It’s great to travel with friends and family or join a group trip for a favourite pastime such as diving or skiing, but sometimes you just can’t find the holiday that you want or you’d prefer to simply go it alone. I remember my first solo trip as if it was yesterday! Coming out of an unexpected divorce, there was no way I was prepared to lose the deposit already paid on a trip of a lifetime to Borneo, so I decided to go alone. There were some moments of sheer panic. Instances of sadness at being in such a fabulous place on my own. But so many more fantastic and rewarding experiences which gave me the confidence to continue my solo travels and to really embrace the freedom and enjoyment that it brings.

As women, it can definitely be a bit tricky to get the best out of travelling solo, and certainly a little unnerving if you are at a ‘certain age’ when considering it for the first time. Everything from choosing where to go, where to stay, where to eat, how to best see the sights, how to get around, through to avoiding being the single person that the boring couple takes pity on and insists on including in all their meals! I don’t want to backpack or share a room and I don’t want to be herded around in a group following a strict, inflexible itinerary, but I do want to be safe and have some fun.

For me, one of the joys of being solo later in life is that I can be utterly selfish when it comes to my holiday. It’s all about choosing the trip that I really want to go on and making my own travel memories, one experience at a time. My style of travel is to go independently, booking most of it in advance, as I like the security and peace of mind this gives me and I absolutely need to know that someone will be waiting for me at the end of a very long journey!

I really enjoy writing about my solo travels – the amazing, the good and the not so good. Follow my blog and read my updates as I share my experiences and anecdotes on how to get the best out of travelling solo. If you think this might be for you but are not sure where to being, then please contact me. Let’s talk. I can help!