Does anyone here holiday alone?

Spanish Eyes

Aglomerado wrote: »

I thought I would be the oldest in the hostel I stayed in in Krakow. (35 at the time). But there were a few grey haired folk in the communal areas!
I did pay extra for a private room, though, I like my comforts! Dormitories for the Camino Albergues only!

Hostelworld is the main one I use.

Thanks for the encouragement!

The Camino is on the list too. Not sure about the albergues though, they sounds awful on the Camino website, bedbugs, snorers, very early risers disturbing everyone else, and a curfew!

I suppose I could stay a night or two, and slum it in a private room other times. I know the albergues are part of the fun, meeting people etc. Just sounds a bit..... I dunno, awful to me! But each to their own I suppose.

Aglomerado

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Thanks for the encouragement!

The Camino is on the list too. Not sure about the albergues though, they sounds awful on the Camino website, bedbugs, snorers, very early risers disturbing everyone else, and a curfew!

I suppose I could stay a night or two, and slum it in a private room other times. I know the albergues are part of the fun, meeting people etc. Just sounds a bit..... I dunno, awful to me! But each to their own I suppose.

I thought they would be awful. But I was pleasantly surprised last year. After walking 20 miles you tend to sleep very well and I think only once or twice was I disturbed by snoring.

You need to be out early if you want to stop walking before the sun gets too hot so it's worth getting up. Common sense applies - prepare your kit for the morning the evening before for minimum flapping about, and don't rustle plastic bags to disturb others.

Some albergues have bars and provide communal dinners with wine/ beer etc, which helps with the social aspect, and the wine aids sleep!

Didn't experience bedbugs myself though.(Thankfully!) A good sleeping bag liner is a worthwhile investment.

I'm picking up where I left off last year later this summer. It'll entail a couple of days exploring Bilbao at each end so I'm looking forward to that too!

Thargor

mrcheez wrote: »

Saved up lots and travelled cheaply, came back broke after 18 months. Rinse and repeat!

Can't say I'm doing the same now that I have a mortgage

How much have I seen? Jesus dunno. All of the Americas / half of Africa / all of SEA / Oz / NZ / half of mid-East / India / most of Europe.

Thinking China / Japan next, but these days I mostly just take a relaxing sun holiday somewhere like Spain :rolleyes:

Thanks. Whats the travelling cheaply though? Are you flying between those locations or hitching/jumping trains etc? Id love to do it but I really dont know where to start looking. Ive looked at independent traveling blogs loads of times but their figures are always bullsh1t, stated fares literally thousands of Euro less than anything I could book...

Do you have a definitive guide to doing it or did you make it up as you went yourself?

Sleepy

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I am going to travel on my own for the first time. Partner is going on a boys only golfing trip later in the year, so I decided I would do something myself. I am hoping to fly into Naples, get the train to Sorrento and base myself there. I can get to Pompeii, Positano and Capri etc. from there. Sounds idyllic with plenty to see and do.

You'll have a blast, that part of Italy is heaven.

BUT I am a bit nervous. Well excited but terrified I must be honest. Anyway, as a more ahem....mature in age person I decided on an hotel.

I'm in my mid-thirties myself and my mother just embarked on a second career working as a holiday rep in precisely the area you're planning on visiting!

But having read some of your posts here, I would love the idea of a hostel (I would need my own room, I snore like hell and I wouldn't inflict that on anyone!) so would anyone be able to recommend a website for hostels that they have used, and found ok.

I suppose it would be OK to use a hostel when I am waaaaay past my twenties now. or would I feel awkward or anything?

Most hostels have private rooms and I've certainly enjoyed the company of many silver haired travellers in the hostels before. You can meet some very odd people but often they're the best ones to make you re-evaluate some of your views on things and/or give you a great laugh!

Sorry for the stupid questions.

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked!

Spanish Eyes

Aglomerado wrote: »

I thought they would be awful. But I was pleasantly surprised last year. After walking 20 miles you tend to sleep very well and I think only once or twice was I disturbed by snoring.

