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I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like single people can go out and order a boyfriend or girlfriend to bring along on their trip. Before I met my wife, nearly all my trips as an adult were made alone, barring one that I made with a couple of friends (never again, btw, friends are all right to hang out with, but sharing a hotel room with them is just trouble!).
My favorite 'alone vacation' was when I biked around Jasper Natl Park (AB, Canada) and finished with the best chocolate-flavoured cocktail I've ever had in my life. Too bad I don't remember the name of that restaurant.
I traveled solo to Dublin, IE a few years back. As some of the other posters here stated, it was liberating being able to follow my own schedule and see whatever I wanted to see when I wanted to see it. I had such a great time in Ireland on my own, I followed it up with a solo trip to NYC.
Two years ago I went to Costa Rica by myself for two weeks and loved it. I wanted to go there and then, and didn't really want the hassle of planning with other people (mostly because I had no real plan haha).
I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like single people can go out and order a boyfriend or girlfriend to bring along on their trip. Before I met my wife, nearly all my trips as an adult were made alone, barring one that I made with a couple of friends (never again, btw, friends are all right to hang out with, but sharing a hotel room with them is just trouble!).
My favorite 'alone vacation' was when I biked around Jasper Natl Park (AB, Canada) and finished with the best chocolate-flavoured cocktail I've ever had in my life. Too bad I don't remember the name of that restaurant.
This. You can't just order a significant other, like you said, and you have to be VERY careful about who you invite on a trip. Unless you know the person really likes to travel the same way you do that can cause some conflict.
It's really no big deal to travel all by yourself. The first time I traveled by myself I really freaked out, and it was just a trip to LA from SF. But it felt so easy every time after that. Just start simple, and you'll get it.
I've done a bunch or travel by myself, I don't see the big deal. My first trip to Europe I did when I was 26 was on my own. I got a Eurail pass for five days. I flew in to Amsterdam, spent a few days then went to Cologne, Zurich, Rome, Paris, Brussels and back to Amsterdam. I also went to Thailand, Peru and Australia/New Zealand on my own.
I've heard about times where people on the radio said they've gone to the beach to get away after working and they went alone, but had a great time. The guy on the radio show said the person calling in was brave and asked what advice that person would give to those considering doing the same thing.
Has anyone ever done this?
The farthest I've gone from home by myself just for fun was 5 hours away. Anything farther away was for school or work.
I'm heading to Negril in September, for a 5 day vacation by myself. It's a much needed vacation.
Usually when I go away with friends and family, I have a great time, but sometimes it's nice to do your own thing, even if that means laying on the beach, drinking Pina Coladas and reading a really good book.
I travel alone at least once a year. My SO is from Ireland, so we go there for an annual visit. He stays longer than I do, and I use Dublin as a launching pad to go somewhere else in Europe: France, Spain, Greece, Bosnia, Italy, Germany, Turkey....
I first got a taste of solo travel when I did my junior year of college abroad (also in Dublin) and started taking weekend/school break trips on my own. After graduating I went to Thailand alone. When my SO and I lived in Spain I took some weekend trips alone to explore while he worked.
I have been to Germany alone (twice and a little over a month combined), Argentina (about two weeks with no knowledge of Spanish), Oregon and Colorado (both about a little over a week for each trip), and then moved out to Colorado alone. Germany I just chilled in Munich and met up with people from a foreign exchange group (our trip was cancelled, but I went anyway on my own). Argentina, Oregon, and Colorado I went hiking alone.
The first of those solo trips was when I was 18 (Germany). I love the freedom and the ability to enjoy the scenery without somebody making an obvious/stupid comment. At times it does suck that there is nobody there to share the experience with, but at the same time I am able to take in the experience a lot more because I can reflect and think. I would rather have the latter than the former.
I've traveled extensively in Europe and the US alone. If you wait for the ideal circumstances or companion to travel, you will miss out.
One of the great benefits of solo travel is that your enjoyment of the trip becomes your responsibility. You are forced to develop the ability to converse with strangers easily because your enjoyment of solo travel is largely dependent on the myriad of human interactions you make during the day. Impromptu conversations with someone at another table at a restaurant, a kind word with someone while waiting on a line... these will add meaning to your trip--the sights alone won't do it. If you take a real interest in the peoples and cultures where you visit and keep a positive attitude, you will really enjoy solo travel.
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haha).
