A prime example of this is when you need your passport on you in order to get from one location to another.

Travel is the ultimate way to have your eyes open to every aspect of the world around you, and the world beyond your shores.

As well as discovering new locations and learning about different cultures, you learn a lot about yourself.

These lessons are apparent when this is a journey that you take by yourself.

I've had people tell me how "brave" I was to choose Europe as my first destination three years ago when I first took a trip by myself.

I argue that "brave" isn't the right word, but I can see where they were coming from.

Travelling solo does have its risks.

On your own, you really do not have a safety net.

Where at home, for the majority of people, there is a support network that you can call on within the blink of an eye.

Save for the power of social media or phone, you are on your own, and even those resources are compromised due to time differences or access to technology.

While the asterisk on my experiences have involved being part of an organised tour group, with quite short and sharp trips (three in as many years to Europe, the UK and New Zealand), these facts would have been true if I had just a bag on my back and wandered for days on end with no plan.

This is not to take away anything from those that you share your travel experiences with.

The quality of those around you enhances the entire experience and ensures memories are positive.

But the reality is that while you are with other people, for all intents and purposes, you are alone.

From my perspective, travelling solo has forced me to be more than I need to be in the "safety" of my own surrounds.

Being more confident and more assertive, speaking up when otherwise I would have been quiet.

Not being afraid to ask the "dumb" questions and take more of a risk than you would in your own postcode.

In some cases, you discover just how much of a leader you can actually be.

You have to be this way.

If you don't take charge of whatever situation you find yourself in when travelling, then your trip won't be as enjoyable.

Travel is one thing that does change people as well; if you don't grow as a person from the experience, you might as well just stay home and watch Getaway.

While it might sound cliche, when you return to your "home" life, you find that things are different.

Suddenly, there's something to compare with this "home" life, a feeling that leaves you wanting to just do it all again and discover even more.

You also suddenly feel empathy for the lost, confused person on the street in your home town, because not that long ago, that was you.

Getting to this point on your own, there is this feeling of accomplishment.

Yes, the desire to find someone to have next to you next time I am on a plane ready to explore is well and truly there.

But the amount that you do learn about yourself when travelling solo just about outweighs the need for any company.