Between 2000 and 2006, I took three trips to Europe happily on my own.
I drove all over Ireland, then journeyed to Venice & Florence and finally fulfilled a dream of going to Paris.
Some things I learned: Even though I was a fiercely independent traveler- in retrospect- I wish I would have done some parts of each trip as tours - a half day bus tour, a walking tour, maybe a guided tour of the Louvre.
That would have given me an opportunity to meet some traveling companions and get the inside scoop from a knowledgeable guide.
I really do suck at learning languages.
I wish I'd had a translator app and a smart phone! I did manage to learn a few useful phrases -it does go a long way in warming people up to you.
I found an Irish pub in Paris (really!) filled with Aussies and some Brits so I got a dose of English most every night before heading back to my hotel.
In Italy, I hung out in the centrally located piazzas every night -they're always filled with people out for a stroll and socializing, sort of like hanging around Camino Capistrano in San Juan in the early evening - I almost always met someone who spoke English to chat with for awhile.
People in Ireland live up to the hype about Irish hospitality -pick one of the plentiful pubs -sit at the bar (even if you're going to sip a soft drink) and in no time- you'll find a friendly conversation.
Riding the city tram in Dublin led to several enchanting conversations - I chatted with a group of teens who had me laughing so hard it hurt, or as they said, they put me "in stitches.
" On another tram ride I enjoyed a lively conversation about my Kindle with a curious elder.
At the Dublin airport, waiting for my plane home, I met the "Seven Widows.
" I had left a book, Anam Cara by John O'Donahue, on my barstool in a packed airport pub, hoping it would still be there when I got back from a restroom stop.
When I got back to my seat, the Seven Widows were surrounding my stool, cooing over the book.
Turns out they loved the author too.
They told me their story: each was a widow and they traveled frequently together.
They were on their way to the Canary Islands.
They insisted I join them in drinking Guinness and blackberry brandy and in no time, we were truly Anam Cara which means "soul friends.
" The joys of traveling alone include doing what you want, when you want, while offering plenty of opportunities to meet new people -both fellow travelers and the locals.
If you've been dreaming of traveling -don't put it off because you're single.
Pick a destination, choose a date and start announcing to everyone you know that you're going.
Now you're on the way to turning your travel dream into the experience of a lifetime!
I drove all over Ireland, then journeyed to Venice & Florence and finally fulfilled a dream of going to Paris.
Some things I learned: Even though I was a fiercely independent traveler- in retrospect- I wish I would have done some parts of each trip as tours - a half day bus tour, a walking tour, maybe a guided tour of the Louvre.
That would have given me an opportunity to meet some traveling companions and get the inside scoop from a knowledgeable guide.
I really do suck at learning languages.
I wish I'd had a translator app and a smart phone! I did manage to learn a few useful phrases -it does go a long way in warming people up to you.
I found an Irish pub in Paris (really!) filled with Aussies and some Brits so I got a dose of English most every night before heading back to my hotel.
In Italy, I hung out in the centrally located piazzas every night -they're always filled with people out for a stroll and socializing, sort of like hanging around Camino Capistrano in San Juan in the early evening - I almost always met someone who spoke English to chat with for awhile.
People in Ireland live up to the hype about Irish hospitality -pick one of the plentiful pubs -sit at the bar (even if you're going to sip a soft drink) and in no time- you'll find a friendly conversation.
Riding the city tram in Dublin led to several enchanting conversations - I chatted with a group of teens who had me laughing so hard it hurt, or as they said, they put me "in stitches.
" On another tram ride I enjoyed a lively conversation about my Kindle with a curious elder.
At the Dublin airport, waiting for my plane home, I met the "Seven Widows.
" I had left a book, Anam Cara by John O'Donahue, on my barstool in a packed airport pub, hoping it would still be there when I got back from a restroom stop.
When I got back to my seat, the Seven Widows were surrounding my stool, cooing over the book.
Turns out they loved the author too.
They told me their story: each was a widow and they traveled frequently together.
They were on their way to the Canary Islands.
They insisted I join them in drinking Guinness and blackberry brandy and in no time, we were truly Anam Cara which means "soul friends.
" The joys of traveling alone include doing what you want, when you want, while offering plenty of opportunities to meet new people -both fellow travelers and the locals.
If you've been dreaming of traveling -don't put it off because you're single.
Pick a destination, choose a date and start announcing to everyone you know that you're going.
Now you're on the way to turning your travel dream into the experience of a lifetime!
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