What SOLO Travel means to you
 

Hi
Whiile I rarely travel alone these days, I did for quite some time, years ago. I went to other countries with friends and alone and moved to other cities and countries alone.
Maybe then the emphasis was more on Where to go and How to get there, rather than Who is going with you or is it a Solo trip..but I know I never thought about it as being any bigger a deal than going with a friend.
So my question, someone mentioned that they thought Going Solo was "empowering"..
Do you think so? Why?
Have you traveled in the past and just done it and enjoyed it without it having that aspect to it?
Would you go alone if you had the choice of going with someone ?
As times change and people travel everywhere, alone and with someone else, why is "Solo" significant?
Thanks and I look forward to hearing all your different opinions and views..
(I do have two children who travel all over the world alone and with someone, so I am aware of some of their ideas on the subject, I am just wondering about those not related to me :D
If you like, include your destinations ((F))

Since I'm the one who suggested that solo travel was empowering, I'll give you my take on this. I recently put together a brief "travelogue" on my Virtual Tourist pages on The Art of Solo Travel; http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/5eb5b/#TL

In an ideal world I would have a life partner who shared my interests, habits, and quirks so completely that travel together was wonderful. Scarlett, I suspect that's what you and H have. But in the absence of that ideal scenario, I would rather travel alone than make do with a travel partner I didn't enjoy being with. And there are times when I truly enjoy venturing out by myself. There are adventures available to the solo traveler that simply don't happen when you're with someone else, for a variety of reasons.

That said, I really like traveling with my daughters. The downside is, then I have to pay for everything. :-D
I also have had a great time on trips where I was on my own part of the trip and met up with someone for a few days.

There are destinations I wouldn't attempt to do on my own. In those instances I would sign on with a tour group. For me, these include Turkey, South America, Egypt, and Africa. I think I could and would do parts of Asia solo but not all. These places involve not only safety issues but the ease of managing connections and accommodations. I'm sure there are others here who would feel ok about doing those places solo as well.

As for empowering, there's something about knowing that you can transplant yourself to another world independently and handle yourself in some very alien situations without relying on someone else to intervene. And that you can have a great time in the process.

Thank you!
I think what empowering made me think of was that alone a person cannot do certain things, and when I was younger and alone, I never let the fact that I was alone stop me from anything.
So I was wondering if it is the times we live in or was I that unaware in those days.
I SO believe that no one should let the fact that they have no travel partner to share the trip, stop them from taking that trip!
My daughter who used to be shy about going to a school event alone, will now fly to Belgium and rent a car and take off on her own..My son just spent 3 months in India, Thailand and in Paris (where he was not alone all the time..:) )
I like to think that others are the same, if they can afford it, they will do it for the fulfillment, and that they will not let being Solo stop them.

"Solo travel" for me is simply what I do because I am single. It's not a cause, or politic, philosophy, ideology, or religion. If I were married hopefully I'd "couple travel" but no one refers to that now, do they? -LOL.

I've had great past trips with lovers, close friends, family members, small casual groups, and alone.

I am picky about who I want to travel abroad with, so I would never search out a companion just to have someone to go along.

So to answer one of the original questions <Would you go alone if you had the choice of going with someone?> ... that depends entirely on who that someone is!!!

Hmmm... I don't know if this counts as empowering, but I do absolutely love and crave the mental/physical/emotional rush that comes when you are standing someplace far away and brand new all by yourself.

Scarlett, unlke you I never travelled on my own when I was younger, but since I became single again I was unable to find someone with the same interests a myself who was available to go with me.

A few years ago I mentioned to some friends that I wanted to visit Thailand. I had several people wanting to come with me but they wanted to go to Bangkok foe 3 days and then a beach for 10 days.

This was not my sort of holiday as I enjoy travelling so I went on my own and have never regretted it. Since then I travelled on my own to various different countries and throughly enjoyed the various places and cultures I have seen.

