Travel.

As freeing and empowering as solo travel can be, there are moments when the loneliness hits you like a ton of bricks. No matter how independent or self-assured you might be, there's something about being utterly alone in a foreign place that can shake you to your core.

As a self-proclaimed control freak, I'll admit that I like to have things planned down to a tee when I travel. Itineraries, transportation, accommodations – you name it, I've got it mapped out with military precision. So when my meticulously crafted plans went awry during a trip to the southern Thai city of Hat Yai, it really threw me for a loop. But in the end, that unexpected detour ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey.

As I wandered through the bustling night market in Kuala Lumpur, I was immediately enveloped by a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and smells. Vendors hawked sizzling satay skewers, woks crackling with fragrant char koay teow, and colorful stalls overflowing with fresh tropical fruits. The air was thick with the tantalizing aroma of spices and charcoal smoke.

Looking back on my journey as a solo traveler, it's amazing to realize just how much I've grown and how profoundly my perspective has shifted. The person I am today is almost unrecognizable from the wide-eyed, apprehensive woman who first stepped off that plane with a one-way ticket and a headful of doubts.