You need to be out early if you want to stop walking before the sun gets too hot so it's worth getting up. Common sense applies - prepare your kit for the morning the evening before for minimum flapping about, and don't rustle plastic bags to disturb others.

Some albergues have bars and provide communal dinners with wine/ beer etc, which helps with the social aspect, and the wine aids sleep!

Didn't experience bedbugs myself though.(Thankfully!) A good sleeping bag liner is a worthwhile investment.

I'm picking up where I left off last year later this summer. It'll entail a couple of days exploring Bilbao at each end so I'm looking forward to that too!

It does seem like a great adventure alright, and meeting lots of different people along the way.

I think the Albergues are out for me, because I wouldn't sleep at all, I'd be too afraid of keeping everyone awake with MY snoring. lols.

Am hoping to do the first leg of the CF from St. Jean in May next year, all going well. Haven't figured how far to go but am doing my research! And walking up and down a lot of hills in training. A year of pretend training should just about do it!!

The Backwards Man

I wouldn't be one for the hostels now, fancy hotels all the way. Well, by fancy I mean private bathroom. Nothing puts you off a stranger like the smell of their poo.

Aglomerado

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I wouldn't be one for the hostels now, fancy hotels all the way. Well, by fancy I mean private bathroom. Nothing puts you off a stranger like the smell of their poo.

Yeah on the Camino you will hear the sounds of "bum trumpets" and "piles of old shoes falling out of lofts" from the communal toilets.

Still gave me a giggle though!!!

Spanish Eyes

Sleepy wrote: »

You'll have a blast, that part of Italy is heaven.


I'm in my mid-thirties myself and my mother just embarked on a second career working as a holiday rep in precisely the area you're planning on visiting!


Most hostels have private rooms and I've certainly enjoyed the company of many silver haired travellers in the hostels before. You can meet some very odd people but often they're the best ones to make you re-evaluate some of your views on things and/or give you a great laugh!


The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked!

Thank you SO much for the encouragement. Exactly what I need, a right kick up the eighties, and just DO IT!

What could possibly go wrong lol.

Yes, I was in Northern Italy for the first time in March in Sirmione on Lake Garda. OMG OMG, what a beautiful part of the world that is. And the people are hilarious and so welcoming. As for the grub, well, I don't need to say it was good do I?

So for my solo trip, I'm hoping to go South. It looks fabulous, and the Pompeii aspect suits me down to the ground. I love archaeology, and I can do it at my own pace. Even go back to it a second or third time. Easy to get to on the train I see.

Thanks again for the wonderful encouragement. I'm so excited, but very nervous too. I think that's natural though.

mrcheez

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks. Whats the travelling cheaply though? Are you flying between those locations or hitching/jumping trains etc? Id love to do it but I really dont know where to start looking. Ive looked at independent traveling blogs loads of times but their figures are always bullsh1t, stated fares literally thousands of Euro less than anything I could book...

For most places the expensive part is getting there (i.e. airfare). Once there you can skimp on luxuries and take the local buses and organise trips once at your destination as, depending on the country, you can usually haggle some sort of price (it would be costly to get a travel agency to do it from here, for example).

If it's your first time travelling solo, do the South-East Asia (onward to Oz if you have time) leg as it's a good introduction to backpacking. South America would be the second-best option but you'll need Spanish/Portuguese to really enjoy it.

So, assuming you choose SEA, head for Bangkok. Stay first night in a nice hotel to get over jet-lag, then head to Khao San Road (or just off it is better) for cheap accommodation and meeting fellow travellers and booking your next onward trip for a cheap price.

Thargor wrote: »

Do you have a definitive guide to doing it or did you make it up as you went yourself?

Lonely Planet is really the bible for these kinds of trips. You make it up as you go along, but generally start out with recommendations from a travel guide.