I take a guide book and a good novel for the dining room at night. I have also met lots of different people on my travels which, looking back, I don't think I would have done if I had been part of a couple.

Still go on short trips with friends which I greatly enjoy but my longer holidays these days tend to be solo. Having said that I may meet someone in the future who shares my interests then things may change but for the moment I am very happy with my travels, meeting new people, seeing different cultures and having new experiences.

Friends think I am so adventurous!!

Next trip is Italy in July (Wagner festival in Ravello) and then the Amalfi Coast. Looking forward to it.

Perhaps you solo travel enthusiasts can help me understand something.

Almost all my travel is solo. That's not because I prefer it, enjoy it, find it "empowering" or "liberating," or anything like that. I travel alone because visiting an interesting place alone is almost always better than staying home alone. If I could travel only when someone is available to go with me, I would seldom get to go anywhere. I guess you could say that's what solo travel means to me-- I do it because I have no other choice. I usually have a decent enough time on my solo trips, but the travels I have enjoyed most are those unusual occasions when I have gone with other (compatible) people.

From reading books and forum posts here and elsewhere, I gather that I have two substantial handicaps that get in the way of fully appreciating solo travel. The first is that I am male. Almost everyone who writes about solo travel with effusive enthusiasm is female. Indeed one could easily come away with the (inaccurate) impression that solo travel is exclusively for women. In theory that would seem to offer me a distinct advantage and a very good reason to enjoy solo travel, but in practice I have encountered few if any unattached women during my travels.

The second handicap I have is that, for various reasons too boring to go into here, I do all my solo travel in the United States. The books and forum posts suggest that the cultural and language barriers inherent to foreign travel are a necessary ingredient to the enjoyment of solo travel. That promotes the bonding and mingling with locals, as well as with other solo travelers, that makes solo travel fulfilling. When you combine that with the prevailing mentality in this country that leisure travel is exclusively for couples and families, it doesn't make for an "empowering" experience (although, as I said, "soloing" can be a genuinely enjoyable alternative to staying home alone).

Also, my experiences have (mostly) been that the couples, families, and pairs of women friends I encounter don't often approach me or seem interested in talking to me when I approach them. Aside from obvious business travelers, I see people of either sex traveling solo so infrequently that I can't say whether it's easier to approach them. I really suspect solo women may have an easier time meeting people simply because they're usually not seen as a risk or threat.

I wonder whether there actually are any men who are enthusiastic about solo travel, particularly in the United States-- or are my (admittedly cynical) observations really correct? I'm asking in all seriousness. Since solo travel is my only option (other than staying home alone), I really would like to make the most of it and experience all the advantages and pleasures I read about from all the women who are so enthusiastic about it.

My son told me that one of the biggest drawbacks to travel alone is that you laugh less.
When you are with someone, you share sights and sounds and laughs, but on your own, there is no one to laugh with.
Which made me feel bad for him, he was in India for 10 weeks and that was a long time to be alone..but he did meet some very interesting people and had company now and then. But he said also- If I wait for someone to go with me, to take that much time off and want to go where I go, I will never get to go!
To empower is to delegate or give power to yourself, which I feel means more that you lost it and got it back, which does not really apply to travel alone in the broad sense..that is what made me ask this question in the first place, but I am loving the answers :)

JB, You have some interesting thoughts there. For my part, I suspect that more women think that solo travel is a bigger challenge than me. This might be because traditionally men have done more business travel (although obviously this trend is changing a lot). And you are likely correct in guessing that it's easier for women to connect with other travelers than
men. We certainly would be less intimidating.

As for choosing to travel solo or with others, I have had travel partners that I've just opted to quit traveling with. It seems to me that it's very difficult to find someone who's interests and habits match so well. For example, two planners are going to have a problem because they may conflict over what they want to do. Two non-planners could just get into too much trouble. The balance is a pretty fine line. I've gotten really tired of travel partners who take forever to get ready, who are cranky in the morning and have days when they don't want to talk, who don't want to walk as much as I do, or won't take a taxi when I don't want to walk. It's so much easier doing things my way on my own time. It's a lot easier to plan a trip for the dates that I want to go, and not have to consider someone else's dates, preferences and budget.

