"The Art of Solo Travel" by Callavetta

We are all truly solo travelers in this world. Sometimes we have the good fortune to hook up with a kindred spirit, a lover, a friend, a partner in crime, for a day or a week or a month or maybe even for a lifetime. But it is the decisions we make alone that determine the path we travel. For some it is the decision to defer our decisons to another. But make no mistake: we all determine our destiny to the extent that our greater power allows.

Many of my friends today, male and female alike, are solo travelers. I have taken for granted, over the past few years, the delights and simplicity of taking a trip by yourself. However, recently a couple of people have asked those questions that I used to ask myself before I worked up my nerve to make that first solo venture across the big pond.

I credit my first attempt to an Australian woman named Susan. My travel partner, Janet, and I ran into Susan on a 3 day tour from Athens to Meteora and Delphi. Susan seems so brave to me! She was on a one month solo trip and Greece was just one of her stops. While she hung with us during the day on this tour, she had elected the budget accommodations and went her own way at night. That is when she met her Greek god. I on the other hand, spent the night with Janet!

Later, when we met Susan again in the Plaka for dinner one night, she told us all about her encounter, and how the Greek god was coming to Athens to meet her again before she headed off to Italy. It sounded so incredibly romantic! And I knew that Susan was making connections, both romantic and platonic, that I would never make traveling with a girlfriend.

Discretion prevents me from elaborating on my own such experiences on subsequent travels. However, I have found solo travel to be empowering, enlightening, exciting and absolutely delightful! I have met the most interesting people; been to some wonderful places; and seen some of the cultural aspects of my destinations that I am sure I would have missed had my attentions been focused on my travel partner.

There are huge benefits of solo travel:

*You go exactly where you want to go when you want to go there.

*You never have to wait for someone else to get ready.

*You never have to deal with someone else's moody mornings or crabby evenings.

*You don't have to walk around the results of a fellow traveler's "exploding suitcase".

A solo traveler is far more approachable than two people already engaged in conversation or wrapped up in eachother.

It's really easy to find single theater tickets, when two seats together might be out of the question!

But obviously there are challenges. The following is my list of things to help make the adjustment to solo travel.

Bring a journal everwhere you go. Probably the hardest thing about traveling alone is dining out. Obviously you can avoid this awkward time by picking up some groceries to take to your hotel room. But dining out is one of the real pleasures of travel. If you have a book you are tuned out to the world around you. You are completely unapproachable. But if you have a journal, or a sketch book should you be lucky enough to possess such a talent, you are far more likely to be observant of your environment and easier to interrupt. Use the waiting time to make notes about your day, comment on your surroundings, or even chronical your feelings about growing as a solo traveler.

Eat out every evening. Don't give in to the temptation to go back to your room and order room service. Everytime I've forced myself out I've had an adventure. Give yourself the chance to have that adventure. If your budget prevents you from going to a Micheline rated restaurant, eat in a pub, at the bar, or in an outside cafe. There are more likely to be other people in your situation there. At the bar you always have the bartender to chat with.

Day Trips Nearly every destination has day tours or city walks. Find out what there is and when you really feel the need to connect and be part of a group, jump onboard. London Walks are excellent, informative and inexpensive. In Croatia, Atlas offers wonderful half and full day excursions. You will connect with other travelers, maybe even finding someone to have dinner with later.

Talk to strangers! This might or might not be something you would do at home. If not, push yourself. Remember, when you get home, chances are you'll never see these people again. So who cares what they think of you?! You might even be surprised to find that you've inspired someone else to push their own limits.

Money Matters Always bring 2 ATM cards. If for some reason one gets eaten by the machine, or just doesn't work for a day or so, you have a backup. When you travel with a pal, they will likely have their own and you aren't left high and dry. If your alone and you only have one you might find yourself up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

What is it about those gorgeous Italian men that makes you want to abandon your good homegrown sensibilities and do things you'd never want your mother (or your daughters) to know?! My Roman born friend, AnnaMaria, tells me it's Che Bambola. Italian men have a way of paying attention to women that their American brothers just don't get. No matter who you are, what last birthday struck, or how many pounds you'd like to lose, Italian men just seem to know how to appreciate a woman!

OK, so you're on vacation. You are in the mood for romance. You are throwing caution to the wind. And when in Italy (or France, or Argentina, or Amsterdam, or Croatia.... ) Italian men (or French, or Latin, or Dutch or those lusty Croatian men) will be more than happy to accommodate you.

My advice here is be smart. Remember, when you have gone home, your foreign lover is likely to be making moves on the next traveler. (A great movie along these lines is that classic Shirley Valentine.) So if a foreign affair is what is going to help you find a missing part of yourself, or will make your trip a little sweeter, go ahead and indulge. Just don't leave your heart behind or come home with any unwanted "souveniers".

Journewoman.com is an excellent online newsletter that you can subscribe to free. Lots of great tips from other solo women travelers.