Kira, I've traveled with and without companians. The worst experiance would be to have the "companian from hell". A good travel companian can be a pleasure, but a bad one can ruin your vacation. I've been lucky with companions over seas but been (one time) stuck with a bad one traveling in the US. I have always had great trips when traveling alone and have usually met people while traveling that I might not have met if I had not been alone. Enjoy your trip.

If eating alone concerns you, do it a few times at home before you leave, to get used to it. As someone you has lived alone most of my adult life, and likes to eat out, I've eaten many restaurant meals alone and don't mind. Bring your guide book or something to read. Don't feel like a second-class citizen just because you're alone. There's nothing wrong with it!

I know this has been brought up before, but it is intersting that solo travel seems to be a largely female venutre, judging from this board. I am male and have traveled alone for business, of ocurse, and I did the backpack thing when I was younger (but, then, the whole point was to find congenial females with whom to spend time) and I have done solo fishing and diving trips, but I don't *think* I would enjoy traveling to Europe alone. I like having my girlfriend with me, and wouldn't mind a friend if she couldn't make it. I like having someone to share the experience with, and, for me, this outweighs the compromises of travelling with another person. I'm not disparaging those who do enjoy solo travel, but I wonder if this is related to gender at all?

Interesting point about gender. One of the best parts of travelling solo is meeting others, both locals and tourists, getting invited to dinner and to join in activities. As I'm female and tend to meet people all throughout my travels, I'd be interested to hear from males if they have the same experience.

I am male and I am going to Europe for a few months by myself. I have friends scattered around from London to Moscow, but I anticipate doing most of the traveling myself. I did it once before for a much shorter period of time and it worked out fine. If you get too lonely - hostel is the sure place to meet people, if you're too shy to start a conversation with a stranger at a bar or at a restaurant.

I have traveled solo many times, mainly for business reasons, in the US and the UK. To find people to talk to, I like to have an early dinner sitting at the bar rather than at a table (early meaning before the bar fills with the heavy drinking crowd). I have found that many travelers (especially males) do the same thing and are pleased to have someone to talk to and share travel stories with. Interestingly, I don't often find women doing the same thing. In my experience, the solo women diners are usually seated at tables reading something or writing in a journal. I'm sure they want to avoid the pickup-line thing, but they are missing an opportunity to talk to others as well.

Travelling solo is great. Like the above posters state, it brings you out of your shell, makes you meet people and it rarely is lonely. You have so much more freedom. <BR><BR>I have stayed in hostels where there have been couples and groups. They tend not to be focused on meeting people, but are too wound up in themselves, which is a real pity as they miss out on so much like that. <BR><BR>Travelling with people is not all fun fun fun either. Constantly having to negoiate where to eat, when, where you visit, how you get there tc. can become tiring. <BR><BR>My main grip is hotels, which sometimes charge a single person MORE than the cost of a double room. I don't see why I should pay $100 a night and someone who is part of a couple pays $40 a night. Often single rooms as well as being ridiculously expensive or often lacking in the same facilities. I stick to hostels. They don't discriminate, and it is easier to meet other solo travellers.<BR><BR>Think about it as well - who do you find it easier to talk to? A large group of people? A smooching couple? Or a friendly looking person on his/her own?

Take it from another Kyra who has travelled alone many times. It is the way to go. In many countries, especially Germany, pubs and eating establishments have a general table where anyone can sit. Plop down and start a conversation. People in Europe are friendly and curious and love to practice their English. Wear a t-shirt or sweatshirt or just a pin from your hometown that people will notice and comment on. Have a great trip.

Kira, you've gotten so many great replies! I agree especially with Nutella -- there is something profoundly empowering and introspective about solo travel. <BR><BR>As far as the gender thing -- not to generalise, but I speculate that many women have so many demands put on them by others, that a trip alone can be especially appealing. During my "mom" years, I really treasured the total freedom of being alone for a few days in a strange city!<BR><BR>When solo, I eat my main meal at lunch, usually in a nice small place, and have goodies from a grocery in my room at night. On rare times when I eat out someplace fancy alone, I dress up to the nines and have the hotel call ahead for a reservation. Then I pretend I am a mysterious solitary Contessa or spy and everyone is speculating about me. <BR><BR>Remember the internet cafe when you miss your loved ones -- email is cheaper than a phone call, and you have a great record of your trip awaiting you when you come home!<BR><BR>Bon voyage, you'll be fine!<BR>

I think a lot of this advice is age specific. I am a 50ish widow and I think I would feel out of place in a hostel.<BR><BR>Thanks to nas for her comments.<BR><BR>Any more hints for someone my age would be appreciated.