That said, I usually get one lonely, homesick day on every trip. But it passes. I have met more people when I travel alone than when I'm preoccupied with my travel partner. I've had more unusual experiences. And most people I know think I'm either very gutsy and adventurous, or very stupid, so I guess it's not all that common yet. My daughters are solo travelers some times, Scarlett's kids travel solo... I think it's going to be a lot less rare as time passes. I think it's empowering to be able to do what you want to do without waiting for someone to give you permission or assistance.

Hi Scarlet - It came a point in my life that I realized the payback of having a girlfriend or family member traveling with me is not worth the hassle. I have to compromise on the time of the year, length of travel, where to stay, what to see, what to eat, do I need to go on??? I thought to myself, no thank you...I decided to risk it and wish for the best. I have not even once got homesick or felt lonely. I have thoroughly enjoyed my solo trips and I learned a lot about the places I visited. Saying all that I will drop traveling alone the minute I can travel with a boyfriend or a husband that I get along with. Key phrase is "get along with¨:) I have seen different reactions from kudos to pity for traveling alone. I have made sure not to let the first one get to my head and the latter to drag me down.

You asked is traveling solo significant? Yes and no.
I think to have an enjoyable successful solo travel you need to have a level of independence, self-confidence, and self-reliance and not everyone possesses these qualities. It is definitely more uncomfortable and concerning to be alone versus a couple or in a group when you run into a totally unforeseen situation. Saying all that I still think traveling solo to parts of the world that have good tourist infra structure is not so tough. I have found out as long as I know English, know how to read a map and travel book, and have basic survival skills, I can do it and recover from any situation and will only affect my comfort level sometimes.

I do think traveling solo to the areas of the world with no tourist infra structure without a tour or even with a tour in some instances is significant. Walking into a country with a culture totally different from what one is used to solo is significant and much more challenging than going with a travel companion.

SOLO Travel to me means (like everthing else in my life)freedom. I don't get much freedom, I must work I must pay bills I must on a day to day basis do things I would rather not do. So freedom is very important to me and I grab it when I can

For JBH,

I'm not sure about the meeting people thing (male vs. female experience). When I travel alone I'm not really interested in hooking up with strangers, so never put energy into trying to.

Also it's true, I would be FAR less excited about "solo travel" if it's only within the United States. Somehow that just isn't much of an adventure to my mind. So yes, the "foreigness" of the language and culture is definitely a big part of the appeal to me, traveling solo or with a companion along.

I am a single 40 something female and have travelled solo for business and pleasure for the past 20 years.

I, too, enjoy various types of travel (solo, friend, family,lover) and all for different reasons. At this age, my habits and routines are pretty well ingrained, as are my desires when I have free time to enjoy. I like to run or hit the gym each morning and then linger over coffee and a paper. These are pretty much solo activities.

I like to "nap" or at least crawl into bed with book for an hour in the afternoon while on a trip and then take my time getting ready for dinner, always stopping somewhere interesting for a glass of wine. These are some of life's simple pleasures for me.

I have generally found that there are single men travelling as well as single women and I have met some truly interesting people while on trips. Also, couples sometimes are frienndly but I have found that more often than not, the woman has to be really secure in her relationship of it can be awkward. I am no movie star but I am attractive and interesting and open to talking to new people. Sometimes the female part of the couple is quite cold and I take the hint quickly.

I agree that Europe is the most fun solo but I also like city weekends and cruises if that is what I am in the mood for at the time.

I do think it is a big deal for many people as they are simply not accustomed to having an adventure on their own. I have friends that would prefer take out or room service to enjoying a nice dinner out if they have to eat alone. That is most definietly not me!

