SeaUrchin

wildbird, did you go back with her?

I have been in that position and I said.....see ya !!

judo

I am seventy one and recently widowed. Altho' my husband and I travelled extensively,I never travelled by myself. Next week I am leaving for Vietnam.I feel exhilerated and frightened.I happend on this area of Fodors by accident. How strange is life, to know that you all are out there.The people I know are married and think that Canada is exotic.

suze

judo~ How exciting!! Best wishes to you on your trip. If you get lonely, you can always come here and post a report! We'll be cheering you on. Take care. Safe travels. ~suze

thursdaysd

judo - have a wonderful trip! Vietnam is a great place to visit, and you'll do just fine on your own. I turned 60 last year, and have been doing a lot of solo travel recently - you can read about my first (solo) trip to Vietnam at www.wilhelmswords.com/asia2002. I liked it enough to go back, but I didn't get around to writing about it that time...

kodi

Judo, Canada is exotic!!!! LOL.

Have a wonderful time in Vietnam. I'm sure you will be fine. I have a friend who went on her own this past summer and she had a great time.
Travel safe and have lots of fun.

SeaUrchin

Good for you, Judo! Yes, please share your trip with us, as you can see we are proud of you.

tzarinna

You made me laugh and tear up a bit there Judo...stop that.
Canada is exotic huh? *whew*
It's good to have you aboard.

trsny

In the country - New York City as a teenager. I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to deal with their OTT fears.

Out of the country - London. My first trip over was to meet up with a friend I had made in the US. I made my first solo trip to London the third time I visited.

Barb

My first trip to Europe was with my sister and even though I had a good time, the whole trip I kept thinking what I would do if I was there by myself. I had visions of just jumping off the train in an interesting town and exploring, or I dreamt of staying in that little cottage on the cliffside in Riomaggiore with smoke curling out the chimney and clothes blowing dry on the line. I longed to be in that little fishing boat just off shore. It could be because I live alone and I am used to doing things on my own. So, the next year found me back in Rome having been quite smitten with this magical city the year before. Then thanks to this forum, I was off to Procida for a week and then on to Sorrento for five days. I felt pretty comfortable because I had been to Rome and Sorrento the previous year. But I have to say, the feeling of being able go where I wanted, when I wanted or not going at all and just whiling away a whole day sitting in cafes, or strolling through town was exhilerating and quite frankly, addicting. Since then, I have gotten off the train/bus to explore a few times, I have been in that little boat and I am still looking for my little cottage on the cliffside. I have travelled all through France solo, Paris a few times, of course Rome many times and this last couple of years to Croatia. I am returning in April to Dubrovnik. I've tried traveling with companions and unfortuntately I just have not been fortunate enough to find that good fit and, in one trip (Diva trip), it was quite disasterous. It would certainly be less expensive to share accommodations, but then, maybe I'm just a confirmed soloist.

I have met up with some Fodorites and have met lots of wonderful people along the way though. In fact, that's why I am returning to Dubrovnik ;-)

nfldbeothuk

Cussedness was the mother of serendipity!!
A friend and I had a trip planned to New England (I'm not an American, so that's "out of the country&quot. She had to have emergency surgery... and I was *&!*! if I would have no holiday that year.
So I went on my own...didn't get lost ...didn't get mugged (was a bit nervous at the "Bates Motel" in rural Maine)and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
So since then I've gone alone whenever I've really wanted to go somewhere that my companions wouldn't have wanted to go. I've been to Cuba, Costa Rica, the Everglades, France, Italy, and S. Carolina by myself. I still haven't been mugged, and I've met a lot of interesting people. Travelling alone, and speaking to strangers, without being "propositioned", is one of the advantages of middle age(there have to be SOME, right?).
When people say, "Aren't you nervous?", I tell them "Yes, I am, but if I never did anything that made me nervous I probably would have quit exploration at first grade."

verbaslt

I've done solo travel within the US but have met up with people in various states.

