[robertnealan]

A few summers back I opted to ride my bike back to San Francisco from Washington DC rather than fly. Everyone thought it was crazy to do it alone (and I secretly agreed), but in reality it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Over those 2 1/2 months I met countless people, slept on numerous strangers' couches, and made more friends than any other period of my life (several of whom I still keep in regular contact). It was awkward and it was comfortable, but it was an experience I'd encourage anybody interested to take.

Like Jesse said, acting Y around someone whose used to you acting X can cause reason for concern and alarm. When you're alone you don't have those checks/balances and can really evaluate who you are without the boundaries that persist in your normal social circle. "Aloneness" can be uncomfortable and confusing, but rewarding if you manage to wade through it all.

On the flipside I regretfully now tend to cause awkward situations by being too casual with people I've just met. Whoops?