toedtoes, I love your story about the Niagara Falls trip and the pretty wife & rude husband....P.S. I grew up there (NF), but only last year wnet back for a visit & did the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride under the waterfalls itself - it rocked! I have traveled a tiny bit by myself, Hawaii, Las Vegas and more recently Chicago on business, etc. and I always felt weird about it...there was no one to turn to and say: "wow, that was awesome, wasn't it?" so everybody's great advice to alexa35 has helped me prepare, too. Alexa, take heart!

I think also that a woman has a better chance of successfully applying clarasong's strategy than a man. A woman who invites herself into a group may well be welcomed and fussed over. If a man tried it, it's likely that they'd all grab their kids and run away as fast as possible.