Dealing with Loneliness: An Honest Solo RVer's Perspective

I want to write something honest about loneliness because the solo travel community tends to only show the empowering side. The freedom, the sunsets, the "I dont need anyone" energy. And all of that is real. But so is this.

Some nights I sit in my van at a beautiful boondocking spot, surrounded by mountains and silence, and I feel profoundly alone. Not "I appreciate solitude" alone. Painfully, achingly lonely.

It happens most often on holidays. Thanksgiving last year I made a meal for one in a Walmart parking lot in New Mexico. I FaceTimed my family during their dinner. They were laughing, kids running around, my mom's turkey in the background. When the call ended the silence in my van was deafening.

It happens after really good days too. You see something incredible — a sunset, a whale, a field of wildflowers — and your instinct is to turn to someone and say "look at this." And nobody is there.

How I Handle It

I dont fight it. I used to try to distract myself or power through. Now I just sit with it. Loneliness is an emotion, not an emergency. It passes.

I stay connected. Weekly video calls with close friends. A group text with my sisters that stays active daily. These lifelines matter more than I can express.

I seek community when I need it. Campgrounds instead of boondocking during low periods. Coffee shops. Local events. Volunteering at state parks. Loneliness doesnt mean I have to be alone.

I remind myself why Im here. I chose this. Not because Im running from something but because this life feeds my soul in ways that conventional living didnt. The loneliness is the price of admission and I pay it willingly.

If youre solo and lonely right now — its normal. Its not a sign that youre doing it wrong. Its a sign that youre human. And it will pass.