Holidaying on my own

LegacyUser

Am single, 34 female. I do have friends, but everyone seems preoccupied with their own lives (babies/houses/jobs) the usual. I actually tend to not take holidays from work as I dont really know what to do with myself. I do enjoy travelling, but rarely get the opportunity to travel with someone else and being honest, I dont think Id like to do it alone. I love having fun/adventures. I just feel like Im missing out on a whole wide world of travelling and seeing places because Ive noone to go with. Does anyone else feel like this or what do you do? I could travel somewhere on my own (i.e catch a plane/boat), but the thoughts of spending a weekend or week on my own or two weeks doesnt appeal to me.

niceoneted

OP I am in somewhat a similar situation. I have plenty of friends but due to some being married, in relationships, kids, work commitments etc, I have to contemplate holidays on my own. Also there is the added fact that it is not every friend I have that I would travel with given the chance if you know what I mean.
I have done away on my own many a time. Sun holidays, city breaks, and so on.
It is not that hard but I did feel on my own a lot of the time. You have to comfortable in your own skin.
An example of a sun holiday for me would be to walk in the mornings, sun myself most of the day, while reading books and listening to music. I might take a tour if there is one worthwhile. Then dinner with a book. and Chill out in a hotel bar for the night where you may or may not get talking to anyone
I work with the public directly so have an extreme amount of ongoing contact that sometimes a week away like this is magic.
City trips I find easier as your generally so occupied with looking around all day at museums and on tours that your glad of a chill out in the evening.
In saying all that, there are certain places I would not travel on my own.
Also consider organised group trips for either singles of your own age group or similar.

LegacyUser

ted thanks for the post, it is good to see some people travel on their own and also that other people are having similar problems but travelling on my own is not something Id like to do for a few reasons.

From just reading your post there something struck me just about what Id like to do on hols. City breaks and museums and the like would interest me far more than lying in the sun on a beach. To me (i know for others it is heaven!) it is boring lying in the sun (dont tan) and reading wouldnt be a hobby of mine. I would prefer adventure holidays or to do something unusual. Its only at this age I am open now to travelling and doing new things-now is my time, but no one to do it with.

Maybe it would have been different 5/10 years ago when everyone was off travelling after college or nothing was so serious in life (money/mortages/babies/time) but I never had the travel "bug" up until recently. Have a good permanent job and all-fortunately money isnt an issue, but all these holidays days are accumulating because I dont know what to do with myself and I want to do something about it rather than worry or complain that I never go anywhere. Taking a week off and spending it at home just isnt appealing anymore (it used to be) but now I see there is a big wide world out there to explore. I even though of vouunteering to go somewhere (you know help build a school in s.africa or something-that would also be something I'd like to do) but I probably only could take off 2 weeks at a time (think you need longer).

gud4u

If it makes you feel any better, I'm married and I still have no one to travel with because of his work. I asked a friend would she be interested in a holiday this year but money may be an issue for her.

I have considered travelling on my own too.
I worked with a girl who has travelled so many places with a travelling group for people like us, I was actually going to google it now, I'ii see if I can get some links for you. She has been all over Europe, been to eygpt, africa and china but to name a few and made some right friends out of it. Actually, a few of them travelling so well together, they formed their own group and now book stuff cheaper on line, than going with the original group....kinda backfired on the original group I suppose.

gud4u

http://www.adventuresforsinglesinc.com/index.php/about-us/why-we-are-different-singles-company

http://www.singlestravel.com.au/ I like this one, it specifically states it's not a dating website and you have to join it for more info.


http://www.thepattclub.ie/ this ones irish, I think!:)

Anyway, I wish you well and hope you find something nice.

username123

I had no one to go to the states with on a J1 visa, so I went by myself and just made friends over there. Id definitely holiday alone no problem.

I have a friend who has done it lots of times, she tends to do these active/adventure type holidays where you are part of a group - like surf school, whale watching, walking the camino etc... She has also done a number of city breaks alone and gone to see museums, sights, etc.. On a few occasions she has ended up chatting with someone else alone and theyve ended up having dinner together or hanging out.

Or there is also travelling as part of a tour group, you'd end up chatting to people if youre on the same bus with them a lot. Or even if you didnt and kept to yourself, youd be seeing the world and getting ferried about on the tour and itd be grand.

Loads of people travel alone, its not an unusual thing, the hard part is just taking that first step.

biZrb

I never had people to travel with (like you my friends are settled) and I didn't have the confidence to go it alone.

But I really wanted to go travelling so I booked myself on an organised tour. There was a few people on their own on that tour along as some couples and some friends. It was a good mix of people and I got to see some amazing places and had a brilliant time. Some of the people on that trip where doing some more travelling after the tour so I tagged along and experienced more than I had expected to.

