Vacationing Alone

[ThatGirl]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so here it is.

I am now working a job I love and hope to stay employed with for a long time, and trying to get myself ready to possibly purchase a house in the next year to year and a half.

Before I settle down into a mortgage payment and grown up responsibilities again, I want to take a damned vacation. I am thinking to go alone, not even TK.

Has anyone done this before?

What was their experience, was it a waste of time, or does that open up more free time to spend really doing the things you enjoy?


Thoughts?

 

[Saslou]

I went to Toronto on my own and enjoyed it for the most part. I was able to do what i wanted when i wanted without someone else moaning.

I did have the odd moment where i felt alone, but i was in a backpackers hostel and conversed with some wicked people.

Go for it .. If i had the opportunity again, i'd go alone.

 

[ThatGirl]

Okay, does anyone have any suggestions?

I will write out my ideal Vacation...


Cozy and quiet accommodations. Some place where you could picture yourself sitting out on a balcony reading all day, and that would be not missing out on a single thing. Some place with a lot to explore, culture, history, mysticism. You can explore on your own, and find millions of intriguing, thought provoking sights and wonders. Has a healthy social nightlife within walking distance, but not over the top like clubs and bars, more natureish and earthy.

Any suggestions?

 

[Mae]

Red River, New Mexico? I didn't go alone, but I loved it there and it sounds similar to what you're describing.

 

[ThatGirl]

Not to criticize your suggestion, that sounds awesome, but the whole point is to get kind of far far far away.

 

[rhinosaur]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so here it is.

I am now working a job I love and hope to stay employed with for a long time, and trying to get myself ready to possibly purchase a house in the next year to year and a half.

Before I settle down into a mortgage payment and grown up responsibilities again, I want to take a damned vacation. I am thinking to go alone, not even TK.

Has anyone done this before?

What was their experience, was it a waste of time, or does that open up more free time to spend really doing the things you enjoy?


Thoughts?

I've done it. It wasn't bad but I got bored after a while. But then again, I didn't rent a car, and was relying on public transit to get around. If I'd had a car it would have opened up more possibilities for stuff to do and see.

 

[Such Irony]

I haven't taken a major vacation alone but I've taken lots of short 1-2 day trips alone. The advantages to going alone is that you can do what you want when you want and not have to be dragged to places you don't want to go and you don't have to worry about whether your travel companion(s) are enjoying themselves.

 

[violaine]

Depends on if you like being alone or if it makes you feel weird/self-conscious. I do a lot on my own by choice. I never realized people think it's weird to go to a restaurant or the movies on your own. I've traveled quite a lot on my own and very much enjoy it. I usually pick a region and then go all over as it suits me. In contrast, my very extroverted ex traveled on his own, (to some of the most beautiful cities in the world), and he was itching to get back to people he knew.

Destination depends on how much time you have too. I'd prob build in a bit of pampering to make it very relaxing. A nice spa retreat somewhere could be good. I think there are a few in Austin which is kind of a cute place for a quick trip. There are a few spring pools there that I always enjoyed visiting. I used to ride a bike there and back to the hotel. It was fun. The nightlife is bars and clubs though, but I do know one hotel that has beautiful grounds and you can just relax there at night. Or swim in the pool or play records in your room and it's also within walking distance of some good restaurants.

If you want to go far away I'd recommend Sydney. There is a lot of variety and it's very outdoorsy and the weather is just starting to warm up. People are very friendly too. Hawaii's nice, though maybe better with another person. I also liked Thailand a lot. Lots of lazing around and reading and swim up pool bars. I stuck to hotels there.

Hmm, the Amalfi Coast in Italy is beautiful. Pompeii is nearby. Capri is nearby. You can get around with guidebook Italian. But the beaches in Sydney are better.

My brother used to be on a surfing tour that went to the best surfing beaches in the world, his fave place is San Sebastian in Spain. I've been to Barcelona and Madrid and loved both so would vouch for Spain, there are prob more interesting regions than Barcelona and Madrid... I've a friend whose favorite vacation was to the coastal regions in Southern Spain.

I had a friend who took a vacation just before he started the job he'll prob spend his life doing, he went to the Cancun/Cozumel region of Mexico to learn how to scuba dive. He loved it, there was a nice mix of people contact on the dives and totally unstructured time, which he spent exploring the local historical sites and reading. He said the only downer was when a cruise ship pulled in and inundated the town with people one night.

I went to a yoga retreat once, in a beach town and that was the most reinvigorating vacation. You can go even as a beginner to a lot of those retreats I think.

*Oh, and if that sounds like a lot of travel experience, it's an Australian thing. We get paid vacations and a lot of us spend them traveling.

 

[CzeCze]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so here it is.

I am now working a job I love and hope to stay employed with for a long time, and trying to get myself ready to possibly purchase a house in the next year to year and a half.

Before I settle down into a mortgage payment and grown up responsibilities again, I want to take a damned vacation. I am thinking to go alone, not even TK.

Has anyone done this before?

What was their experience, was it a waste of time, or does that open up more free time to spend really doing the things you enjoy?


Thoughts?

I have vacationed alone a lot and even went to an amusement park by myself as a teenager to prove how independent I was (yes, it was very, very 'triste', you can mock me later). I've solo visited other countries and through them, also different cities in the states.

