AnnS's VirtualTourist Home Page

Having been a workaholic all my life, I was suddenly struck down with what can best be described as 'total burn-out'. The doctors didn't really have a clue what was wrong with me and I was treated for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME and depression. I felt rotten and totally unlike the energetic and ultra-busy person I'd always been.

To cut a very long story short, I have now retired, have some very good therapists, and am back in the land of the living, albeit with reduced capacity. So now I have to find a totally new direction, which is a very strange feeling after having been so regimented all my life.

However, one good thing to have come out of all this is that I am now free to indulge my greatest passion... TRAVEL! In the past I have been very fortunate to have wonderful holidays - usually at the rate of two a year - but now I can jet about all over the place with no time restrictions and can take advantage of cheaper off-peak flights and accommodation.

I am living on a modest pension so can't afford anything too lavish but already, I have found ways to go on short trips, on the lowest budget possible, without compromising my desire/need to stay in comfortable accommodation. I always base myself somewhere central, with good transport links, so I can get to see many interesting things without using too much energy.

At times I'm obviously regarded as somewhat 'unusual', in so far as I don't meet many middle-aged women travelling alone, but hopefully I can spread the word to others in a similar position that it's easy... just as long as you plan carefully. It's totally liberating and it's true what they say... travel definitely broadens the mind.

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Me at my 'planning station'

How I Do It

Firstly, none of this would be possible without the fantastic Internet. It literally is a window on the world and from the comfort of my little study, I spend hours... days... weeks sometimes... planning my trips.

My current quest is to see as much of Europe as I can, with trips of 3-4 days, staying in 4* hotels, at a cost of £300 max. each (excluding spending money).

My destinations are usually determined by where the cheapest flights are going. And the flights have to leave from Gatwick because I live close by and don't have the energy or the desire to battle with British public transport to get to other airports. I have set up lots of e-mail alerts with airlines and online travel agents so that I can seize cheap deals as soon as they become available.

However, there is a major snag and one that continually irritates me. It's the fact that most travel agents and tour operators charge single supplements. Very often, I see a cheap deal, go to all the trouble of filling in the booking details, and then watch the price leap up when I put in the number of travellers as '1'. I can see no good reason for this. I occasionally challenge them and get told that it's the hotels that charge extra for single accommodation... but that's simply not true. Most hotels either have single rooms or charge less for single occupancy of a double. Lastminute.com are particularly annoying because they advertise wonderful deals, then in the details it usually says "not available for single travellers". As a lot more people are travelling alone these days, surely they are losing valuable business.

So, because of this, I almost always travel 'unpackaged'... booking the components separately. The one exception that warrants a mention is Expedia, who should be congratulated for offering a very wide variety of trips without penalising the single traveller. I have travelled with them a couple of times and have been very satisfied with the service.

If I'm organising everything myself, I choose a flight first. However, I don't actually book it until I've done a quick survey of hotels to make sure there are some available within my budget. Having done this, I book the flight quickly, before the price rises, and then set about a thorough investigation into available accommodation. It's very time-consuming and often takes several days but I've found it to be well worth it. I always check hotel booking agents but can normally secure the best deals direct with the hotels. I usually make my selection based on proximity to public transport links from the airport, thus avoiding the need for expensive taxis. Airport websites nearly always give details of all available transfers to city centres.

When the bookings are made, I then prepare a personal travel guide using information gathered from all over the web. I do take guide books with me but I also like to make my own, containing information about the things I particularly like to do, e.g. manageable walks and visiting places off the beaten track.

I have greatly enjoyed the trips I've done so far and am slowly populating my Virtual Tourist pages. Whilst not the most exciting, I hope they will provide some value.

If I can, I choose flights that leave late in the day when the airports are quieter and flights are often less full. This means that I've arrived in many cities late at night so it's been imperative to know the route to my hotel as it's not advisable to be lost in the dark with lots of luggage. Having checked in, provided it's not TOO late, I usually have a quick wander round the local neighbourhood to get my bearings, before returing for a good night's sleep. I'm not a 'morning person' so getting up in time for breakfast is always a challenge but I try to do it, particularly if breakfast is included in the price, as it sets me up for the day.

My first stop is always the Tourist Office which is normally a wealth of information and helps me plan the fine details of my itinerary. In many places you can buy tourist cards there too, which enable you to use public transport without buying individual tickets each time and if there's a 'hop on, hop off' bus... even better. I like to walk as much as possible but I need a contingency in case I get tired.

I enjoy the days sightseeing on my own. While I'd probably choose company, being alone does mean you absorb more of your surroundings because there are no distractions. Also, it gives you a great sense of freedom and achievement. However, evenings can be a real pain. Although I've got used to eating alone in restaurants, I never enjoy it and always feel a bit conspicuous and 'odd'. So, if the hotel restaurant is good, I often choose that option because it feels more comfortable. Then, for lack of anything else to do, I retire to my room and that's where my laptop becomes invaluable. I try to choose hotels where WiFi is available and then I can further investigate things I've seen during the day, or use an instant messaging program to talk to my friends. And if all else fails, I have a couple of games on my PC to save me from the horror of rotating CNN TV news.

But that brings me on to another beef. Why do so many hotels charge such high prices for WiFi connection? I know it's geared to catch business travellers who can claim it back on expenses, but how unfair it is for leisure travellers! In one hotel I stayed at recently, the minimum charge was 22 euros so I didn't use it. I don't feel safe carrying my PC to and from Internet cafes at night so I get very annoyed when hotel prices are prohibitive.

Anyway... on day two or three, I usually take a trip by bus, train or boat, out of my base city to explore more of the surrounding countryside. This has often provided the highlights of the trips because places that are off the beaten tourist tracks are usually the nicest.

Then, if my flight home is in the evening, I have the final day left to see the things I've missed and perhaps do a spot of shopping.

I've found that three or four days is ideal for seeing most cities... and I can always return to those that are packed full of too many treasures to see in that time.

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My Living Room Windowsill

When I'm Not Travelling

Now that I'm not working, I'm finding it difficult to maintain any kind of discipline with my time... especially as the Internet is always beckoning and it's just WAY too easy to let days and nights blend into one another while I surf the world.

I do occasionally break out and do normal things... like see my friends, go shopping etc... but my main passions are planning and organising my travels, photography, politics and current affairs, all of which involve computer use. I'm also planning to add blogging to that list if I can just figure out how to do it successfully.

The only non-tech thing I enjoy doing is growing orchids. I live in a flat but I'm fortunate that all my windows face south and orchids seem to love it here. I started out with just a couple but now I visit orchid shows and there's hardly an inch of space left for any more plants.

My doctors have now decided that I never had ME/CFS at all. Instead, I have been diagnosed with some kind of connective tissue disease - most probably two horrible autoimmune conditions - Lupus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome. This came to light after I had two 'funny turns' in 2007. Nobody knows whether they were weird migraines or TIAs (mini-strokes) but whatever they were, they were very frightening as I lost half my vision and was unable to speak properly.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome, means I have "sticky blood" so there's a serious risk of clots. My doctor has said I can fly now but if I want to take long flights, I will probably have to give myself an injection of Heparin (blood thinner) beforehand. Yikes! I'm really not sure whether I can do it but if it's the only way I can travel, I guess I'll have to learn.

During all this, I've lost some of my confidence and am worried about being taken ill when I'm alone in a strange land. However, I know I'll have to overcome that fear because there's still a lot of the world to see and who knows how much time is left in which to see it? I think I'll be sticking to 'safe' countries for a while... not too far from home and with good medical facilities... just in case.