Going on that tour gave me confidence to go it alone the next time. I've gone to some cool places on my own, which is brilliant as I can pick and choose where I want to go. I usually stay in hostels (don't worry if you feel too old for hostels - there are lots of people younger and older than you who stay in hostels) so I get to meet people there. I also try to go on the trips organised by the hostel as that is also a good way to meet people.

There is so many organised tours that it won't be hard to find one that would suit you. I think you should at least give it a try, if nothing else you'll get to see some amazing places.

LegacyUser

Why not try an adventure holiday where you are active with people during the day and then have people to socialise with at night.... surfing and sailing are two that spring to mind. Surfcamps are great... surf during the day, maybe some yoga, dinner at night etc

I have holidayed many times on my own and have had some great nights out with people who were strangers a few hours before.

I've travelled across Europe for a few months on my own - at first it's daunting and i was very nervous but you get used to it and work out strategies to meet people if you want to.

Paco Rodriguez

Im the opposite....I love travelling alone because of the freedom of it. But if you wanted to travel and had to do it alone, why dont you go on an adventure holiday. You could join a group of hillwalkers in the Alps.
Or try a cookery course holiday in France....or learn to dog sleigh in Alaska. Or something that there will be new people around you.

anewme

I am single female and the same problem. Last year I felt I needed a break and no one to go with due to their other commitments.

So, on the spur of the moment I booked an organised trip through Trail Finders to Vietnam. I only booked it 3 weeks before I went, which did not give me much time to go, oh am I doing the right thing or not. There were 13 or 14 people on the tour, from England, Canada, Australia and me. Mix of singles, couples and one family.

It was scary arriving on my own, but night 1 when we all met up, it was fantastic.

For months after I came back, people were saying there was something different about me, I was like a new person- doing something like that does wonders for your self confidence.

This year, I am considering maybe a cycling holiday to Cuba or perhaps a trip to South America.

Would thoroughly recommend.

Look at Gap, Intrepid and also 2 good ones from the uk, Exodus or Explore.

Let me know if you have any queries, I'll be happy to answer!

teachertrixibel

..into adventure holidays but would love some ideas (other than those mentioned) for singles holidays. I love travel and I love sight seeing, but I'm definitely not an adventurous type at all... Any ideas????

LegacyUser

I am also in my early thirties and I had my best holiday ever last year when I traveled alone.
I made a trip that I'd always wanted to do.
I waited years and years for someone else to come with me but it either didn't suit my friends or they just didn't want to go.
If I kept waiting, I'd never have seen what I wanted to.
I sometimes go away for nights/weekends here and there alone.
I don't mind my own company anyways and never go anywhere I wouldn't feel safe.
My holiday last year was for 7 weeks and I didn't feel lonely once (lonliness was my big fear).
The cliche that you'll meet people along the way is very true - and everyone seems to have great time for the Irish.

So I would say do it.
And what harm if you return early after a few days.
Better to regret doing it than not doing it.

LegacyUser

I just wanted to add that, personally, i wouldn't go on a package holiday that was directed at singles.

rainbowtrout

teachertrixibel wrote: »

..into adventure holidays but would love some ideas (other than those mentioned) for singles holidays. I love travel and I love sight seeing, but I'm definitely not an adventurous type at all... Any ideas????

Maybe start with a city break. There's usually lots to do.

I'm 33 and I've been going on holidays on my own for the last 5 years. I've had trips with other people during that time, but more often on my own. Like a lot of people here, combination of friends getting married and having babies, boyfriends etc so they go on holidays with them instead which is completely natural. I'm also a teacher so I can only go during school holidays - which are great and long but again other friends who may consider going with me and are in non teaching jobs can go on off peak times. I'm also not into two weeks in a sun holiday resort.

So not a lot of choices left. I figured 5 years ago that if I didn't go places on my own I might never get to see any of these places.

Places I've been on my own in the last couple of years:

New York
Berlin
Oslo
Copenhagen
Stockholm
Alpine Road Trip ( Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Northern Italy): I brought my own car on the ferry and drove down through France, it was class
Baltic City Trip : Tallinn, Helsinki, St. Petersburg
Greenland (yes as mad and all as it sounds, I had a great time)

This summer I'm going to London for a couple of days, I'll be there during the Olympics so there should be a good buzz about the place. After that I'm moving on to Vienna for a few days, a day or two in Bratislava and finishing in Prague. Can't wait.

You can spend as much or as little as you want on the holiday, you don't have to meet anyone's budget but your own. It gives you great freedom in what you want to spend particularly on accommodation. You can go and see whatever you want when you want without having to compromise. If you want to spend your whole day shopping you can without feeling guilty about having a friend/boyfriend/husband with you who is bored. If you want to spend the whole day in museums you can do that too.

Meeting people can be hit or miss. It depends where you are staying and what you are doing. I was queueing to go into the Reichstag in Berlin a couple of years ago and it was taking forever and the people in the queue in front of me spotted my English travel book or map or whatever so they started talking to me - they were English. So I was with them for a couple of hours that afternoon.

