Hi all: I have posted on other forums but want to get opinions from others. In my youth I always traveled alone, but lately in my middle age have traveled with my daughter.

Now that she is independent, I am considering what to do. I did one trip by myself to Italy and found that being a woman of a certain age, that I didn't get the spontaneous conversations that I did when I was young and I ended up spending most of my time on my own.

I have a fair amount of time to travel now and a fairly unlimited budget. I have looked at some fairly expensive trips through my old university and also thru Mountain Travel and Wilderness Travel of Berkeley, but am afraid that after spending all this money I will find group travel somewhat annoying.

What does the board suggest for a somewhat snobby intellectual who has done a lot of traveling?? I just have visions of some old person asking silly questions the whole time or complaining about the food or beggars and spoiling the entire trip. On the other hand, I am not sure I want to travel solo the rest of my life! And no one I know can afford to travel as much as I do.

Suggestions?? Groups that weed out the bad travelers?? I considered OAT but all the brochures show really old people and I can afford better!

Thanks!

If you are considering Mountain Travel, you must be fit and be interested in outdoor activities. Have you considered trying hotels, lodges, etc. where activities are included or arranged? For example, places like Explora in Chile. Latin America especially has these types of places, but I've also been to one in Australia (Heron Island) and there are places in SE Asia too, I believe. Most are centered around outdoor pursuits. It wouldn't be the same as traveling with a companion, but you would have the opportunity to socialize with others.

At Explora in Patagonia, we befriended two other couples, as well as one single gentleman who had just lost his wife and was travelling alone for the first time. We still keep in touch with him.

As to group travel, I understand your concern. I only once had a group experience, in Egypt with A & K. We mostly had a private trip, but the Nile Cruise portion was a small group. I'm like you, in that I get annoyed by stupid questions, but it was actually fine. Given the cost of traveling with A & K, all were professionals, so we had something in common with the others. I suppose we could have had good luck, but most of the people on the Nile boat seemed nice. I think the secret is to try to keep the group time short, so that if there is a bad apple, you aren't subjected to him/her for too long.

My guess is you'll need to try a couple of different approaches before you settle on the one best for you. I would advise you to take the plunge if there is a group trip you really want to take. If you hate it, it will be only for short time. But you might love it, and if you don't try, you'll never know.

Best of luck!

unlimited budget, lot's of experiences, doughter as companion:
ask for SAFARI!
change to the africa channel and start dreaming.
it might change your life entirely!
need advise on a more personal base: divine12atwebdotde

good luck!

div

If you liked tour groups when you traveled with your daughter, then you'll like them now.

If they drove you nuts then, then they'll likely drive you nuts now.

Don't give up on solo travel from just one experience.

Like everything else in life, it does get less easy as you get older. The "spontaneous conversations" may require you to start them up. You may need to be a bit more outgoing and assertive than you've become used to, but it is doable and enjoyable.

Maybe you should work on the snobby part of your personality and then you may be more open to spontaneous conversations.

If you want to travel with other intellectual snobs then search out a group that caters to that type.

I am not being flippant, like seeks out like, nothing wrong with that.

Is there a reason why you cannot continue traveling with your daughter? I'm almost 40 and married, but still take trips with my Mom almost every year.
If your daughter can't take as much time as you, have her join you for 1/2 the trip and go on your own for the rest.
My mom and I did this in Thailand and Cambodia last year; I went for 1 week and she went for 2. I do think she got a little lonely in the last few days and did say it was harder to meet people.

I like traveler318's idea of going to a destination where there are organized excursions. That way you can pick or choose. Another option if traveling alone is to set up various day trips and tours as part of a group rather than hiring a private guide which in some ways can be more isolating. Big city destinations like Paris or Rome make this easy. I think it all depends on where you want to go and how you like to travel.

Don't think OAT is for you, everyone was pretty down to earth, very nice, only one couple I would call snobby intellectuals. We did have one women that I nicknamed "the women of 1,000 questions, drove me crazy.
I went to Greece with them this April and loved it. There were a couple of older people in the group, which turned out to be the most interesting people on the tour.
I agree with SeaUrchin, look for tours that cater to groups that you enjoy being with.

