Solo Travel IS and IS NOT

Solo travel is a blessing and a curse.

Solo travel is something you might have to do for work, and you might hate it. Or as a single person, not in a relationship, it might be something that you also dread. All the happy couples in travel ads and their great deals might drive you crazy, especially when you learn of the added ("single supplement") travel costs.

But as a traveller, I want to assure you, it's not something to fear. You could choose to embrace it, as I have. But, you might also have to explain yourself constantly, as I do.

So here's a helpful list that you can point to when your Mother/Husband/Boss/Neighbour asks you why you're going alone.


Solo Travel is NOT:

• about being unhappy
• about running away
• about hooking up
• about hating your family
• about baggage and compromise 
• about letting family hijack your itinerary
• paying for others to join you
• posed vacation photos 
• listening to others complain about your choice of museum 
• waiting for your group to decide
• exhausting, like trying to please and accommodate everyone is

Sol Travel IS: 

• about having your own goals
• about having your own dreams
• about exploring and learning 
• faster and further than with a group
• less expensive
• eating what and where you want to 
• fulfilling and healthy
• about meditation and spirituality 
• satisfying 
• energizing, not draining
• about being an adult
• selfies in cool locations
• not having to pack for 4, book a kennel or find a house sitter
• about me, not you 

For me, in addition to being all of the items on the preceding lists, is a chance to get the heck away from people and their demands. I often work 7 days a week, and 12 hours at a time. On a slow day I could cook and clean for 100 people, on a busy day 300. It's exhausting! When I get a chance for a break I want to head straight to the ocean and just sit, and be alone. I want to listen to the waves and be still. I want solitude. I want to get away from the cooking, cleaning and serving. I don't even want to cook for myself. I don't want to make small talk with anyone. And until I can permanently live by the ocean, I will have to travel to get my break.

When I'm near the ocean, it starts to work its magic and I start to feel refreshed and human again. I want to learn and explore. I want to do something! I want to feel like a living, breathing, functioning, intelligent adult, rather than a zombie servant.

Out of all my travels, I would say that 1 in 8 trips is a solo adventure. It's about balance. Sure, I love being with other people, I love showing my kids the world, attending sporting events and being a fun mom and taking "vacations" but I really do cherish the opportunity to work on myself. I believe that when I get the chance to get away and get refocused,  I can be a better mom, spouse, business owner etc, when I get back.

There is a proverb, that I will paraphrase, that resonates with me. "You can not pour for others, from your own empty cup."

Have you taken a solo trip recently? Love it or hate it?  Let's hear from you in the comments!

Fast 5 Travel Tips: Going Solo

I recently completed, and thoroughly enjoyed, my first solo vacation to another country. I certainly picked a great destination for this first foray into the unknown. Bermuda was ideal in that it is very much a British colony, with first world living conditions, is safe and maintains laws and standards very similar to Canada.

Five things I learnt going solo: 

1. I did more research. Before I ever left Canada, I felt like I KNEW Bermuda and what to expect, thanks to the hours of research on Trip Advisor and similar sights.

2. I was more aware of my surroundings. In doing this, I also feel I saw more and experienced more of the little things that otherwise might go unnoticed.

3. I was more open to having conversations with staff and strangers. Whether it was at the pool, or walking along the beach, or sitting in the airport, people felt more inclined to say hello or engage in small talk. This is fairly logical in that when you are travelling with your own family or friends you are your own little "clique" and are more likely to stay within your group. People who spoke up and introduced themselves were other women. This was really refreshing. I had many interesting conversations and also learnt from their experiences in Bermuda.

4. Being alone, I could choose what, when and where I ate. There were no negotiations, no compromising. No surveying the group to see who wanted Chinese and who wanted tacos etc etc.

5. I took more pictures of the scenery than anything. It was hard to take a "selfie" that I liked. Setting the camera up on a ledge and using the timer was also a poor way to take a photo.

Would I travel by myself again? Absolutely. Bermuda was a great place to sit on the beach and just observe the ocean. It was therapeutic and everything I wanted from this trip.

Why Bermuda?

I titled this blog "Escape from the 204" because every now and then, I get this incredible and spontaneous urge to travel...to escape!  Last week was the golden example of this. The weather forecast for the week ahead looked unbearable.  It was returning to those horrible frigid Arctic temperatures that make us all question why we live in Manitoba.  And that's when I kind of snapped. I didn't want to stick around to see parka weather again, I wanted to walk on the SAND and I wanted to do it as soon as possible!

So, I looked at my travel reward balances and I had enough for a domestic bargain trip. I just had to find one. Finding the trip to save my sanity was actually very easy. A few clicks on the on-line rewards sites (like Aeroplan and Air Miles) revealed my potential last minute destinations.

My options were:  Fort Myers, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Sarasota in Florida. I could also choose Belize or Bermuda for the same amount of points.

While I did take a minute to consider the Florida destinations, Bermuda was easily the most appealing choice. After consulting various travel sites and the official tourism site of Bermuda, I realized how little I knew about this mysterious island in the Atlantic Ocean and just how badly I wanted to go.

Bermuda is often lumped into the collection of islands known as the Caribbean, but it's really not part of the Caribbean. In fact, it's most accurately described as mid-Atlantic. The weather is temperate, but not hot year round, like the Caribbean.  In February and March you can expect temperatures from about 18C to 25C. That's very comfortable, and indeed about 40 degrees warmer than any February day in Manitoba.

I booked my trip, chose a hotel (The Fairmont Southampton) and instantly my mood lightened. I was starting to feel better already. The anticipation of a trip always gets my blood flowing. Within a day I'd immersed myself in reading and planning for my three nights/4 days in Bermuda.

I vowed to make the most of the trip with early mornings and days filled with exploring and I did just that! I learned so many things about the island and I can't wait to share them with you through this blog! I took over 300 photos and talked to locals and other tourists every chance I got.

Stick with the series and I will tell you why Bermuda is very "Canadian" and also why I think Bermuda is the perfect destination for solo travellers, and also retirees. I'll also let you in on a few budget saving tips that just might bring Bermuda into your price range and onto your "must see" list too.

Bermuda was exactly the escape I needed! I feel re-charged, refreshed ready to contribute again to my family and community with new energy and ideas. It's a good feeling. And that's why I travel.