Have you traveled solo? Traveled all by your lonesome to someplace new? Relatives' homes and dear friends' abodes excluded.
When I was divorced, I left my young son with my parents and traveled alone to Europe. The details are a bit hazy--I'm talking forty-plus years ago--but as I write this, specifics come flooding back. I didn't just "wing it," but made reservations at small inns and arranged for a rental car so I could get out of Paris and travel the countryside. Now, that was brave or just plain stupid! To drive those narrow, winding, sometimes mountainous roads on the wrong side. What was I thinking? I should have taken a train.
NOTE:
My husband and I spent almost six weeks in New Zealand in 2023. I did not drive once. I was responsible for directions and whether or not my husband veered over the dividing lanes which he did often. And somehow it was my fault that he clipped a parked car and later in the trip misjudged the distance between the car and a large metal railing and, yep, clipped the car on the other side.
Back to My Solo Trip to France and England.
I remember sitting in cafes with an open book in front of me on the table. Every once in a while, I'd pick up the book and try to read or pretend to be engrossed in what I was reading. I don't think I read more than a page at a time. It was lonely. It seemed as if everyone was with someone except for me. Wah Wah. But I wasn't going to starve. (Reminder: This was decades before smart cell phones.) And it was fascinating to watch the Parisians parade by in their stylish outfits with Gauloises dangling from their mouths.
This solo trip was a test of my independence. I'd been divorced for a couple of years and while I was dating I needed to prove to myself that I didn't need a partner, that I could spend time alone, use my French to get around, and maybe meet some interesting people along the way.
"Older Women & Friends"
Deborah Charnes, my guest on the "Older Women & Friends" podcast available as of September 12, 2024, knows all about solo travel.
Deborah struggled with health issues as a young girl and started practicing breathing and meditation long before yoga became a craze here in the States. In 2011, Deborah left the "high-pressure demands" as an international corporate marketing communications strategist and began a quest for learning and healing, for the inspiration of mentors and gurus. Her solo travels took her around the world, and the wisdom she gained is captured in her book, From The Boxing Ring to the Ashram. Today, Deborah is a bilingual Certified Yoga Instructor and Therapist.
One of the many details Deborah shares in our conversation is that, even as an older woman, she chooses to stay in youth hostels! She likes the camaraderie, the chance to meet interesting people, and, yes, the savings. (I'd rather spend the money for the creature comforts of a quaint inn or, these days, an Airbnb. But, hey, she gets to travel a lot more than I do.)
There are a host of solo travel groups for women.
You can go here to begin a search.
I think Seventy And Me will stay at this address, at least for a time. But you can also access the blog from my website. My goal is to get everything in one place. One-stop shopping.
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