desk and she let me send a message to my daughter:
“Your mother needs a photo of where her phone is, Zoe.”
Moments later came her confused reply:
“This number isn’t saved in my phone. Who is this?”
I laughed out loud as I typed back,
“It’s Melissa Johnson. A total stranger is letting me use their phone.”
She told me the phone was at my resort. Duh! I needed a screenshot to know exactly where.
We may have blonde roots, but we sure have bright spirits — and a God who always helps us find what’s lost, even if it’s just our phone.
🤝 The People God Sends
I’ve learned that Jesus never lets me walk this world alone. Somehow, He always brings the right people into my path — people who turn ordinary days into blessings I’ll never forget.
At Treasure Lake near Villa Rica, Georgia, I met a group of kind, joyful souls who invited me out on their boat to watch the fireworks. We laughed, swapped stories, and sang along with the music echoing over the water. That night felt like home, even hundreds of miles away from my own. We still keep in touch on Facebook — and in their honor, I have to say it: Roll Tide Roll! ❤️
In Montana, I met another traveler who shared my passion for photography. We spent hours talking about light, landscapes, and the way nature seems to speak through the lens. He encouraged me to share my photos on the Montana and Idaho Road Trips Facebook page, and now we connect often, trading shots and stories of the wild places we love.
But one of the most meaningful friendships came from a moment of need. During a trip to Washington, my plans with a travel group suddenly fell through. Unsure of what to do next, I posted in the Teachers Hosting Teachers Facebook group — and that’s when Jesus sent me an angel.
She opened her home to me in Port Angeles, offering her child’s bed and her warm, steady kindness. A teacher, tutor, and pilot, she was studying aviation management — something that sounded incredibly complex to me! Now she works for Alaska Airlines, still chasing her own dreams among the clouds. She’s the one who told me about Bettles, the tiny Alaskan town where I later stood beneath the shimmering Northern Lights — a moment I owe to her generosity and friendship.
Traveling is our shared passion, but it’s more than that. It’s a reminder that God weaves hearts together across miles and moments. When we trust Him to guide our path, He fills it with people who reflect His love in the most unexpected ways.
🌅 Never Truly Alone
“Independence doesn’t mean isolation — it means walking with faith beside you.”
Traveling solo has taught me that I’m never truly alone. The miles between places may be long, but they’re filled with moments that whisper God’s presence — in the laughter of new friends, the quiet stillness of the forest, or the glimmer of the Northern Lights dancing across the sky.
Each journey reminds me that independence doesn’t mean isolation. It means trusting that Jesus walks beside me — guiding my steps, opening doors, and placing the right people along my path. When I stretch beyond my comfort zone, He’s the steady hand that keeps me grounded and the gentle voice that says, “I’m here.”
I’ve learned that traveling solo is more than seeing new places; it’s about seeing myself through His eyes. Every detour, every challenge, every breathtaking view becomes part of a larger story — one written with grace, courage, and faith.
So I’ll keep wandering, camera in hand and heart wide open, ready for whatever adventure He places before me. Because no matter how far I travel, I know I’m never walking alone.
