Does anyone here travel alone?

[Oz investor]

I have an itch to go to China, and the lovely Mrs. doesn't have any desire to go.

I'm considering just going by myself for a couple of weeks. Does anyone else take individual trips without the spouse?

Is China a place I could go by myself and have an enjoyable time?

sorry , i am grounded ( not medically safe to travel even interstate )

would have loved to have gone

but thanks for the offer

i hope you get the perfect companion and have a great trip

PS i don't have a spouse and so often travel solo

 

[brett]

We were in China in the early eighties. We had a trip planned for this past May but had to cancel at the last moment. Hopefully we will re-book at some point.

 

[Dawg52]

I'm good with taking solo road trips. But traveling overseas solo doesn't appeal to me. My SIL belongs to a Facebook singles travel club and she travels with them all the time. I've thought about doing that but then I would end up traveling with her and she drives me nuts.

 

[braumeister]

Every time I've traveled in a group (cruises, etc.) there have been singles. Usually it takes only a day or two before they start forming their own little groups for excursions or meals. It doesn't seem to be a problem most of the time.

 

[happy2bretired]

I’ve ventured out solo on a few trips since my husband died. The only international trips I’ve taken alone since then included only Canadian and Caribbean locations.

I play it pretty safe but I have had a really good time on my solo trips. I’ve done several solo cruises, been to Disney World and Ft Lauderdale. I just returned from Washington DC and Boston. I took the Acela train from Washington to Boston.

A few years ago I traveled with my daughter and son-in-law to Brazil and may do that again next year. I do miss that my daughter can’t travel with me as much since she is now married and has her own family. Things change.

Because I’m getting older by the year , at some point I might decide on a more adventurous solo international trip. I would love to go back to Europe.

 

[JustCurious]

I am leaving with my family of four for NYC tomorrow,this will make our second international trip this year and 4th in the past year. I have no desire to travel anymore but I must abide for the wife and kids! That said, I am sending the YW
to Istanbul on her own later this year and then she is going to Australia for a few weeks at the end of the year. When I was younger. I traveled solo a lot and really enjoyed it. My YW has never gone anywhere alone and is really excited.

YW? Young Wife?

 

[Nemo2]

YW? Young Wife?

Yowling Wombat?

 

[LOL!]

I traveled all my life w/o the wife and she traveled w/o me.

We do this as well, but we also travel(ed) together often.

But one can also join a group that travels or go with friends or family without a wife along. That's not quite the same as traveling alone and making all arrangements oneself.

That said, I have done solo backpacking trips where I did travel alone and made all the arrangements, too.

 

[brett]

athena53.....I have shortlisted OAT and Gate1 for a solo India trip in Nov. Looking at the longer trips-17-20 days.

A couple of questions for you. Did you look at both. What made you decide on OAT. You seemed pleased with the experience. I am 66.

Not certain about adding Nepal. We live beside the Rockies, have visited the Andes and the Alps so I am used to mountain scenery. Did you find the Nepal add on worthwhile?

Did you arrange your own air or do any pre or post? I would be coming after a trip to Europe. DW will get on a plane home, I will go to India for the tour.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dtail]

I'm good with taking solo road trips. But traveling overseas solo doesn't appeal to me. My SIL belongs to a Facebook singles travel club and she travels with them all the time. I've thought about doing that but then I would end up traveling with her and she drives me nuts.

 

[athena53]

athena53.....I have shortlisted OAT and Gate1 for a solo India trip in Nov. Looking at the longer trips-17-20 days.

A couple of questions for you. Did you look at both. What made you decide on OAT. You seemed pleased with the experience. I am 66.

Not certain about adding Nepal. We live beside the Rockies, have visited the Andes and the Alps so I am used to mountain scenery. Did you find the Nepal add on worthwhile?

Did you arrange your own air or do any pre or post? I would be coming after a trip to Europe. DW will get on a plane home, I will go to India for the tour.

Thanks in advance

A few brief answers- I'll PM you with more details so I don't hijack the thread. I chose OAT because my Aunt was making that trip. She'd taken them to Africa and was very happy with them. I took a look at the itinerary and the hotels and put down a deposit less than 24 hours later. Hadn't heard of GateOne. (Excellent hotels are more important to me in developing countries because they're more likely to have things we take for granted: consistent and reliable water and electricity, Western plumbing, sanitary food preparation, etc.) I used miles to fly Business Class so made my own arrangements.

One more answer on why someone would want to travel with a group: I had a bad case of dehydration in India despite being careful about hydration. I suspect it was the workout in the gym that had a lot of windows, and no ventilation except doors to the outside. I staggered out to meet the group and my Aunt and a doctor traveling with us (tourist, not part of the tour company) got the guide and found me some orange juice, which helped. The guide found rehydration salts, which REALLY helped. I was fine an hour later. It is good to have people around you sometimes.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Yowling Wombat?

YW? Young Wife?

Take your pick!

 

[Ronstar]

I travel solo whenever DW is not interested in the destination. But no overseas trips. And nothing longer than a week so far.

 

[audreyh1]

athena53.....I have shortlisted OAT and Gate1 for a solo India trip in Nov. Looking at the longer trips-17-20 days.

A couple of questions for you. Did you look at both. What made you decide on OAT. You seemed pleased with the experience. I am 66.

Not certain about adding Nepal. We live beside the Rockies, have visited the Andes and the Alps so I am used to mountain scenery. Did you find the Nepal add on worthwhile?

Did you arrange your own air or do any pre or post? I would be coming after a trip to Europe. DW will get on a plane home, I will go to India for the tour.

