Thanks, Cigalechanta, for the interesting website. If anyone can recommend a specific Women's Travel Club that they enjoyed and give reasons why.... I would appreciate any and all info.

Thanks again....

http://www.just-us-girls.org/ This is women's only cruise group. I haven't participated but a friend has.

I did a solo trip to Italy in May and LOVED it! http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/ItalyJrnl06.html

Monica ((F))

Hi welig,

Sorry , I don't know about any women's travel club. However, I just spent 3 weeks by myself, 2 of them I spent in Lucca, Italy attending an Italian immersion program. While I was there there were other women by themselves. Some were married, other single.

If you have any interest in languages, attending a language school gives you a great "excuse" to travel by yourself and , at the same time, have the company of others. I enjoyed the experience tremendously.

The past two Octobers I went to Europe with my Art Goes to School group. I wish I was going this October, too!

My husband and I are very compatible for our active vacations - hiking, biking, exploring, etc. But I love art and he hates it, so I went two years ago to Paris by myself. It was wonderful. I spent 6 hours in the Louvre - unthinkable with my husband or kids along. While I did miss them, all I kept thinking was how wonderful I thought things were, and knowing how much they would NOT have enjoyed them.

Last year I went to Italy. Again, I did so many things that my husband just wouldn't have enjoyed. I had started this great pattern (of going to Europe in Oct), and people actually started asking me where I was going this year! (Unfortunately our only travel this Oct. is to the Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos, with kids, obviously).

I got a few nasty comments from other moms (Well *I* could never leave my family like that), but what really amazed me how everyone just GUSHED about how wonderful my husband was to "let me go" and stay home with HIS kids. He travels a lot for work, and no one ever comments on how wonderful it is that I am home with the kids during all sorts of events while HE is away. It is expected of me, I guess, but he's husband of the century when he does it.

It was funny - I told my husband that I wanted to go Europe again, maybe totally by myself next time (no tour group) and that I wanted to see London. So he said he'd like to come and that we'd bring the kids. I do think my kids are ready for a trip like this, so next summer we're off to England! (And he'll have to do something with the kids so I can see the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection and the Courtland Gallery!)

I've traveled to Europe alone - I'm married, no kids (but have a dog). DH doesn't like to travel long distances in coach (he's tall), so that cuts down on the number of trips he will to Europe

I don't know of any women-only tours, but I've gone with Mountain Travel Sobek (www.mtsobek.com) to Machu Picchu and also done a rafting tour of the Grand Canyon with them, without hubby. Most of the people were couples but there were also solo adults like me so there were always people to hang out with. I really enjoyed it.

Love this thread! While I have yet to travel solo, my sister and I have been taking a "sisters vacation" every year now for about 10 years or so. We started out driving to Quebec, then we went to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island several times, a Caribbean cruise, a driving trip to Key West (had to evacuate!), the Pacific Northwest, France, Ireland, and we leave for Italy in 8 days!

It's great and so much fun. I also vacation with my husband every chance I get (just back from Quebec and the Gaspe Peninsula), but he just doesn't have the travel bug like I do.

Anyhow, I am 60 and both girls are grown, but I STILL get some funny and inquisitive looks when I tell people. They invariably ask: Is your husband going? Drives me NUTS!

Karen, I know exactly what you mean! The double standard is very much alive and well!

Hi ladies,

yes, I know all about the weird looks when people ask you about your plans! LOL!!! But to tell you the truth, I couldn't care less. To me, the only important thing is that my husband and kids are Ok with it. They are the greatest and I was very thankful that they let me do this.

karens, your trips sound heavenly! I never get to see ALL the art I want when I travel with my family. It has gotten better than the first trip I took with my husband - to Austria in 1984 - when I got maybe a half hour in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Luckily, I was able to return in 2002 and 2005.

On my first London trip, I let myself get squeezed juggling family members' interests and only got 1 1/2 hours at the National Gallery. Boo. If you get a chance, you might want to check out Tate Britain. I found it to be more amazing than I expected.

Interesting. My husband, my brother, my father and most of the men I work with take regular golf, hunting and fishing trips without their wives or girlfriends. I can't remember anyone ever commenting on it, and I can't believe I didn't notice it until now. Hmm...