Okay, so who is going to be in Europe this summer? Maybe we can meet for dinner, lol. I am flying to London on the 25th of July and will be traveling profusely until I start Oxford in October. I have taken a tour of Europe and gone solo, I agree if the person is fun it can make it so much better. However, if the person has other interests or is boring as who knows what, then it is much better to go solo. If I waited for everyone else, I would have never gone. The freakiest part is when something goes wrong, okay then you feel really alone and wish you would have paid attention in French 101 wah wah wah!!!

Actually, I thought I would get down when something went wrong, but in a way it was OK because it was wrong only for me and I didn't feel responsible for traveling companions. Like when I took the train going the wrong way, I was the only person inconvenienced; however, if I had had a companion, that probably wouldn't have happened <BR><BR>nas, what Russian river cruise are you taking? I have always wanted to do that.

hi, just back from a week in Stresa an planning my July trip to Amsterdam and Brugge. a celular phone is great. i sat on cup of coffe in Cannero for an hour, looking at the lake and little island, and felt like heaven. the place was enpty and i had a real wish to share, so i phoned my daughter in law. and i wasn't alone any more. what i like best about travelling alone is the interesting encounters with locals and other tourist. have fun.

Wow, so many great tips. I enjoyed reading them all myself. <BR>A friend who travels alone, a women in her early fifties, told me that when she starts to get a downer feeling of being alone, just switches her thought basis from one of "poor me" to one of "I am at one with the world", "we come in and go out alone, and I am stopping here on earth on my own personal trip through eternity". <BR>It takes thought to a higher ideal and makes sitting alone in a restaurant trivial.<BR>Have a great time.

Thank you for writing these messages everyone, it really helped me to decide to go it alone.

I wish I could travel solo (but can't), but if I did, I would post messages on the Virtual Tourist message board for destination cities to see if anyone wanted to meet for dinner. Lots of people do it and it's surprising to see how seniors, backpackers, lovebirds and solos manage seem to find kindred souls for a short get-together abroad. Has anybody here tried it?

Just like to mention that eating in a hotel restaurant as a solo is a very common occurance. Many business people find it necessary to do this when out of town. The staff of these establishments see solo diners all time and don't find it odd in the least. Its nice to concentrate on your meal and how it taste instead of a conversation and worrying about talking with your mouth full.

TTT

Hi. I took my first solo trip to Switzerland this year after a great deal of apprehension and dithering. It was wonderful. <BR><BR>One afternoon I found myself in the palm and bamboo grove on Isole di Brissago, Lago Maggiore. It was cool there on a very warm day, the shifting sunlight gave that part of the garden the look of a multifaceted green jewel, and the palm fronds made a gentle clicking sound as the breeze came through. I realized that I could sit at that very spot for as long as I wanted. And I did. wow. <BR><BR>So if you are wondering if you should give solo travel a try, yes yes yes. J.

Having just returned from 4 weeks solo travel through Europe, I wanted to share my experiences. I mostly stayed in hostels, and there were people of all ages there, so there is no need for anyone to feel out of place. Some hostels had very pleasant cafeterias on site, which is handy when you don't feel like doing the restaurant thing by yourself. However, when I did eat at restaurants alone, I didn't find it a problem at all. The service everywhere was so quick, and people were very kind and friendly (yes, even in Paris!!)<BR><BR>I really enjoyed this style of travel. I spent part of the time by myself, doing exactly what I wanted to do. The other part I spent with companions I met whilst travelling. Yes, it would be great to have a like-minded person to share the whole experience with. But this worked out really well for me. And I'm sure I met far more people than I would have if I'd gone with someone else.