The best and the worst of solo travel
 

I am going on my first solo journey this fall. I feel pretty prepared and confident, but I'm just curious, all you solo travelers out there, what is the best and the worst thing about solo traveling.

Hi Karen:<BR><BR>There's a good thread called "Do you vant to be alone". Do a search on "vant to be alone" and it should come up. I tried to copy and paste the URL for you, but for some reason, it's not working today.<BR><BR>Happy solo travels...I love going solo!

Best: you're on your own, alone in a strange new place (very exciting), you get to do what you want whenever you want to, if something goes wrong there is no one to blame or argue with, you don't have to make any compromises in your itinerary, schedule, or planning (total freedom).<BR><BR>Worst: single hotel rooms cost a bit more than spliting a double with someone, let's see what else... geez, can't think of anything ;-)

Lots of "bests" (okay, I know that's grammatically impossible):<BR>1. freedom of movement<BR>2. eat where and when I feel like it<BR>3. able to use all senses to absorb travel, rather than being distracted<BR>4. if anybody's whining, at least it's me!<BR>Worst:<BR>Nobody to watch your luggage while you're in the WC!

Hi Karen,<BR><BR>I've been wanting to do a solo vacation for years and always planned to make Italy my destination. (have been there with friends several times)Ironically enough I am finally taking my first mini-solo vacation in 8 weeks to London! I have no qualms about my day itineraries, but always think "what will I do in the evenings by myself?" Well, I guess I'll find out and I'm very excited. I hope you have an equally exciting adventure. Italy is my favorite place in the whole world!!!

The only real downside to solo travel is the expense. I try to budget, but I don't stay in hostels. Splittng a two-bedroom would be so much cheaper, but then the cost would be my sanity.

For Debbie, I'm not much of a "nightlife" person anyway, but especially solo in a big city.<BR><BR>So I like to go out to dinner, walk in the neighborhood a bit, then back to the hotel room. I always have a good paperback novel on hand. Buy, write, send postcards. I like to pick up local newspapers or magazines and (guilty pleasure) those really bad gossipy 'rags'. Sometimes if I'm wanting to kick back I get food to-go or stop by a grocery store and get supplies (including a bottle of wine!) and picnic in the room for the evening. Buy some nail polish and give yourself a manicure. Wash-out your underwear in the sink. Oooops better stop before the evening turns any more boring sounding to you!!! ;-)

Debbie: What to do solo in at night in London?????? GO TO THE THEATER!!! Seriously, go to Leicester Square half price booth. You can literally see a show every night for not much more than you would pay to see a movie. If there is a particularly hot play in town, go to the theater box office. There are almost always single seats available, however you will have to pay full price. But the seats are usually great. Also, one of my favorite sites in London is standing in Trafalgar Square at night looking in one direction at St. Martins in the Fields Church and then turning and look down in the other direction at Big Ben, both lit so beautifully. It is an awe inspiring site. You can always take a Jack the Ripper Night Walking Tour, lots of others will be taking the tour. Always lots of people out at night in London, I have never felt uneasy, even taking the tube back to my hotel. Have fun.

I spent a month last May in Paris (2 of the weeks by myself). The best part was going to all those little museums and street markets and parks that my visitors wouldn't have gone to in their short visits. The least fun was eating by myself. However, there are so many cafes where you can perhaps visit with the locals that it made up for it. I did stay in London for 2 weeks by myself and only wandered during the day. Didn't feel comfortable eating out by myself (stayed in an apartment) so cooked in. Silly, in hindsight.

Debbie, please post when you get back and let us know how it went. Eating out is a concern of mine too. And I guess just all the "what ifs". I also think just the shock of getting off the plane and actually being in a foreign country far from home all by yourself and noone is picking you up ... that's why I've arranged for the hotel to send a car for me. I'm trying to prepare for that first initial feeling tho.

I just returned from my first solo trip to Italy (combined with a week's villa stay with girlfriends) and had a great time! Karen, I also arranged for a car to pick me up at the airport and take me to my first hotel and am glad I did. I was a bit apprehensive about eating alone but it was fine. My husband doesn't share my obsession with Europe so I plan to do this often. Happy travels!

You didn't say where you were going, but London is a really great "solo" city. There is so much to do there, and the underground system is really easy to get you anywhere. I have taken 4 solo trips there for 10 days each time, and absolutely loved it. Going to the theatre alone is absolutely no problem (I would never do it at home!)<BR>I always felt perfectly safe walking back to the hotel at night, as there are so many people out and about. Also, the "London Walks" has great "pub walks" at night, which are fun. <BR><BR>I've also been to Paris solo a couple of times. I love it, but am not as comfortable going out at night there,(not because I don't feel safe, but because its such a romantic, couples sort of place at night!)except for perhaps walking around,or a Seine boat trip. Anyway, after walking around in Paris all day, it's wonderful to just go back to your cozy room - I do what "Evenings" just said she does, and love it!

