New solo travel forum
Dec 24th, 2008, 08:52 AM
#1
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New solo travel forum
I apologize in advance if this is inappropriate, and I half expect that this post will get deleted. But, in the interest of sharing information that might be valuable to other solo travelers, I wanted to let people know that I noticed a new "Solo Travel" forum on Tripadvisor. There isn't too much content yet.
Jan 5th, 2009, 09:21 AM
#2
beachdreams~ Thanks for the notice. I post over on TA also, I never noticed they'd added a solo forum. That's great news!
As some people know I was very sad when Fodor's decided to delete the one we had here. ~suze
p.s. And I didn't see your post here earlier because "Smart Tips" is an awful quiet forum that hardly anyone uses these days -lol!
As some people know I was very sad when Fodor's decided to delete the one we had here. ~suze
p.s. And I didn't see your post here earlier because "Smart Tips" is an awful quiet forum that hardly anyone uses these days -lol!
Mar 1st, 2009, 12:56 PM
#3
Now that we can sort by 'tags' on this new system I wonder if we could get Solo Travel forum going again here on Fodor's? If people somehow knew that it was here, it's easy enough to sort by the subcategory with the new format. It's just so not-obvious I don't know how we'd get the word out. Recruit people from over in The Lounge maybe?
Mar 5th, 2009, 05:10 PM
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i do a lot of traveling alone for business but because i am single presently i also travel alone for pleasure. i actually enjoy the alone part while touring because i get to see exactly what i want without distractions. nightlife can be a bit boring, not into the bar scene, but i manage. i'd like to see some tips on eating alone and hiking alone.
Mar 5th, 2009, 07:43 PM
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I don't do major hiking alone, but I do day hikes on established trails. Some of my tips:
1. If you drive to the trailhead, leave a note in your car detailing what you are wearing, any distinctive features you have, what trail you're hiking, and an estimated time for your return. This way, if something happens that you can't get back to your car, your car sitting abandoned can help the authorities find you.
2. Carry your cell phone and make sure it's charged fully. It might not work in all areas, but it's better to have it and it won't work then to not have it when it would have worked.
3. Even if the weather is hot, bring long pants and a jacket. Put them in your pack. The temperature can drop quickly when the sun goes down and you won't have another body to help keep you warm.
4. Don't listen to your portable player with the headphones in your ears. If you want to listen to music, hang the headphones around your neck and turn the volume on high. This will allow you to easily hear noises around you - including any wild animal or psycho killer.
5. Don't keep your head down, look around you as you walk. If someone passes you, make eye contact and say hello (but don't slow down unless you want to stop and chat).
6. Try to obtain a trail map ahead of time and review it. The more you can get familiar with the path you want to take, the less likely you will get lost.
For eating alone, check out this old thread - there are some great ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/smar...ps-request.cfm
1. If you drive to the trailhead, leave a note in your car detailing what you are wearing, any distinctive features you have, what trail you're hiking, and an estimated time for your return. This way, if something happens that you can't get back to your car, your car sitting abandoned can help the authorities find you.
2. Carry your cell phone and make sure it's charged fully. It might not work in all areas, but it's better to have it and it won't work then to not have it when it would have worked.
3. Even if the weather is hot, bring long pants and a jacket. Put them in your pack. The temperature can drop quickly when the sun goes down and you won't have another body to help keep you warm.
4. Don't listen to your portable player with the headphones in your ears. If you want to listen to music, hang the headphones around your neck and turn the volume on high. This will allow you to easily hear noises around you - including any wild animal or psycho killer.
5. Don't keep your head down, look around you as you walk. If someone passes you, make eye contact and say hello (but don't slow down unless you want to stop and chat).
6. Try to obtain a trail map ahead of time and review it. The more you can get familiar with the path you want to take, the less likely you will get lost.
For eating alone, check out this old thread - there are some great ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/smar...ps-request.cfm
Mar 11th, 2009, 11:51 AM
#7
My eating alone tips...
Choose more casual restaurants, don't eat right at peak rush hours when places are crowded, pick a table in the bar instead of the dining room, & take props (newspaper, magazine, journal or postcards to write).
If you're really not in the mood to face the public, find some great to-go food from a deli or grocery store and have a picnic in the park. Or curl up in your hotel room with a bottle of wine and a good book.
Choose more casual restaurants, don't eat right at peak rush hours when places are crowded, pick a table in the bar instead of the dining room, & take props (newspaper, magazine, journal or postcards to write).
If you're really not in the mood to face the public, find some great to-go food from a deli or grocery store and have a picnic in the park. Or curl up in your hotel room with a bottle of wine and a good book.
