Traveling/vacationing solo

[sdilley14]

I'm just wondering if anybody here has done any traveling or vacationing on their own. I have so many places I would like to visit, but being a single guy with friends that are married/work all the time/broke/lazy/etc. it's hard to find people that can commit to taking a trip.

If you've traveled/vacationed on your own - where did you go? what was your experience like? would you do it again? any tips/recommendations for doing something like this? I'm primarily looking to travel inside the country.

 

[yg17]

Well, can't help you with the inside the country part, but I've traveled solo to London, Berlin, Sydney, and Auckland and have Tokyo planned, and I like it. It's nice doing things on my terms, going where I want, when I want. Life is too short to let my friends' or family's unwillingness to go somewhere to prevent me from seeing the world.

I'm a bit of an introvert in that I don't go out and try to meet other people who are traveling. A lot of solo travelers will stay in hostels to meet others, but I don't do hostels. I like the privacy of my own room. I'm perfectly OK if my only interaction with other people during the trip is with waiters, bartenders and hotel front desk staff. It all depends on what kind of person you are I suppose.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, can't help you with the inside the country part, but I've traveled solo to London, Berlin, Sydney, and Auckland and have Tokyo planned, and I like it. It's nice doing things on my terms, going where I want, when I want. Life is too short to let my friends' or family's unwillingness to go somewhere to prevent me from seeing the world.

I'm a bit of an introvert in that I don't go out and try to meet other people who are traveling. A lot of solo travelers will stay in hostels to meet others, but I don't do hostels. I like the privacy of my own room. I'm perfectly OK if my only interaction with other people during the trip is with waiters, bartenders and hotel front desk staff. It all depends on what kind of person you are I suppose.

To a considerable extent, I second this thoughtful post.

As an introvert, with pronounced preferences - I like museums, history, cafés - I, too, like to be able to do things that interest me on my terms, and in my own time.

Anyway, I've travelled solo quite a bit, but I have a pretty high tolerance for my own company. Besides, in general, I am not the sort of person who tends to be phoned up and asked to join others on outings or holidays.

As @yg17 has remarked, I also like the privacy of my own room - and when with others - or when working abroad - this is one of the conditions I will try to set.

When travelling, my aim isn't to meet people, - although it is nice if it happens - but to see and do things. And these days, when on holiday, small nice hotels are preferable to hostels. Likewise, I'm with @yg17 in that I'm not really pushed if the only people I chat to are hotel staff.

 

[Three141]

I'm an Introvert and I've done this once before and I will do it again.

If you're a extrovert, it most likely won't be for you unless you decide to stay in a Hostel where you will meet other travelers.

If you're an introvert like me, it will be the best thing you ever done!

Everything is on your own terms, I'm an early riser and not having to wait around for people was worth its own weight in gold.
I went to the favelas, did a hang glide, visited Christ the Redeemer statue, sugar loaf mountain and the colourful stair case, went in town, got lost, took my camera out at night, caught buses and attended both carnival parade days.

In fact the worse part of the whole holiday was coming back to Heathrow, the customs officer decided to ask me twenty questions, when I ask why he selected me, he said "it's a bit odd travelling by yourself", I was going to argue but chalked it up to him being a prig.

What helped me was, I bought two language guides Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese and I always took these with me, I would attempt to speak Brazilian Portuguese (after asking politely if they spoke English and they couldn't), when I failed miserably, I would give them the Portuguese to English and I would use mine and we could talk that way.

The rest was a combination of talking to the hotel staff, people you bumped into along the way and trial & error.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And I'll add my own experience to those posted by @yg17 and @Three141; when you travel by yourself, hotel staff are usually extremely helpful in tendering advice, or suggestions, or offering recommendations.

Besides, even if you are with someone, it can be nice to split up sometimes: My parents used to often split up on their holidays together - my mother would take day tours to interesting sights and sites, while my father - who worshipped the sun - would head to the beach, chill, chat, have a few beers, - and, when they met up again in the evening this meant that they had tales to relate to one another which they each found interesting, and this helped ensure that they didn't get fed up with one another.