Thanks for all the advice. Actually the snobby intellectual part was tongue in cheek, as I can actually be nice!

I have actually lived in Africa for 3 years and been there numerous times as a tourist, so I have been on lots of safaris. I have never been to South America (been to Central America many times) so that is a thought.

The problem with OAT is that they also stay at odd places. A friend of mine is going with them to Southern Africa. I checked their itinerary and they are not staying at any of the camps I would consider top notch and really weird game reserves. I do find their prices incredibly reasonable however and maybe should give them a short try.

ANd yes, I plan to go on more trips with my daughter but she is still in school and we can only travel on her vacations which is always high season. But having her as my buddy probably is not that much more than paying single supplement.

I would also love to do some volunteer work like Earth Watch but again, most of the fellow travelers are very young and accomodations sometimes a bit rough for this old body!

Any other suggestions on tour groups? And Mountain Travel does have some easy trips. I do walk, ski, ride horses and scuba, so can manage the 2-3 trip ranked trips.

I loved your suggestions. Any other??

I think my favorite "stupid" question was upon seeing a warthog, a thirtysomething lady asked when it would grow up and get a horn on its head?? I wonder if some travelers open a guide book before they go?

I have done groups if you count game drives in Africa and a wonderful camping trip in Australia, but they were small and people easily avoided the next time if they annoyed you. So I guess short and small is the answer or find equally well informed and opinionated people, perhaps in a university group? (But these trips are even out of my price range! Trip to India for 10 dayus for 12,000??)

Kim

I think the prevalence of spontaneous conversation may have something to do with which country you're visiting and what kind of accommodations you're staying in. Small pensions, B&Bs and hostels are much more likely to have people who are happy to chat than 4 or 5 star hotels. It may be your price range rather than your age range that's getting in the way. And again, I found that for some reason in Malaysia all the youngsters ignored the older travelers, whereas in India there was no barrier.

I've traveled several times with Intrepid, which has great itineraries, small groups and leaves much of the sightseeing up to you, but they are definitely at the budget end. I've done one trip with OAT and swore I'd never go with them again. In Europe I've done a few trips with Rick Steves, although I think his groups are too big, his guides are excellent and the travelers fun to be with.

Check out Adventures-Abroad.com. I have done many trips with them and most of their clients are well traveled professionals. They are small groups and on one trip I had 3 doctors and two college professors in the group. Ages run from 30's to 70's most are 50's to 60's.

Could you let me know what the problem was with OAT before I try them?? I have my fears.

I have stayed at small pensions in Italy for example and the dinners together were great. But I found that most of those people did their touring on their own during the day. I usually do not stay at expensive hotels but go for the atmosphere. Since I have spent most of my time in Africa the prices were obscene but the service great. I am going with my ddaughter to India over Christmas and am being looked after by an individual agent.

OK, theh way I see it you've basically got two choices... try a tour group alone & see how you feel about it OR start traveling solo again and possibly get back to enjoying that (a single trip to Italy does not prove anything in my book).

I'm a die-hard solo traveler ;-)
I have a good time going alone and would never consider joining a group.

That said, I'm not really looking for "spontanious conversation" with strangers or making new friends when I travel.

BUT if anything I've found just the opposite of what you mentioned. Now that I am "of a certain age" more people DO seem to chat with me when I'm traveling... in airports, restaurants and bars, grocery store, even just on the sidewalk.

I commenting to my friends/family on the phenomena just after my last trip. I thought perhaps being older now makes me somehow more assessible, than when I was young, gorgeous, aloof, and people left me alone -lol!

kimwhits - see this thread for my experience, and for both pro and con posts: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34766572

A co-worker went with this group last year and had a great time, she considers herself a monitarily-conservative intellectual, in other words a snobby cheapskate, lol.

http://www.women-traveling.com/