Taking solo birthday trips abroad taught me that I don't need company to do something meaningful

The author thought she might feel lonely while traveling abroad by herself, but has taken a liking to it after several trips.

Courtesy of Sally Seaton.

Important milestones are usually celebrated with loved ones, but this year, for my birthday, I decided to take a bucket-list trip to Hong Kong and Japan — on my own. Originally, I'd planned to celebrate at a rooftop bar with friends, but this trip has been on my mind for years. Instead, I cancelled my plans and landed in Hong Kong the day before I turned 29.It wasn't the first time I'd spent my birthday alone abroad. The year before, I found myself wandering Singapore solo because friends couldn't join me. What started as a reluctant plan B changed how I view celebrations altogether.I spent my first solo birthday in SingaporeStrolling through the airport alone, in a different time zone from family and friends, nobody around knew it was my birthday. At first, that felt strange. Then, as I handed over my passport, a flight attendant wished me "happy birthday," and suddenly it hit me: I was boarding a flight to Singapore alone because I had chosen to celebrate myself rather than wait for the right time, budget, or destination to suit everyone else.