I really like travelling solo and first tried it when I went to Australia for 6 weeks. I did however have friends and family to visit some of the time.
Next it was solo to Paris and I intend doing that trip many times in the future!

Interesting post. I first travelled to Canada (Im from NZ) on my own - went to visit my penpal, was away for four weeks in all. In 2002 I went to the UK with my Mum, for a month - hubby and kids stayed at home. This time I am off to Europe for 5 weeks this Christmas - however hubby is joining me for this trip. He isn't particularly interested in travel like I am.

def a double standard... I leave my (very capable) dh behind with 3 kids (6,4,2) for a long weekend to Paris... he is a 'saint'. He travels constantly for work and.... nothing from those same people. Including family - who come out of the woodwork to 'help' when I'm gone.

For geez' sakes - he can handle a weekend alone. He's not incompetant and if he was, I wouldn't leave!

I like to take pictures, so my solo trip to Paris was spend with a photo tour shooting many pictures.

Another 'weekend alone' was spent at Pinehurst spa and Masters practice rounds. (many found it strange that I (bold) would go to Masters alone and not my dh! ).

I find it an opportunity to recharge my batteries. I absolutely miss my kids - but it makes me appreciate them.

I've decided to go solo rather than find a friend who has an understanding husband and a similar budget and interest. I like to do what I (bold) want to do!!!

Maybe men (especially married men?) should stay off of this thread - - and I confess to not having read every word of every posting on this thread...

...but every time I see this thread title in the left column, my curiosity is naturally piqued:

The poll question that comes to mind is:

If you're a married woman traveling solo (especially abroad), does it ever cross your mind to "scratch an itch"?

...and "have you ever?"

Best wishes,

Rex

(Now surely, we'll hear all kinds of commentary about married <i>men</i> traveling solo - - take a big swig of truth serum, please... those of you who say &quot;I have never thought about it&quot;...)

Rex, I'll be happy to answer.

nope.

thought about it? sure. who doesn't?

I have the greatest husband in the world and don't want to jeopardize that.

I'm just happy sleeping alone without anyone crawling in bed/needing me to take them to the bathroom/ needing a drink... !

rex, people of both sexes travel commonly travel solo, especially for business. I suppose that a certain percentage does cheat on their spouses. Heck, lots of people cheat without ever leaving town. I certainly have no interest in reading about it. Nor do I think it is an appropriate topic on this forum.

Personally, I don't think that ways of dealing with temptation, while traveling solo in Europe...

...is an inappropriate topic for this forum. The (&quot;so-called&quot;) glamour of traveling solo, to exotic destinations is associated with legends of both good and bad behavior. This is chiefly a forum for adults, isn't it? I think it can be discussed.

But the 75 previous participants on <i>this thread</i> may feel that it doesn't belong <i>here</i>...

...in which case, I would respect a request to remove my post from this thread.

And it's not a topic that would cause me to start a new thread about it.

Primarily, I was sharing what went through my head every time I saw the message header of this thread. After all, I've seen it pop back up to the top 75 times now. If it never occurred to anyone else (especially those who have already posted on this thread), then it shows that I'm out of touch.

My apologies, in that case.

I appreciate your further explanation, rex, and I can see your point. I wouldn't personally read a separate thread on the topic, but this forum is filled with threads of no interest to me! At any rate, I don't have much stake in this thread, and probably most of the previous posters don't either, since it's largely from 2004.

Wow, Rex. I'm impressed. An apology...

I took your question to be in the vein of fun. No harm, no foul.

over and out.

Rex,
Nothing wrong with your candid posts. But I think most women travelling solo are primarily concerned about safety and security, so unless a woman is planning to meet someone specific, pre-arranged, it's unlikely. Does the question come up for women otherwise? Of course, we're human and we have wonderful imaginations! Anyway, the point is that if you have a sister or partner who wants to travel alone, encourage it!

Ignoring the issue about temptation and just focus on the solo travel aspect, if the married woman is up to it, I suggest doing so. It's a great feeling to have your own itinerary and time schedule when you travel alone.