The empowering part is making your way through foreign countries on your own and making the day to day decisions and choices that requires. It is empowering to dress up for a nice dinner and sit at a communal table or at a bar and strike up a conversation with perfect strangers who do not speak your language very well.

Travel changed my life when I began travelling internationally as a teen exchange student. My eyes were opened to new worlds and new experiences and I have not lost my thirst for this even a little.

Most of my friends are married or unable or uninterested in seeing the world as I do. And often I simply prefer my own company (no snoring to put up with, no PJs required).

Hi ladies,
This is my very first posting.I am turning 56 ,single mom for 20 years and celebrating the "Freedom" of my children leaving home.I travelled alot before i had children,Europe/Israel/USA and regret that i should have been solo..always restless to keep moving on .never "free " to "Just Go" without plans and responsibilities to anyone.
I am returning to Italy for my second year .Last summer i did my maiden solo voyage in 30 years, to Florence,Venice,Sienna,Cinque Terre,Lucca....i now feel like 20 years old again.... travelling solo does this sort of thing.I am on my way in May to take a oil-painting workshop/travel trip to Milan/ Lac Como/Bellagio for 2 weeks.Thanks to Rick Steves/Karen Brown's Inn's,Trip Advisor and Fodor'...I organize evrything on-line and book it all..... ....i am ..already thinking about booking a Jewish Historic trip to Eastern Europe in October ...and i haven't even left for Italy.I just joined Fodor's and have already found 2 private touring guides in Budapest and Prague on this Site.
Just How "Empowering" can Life get!
I also have a 27 year old daughter coming off a 5 month Gap African Tanzania tour.Hard to "Let Go" of her when she first told me she wanted to live at the base of Kilimanjaro for 1 month ..then travel 77 Cross-country days from Nairobi to Capetown...Whoa Baby!!Left Canada not knowing a soul on the tour.The next difficulty for me is saying goodbye to her again....when she gets hired to be a Tour Leader ...
My daughter was the one who gave me the book "The Art of Solo Travel"so Thank-You!
Life is a Journey with much Wisdom from Solo travel. ladies...i bid you .Sweet Dreams ,Sweet travels..Ciao Bellas

I am taking my first solo trip alone to Japan in 2 months and I'm scared to death but excited. Reading these posts shore up my courage :-)!

I have been to several countries with friends and I don't know about the rest of you but there's always that one day during the trip where you fall out with each other. It winds up being smoothed over by the end of the day but I always thought in the back of my mind, "If only I went by myself.." .

Just the freedom of planning your own activities or not planning anything at all without having to feel guilty about it is worth it.

If I can pull this off successfully, it's going to spur me on to hit the road more often to more exotic places ALONE!

Sologal, Good for you! And the fact that you've raised an adventurer even further speaks to your own spirit!

Skyhopper, you'll have a great trip. I hope you'll share your plans and post a trip report when you get back. You never know who you encourage with your posts.

Sologal, I hope next time you register, you will come tell us more about your trip to Italy!
I know what you mean about the kids traveling,saying goodbye is always the hard part.

I totally agree with those who mentioned the freedom of where you want to go when you want to go, when and where to eat, etc. Maybe I'm difficult, but I don't know very many people with whom I would want to spend so much time. Maybe for short domestic trips but not longer trips in Europe. I really need my own space! Unfortunately my favorite traveling companion is not particularly interest in Europe. I also think traveling alone is a self-confidence booster. I've had (sometimes still do have) self-esteem problems, and solo travel IS empowering for that. And if I need to be around people, I can always join up with a day tour. The one drawback to solo traveling is having to go to the bathroom in an airport because there is no one to watch my bag for me.

<i>The one drawback to solo traveling is having to go to the bathroom in an airport because there is no one to watch my bag for me.&lt;/&gt;

Poohgirl, You nailed it! :-D</i>

Darn, I should have previewed!

Poohgirl – What you are saying is so true. Add bus and train stations to the list. There are sometimes stairs involved as well. It makes it more unpleasant when there are wet floors, and a tiny crowded bathroom. The same issue comes up in some train trips.

