Single Rider

When I was 18, within the first fortnight of uni, I went on an SU organised trip to Alton Towers. I didn't get chatting to anyone on the bus, and I spent the day walking around on my own. In between rides, I was on the phone crying to my sister that I was a loner, a loser, that I could never make friends.

Yesterday, I went to Movie World on the Gold Coast. On my own. And I loved it. It's not that I didn't love Alton towers- I went single rider down all the big rides so I did them more than once and passed groups of other students in the lengthy queues. But I felt very alone, and I felt like I was a failure of a human being - so pathetic I had to go to theme parks on my own.

I knew I wanted to go to Movie World, and if it was to be on my own then so be it.  And I got on two rides faster because I was a single rider (no single rider queues here unfortunately). I didn't need to have anyone to go round with. I didn't need to phone my sister for a cry (although if I'd tried she'd have been asleep anyway because of the time difference). I watched the shows and took my time eating and did all the rides I wanted to do and I did some more than once.

Travelling has taught me how to talk to people more, how to start conversations, how to make friends. But it has also taught me how to be ok with my own company.

And yesterday taught me that when I become a millionaire, I'm going to own a theme park, and go there whenever I want. Because I love them and they are the best.