Travel & Getaways

Ticket for one, please
Solo travel can teach you a lot about other cultures and a few things about your self as well

By Jacqueline Parker

I would be lying if I said that the idea of taking a big trip alone scares the hell out of me. Firstly, I am geographically challenged so it is almost guaranteed that I will get lost. Secondly, I lack attention to detail so train stations and airports confuse and stress me most of the time. I usually mix up my flight times and gate at least once per trip and end up racing to catch a train or plane. On top of that, at any given moment I cannot give you the precise location of my keys, wallet or bankcard.

What scares me more than the idea of traveling alone, is the idea of giving up on a dream vacation simply because I am alone. However my fear prevails. What if the hotel is a dump? What if I end up in the seedy end of town because I’m trying to save a buck? What if the pictures online are retouched and I end up in some ghetto-style location? Will I be safe? Who will I talk to? I love spending time alone but a vacation or trip is a lot more 'me’ than I’m accustomed to.

I could always travel with a friend who is anxious to get out of town as well. It seems like an ideal solution but then I have to begin compromising because this is no longer ‘my’ adventure. I would have to work around the needs of someone else. What if we don’t want to dine at the same place or travel to the same? What if they prefer to lie on a beach all day while I prefer to explore and take in the local culture? My head spins as I pour a glass of wine just thinking about it and I quickly scratch that idea.

It turns out there is way and quite frankly, if I’m going to invest the time and money into a getaway I want to do it my way. I’m not a huge fan of compromise. Solo travel blogs are a great way to get some great advice from other women who have traveled and are willing to share tips and their experiences traveling alone. Two of my favourites are: Solo Traveler and Journeywoman.com and I get excited thinking that I can take the trip of my dreams and come out with more than just knowledge of the local cultures and people.

While blogs are a fabulous help to me when I’m planning my vacation, I still want the help of an expert who knows a bit more about the travel details such as flights, accommodations and packages that I might want to consider. Now a fabulous new resource to hit the net that focuses on women has quickly become an invaluable resource to me. TravelOnly.com is a Canadian company that offers the convenience and best price guarantee of booking travel online plus free phone or email support from one of 500 certified, professional and well-travelled experts - not call centre employees. There are experts who specialize in all types of travel, from cruise packages, all-inclusive trips and elaborate special interest vacations to family trips, flights and hotel bookings. You can contact them via phone or email so it’s like having a personal travel assistant. Perfect for a scatterbrain like me.

Women can log on, search for flights, hotels or trips and get advice from an expert when they have questions, Or they can contact a travel expert via phone or email and have him or her book everything from start to finish - like a personal travel planning assistant. How divine.

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