Any tips on this subject?:)

Hi Grasshopper:
The first time solo I had a large duffel bag and my back pack as carry-on luggage. Dragging that into a little stall was no fun! I've learned to take only ONE bag as carry-on for flights going TO Europe, but I always need an extra bag for all my purchases and presents for others on my return home. ARRRGGGHHH!! I rarely have this problem with domestic traveling, though.
Have a great day - I love your posts.

LOL Poohgirl, that is so funny and so true!
The same is for ladies who need to use bathrooms with children in tow :D
What do men do? I guess they carry less? Meaning they only wear one pair of shoes, lol.

Ciao bellas,
Last summer i Travelled to Florence,Venice ,Sienna, San Gimigniano,Cinque Terre and Lucca.Most of my information came from http://www.ricksteves.com..read about his Italy especially Vernazza(Highlight of my trip ) in Cinque Terre....my children did the hikes between the towns and recommended this area to me.
http://www.karenbrown.com ...Italy Inns.
I was always kind to myself and needed to bathe from all my hiking...her bed and breakfasts are delicious and magnifique...treat yourselves ...easy to travel at a single rate and Always have met lovely guests.
I have a train story and was enroute from Sienna to Cinque Terre ..i had 3 trains to take ....most of the time i would point to which track/where to go? then run...one of my stops arrived but the door did not open .....i was calling out &quot;This is my stop This is my stop!!&quot;...a kind ,soft spoken Italian gentleman motioned for me to pull the train door open myself....as the train started to pull away i jumped off with all bags in tow .... then started to cry from the fear of just not knowing the custom and then the fear of the &quot;Unknown&quot;.....
And then i was just fine....I have learned to &quot;embrace &quot; my emotions ...Jack Kornfield /A Path with Heart .....and have &quot;Let Go&quot; of children.We are all in a better place.
I am now off to Milan,La Como.Tremezzo .Belaggio and can hardly wait to leave....
.Today i booked a trip to Eastern Europe for Mid-October...Warsaw,Auschwitz,Slovakia,Budapest,Vienn a,Prague....very very proud of myself!!.I will not go on a organized Tour but will travel to each country probably www.eurail.com find a quaint small hotel in the centre-ville and hire a driver or do a Day-Tour with a guided group...Do you think i have FEAR doing all of this ...Totally!!Lots-of-it!!Solobabes.
I forgot... When i was in Italy ...i would do daily tours or night tours(whatever interested me) whenever i would reach a city .....one was a outstanding Canal Tour of Venice ..Large Canals and Smaller Canals....that i highly recommend...and
maybe..just maybe... one day i'll go back and do that Gondola ride with someone to cuddle up to....but in the mean time ....Hello....solotrips await us all
Ciao Bellas Bon Nuite sologal

What an interesting topic! It was only recently that I have started reading this solo travel column, after the posting of Lea's article.
I have not had much opportunities to travel alone, but long to be able to. It seems that many of these family vacations for me were a bit stressful at times.
Solo travel to me means that I don't have to please anyone, or to answer to anyone; be as adventurous and spontaneous as I want. Like one of the posts stated, to be able to explore what you want, when you want, where you want.
I wonder how many solo travellers are married, like me, whose spouse has very little interest in travelling.

I think that it is empowering if you are normally used to traveling with others.
I have traveled most of my life as a solo traveler, from 44 of the US states to the Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Holland, and Russia.
There have been a few times when I have had a wife, girlfriend or buddy with me, but most the time it is just me. I used to do it simply because no place ever felt comfortable for me to call home and now I do it for work. I am relatively decent with the languages, I start practicing about 2 weeks before I go, and just kind of mesh with the populace. I have meals or watch movies by myself, or go do all of the touristy stuff.
Admittedly, I would love to have company, but have never found any woman that I truly get along with that also has a complete love of travel (not 2 wks, more like living in hotels and B&amp;B's). But we all follow our dreams and desires and do the best that we can. I have seen some places that most people never even look for.
The best thing about solo travel is you see what you want to see and my take any side trip (even if it is climbing the side of a mountain just for a view), without having your partner be too tired, inexperienced, or whiny to go.
I say by yourself or with someone, you are as empowered as you want to be. If travel and culture is truly your desire, don't be shy. Take the time to enjoy your life and see the world.