In Greenland I was in the back arse of nowhere (well the whole country is a bit like that) and on one of the tours I was on I met a German girl and her mother and got chatting to them, so we were all doing another activity that evening and arranged to meet up, and again the following day.

I got talking to a lot of people on that trip because I was the daft Irish girl who organized her own trip to Greenland independently instead of going through a tour company like everyone else does.

There are still friends I go on city breaks with etc but it doesn't happen too often between one thing and another so at this stage, as I still don't have many choices in people to go on holidays with I don't even consider asking anyone, I just book my holiday, I tell people my plans, if they want to come they are welcome but I have my plan they can fall in with that or get lost.

Degringola

I am much older than you OP and have also only recently realised that if I want to see all the places on my bucket list, I actively have to make it happen myself.

Last year I went to Iceland for a long weekend on my own. I went to Armenia for 10 days on my own. I just sat down and organised both trips on the internet. I had no one who had any interest in going to Armenia, so I set off and organised a room for myself in a hostel and went on loads of day trips. And the same people turned up on most of the trips so I was seeing familiar places everyday. Same with Iceland.

Next on my list are Berlin, Venice again and Paris again. My husband has no real interest in these, so I'll sit down at the computer and organise them for myself over the next year. The internet is a godsend, and it's so much fun organising trips yourself and reading up on the places you'll be visiting. I read up on the various attractions, a bit of the history and also try to find novels set in the cities I visit.

If that kind of trip is not your cup of tea the suggestion of organised tours mentioned by other posters is a brilliant way to do it. Also there are so many holidays now for cater for all interests, eg art, walking, riding, photographyand cookery holidays to name but a few. Maybe try something like this in Ireland first just to dip your toe in and get yourself over that first hurdle. Good luck!

JoJoK

Hi OP,

just want to add to all that's been said above. I'm married (about to take a sabbatical from that but that's a whole other story!) with grown up children and about 10 years ago realised I wouldn't go anywhere special if I had to wait for others to be ready.

The first few times I went away on my own were through charity walks. Have to say I got a great feel for the places we visited - on four continents, while having the security of the logistics being organised.

The free time to explore is fantastic and you could (alone or with someone you've met on the trip) do Havana to Guantanamo on a moped or Saigon on a bike for a day or two if you fancy adventures like that.

Fundraising can be tough at the start but if you are lucky like I have been, you will meet people through it who will add to your life in ways you can't even imagine now. An added benefit for me is that my fitness levels increase when preparing for a 100K walk, life gets very busy!

I've since been away with people who got involved through fund raising, as independent travellers, and also tried a couple of Trail Finders packages.

I found all of these gave me great experience and confidence to go anywhere in the world alone and love the choices this gives

MS Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association, the Childrens Research Centre are a few of the charities who organise excellent walks and who don't take huge amounts out of the funds raised for costs. I'm sure there are more but those are ones with which I have experience.

Personally I always give the cost of travel and accommodation on top of the amount that had to be raised so that it couldn't be said I was getting a free holiday but that's for each individual to decide.

Best of luck on your travels, would love to know how you get on.

Emme

Great Time! wrote: »

I just wanted to add that, personally, i wouldn't go on a package holiday that was directed at singles.

I second that. Go on an adventure holiday or if you're not into adventure, do a city break for a weekend and build up from there. Most of my friends are into lying on the beach, I'm not and the times I can take holidays don't coincide with when my friends can go away. I work in education.

Zaras Planet and Exodus do some very good adventure trips. There are different levels of activity and different activities. Topflight are starting to do adventure holidays as well. They have a walking/adventure week in Austria which I would do if I had the funds!

I've been travelling on my own for years. I found that adventure holidays are the best. I wouldn't recommend a singles holiday but Single in Crete do activity holidays that might suit people afraid to step outside their comfort zone.

In my experience you get a better esprit de corps on adventure holidays where people are pushing their physical limits and doing/seeing something new every day.

ABajaninCork

teachertrixibel wrote: »

..into adventure holidays but would love some ideas (other than those mentioned) for singles holidays. I love travel and I love sight seeing, but I'm definitely not an adventurous type at all... Any ideas????

How about Greece? Very safe, lots to see and of course great weather! I've been to Greece on my own (Rhodes) and had the BEST time! I was as alone as I wanted to be, but still had plenty of company if I fancied it.

mikedragon32

OP, if you have a look around the travel forum, you'll see there are loads of people who take holidays alone or look to hook up with others looking for similar holidays.

Here's one of the longest standing threads: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054941846&page=15 But take a look at the forum and see if anything catches your eye. Happy trails!

BraziliaNZ

done it loads of times, Fiji, South America, etc. It's great fun, lots of people do the same thing, and a lot of them would be in their 30s. I seem to have more fun on my own as you kind of have to meet other people so you're more inclined to make friends, hook up with girls/guys, etc. Reading this thread has got me looking at flights to quare parts of the world now, I can't wait to go away on my own again!