I've traveled solo through the U.K., France and the Low Countries; done the same places with companions, plus Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.<BR><BR>The pluses: I get to go to places and do things that appeal to my odd quirks; I can keep my own hours (up at the crack of dawn or sleep til noon); eat what I want, when I want, or not eat at all; only myself to blame if things go awry.<BR><BR>The minuses: only one pair of eyes; no one to take up the slack if my brain is fried; no one with whom to share the dumb stuff that I see or - in my case - do.<BR><BR>I'm not much into nightlife, but going to concerts or the ballet I enjoy alone or with others. Since most of Europe eats dinner fairly late (from 8:00 on) and the meals can last a couple of hours, that pretty much does it for me most nights.<BR><BR>What I have come to enjoy is hooking up with other Fodorites for drinks and/or dinner. If that's something that appeals to you, post a query like "anyone going to be in Rome 10/15?" and check the forum for similare questions from others. <BR><BR>

My favorite part of traveling solo is doing exactly what I want, when I want how I want. If I want to meet people, I sign up for a tour,its easy to meet others this way. I feel more open traveling alone and so I take more risks then I do here and will start conversations with other nearby solo diners or other English speaking diners. I can tell immediately if they want to talk or not. <BR>The worst part is that it is more expensive. Single rooms are often the worst in a hotel. For my upcoming trip I decided to go with doubles in 2 star hotels rather than singles in 3 stars. The cost is about the same and I think I might end up with a better room in the end. Oh, and yeah, occasionally I get lonely, but not often and when I'm traveling with others we might start to bug each other, so one way or another I'm likely to have a brief period of negativity, that's life.

Karen, I am with Elvira on the pluses. I took my first solo trip a couple of weeks ago, to Munich, Prague, and Paris. I liked the freedom of doing what I wanted, when I wanted, and not having to worry about catering to someone else's needs or wants. I also liked the flexibility of changing plans on the fly. Often when I travel with others, even ONE other, we will have to arrange to split up and meet, split up and meet, and that can get tricky.<BR><BR>Finding inexpensive lodging for one can be tricky. But the very worst thing is eating alone. I didn't like that much, and I think only half the time did I find restaurants/cafes in which I felt absolutely at ease as a solo. However, I was fortunate to go to a Fodorites GTG in Paris (where I met Elvira) and was able to hook up with friends (or friends of friends) for some other meals.<BR><BR>I also kind of wished I could share some of the fun/neat/crazy events or sights with a friend. But that is not crucial. Have a camera in hand....have a stranger shoot the photos for you. I have some "incriminating" photos of my vacation, and when I show them to friends I can make up a story to go with them. hee hee<BR><BR>One of the biggest up-sides to being a single female is that men will always talk to you and in many cases, buy you drinks. yee ha! I think I meet so many more fun, interesting people when I am alone. <BR><BR>It's a matter of preference, I guess. I am happy to know that I can do it. I don't know that it's something I would do all the time, but at least I know I can do it.

Do most solo travellers rent cars or travel to one place (ie. Paris) and stay at the same place for a week or two and maybe train it to another locale. My only problem would be driving in Europe..I'm not a confident enough driver. Otherwise I'd be game.

Hi.<BR><BR>Solo travel for women is, I'm sure, a different animal than such travel is for men. Having said that, I agree with most posters that the freedom of choice and movement is a true treasure. It is also essential if one is looking for romance.<BR><BR>For me the big downside of solo travel is not expense nor eating alone. It is in those moments when you are aching to say to someone close to you, "Wow! Look at THAT!"

I often travel solo, and agree with many of the comments here; what I enjoy the least is dining alone. However, on my most recent trip to Paris it wasn't too bad; the waiters were attentive, even "chatty". As a single woman travelling alone, it can be lots of fun. Take something to read, or perhaps a journal to write in. What I did some nights at dinner was peruse my translation/phrase book to practice my french. Have a great trip!

When I was younger and unmarried I did a LOT of solo travelling in Europe. (By the way I am female).<BR>Best things about it:<BR>1. Doing what you want,when you want<BR>2. You meet A LOT more people travelling solo. I met many local people, fellow travellers etc. When you are travelling with someone else, there just isn't the need to talk to others being alone makes it a necessity.<BR>Worst things about it:<BR>1. Definitely agree with previous poster - no-one to watch your luggage when you go to the toilet<BR>2. More expensive - single rooms<BR><BR>Oddly enough finding things to do in the evening never bothered me - if I was out in the countryside I was usually too tired after hiking around to want to do much and in a city like London there is just so much theatre its actually hard to choose. Nor did going to restaurants on my own if you are in Britain - eat at pubs - people are very friendly and someone will nearly always talk to you if you are alone. Also agree with another previous poster - London really is one of the best cities to be solo in.

I am enjoying the responses very much since I plan to go to Paris next year by myself, for a month. There is a good book by Alice Steinbach: "Without Reservations" about her experiences travelling alone in europe and London, although she did have friends joining her along the way. One thing she said about the difficulties of dining alone, was that it is less of a drag to eat lunch alone so make that the "big" meal of the day and eat light and eat in, for the evening. <BR><BR>I am convinced that the positives of going it alone far outweigh the negatives. Nothing puts a damper on a holiday than having relationship issues come up, and they invariable can.