As for men traveling solo, the recent Roper Poll of a thousand travelers showed that slightly more men traveled solo in the last 3 years (37%) than women (34%). Also, both men and women felt that there was more of a stigma for women traveling solo, even though about 80% of both men and women enjoyed the freedom and the ease of meeting others.
(But women seem to talk about it more, and so it seems more of us do it.)
The empowerment of solo travel has meant so much to me that I have written about it for 10 years! Long before it became a trend. I'm so happy that more and more of us have come to enjoy it.
Lea

This is my first time reading this great forum. I have been travelling solo on and off for about 15 years. My original reason for going solo was I could never get any of my friends to commit to a trip. My first solo trip was a Windjammer cruise to St. Martin, St. Kitts, Anguila, etc. I enjoyed myself so thoroughly that I went on 4 more solo WJ cruises. When you are on your own, you can BE whoever you want to be. You aren't weighed down by anyone else's preconceived notions of who you are. I managed to redefine myself on a couple of those cruises and learned things about myself that I didn't know previously.

I often travel with my sister who I love dearly, but I would probably end up killing her on a more active trip because she is so timid about so many things and just simply can't match my energy level. I'm headed to New Mexico solo this summer and I plan on doing a lot of hiking and photography. Do you really want to have someone else with you when you are sitting in one spot for an hour waiting for the light to get just right for that perfect photograph? Do you want to feel like you have to slow down and wait for your partner to catch up when you really just want to run to the top and embrace the view?

As a solo traveler I can spend 20 minutes in front of one painting, I can either rush through lunch to get wherever I'm headed next or I can spend 2 hours eating on a patio and watching the passers-by. I can take a nap or a swim or read a book or simply contemplate my belly button and I have no one to answer to. It's definitely empowering.

When I started travelling solo, it wasn't by my personal choice. Nobody seemed to want to come along. But I figured that if I waited for someone to finally come along, I might never get to go. So I gathered the courage to go. Now everyone looks at me and says: &quot;It must be fun travelling with you. I'd love to go with you&quot;.

I'm going to Central Europe in the summer...P.S.: Solo :-}

Being single and childfree, solo travel is pretty much the standard for me.

I took my first solo trip to Paris last summer, and it was the best week of my entire life. I never felt so alive, free, and filled with joy.

In theory I would like to find a partner to travel with. I was once engaged to a man who had no desire to travel. It is a good thing that did not work out.

I'll be spending the better part of July in Paris again, and I'm anticipating many wonderful adventures.

The poster Sara mentioned freedom. Yes, traveling alone means complete freedom, and that is priceless.

I went on my first solo trip to Europe when I was 18. Absolutely loved it, and when I was 22, I got on the boat (this was in the 60's and it sounded like fun) and went over for what was supposed to be a year or so, but ended up being 9 years. It completely changed me as a person. I was alone about half of the time because everywhere I went I ran into wonderful people. I met Americans who were doing the same things I was doing, and met locals who showed me places I would never have seen on my own. One of my best memories is of picking apricots on a farm in Italy.

I am now 60, but still travel alone quite a lot. I am more careful now, but still meet people everywhere I go. I think being open to people and experiences is one of the secrets to traveling alone.

Just go for it and enjoy!!!

I was married for many years and enjoyed traveling with my then-wife, but I have come to LOVE solo traveling for the freedom it gives me.

I can get up early or late, eat fancy or frugal, change plans on a whim -- all without the need to consider the impact on or opinion of a travelmate. Not that having a travelmate is necessarily a burden, but, to me, the freedom is priceless.

