"Solo Traveling" asolotraveler's Profile

Born and raised in the country, I often found myself venturing out into the deep woods that lay in the back of our property. Without the company of brother, sisters or neighbors, I would stay for hours just looking and exploring till my heart’s content. The only time that I would make it home was when I got hungry, then that would drive anyone home. The mysteries of the woods held a fascination for me, looking at trees, sticks, and creepy-crawlies, whatever. To this day, I think that I have a keen sense of wonder as I go exploring other places in my travels.
I did travel some during my late teens, flying to LA on the 12-21 Card that allowed you to buy a round-trip ticket for 100. Bucks’ I found this to be quite thrilling, because I did not need to get permission from anyone to do so, I just up and left though a male friend was waiting at the other end. After marriage and raising a son, I decided that upon turning the big 50, I was going to give myself my own gift and that was the gift of traveling to Bethlehem, Israel for my birthday. The year before, I announced to my family members that I would not be at home for my birthday the following year. I would be out of the country. Needless to say, with mouths wide open and pop-eyed stares they wanted to know what I would be doing. With chest puffed up and out, I stated that I would be out of the country in Israel for 2 weeks. They all looked at me like I had completely lost my mind. Remember the world was coming to an end, the fast approaching year of 2000 and people were stock-piling toilet paper.
Boy what a birthday I was going to have. It was all I could do to stay focused at work. I began the planning in earnest over the internet with the completion of purchasing my bright “Red” luggage and still packing way too much. I must say right now that I did not know anything other than that I had to be in Bethlehem for my birthday. This was the first ever trip being planned where I was going to leave my comfort zone and go off alone into the “Big’ Blue Yonder. (After making the trip and coming home safely without being murdered, raped or thrown from the Ramparts, I truly felt grown-up).
Though I do not have my list of favorites when it comes to what I enjoy most about traveling, I think that the first item on the list would have to be the people. Experiencing people in their surroundings with their own mode of communication, dress, culture and nuisances makes for sometimes a lively exchange of feelings and ideas. Though I have come across those who think it strange that a “Woman” would be ttraveling alone especially in the Muslim/Arab counties that I have gone. I have had no problem with regards to my safety, nor did I ever felt threatened. What has surprised me even to this day, are the comments I get when I tell people that I am traveling solo. “Aren’t you afraid”? No. Don’t you ever get lonely? No. I think that it is the perception that many have that you has to travel with someone in order for it to be fun and exciting. I know myself well by now that I “Don’t” want to always be with someone in order to enjoy myself. I really don’t need it. I rather enjoy my own company. I have found that as I travel, I seem to pick up other like-minded travelers. Sometimes as we are talking, we find that we are heading in the same direction and then we pal-up together and go have fun.
When you allow yourself to get outside your normal comfort zone, you experience the world. I have met so many people in my travels and I can tell you now that they all stand out in my memories.

Inside the entrance to El Morro Fort, San Juan

There are some people that I hope to always have with me like the "little Old grandma" in Selcuk, Turkey that did not speak my language or I hers but somehow we were able to communicate with smiles, and hand gestures and we shared a small saucer of Sunflower seeds, just smiling at each other and nodding our heads. By this time I wished that I had spoken just a rudimentary bit of her native tongue in order to chat more with her about her family. Luckily for me her son was around who helped her operate the “kebab house” and we conversed a lot. There was one time on my way to Istanbul, that I had a stop-oever in Belgrade and i wanted a cup of coffee really bac but did not have the correct currency for the machine. I just walked away and sat down. A few minutes later, here comes two complete strangers offering me a cup of coffee. The kindness of Strangers. Anothe time, I was short on my bus fare and someone from the back of the shuttle handed the driver my fare. Another time while in Hawaii I met a teacher from Tel Aviv, Israel who purchased a "Birthday" dinner for me just because it was my birthday. Again Kindness. I hope that I can be that generous with travelers that I meet along the way.