Thanks in advance

I just want to mention that I have an neighbor couple who have been traveling the world with OAT for years and swear by them. Late 60s, early 70s now and still going. They seem fairly adventurous.

 

[brett]

Thanks for that. Good to have another favourable reference.

 

[deserat]

Yes, more so lately. I did a 21 day Baltic and Sweden trip in June and did Paris by meeting a friend there. I echo the group idea - or if you go take small tours. I did just that in Estonia - wanted to hike the bogs, so found a tour and had some social time. I do miss my ex-husband while traveling as he was a great travel companion, however, I love travel enough that I will go alone.

I also did an Alaskan ski trip in March alone, but it was with a tour group. Will also be doing a Grand Canyon hiking trip in September, again 'alone' but with a tour group.

 

[Teacher Terry]

If my DH couldn’t travel it would be cruising only for me.

 

[truenorth418]

There is no sense dragging someone else to China if they are not interested in going. It would be a waste of money and probably a disaster waiting to happen. Similarly, it doesn’t make sense to stay home and miss out on a trip of a lifetime simply because your wife doesn’t want to go.

Different trips have different objectives. Sounds like you want to travel to China to learn about the culture and the history. You don’t need a companion to do that!

OP, go to China-alone! It is a fascinating place and you will enjoy yourself!

 

[sgstaley]

I have always wanted to do a "walkabout." I would most likely travel to destination meeting point with a hired guide to actually "get me around." My thoughts lean me toward more remote traveling (think Alaska or Nepal) when I think of traveling alone.

 

[97guns]

I’m in Ho Chi Minh City and am seeing a ton of solo travelers, both men and women

 

[misterantsypants]

Yes for me. Traveling alone is much better than having an annoying sidekick. Have always felt pressure to placate a differing interest for things to do.
Plus, I enjoy chatting with new acquaintances.

Off to Shanghai for 1 week of sights in the region (done Beijing in past) and then to Mandalay for 6 days, Nepal for 7 days (Everest tour), and finally Vietnam tour for 10 days.

Most are ad-lib, not pre-organized.

As to the alone thing, I found it very VERY difficult to organize a trip for two. This trip I tried 2 "retired" friends who travel and got these "actual" quotes:
1. "I'd prefer Tibet, Bhutan, ..."
2. " Nepal scares me..."
3. " Wont step a foot in Vietnam..."
4. "Late Oct is my preference..."
Going alone and refuse to compromise even with the little voices bickering in my head.

 

[deserat]

Yes for me. Traveling alone is much better than having an annoying sidekick. Have always felt pressure to placate a differing interest for things to do.
Plus, I enjoy chatting with new acquaintances.

Off to Shanghai for 1 week of sights in the region (done Beijing in past) and then to Mandalay for 6 days, Nepal for 7 days (Everest tour), and finally Vietnam tour for 10 days.

Most are ad-lib, not pre-organized.

As to the alone thing, I found it very VERY difficult to organize a trip for two. This trip I tried 2 "retired" friends who travel and got these "actual" quotes:
1. "I'd prefer Tibet, Bhutan, ..."
2. " Nepal scares me..."
3. " Wont step a foot in Vietnam..."
4. "Late Oct is my preference..."
Going alone and refuse to compromise even with the little voices bickering in my head.

Sounds like a great itinerary...and I would have been glad for someone to come up with an itinerary...I'm usually the one doing the planning. I had what I call 'non-negotiables' in that they were sights that were a priority to see. Otherwise, the rest of the time was open. Plus, just because you are traveling together doesn't mean you can't go off by yourself somewhere and then come back to eat dinner or whatever and regale each other of your finds.....

 

[braumeister]

I'm happy to travel alone, and so is DW. We sometimes have very different interests so it makes sense. We love traveling together but that's only about 60% of the time. The rest is solo.

I'd be happy to have a kindred spirit for some of my trips, but none of my friends are what I would call experienced travelers, so they need too much hand holding and I can only take so much of that.

 

[misterantsypants]

Wow, the last two posts opened up a flood of old Issues. i planned trips in the 80's using an OAG book. For a multi-country trip it required putting together an optimum flight/hotel using printed schedules and plane types. Then calling, yes calling, airlines to book.
After all the labor was done, it often met with second guessing from a cohort who had done zilch. Like "early flights are not something for me, what about later?", and I knew going later would result in long LONG connections. It was hard to stay civil.

The only time I ever went ballistic, I calmly said (verbatim), "let's each work our own plan, and then plan where/if to meet up!" Funny how quickly they felt the crushing feeling of doing their own.

I envy those who have compatible companions. Jealousy is more like it!

BTW, last trip was 3 of us and we decided to take responsibility for 9 each days of the trip. Worked nicely.

 

[athena53]

After all the labor was done, it often met with second guessing from a cohort who had done zilch. Like "early flights are not something for me, what about later?", and I knew going later would result in long LONG connections. It was hard to stay civil.

I remember the OAG! Great resource- I'd actually travel with a copy of the relevant pages in case I missed a connection- I knew which alternative flights were going out of the connecting airports. My Ex would sit back and let me do all the work and then, conveniently, whatever went wrong was my fault- even bad weather. Second DH was a wonderful travel partner and a mellowing influence. I was the worrier; he was able to roll with the punches.

I was motivated to post because I'm in Hermann, MO, which DH and I loved, and visited every year except for 2016, the year he died. I'm typically the only single at meals in the B&B and I feel that a bit, but the hosts are very nice and I feel like I can bicycle forever on the Katy Trail (did 16 miles yesterday and another 25 this morning). It's different, but you adjust and it does have its advantages since you don't need to worry about whether anyone else is having a good time. It beats staying home!