I don't feel that I can tell you what to do, but I can share my presonal experiences. I do not like group tours and have gone on several overseas trips on my own. Each time I came away amazed at how many people I met and how easy it was to meet people along the way, and to share in some activities. Sometimes the meeting lasted only for a mealtime, aometimes for a nice walk, one time it resulted in travelling together for a couple of days. I still was alone on each trip the majority of time, but the shared times spiced things up and was enough for me so that I did not feel lonely. <BR> <BR>In most of the cases, I met people without really trying too hard - maybe waiting for a train, sitting on the Spanish steps, or at breakfast at the hotel. I am not a real outgoing type normally, and I met far more people while I was travelling than during comparable time periods while at home. <BR> <BR>So, bottom line, if you opt to go solo, it does not automatically mean you will be alone all of the time.

Wanderer, you might want to verify the gender on who meets people and who doesn't on solo travel. I've traveled A LOT alone (work and leisure) and seldom meet people in spite of speaking, smiling, helping, whatever. I think men have it easier when it comes to interacting with strangers - just an impression. On a couple of day tours, when I was a cute young thing, couples adopted me. As an older woman with a group, a couple of married men wanted to adopt me which made the whole thing very uncomfortable although the wives acted as if they thought it was funny and weren't angry with me at least. However, let me say that I do believe if I were with a special interest group it would be more fun and people would be more interested in joining in. Having said that, while in Germany, I joined a tour for a couple days to visit the Christmas Markets, there were three women who normally traveled with a fourth who did everything humanly possible to avoid even conversing with me! On one occasion there was only one seat left, next to one of these women, and she actually stood up, looked around and said, "There must be some place else you can sit." They were unusual, tho' Most people are at least pleasant and responsive. If you get a special interest tour, my guess is you'll find your companions charming. Please let us know how it goes.

Shanna, re gender: I posted earlier about walking tours, followed by a few days of traveling alone during which I often meet lunch companions, and occasionally (not often) companions for a walk or segment of sightseeing......... <BR> female, early/mid 50's

Check out Mountain Travel - Sobek (www.mtsobek.com) <BR>I get their very nice catalogue as kind of a dream-book for places I may get to someday. They look like the kind of folks you'd like to travel with. a wide variety of hiking trips in out-of-the-way places, like Ticino (the ethnic-Italian part of Swizerland), rural Provence, Corsica, French Catalonia, Northern Spain, Umbria, Italian Dolomites, Scotland, Ireland. some bike trips too. Trips are graded as to easy-moderate-strenuous (strenuous is like hiking to the top of Kilimanjaro). <BR>The major drawback is that they're rather pricey, but the trips look great.

Hi Wanderer, <BR> <BR>When I was single I went on a tour through Europe with a tour group for 18-35 year olds called Contiki. <BR> <BR>I enjoyed it, since everyone was single, and since it was a younger crowd, most people had a lot of similar interests. <BR> <BR>You didn't mention your age, but that would be a good tour group if you're within 18-35. <BR> <BR>I made a couple of friends that I still keep in touch with almost 8 years later. <BR> <BR>

When I was young I went on a cheap tour alone once. It was a good way to get air and hotel paid for, but the kind of people who took such a tour were not adventurous and had not studied up on Greece. I do find that the somewhat but not extremely upscale tours I take now attract interesting people who are good company.

Thank-you Fodor board frequenters for all the thoughtful responses. It is certainly helpful to hear your experience! I have found a small group tour company I am interested in - www.adventurecenter.com. Not sure which "adventure" to take, if I do...has anyone heard of this outfit or care to puruse their website and tell me what they think on just that basis? These trips are awfully affordable and off-the-beaten. Thanks again for your response to my post.

I tend to prefer independent travel, and have often traveled solo - my first trip to Italy on my own was the best thing I've ever done for myself! However, I have been intrigued by some of the walking/activity tours offered by HF Holidays, a UK-based company which offers many of the trips with no single supplement! Prices are moderate, and the country house hotels in which the Britain trips are based look lovely. They offer limited itineraries in other parts of Europe as well. See their website at: http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/ to request complete brochures.

I too am a solo traveler -- went on a tour last summer to Austria and Germany with Globus. The people were fantastic and our tour guide was one of a kind. It was an unforgettable tour. But I am hoping to go to Switzerland this summer on my own... without the tour group. So we'll see what happens... Good Luck!

I also prefer independent travel, but last fall when I went to the Greek Islands, I was going solo and wanted a group of people to hang out with. So I booked the Contiki Tours Greek Island Hopping trip--14 days, 3 islands plus a couple of days in Athens. And I had a great time--we had a great group of people ranging in age from 20 to 35 (Contiki is for 18-35 year-olds), primarily Aussies but a few Americans, one Canadian and one South African. Many of us are still in touch and I'm interested in doing another Contiki trip before I pass the age limit. <BR> <BR>I wouldn't want to do one of their European tours though, or probably anyone's European tour for that matter, because it seems that they get you up early and run you all day long, in the "if this is Tuesday it must be Belgium" tradition. But this particular trip was good as we spent 3 days in each place...time to relax, tour around, sunbathe, go dancing at night, and so on. It didn't feel like we were being towed relentlessly from place to place. They have a few others like that and that's the kind I would consider doing again.

I have traveled solo as well as on group tours. I think the trick to enjoying the group tour is to select a place or experience (like adventure tours) that truly facinates you. And remember that you don't ever have to see these other folks again, if you don't want to. That makes it much easier to like them, or at least ignore them. I found traveling with friends MORE troublesome and risky -- I might lose a valuable friendship at the end of the trip! I thoroughly enjoyed my trips to China and Russia, and would go on an organized tour again, if I felt the destination too 'difficult' to do as an independent female traveler. Enjoy yourself.