My first solo trip out of the country was this past March 2007. I went to Italy. I was suppose to go with a boyfriend who a week prior to the trip cancelled because of work (he is no longer my boyfriend) I went alone and absolutely loved it. It was completely liberating.

I am planning my next solo trip for my 40th bday in August. Gonna try Australia.

SeaUrchin

These are great stories, so interesting how life turns out and what changes are in store for us.

calico1

My first solo trip outside of US was in London-Paris-Rome on November last year. I loved every minute of it. My feet were hurting and begging me to stop (I was wearing very comfy Merrell shoes during my trip). I just didn't care and continued walking and walking. I didn't realize how big my blisters were until I went back to US. I will definitely do it all over again but next time I bring lots of Band-Aid.

molly007

For my first solo trip I walked alone in the mountains around Lake Como in Italy and also in the Val D'Aosta in Italy. Its exhilarating and scary and wonderful all at the one time! My friends at home thought I was mad. But if circumstances dictate that its either alone or not at all I prefer to go solo.

angelnot1

Wow -the memories as if they happened yesterday!!

Second year at uni, three hours after politics exam - flew from Sydney to Calcutta and then followed the iconic 'hippy track' -

India (poverty and grandeur),

Nepal(rooftop showering and looking at Mt Everest and the best apple pies in Oxen Street and the smell of dope all over),

Pakistan(rickety buses),

Afghanistan(amazing mountains and photos of drug dealers shot at the border while a bunch of locals kept asking " hashish, very cheap??!!),

Iran (crown jewels and the Pahlavi opulence, a new year celebrated in a cinema watching Marty Feldman of all things)

Turkey ( being stuck at Lake Tat Van for two days in the middle of winter because the train's engine mulfunctioned),

Greece( dancing on the Plaka with David, an American from New York I met near the Acropolis),

Italy (Villa Borghese and being fined for not having a train ticket somehere in the country) then

London (to spend the next two weeks cocooned with the boyfriend. Loved it then but looking back I am thinking what a a prosaic ending...)

JRKite

Hi SeaUrchin!

My first solo trip was actually a caribbean cruise. I had gone on one with my best friends years before, and made plans with my then boyfriend to take another. Weeks before the cruise we broke up and he opted out, and I was stuck. I figured why waste my vacation.

I never imagined how wonderful it would be!!! A blessing in disguise! I did what I wanted, when I wanted. I got massages, I went on the tours I liked, nobody else to worry about. Fabulous. I also meet people easily, that helps a lot!

Now, I prefer traveling alone. I am a people pleaser, and trying to make your travel companion happy, and enjoy your own, vaca is worthless, and only harbors resentment. My sister and I are still not talking from a trip together last March!

This May I am traveling overseas for the first time, solo of course, to Ireland. Overwhelmed with the planning, but so excited of what this venture will bring.

Calm seas and fair winds my friends!

jnewman

My first solo trip was in Europe. Barcelona-Rome-Venice-Salzburg-Prague-Munich. Why I waited till I was in my forties to finally do it, I do not know why. But I'm glad I made the jump. Nomber one reason to travel alone?? Never getting into arguments about where to eat, what to see, what time to start off or come back, where to stay.

rayannne

My first solo trip was this past New Year to Belize. I go tired of waiting for a)time off work b)money and c)someone to go with. So, when I had 2 out of the 3, I decided just to go for it. At the rate I was going before, i figured I would never see any of the world if I kept waiting for people to go with me!
I have to say that my first day there, i was terrified to even leave my room! I am shy to begin with, but add in the fact that I had never been to Belize (or 3 months before had never even heard of it!) I was scared out of my mind. The next morning, I decided that I didn't go all the way there to be locked in my hotel room (plus I was pretty hungry by then), so I went out, and didn't look back!
I had such a fantastic time, I am going back next week!

suze

rayannne~ What a beautiful post! Thanks for being so honest, about sharing that moment of fear and how you got over it. As much as I love traveling there have been times I've laid on a hotel bed somewhere new and strange and cried myself.

SeaUrchin

yes, it is nice to read a post about overcoming fear and shyness. Good for you!