..i can make huge gigantic changes to my itinerary without anyone else's input!!

My September trip was supposed to be
Paris-London-Istanbul-Florence-Naples-Barcelona-Lisbon.

Yesterday on a whim I changed it to:

Prague-Athens-Krakow-London-Turkey-Florence-Naples-Geneva

Freedom is awesome.

I love that reason also. Just knowing that you don't need to justify your choices with anyone.

I also love that no one else will come along and change all my plans at the last minute.

yes I love being able to do that also. I also like being able to just wander without any regimented plan. Like I traveled with a botfriend once and the eating situation drove me crazy. We had to plan everything around when meals would be. I can go all day without eating, or just grab something fast and eat on the go, but this guy had to have planned out meals, I felt like the whole trip was about food.

Its also nice being able to get on the plane, and listen to my ipod without having to entertain a compaion.

-rache-

Oh that set eating time drives me nuts also. We must immediately stop what we are doing because I MUST eat NOW... and somehow it always is NOW when we're somewhere I want to be and the other person doesn't.

and the best part is being able to buy what I want, without someone in the background saying, oh your suitcase will never hold that, or boy you sure are spending a lot of money on stuff, or don't you already have one of those.

-r-

Because I can go back to the same painting in the Louvre 3 times without someone wanting to hit me over the head and drag me out!
(and I was going back again before I left the building, but the place had gotten so crowded the guards were putting up "one way" signs.)

Of course, when <i>you</i> decide it's time to eat dinner, and you're alone in a restaurant full of couples.... and when your suitcase really can't hold that trinket you don't need... you may not feel so glad you're traveling solo.

Clouds and aluminum linings invariably go together.

I have gotten very good at not worrying about &quot;all the couples&quot; around me. If even 1/2 of them are like the couples I know, I'd rather be alone.

As for the trinket, you can always buy another suitcase for the trip home. Or ship your trinket.

Good one toedtoes!

I used to be one of those &quot;couples&quot; and you're right. Many of them sitting there probably wish they were alone...or with someone else!

I agree JA. They, as well as you and I, might well prefer to be solo.

IMHO, no conversation is better than a strained one. And don't you hate &quot;What are you getting?&quot;?

1. money- i can spend a fortune on a nice book or trinket/eat at little diners/star at 5 stars or hostels

2.time- when i travel i invariably find something that catches my attention. nice to be able to take the whole day to see the louvre or prado if i wish. i set the pace,

because im not in a hurry and im on my own i often savor my travel experiences and have some unforgettable memories

JRP - My Mom was a &quot;what are you getting&quot; person. She couldn't decide and would always ask us what we were getting before making up her mind. Her worst enemy - my Dad who ALWAYS got the same thing.

My friends and I usually ask what are you getting?. It is just a way of looking over the menu I would think and making conversation.

You just silently look at your menus?

Just teasing, travel the way you want of course!

Not being with lazy people who consider walking a form of torture.

Never hearing &quot;what are we doing next&quot; from people who don't know how to relax and enjoy drinking wine.

The &quot;what are you getting&quot; only bothers me in a restaruant that is busy and missing the waiter can mean a long wait for food.

Not deaing with anyone who goes to chain restaurants on vacation.

A garden stone I have says it all: &quot;Tis better to be alone than in bad company.&quot;

...is that I have the bathroom to myself...24/7

but, don't you miss having someone to talk to? The idea of solo travel pulls me, but I can't get over the being all alone thing. I guess I might be too social - I love my own company, but like more.
Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread!

Momliz - no worries on hijacking.

If I really feel a need to share an experience, I call my nieces. They love getting the call from far away.

If I just want conversation, I strike it up with others while I'm out and about.

hmmmm - it is more and more alluring! but don't you feel guilty about leaving loved ones at home - although now that I think about it, when they retired my Dad hit the road, but my mom had no interest whatsoever, and stayed happily at home. Worked for them.

My situation is a little difficult, with school aged kids at home - feel bad dumping all on DH.

But, the points that you all have made above are so true!

There are ways you can make it fair. Perhaps he'd like the chance to go to the game with friends and not feel guilty because you're home with the kids. Does he get away on business trips? Perhaps he'll see the allure of your getting away for a few days.

As for the kids, I think it will empower them a lot to see their Mom going off and doing things on her own - being her own person and not just a part of the whole, so to speak. Especially if you have little girls.

Try doing a weekend trip and see how everything goes. Then you can tell your kids about your trip and get them seeing it as a good thing.