The only part of solo travel that I don't especially enjoy is eating alone in restaurants. In places like the US where it's common for restaurants to have a bar, that's a great solution for me. Elsewhere, I rely on room service or some other reasonable solution.

I suspect that enjoying or not enjoying solo travel depends a lot on your general preferences for doing things solo or in a group. My Lone Wolf gene is decidedly dominant; others' mileages would certainly vary.

As with so many others, solo traveling is just a necessity for me -- I love to travel and rarely have a companion who can match my schedule and interests. Some trips I've traveled timidly, not interacting much with others, and some trips I'm a voracious socializer. But to have the freedom to travel as I saw fit in the moment was WONDERFUL! My most painful travel memory was traveling with a friend to Mexico City last year; his energy level was out of this world AND also his sense of frugality, hence, we walked everywhere rather than take the subway at a whopping $.20. Until I got blisters on both feet, at which point I made his life so unpleasant that we ended up in taxis for the duration. To be fair, I did manage to lose 7 pounds in 9 days while eating like a pig and drinking like a fish! But I never want to have to accommodate someone else that way again. I'm currently planning a solo trek to southern Spain and Morocco, and I can't wait! I've loved reading all your posts and am very happy I found this forum.

I decided to peruse through some older posts and thought this one was interesting (yes, it's 2 years old). :)

Okay,I'll take the bait toedtoes. ;)




I guess it's empowering since so many people find it to be so amazing that a single woman can plan a itinerary on her own. :D I guess seriously I was really scared to travel on my own,it's been so many years since I can hardly recall the worries I had. I'll have to check my journal.
The main reason I did it and still do it is no one I know has the passion/desrire/time/funds to do so. So I could just sit at home reading the travel section of my local paper and day dream about what could've been or go out and do it.
I believe have so many fears and just lack fait in their fellow man which makes the non solo traveler just weary of go about with out I guess &quot;back up&quot; for an attack. Lol. :( :)

^Man,I'm more tired than I thought.
What is up with that,bad post,bad post? :(

&quot;I believe have so many fears and just lack fait in their fellow man which makes the non solo traveler just weary of go about with out I guess &quot;back up&quot; for an attack. Lol. &quot;

That's the part where your head fell on the keyboard, right?

Funny, as I said a couple years back, I still feel the same... solo travel means I am taking a trip, not staying home waiting for someone else to want to do the same thing I do, be available, have the funds, etc. To me a solo trip... is the one that's definitely happening!!

&quot;That's the part where your head fell on the keyboard, right?&quot;




Bingo! X( :)

Suze - I like that your take on this has never wavered. :)

Here are my responses to the questions:

&lt;&lt;So my question, someone mentioned that they thought Going Solo was &quot;empowering&quot;..
Do you think so? Why?&gt;&gt;

I think it was empowering the first time because I was able to prove to myself that I COULD do it and enjoy it.

&lt;&lt;Have you traveled in the past and just done it and enjoyed it without it having that aspect to it?&gt;&gt;

Everything after that first time, it was &quot;just doing it&quot; and enjoying the trip. I don't get anything else out of it (except the ability to take the time to just think).

&quot;Would you go alone if you had the choice of going with someone ?&quot;

Like Suze, I'm very particular on my travel mates. I don't want to skip visiting King John's tomb to go to the Hard Rock Cafe, so I would rather go alone than compromise my trip. I have invited friends to join me on trips, but I always tell them &quot;This is what I'm going to do, so anytime you don't want to do that, feel free to take off on your own.&quot; So far, I've had no takers... :) But, I may this summer - she may join me for a portion of the trip.

&lt;&lt;As times change and people travel everywhere, alone and with someone else, why is &quot;Solo&quot; significant?&gt;&gt;

I don't think it is for the solo traveler. As Suze stated, no one calls it &quot;couple travel&quot;. I think it falls into the whole idea that to be a &quot;solo&quot; person - not to be a couple - is somehow wrong. Even in this day and age, that thought still rules.