I started traveling alone almost 40 years ago. On my first trip to Europe, I hitchhiked everywhere and the trip lasted for 4 years. I've gotten more upscale since then, but still find it the best way to meet locals and get to do the things you want to do. By meeting locals, you also get to do and see things you'd otherwise never even know about. I've traveled with husbands and friends (both male and female), and even though those can be enjoyable, I need my time alone. <BR><BR>One evening in Rome about 10 years ago, I went to the ballet and ended up sitting in a very luxurious section with about 10 Japanese women who only spoke Japanese, which I do not speak, but we had a great evening. Traveling alone gives your experiences you'd never have otherwise, but you need the personality for it. It's not for everyone.

For Single:<BR><BR>I do not rent a car when I travel alone in Europe (mostly France.) I enjoy the French wine and want no concerns with an automobile: parking, navigating etc.<BR><BR>I use the trains. With the French rail site www.sncf.com I pick a rail line and sorta "follow" it to make for easy and faster connections. I don't want to spend my entire vacation sitting in a train.<BR><BR>The end of April I took the rail in the direction of Troyes (pop. about 65k) where I spent 3 nights with a day trip to Bar-sur-Aube(6k). Went further out the line to Chaumont(20k) for 1 night. Then I trained back to Paris for about 3 hours to spend 4 nights before leaving. I find I like the mix of sizes in towns. <BR><BR>With the internet I'm able to plan ahead my rail trips. I didn't know if Toyes was big enough to entertain me for 3 nights. My plane landed early on Saturday and I got to Troyes 4 hours earlier than I expected on a Saturday. Because of that I was able to see what I'd discovered on the web and then some in my days there. I'd already picked out Bar-sur-Aube as an optional day trip that I used Monday afternoon. It was on the same rail line as the other towns.<BR><BR>This kind of travel isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. The best meal of my trip was in Chaumont: seared foie gras on grilled apples slices with a buttery sauce, scallops wrapped in bacon with multiple piles of different vegetables, pistachio creme brulee for dessert and a half-bottle of wine for about 40USD. (And it's a rainy day here and I'm eating a grilled chicken sandwich from the cafeteria. Sigh...)

Karen - I traveled to Paris last September. My first trip, I don't speak the language except for a few words. Got stranded there due to 9/11 and I was alone.<BR><BR>This October I am going to Rome, Florence, Venice and back to Paris. Once again I will be by myself.<BR><BR>The positives about traveling solo far outweigh the negatives. I met so many wonderful people while I was in Paris. I met a wonderful french man all of these experiences wouldn't have taken place had I been with someone.

I’ve been to Europe several times with friends and family. (By the by, I’m a middle aged male.) In April and May I went to England and France alone, but spent most of the time with friends. Finally the day came toward the end of the trip when my itinerary was spent and I found myself getting off the train at the Liverpool Street Station alone. Weird and wild! On the one hand a nearly bitter-sweat feeling of loneliness. On the other, the adrenaline was pumping at finding myself in my favorite city, alone, foot loose and fancy free for 5 days. I really enjoyed it a great deal. It would have been too easy for me to sit around all day, every day, eating fish and chips and drinking beer, so I basically forced myself out. I took day trips to places I’d never been including Windsor, Hampton Court, and Bath. By the end of each day I was far too exhausted to worry about a “nightlife,” (as an ex musician and DJ I’ve had enough of that already). Instead I went to the local pubs and chatted with the folks there. <BR><BR>I do agree that it’s a shame not having someone with you when you see something that knocks your socks off, but take plenty of photos and keep a journal and share it with your friends when you get back home. Besides, they will be SO impressed with how independent you are to tackle international travel alone!<BR>

Karen, I've traveled solo to Europe for the past 20 years (I'm a 64 year old female), and wouldn't go any other way! Here in the states, I travel with friends and family, but I don't want to share my trips over seas. They are too special!<BR><BR>I agree about the small, single rooms, but these days I always get a double for single occupancy. I've found they don't charge much more for these than they do for single, if you ask.<BR><BR>Not since the first trip have I rented a car. Like David, I go by train. I obtain a train map that shows only train routes -- no roadways and only the cities and towns on the train routes are shown. This makes it very easy to plan your trip. You can base in one place and make day trips in any direction where the trains go.

Wow, these reponses are great. I am going to Rome and then to Sorrento and maybe some of the islands. As I said, I've done my research, read lots of books on the subject of solo travel, loved Without Reservation, except the part about Rome!! I'm sure after this trip I will be going every year by myself. By the way, I will be in Rome 9/26 30th if anyone wants to GTG.

Once upon a time my then wife and took a trip with another couple. We spent the whole time playing. " I don't know, what do you want to do," and ended up miserable.<BR><BR>SInce my divorce, I travel alone. No hassles, no constant checking with someone else, you come and go when you wnat and you don't have to pretend to like some crappy overcrowded place.<BR><BR>On the other hand, you are alone, but that has never been a problem for me. I always seems to meet people when i travel. <BR><BR>The only other hassle is that as a single male, I get targetted by every whore and pimp within a thousand miles. Never fails.