traveling solo
Oct 31st, 2005, 08:01 AM
#2
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There's a section of Travel Talk here on Fodor's that is called "Solo Traveler"; you might find it useful.
It's not that different traveling solo or with one other person: choose your destination (most easily done in a bookstore with a good selection of travel books); read up on it; research hotels, restaurants and attractions; research transport (train, bus, etc.).
After you've done that and have specific questions about any aspect of the trip, come back and ask here.
It's not that different traveling solo or with one other person: choose your destination (most easily done in a bookstore with a good selection of travel books); read up on it; research hotels, restaurants and attractions; research transport (train, bus, etc.).
After you've done that and have specific questions about any aspect of the trip, come back and ask here.
Oct 31st, 2005, 08:07 AM
#3
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see also this recent thread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34700056
where were you thinking of going, or conversely, where have you already been?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34700056
where were you thinking of going, or conversely, where have you already been?
Oct 31st, 2005, 08:12 AM
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Hi antiqur,
Welcome to the wrold of solo travelling. I have travelled with others and a lot on my own. I'm actually preparing a trip report for a solo 5 day trip to Lyon France from 10 days ago.
The positives..I find that solo travel allows me to plan exactly what I want to do, and alterations on the fly. I can go at my own pace..if I want to spend the morning at a Cafe, I can. If I don't like shopping, I don't do it. I don't have to find a restaurant to satisfy someone else's tastes.
The one item I thought would be a negative turned out to not be so, in Europe. That was eating alone. Once I got over my preconceived idea that people would think it strange for someone to be in a resto alone and went for it, soon enough I went everywhere...upscale restos, bistros, cafes, walking tours.etc..I bring a book/newspaper to read, or even a trip diary, and I've never had issues.
Yes there are negatives,such as not having anyone to share the trip with. But from I have expereince, there is a lot less (none?) 'singles supplement' prcing, if you organize on your own. I remeber one trip to London where I decided I wanted to see several plays. Well, guess what, ticket pairs were sold out, but I could always get a single. I liked that.
Planning. This board and the internet are super. For my trip to Lyon I booked all of the 'fixed' items from home : flight, train, hotel,etc...and researched maps, restaurants, metro, tourist sites from here.
My best suggestion, if you are concerned about soloing in Europe, is pick an easy location to start with. England, Ireland, Amsterdam, even Paris are places that have lots of info available and a good/great amount of Enlish spoken.
Hope my ramblings help
Mike
Welcome to the wrold of solo travelling. I have travelled with others and a lot on my own. I'm actually preparing a trip report for a solo 5 day trip to Lyon France from 10 days ago.
The positives..I find that solo travel allows me to plan exactly what I want to do, and alterations on the fly. I can go at my own pace..if I want to spend the morning at a Cafe, I can. If I don't like shopping, I don't do it. I don't have to find a restaurant to satisfy someone else's tastes.
The one item I thought would be a negative turned out to not be so, in Europe. That was eating alone. Once I got over my preconceived idea that people would think it strange for someone to be in a resto alone and went for it, soon enough I went everywhere...upscale restos, bistros, cafes, walking tours.etc..I bring a book/newspaper to read, or even a trip diary, and I've never had issues.
Yes there are negatives,such as not having anyone to share the trip with. But from I have expereince, there is a lot less (none?) 'singles supplement' prcing, if you organize on your own. I remeber one trip to London where I decided I wanted to see several plays. Well, guess what, ticket pairs were sold out, but I could always get a single. I liked that.
Planning. This board and the internet are super. For my trip to Lyon I booked all of the 'fixed' items from home : flight, train, hotel,etc...and researched maps, restaurants, metro, tourist sites from here.
My best suggestion, if you are concerned about soloing in Europe, is pick an easy location to start with. England, Ireland, Amsterdam, even Paris are places that have lots of info available and a good/great amount of Enlish spoken.
Hope my ramblings help
Mike
Oct 31st, 2005, 09:43 AM
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Antiqur, Congratulations on making the leap! I'm a big fan of solo travel. I agree with Michel_Paris about the pros and cons. It's definitely great to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. I really feel like I'm having an "adventure" when I'm on my own, rather than just a vacation. Walking down a Parisian street on my own (pretending to be a local) makes me feel like I'm on top of the world.
For some, dining alone takes some getting used to, but I've grown to enjoy it. I love to just relax, people watch, and savor my meal. I find that after 8 days with another person, there's not always a whole lot to say anyway.
While I do miss sharing my travel experiences with someone, I try to make up for it by sending reports to my friends, via email, during my trip. It's a nice way to stay connected. It also helps to use a board like Fodors where there are usually at least a handful of people (if not more) who've "been there, done that." I can always count on somebody here to console me through my post-Paris depressions!
I prefer big cities when traveling alone. There usually lots to do and the crowds make me feel less alone. And I definitely like to plan the trips myself. I'm not a big fan of package deals, nor do I like tour groups especially. I do quite a bit of homework before settling on a hotel. Cost is a concern for me , but I also want it to be well-located and safe. The hotel hunt helps me learn about the city too.
The first half of my first solo trip was spent in Edinburgh. Before leaving, I had only a vague sense of what I wanted to do and see. Once I got there, I was exhausted and the weather was awful. Because I didn't have much of a plan, I ended up spinning my wheels a bit until I moved on to London. From that experience, I learned that (for me) it pays to do a fair amount of research and to draw up a loose itinerary. That way, I can hit the ground running. Plus, the research has become part of the fun. That's the way I've approached my last two solo trips--twice to Paris--and it's worked very well for me.
Good luck with your planning. Let us know where you decide to go this time.
Kate
For some, dining alone takes some getting used to, but I've grown to enjoy it. I love to just relax, people watch, and savor my meal. I find that after 8 days with another person, there's not always a whole lot to say anyway.
While I do miss sharing my travel experiences with someone, I try to make up for it by sending reports to my friends, via email, during my trip. It's a nice way to stay connected. It also helps to use a board like Fodors where there are usually at least a handful of people (if not more) who've "been there, done that." I can always count on somebody here to console me through my post-Paris depressions!
I prefer big cities when traveling alone. There usually lots to do and the crowds make me feel less alone. And I definitely like to plan the trips myself. I'm not a big fan of package deals, nor do I like tour groups especially. I do quite a bit of homework before settling on a hotel. Cost is a concern for me , but I also want it to be well-located and safe. The hotel hunt helps me learn about the city too.
The first half of my first solo trip was spent in Edinburgh. Before leaving, I had only a vague sense of what I wanted to do and see. Once I got there, I was exhausted and the weather was awful. Because I didn't have much of a plan, I ended up spinning my wheels a bit until I moved on to London. From that experience, I learned that (for me) it pays to do a fair amount of research and to draw up a loose itinerary. That way, I can hit the ground running. Plus, the research has become part of the fun. That's the way I've approached my last two solo trips--twice to Paris--and it's worked very well for me.
Good luck with your planning. Let us know where you decide to go this time.
Kate
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