I had an ENTP friend who visited Greece by herself when she was in her early 20s just to have that experience and prove to herself that she could do it.

Unless you want to have a transformational experience a la "Eat, Pray, Love" I actually don't recommend solo travelling. I've done it before more out of necessity than anything else. I much prefer travelling with friends. You don't have to do everything together or agree, but at least you can loop back in and do something in a group. Some things are almost impossible to do solo depending on your personality and sometimes just at all. One thing I never do when I solo travel is hit the nightlift, go to a bar or club, etc. That just invites all sorts of attention I don't want. I will go to concerts and events though.

I really enjoyed doing Spain by myself partly for the challenge and the rewards. However, travelling to Sevilla by myself from Malaga was a bummer - it was great overall but it would have been MUCH more fun with a friend or good travel companion.

If you want to subsidize my ticket I will join you on vacation That Girl. Anything to help out.

Also, I'm out of the loop. Who's TK?

PS My ISTJ friend hates wasting time coming to group consensus and greatly prefers solo travel. You can always meet up with strangers (especially if you hostel) and do things in a group to do specific things. I'm kinda that way too but the emphasis is on group. But, maybe try a mini vacay solo and see how you like it.

 

[King sns]

Hmm... No suggestions but I can relate to wanting to go to some place exotic/ full of culture alone. Most people around me are too stuck here to be able to go anywhere good, and I'm starting to get a travel bug at my age. I'm not sure how it would feel to go places alone, if it would be too awkward.

 

[Anew Leaf]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so here it is.

I am now working a job I love and hope to stay employed with for a long time, and trying to get myself ready to possibly purchase a house in the next year to year and a half.

Before I settle down into a mortgage payment and grown up responsibilities again, I want to take a damned vacation. I am thinking to go alone, not even TK.

Has anyone done this before?

What was their experience, was it a waste of time, or does that open up more free time to spend really doing the things you enjoy?


Thoughts?

I haven't done a vacation alone yet - but I have decided that I will simply plan trips that I want to go on and if no one else wants to go... then I will just go ahead and go it alone.

I think it's a great idea for you to take some time for yourself. Choose a location that you are excited about and then start finding a way to get there. I have the latest Rick Steves "Europe Through the Back Door" guide and there was a nice section in there on women traveling alone. Maybe glance at that chapter sometime when you can get to a bookstore. It had some good tips on how to stay safe and a part on how women can meet up with other women who are traveling alone to do some sightseering together... I think it was through an online forum or something. Maybe something like that can apply for your destination.

Be safe but don't let the idea of going it alone talk you out of a valuable chance to relax and have some TG time to yourself.

 

[FDG]

Okay, does anyone have any suggestions?

I will write out my ideal Vacation...


Cozy and quiet accommodations. Some place where you could picture yourself sitting out on a balcony reading all day, and that would be not missing out on a single thing. Some place with a lot to explore, culture, history, mysticism. You can explore on your own, and find millions of intriguing, thought provoking sights and wonders. Has a healthy social nightlife within walking distance, but not over the top like clubs and bars, more natureish and earthy.


Any suggestions?

Italy of course (any mid-sized city in central-northern Italy), but maybe you've been there already

Anyway, I've travelled "solo" more than once, but usually those were biking trips. Sometimes it's lonely at night, especially right before you're going to bed. Still, I love the freedom.

 

[ThatGirl]

I have thought about going to Italy actually, and believe it or not, I haven't been there. Frankly, I haven't been anywhere.

I also had someone recommend a bungalow in Belize. It sounded awesome, except I have no idea where that is.

 

[Aquarelle]

I took a trip to Moscow alone when I was 25. I loved it-- one of the best trips of my life. I don't have any suggestions for locations, but I say definitely go for it!

 

[Thalassa]

I took a trip to Moscow alone when I was 25. I loved it-- one of the best trips of my life. I don't have any suggestions for locations, but I say definitely go for it!

That is awesome! I've been all over the United States and to Canada alone, but never to Europe ...which I want to go.

 

[FDG]

I have thought about going to Italy actually, and believe it or not, I haven't been there. Frankly, I haven't been anywhere.

I also had someone recommend a bungalow in Belize. It sounded awesome, except I have no idea where that is.

I believe Belize doesn't have the same amount of historical platitude that Italy could offer...

 

[CzeCze]

Theres a member here from Belize [MENTION=7049]Kingfisher[/MENTION] English is the official language and its on the coast.

 

[Lark]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so here it is.

I am now working a job I love and hope to stay employed with for a long time, and trying to get myself ready to possibly purchase a house in the next year to year and a half.

Before I settle down into a mortgage payment and grown up responsibilities again, I want to take a damned vacation. I am thinking to go alone, not even TK.

Has anyone done this before?

What was their experience, was it a waste of time, or does that open up more free time to spend really doing the things you enjoy?


Thoughts?

The best vacations I've had have been alone, I've gone to Edinburgh a couple of times, other parts of scotland, london and further a field, its a good idea if you can occupy yourself with enough things to do and have enough money to do it.

 

[ThatGirl]

Interesting, I probably will go to Italy. I've been looking at the tours and stuff. FDG, As a native, what would you recommend for a first timer?

 

[angelparker]

Hi
I have never gone on a vacation alone. But i personally think that one should spend some quality amount of time with oneself. I think it is a good idea.