PM me if you have any questions

eisenberg1

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Yeah I go to magaluf on my own every summer to ride loads of scruffy young ones to make up for the lack of company in my non-holiday life.

I was on hols in Majorca a few years ago. For the return to the airport, a coach collected us at about 3am, and we passed they Magaluf approx 4am. Sweet divine Jesus, what a **** hole, union flags Everywhere and people puking and fighting all over the place. Maybe I just caught it a bad time:D

Sleepy

It was more years ago than I'd care to admit when I was out there but Magaluf for all of it's Union Jacks was far more tolerable than the Up the Ra nonsense we came across on a night in Santa Ponza...

It was a real shame because I can remember walking about 5 miles down the beach from Magaluf and it was utterly beautiful: clean unspoiled beaches and a handful of rural cafés serving local food etc.

eisenberg1

Sleepy wrote: »

It was more years ago than I'd care to admit when I was out there but Magaluf for all of it's Union Jacks was far more tolerable than the Up the Ra nonsense we came across on a night in Santa Ponza...

It was a real shame because I can remember walking about 5 miles down the beach from Magaluf and it was utterly beautiful: clean unspoiled beaches and a handful of rural cafés serving local food etc.

Santa Ponsa was not great, but not worse than Magaluf (from what I saw),though it was a few years ago. But I agree, either way, once you get out of those place, Majorca was lovely.

Chain Smoker

Doing it right now. Very introverted and pretty good by myself but you do need some level of social aspect, definitely seems to vary on the city how much. honestly, I'm not great at getting along with strangers but I find if I pick the right places to stay and am willing to engage in a brief bit of conversation with everyone, I'll hit it off with a few alright.

I personally avoid party hostels, if you're not looking to get blind drunk they all feel the same and everyone kind of seems to have the same goals, etc... HOWEVER, they might be an ideal entry point to solo travelling though if you're a bit concerned and/or drink more than I do, the people are usually open and friendly.

I think it definitely helps that I'm quite easily interested in people's lives if they're at all different to what I'm used to, usually have lots of questions and it seems to flatter people a fair bit.
Absolutely sucks when you talk to a dorm buddy and immediately find out they're boring as hell though, can't just ignore them the whole time after that!

Mister Vain

The thing about traveling alone though, I'd generally only do it in cities. There's more to do, more people and you have more anonymity. I wouldn't go to places like Lanzarote or Mallorca alone. It just wouldn't feel right.

citytillidie

I was in Vegas for 2 nights on my own as I waited on others to join from California, it was great, do what you want when you wanted and not having to fight over what to do that day if you stayed as a group.

Walking about during the day taking in the sights and then sitting down at a bar and just chatting to the bar maids at night

J Mysterio

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I am going to travel on my own for the first time. Partner is going on a boys only golfing trip later in the year, so I decided I would do something myself. I am hoping to fly into Naples, get the train to Sorrento and base myself there. I can get to Pompeii, Positano and Capri etc. from there. Sounds idyllic with plenty to see and do.

BUT I am a bit nervous. Well excited but terrified I must be honest. Anyway, as a more ahem....mature in age person I decided on an hotel.

But having read some of your posts here, I would love the idea of a hostel (I would need my own room, I snore like hell and I wouldn't inflict that on anyone!) so would anyone be able to recommend a website for hostels that they have used, and found ok.

I suppose it would be OK to use a hostel when I am waaaaay past my twenties now. or would I feel awkward or anything?

Sorry for the stupid questions.

Thanks.

there's a really good hostel in a town called Portici - The Fabric hostel. Portici is a 15 min walk from Herculaneum, which is the other major site next to Pompeii in the area. Portici is also on the Circumvesuviana line which is basically the Dart there, so its handy to get to and handy to find other places from.

Sorrento doesn't really do hostels if I recall correctly but its an excellent day trip spot.

Herculaneum is actually better preserved than Pompeii as its much closer to Vesuvius, though Pompeii is much bigger. Portici and Herculaneum are basically wedged between the sea and the volcano.