 

[dingster1]

I'm a female who travels the East Coast a lot. I am an introvert as well and rarely travel with others for the sake of my sanity. I'm expanding my travels out of the states though.

 

[JamesMike]

Language guides can be a big help.

 

[RedOrchestra]

I'm just wondering if anybody here has done any traveling or vacationing on their own. I have so many places I would like to visit

Like where? What are your interests? Do you like BIG cities or smaller ones? Are you a hiker or are you a history and art buff where museums and art galleries might grab you? Do you like architecture and streetscapes i.e. can you just walk around all day without really having a destination. Do you want 3 or 4 day trips or week-long?

I think I'd like to hear what would excite you most and then go from there.

 

[twinlight]

Never travelled alone but I think I would like it. Im not really super social so it would be nice not waiting for others and having to choose between activities I might not like.

But at the same time traveling with others have made me see and do things I didn't think about.

I'm actually about to leave for the airport right now, going to Orlando, Florida! Never been to the USA so I'm super excited. Going with a female friend whom I have traveled with before so we know each other well and will probably go along fine this time too. Both are excited for visiting Universal studios and Disney world.

I also plan on shopping and maybe pick up some new Apple hardware and accessories.

As the others said, why wait for others who are broke or busy? If you want some contact you seek it out for a day or two.

 

[0388631]

Do one of those single cruises. Assuming those exist.

 

[maflynn]

Back when I got divorced, I made it a point to live my life more fully, then when I was first married. I opted to travel to locations I always wanted to do, and do things that were important to me.

I feel, now years later, I'm a better person for not letting my singleness stop me from living

 

[AlliFlowers]

I am constantly on the go - alone. Sometimes it's even cheaper. Other times, not so much. My husband and I have very different interests, and he doesn't get the same time off I do. I like my own company.

My son recently did a half and half trip. He and a friend flew from NY to Denver, then drove to Los Angeles, with lots of stops on the way. Once in LA, the friend flew back to NY while my son continued up the coast on his own. He had a blast, and got some amazing photos.

Don't let being alone stop you.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am constantly on the go - alone. Sometimes it's even cheaper. Other times, not so much. My husband and I have very different interests, and he doesn't get the same time off I do. I like my own company.

My son recently did a half and half trip. He and a friend flew from NY to Denver, then drove to Los Angeles, with lots of stops on the way. Once in LA, the friend flew back to NY while my son continued up the coast on his own. He had a blast, and got some amazing photos.

Don't let being alone stop you.

Actually, a half and half - as you so eloquent put it, - sounds like a brilliant idea. It has the advantages of both travelling solo and in company and the drawbacks of neither.

 

[JamesMike]

After Viet Nam I traveled and worked in every country in Central and South America. Three-quarters of the time were by myself resulting in meeting a lot of nice people from different countries.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

After Viet Nam I traveled and worked in every country in Central and South America. Three-quarters of the time were by myself resulting in meeting a lot of nice people from different countries.

Agreed.

Oddly enough, you may run the risk (or have the opportunity) to meet more people if you are by yourself; this is because you may be open to the idea of meetings people, or individuals, who 'click' with you, often more so than if you are with a group, o in a couple.

 

[senseless]

Traveling with someone you really get along is the most rewarding. But if it's a poor match, it can be the most annoying experience ever. We've all been there.

There are lots of single people now, so solo travel may become a "thing". I do wonder why this isn't exploited more often. If you look at travel sites, you really only see romantic couples or families with 2 children pictured.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Traveling with someone you really get along is the most rewarding. But if it's a poor match, it can be the most annoying experience ever. We've all been there.

There are lots of single people now, so solo travel may become a "thing". I do wonder why this isn't exploited more often. If you look at travel sites, you really only see romantic couples or families with 2 children pictured.

I think 'solo travel' is being catered to just that bit more, in recent times, and agreed, not everyone is coupled up, or has the clichéd two point something number of children.