Planning your first big trip? Advice and humor to get you through the process.
Solo Travel: Pros, Cons, Tips
A
friend was recently planning a trip to Southeast Asia and his travel
partner bailed. Then a second partner started to waffle. I suggested he
skip the nonsense and take the trip himself. But traveling solo can be
a scary proposition. Here's a look at the pros and how to deal with the
cons.
PROs: 1) You can do what you want, when you want. You can be spontaneous, a spendthrift, and a cheapskate, as your mood and budget dictate.
2) You don't need to worry about matching someone else's vacation schedule. How many people do you know can take off for two weeks or two months? Of those, who has got the money to do so?
3) You'll meet more people and lose fewer friends. -
Traveling solo will force you to interact with strangers and strangers
will also be comfortable approaching you -- for better or worse.)
- For a long trip, you have to pick your travel companions carefully. That
friend who is fun at parties might not be fun 24-hours-a-day or after a
10-hour red-eye. They may kvetch, have weird food allergies, or worry
constantly about their house-sitter and sick cats.
CONs: 1) Loneliness and all its parts. -
It's part of the experience and will come and go. Just let it happen.
But, as a solo traveler, you will meet more people, particularly
locals, than you would with a traveling companion.
- Some Web sites can
help you find a travel companion. I've never tried this, but it's free
and worth a look. I performed a quick search for men and women going to
Asia and found a bunch. Some were looking for only platonic partners ,
others were open to a little romance.
-
Dining alone: eat at the bar or at an outdoor café as opposed to a
fancy restaurant where you'll be at an empty table for two, bring a
book or other hobby. For more tips.
2) Safety Concerns -
If you read enough travel literature, particularly government travel
sites, you'll never leave the country. Use common sense and check out basic tips at the following sites.
3) Single Supplement: Some
hotels, hostels, and tours may charge additional fees -- up to 100
percent -- to solo travelers. At hostels, I just paid the fee -- it was
worth it to have my own room. If you're tight on cash, you can stay in
a dorm, which charges by the bed. Some tours will match you with a
roommate -- ask.
--rr
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On a recent solo trip around the world, the author visited at least one country on every continent. The plane tickets alone cost $5600. Was it worth it? more
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