Your plan is essentially a really good one though and seems pretty well researched. In terms of the islands, there is also Ischia and Procida. I haven't actually been to Capri - I went to Procida, which I think is the smallest of the islands. I took a boat from the harbour in the city to get there and you can take a variety of boats from there too. I believe you may be able to get a boat from Sorrento too but can't confirm and it may be more exspensive.

Just bear in mind to watch pickpockets and confidence tricksters in and around the centre of Napoli as they are pretty good at what they do. Take particular care around the station - it can be dangerous there at night.

There is a street in the centre of Napoli which is known locally as 'Pizza Street'. Napoli is referred to by many as the birthplace of Pizza.

Keep an eye out for Diego Maradona posters everywhere - he played for Napoli and is still revered. In Ireland we have JFK and Jesus on the wall, in Napoli they have Maradona and Jesus!

Anyway, It's a great place to visit and you'll have a brilliant time.

alanmreid

Any suggestions for a meditation retreat in Ireland that does not include yoga?

Blitzkrieger

I pretty much always go on holiday alone. I tell friends where I'm going and if they want to come along, fine, but mostly they don't. I should learn to take a hint!

walkingshadow wrote: »

I guess I could always join a group holiday like Contiki or GAdventures

It kind of depends where you go and what sort of personality you are. I'm quite introverted and shy, so a week long sun holiday on my own probably wouldn't have suited me. If you were backpacking, staying in hostels and doing a lot of activities you might be more likely to bump into people who are doing something similar.

A lot of the time I do join a group tour (have been with gecko adventures numerous times) and meet people that way. Last year I went a different way; the Germans would call it a star tour. I landed in a city and did day trips in and around the city and met quite a few people that way. Outside of that, I find a bar and wait for someone to talk to me!

There are holidays specifically marketed at single people too - a quick google will find them. Some are singles 'hoping to meet someone romantically' holidays, but most are people alone traveling together.

11wingnut

i have traveled a lot, but since my family ware sold i now travel alone sometimes. had some great times. check out holiday guru solo.ie.
this year oi have been to Oman, UAE, France, Germany, Czech republic ,Austria Italy. uk. and now looking at middle east again . Hostelworld is a good app. and some fine hostels.

Agricola

11wingnut wrote: »

i have traveled a lot, but since my family ware sold i now travel alone sometimes. had some great times. check out holiday guru solo.ie.
this year oi have been to Oman, UAE, France, Germany, Czech republic ,Austria Italy. uk. and now looking at middle east again . Hostelworld is a good app. and some fine hostels.

Why did you sell your family? Bit extreme if you just wanted a solo holiday.

Witchie

I went to Paris on my own once just to escape the rug rats. In seriousness, I had kids when I was young so rarely got to get any space to myself so when the youngest lad went off to college almost 2 years ago I decided to go explore Asia on my own (sorta! My sister and her boyfriend were with me for a little of it). Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have all been hit alone and the amount of amazing new friends I have met has been astounding. 

I am in my mid 40s and relishing time on my own after years and years of having to please others.

Wanderer2010

Yep, loads of times. Whats weird is when you get a certain kind of strange look from someone when you tell them you are going to, say, South Africa for 2 weeks alone. Now I don't know about anyone else but I couldn't think of a single person I could go there with for that long. A lot of people in their mid 30s are tied down and with contracts, jobs, kids, wife etc they could only commit to the odd night out so I wouldn't let that stop me. Holidaying alone is great, you are free to go where you want and you can meet some very interesting people.


The people who cant do anything alone are the ones I feel sorry for. If you cant enjoy your own company what good are you?

CastielJ

no I am not a fan of solo holidays

YFlyer

alanmreid wrote: »

Any suggestions for a meditation retreat in Ireland that does not include yoga?

On the Island of Inishraher in Clew Bay, Mayo have meditation retreats, if you practice transcendental meditation.