Hi :-) First, thank you in advance for taking the time to read this, I appreciate it. I am having a hard time & would love your input!

I am 29F on my first big solo trip around South East Asia. have been travelling for 3 weeks, and I have 8 more to go.

I am soooo surprised, but I find it super difficult already. I consider myself someone who truly enjoys my own company, but I still very much struggle with loneliness and feeling empty everyday. I feel very ungrateful and I am disappointed at myself that I am not making the most out of my trip like I imagined I would. It isn’t as magical as I had imagined, not like the perfect romanticized version in my head (shocker, I know!)

I am super independent and I love my alone time more than anything, so a solo trip didn’t seem like a big deal at all. Yet, I have been feeling so lonely, and I can’t seem to be able to be in the present moment. Sure, there are some very beautiful sights, but I feel empty looking at them, and the cities overwhelm me.…