The Solo Traveller
Your independence, passion, and lifelong memories.
Fellow Travellers
Mick ‘Micko’ Owar
For Micko, (the Melbourne, Australia-based Founder of Primal Recovery), the biggest lesson that travelling solo taught him didn’t hit him straight away – unfolding, instead, over years.
Micko’s first solo trip to Thailand in 2016 reshaped him completely. “My best mate invited me up to Thailand for a week, but I went two weeks earlier on my own – a pilgrimage of sorts. It was raw, freeing, and completely otherworldly. I ditched my phone addiction, stopped checking in with the world, and started checking in with myself. That trip cracked something open in me – the part that needed to stop existing and start living. I left as a boy at 33 and came back a man who finally understood strength, direction, and purpose. It taught me to protect what matters, lead from the front, and keep evolving no matter how uncomfortable it gets.”
What kind of research did you do before your first trip?
No spreadsheets or TripAdvisor marathons – I just talked to people. I wanted real stories – the good, the bad, and the wild warnings. Hearing what others experienced gave me enough to go in eyes open, but still curious.
What do you love the most about travelling solo?
It puts you right on the edge. You can stay closed off and be the lone wolf, or you can open up and throw yourself into the unknown. I chose the latter. I made friends, fell in love in the strangest of ways, and lost her just as fast, but that experience alone forged who I am today. It turned me from a man searching for purpose into one who creates it.
Is there a destination you keep returning to, and why?
It was always Thailand. I felt magnetically pulled there, like there was unfinished business with my own spirit. These days, it’s not just about the country, it’s about the feeling of freedom that travel gave me. Honestly, escaping the version of Australia we’re stuck with right now is half the drawcard.
Some of Micko’s favourite photos from his visits to Thailand …
Did you make friends while travelling solo that remain in your life?
Yeah, but only for a season. Some stayed long enough to shape me, and others drifted off when our paths split. Growth demands pruning. You can’t keep every branch – some stop bearing fruit, and that’s just part of the journey.
Who inspires you in travel … or life more generally?
Tony Robbins, hands down. The man embodies what I want to see more of in the world – strength, service, and absolute ownership of self.
What is on your ‘Bucket List’?
To grow my business to a point where I can base my family in Thailand long-term. My work is all about helping people rebuild health and resilience, and I want to extend that to those who can’t afford help – to bring wellness and awareness to people who’ve been forgotten by the system.
What causes are you passionate about, and why?
Growth, balance, and truth. I went from dole bludger to entrepreneur, and I’m still climbing. I’m big on men’s health, fairness, and personal responsibility – the kind of stuff that gets watered down in a world obsessed with shortcuts. Life isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being real and taking accountability.
Can you share your top 3 tips for solo traveller success?
1. Action over overthinking. Plan your moves, but don’t die in the planning stage – motion beats perfection.
2. Live in your truth, not society’s illusion. Most people fake who they are to fit in, while others swallow the red pill and stand in their own conviction, even when it costs them. Be the latter.
3. Losing a battle isn’t losing the war. Too many people quit just shy of breakthrough. Learn, adapt, strike again. Victory favours those who don’t fold.
You can find out more about Micko’s Primal Recovery here. In Micko’s words Primal Recovery “… isn’t a fluffy spa – no cucumber water, no pointless pampering. Just serious recovery tools for fighters, lifters, and everyday warriors who train hard and expect results”. You can also follow Micko and Primal Recovery on Instagram here.
