GLAD YOU’RE NOT HERE - Solo TravelerGLAD YOU’RE NOT HERE 6 DISCOVER YOURSELF – THE GAP YEAR...

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RESULTS MAY VARY (Adisclaimer.)

ThroughoutthiseBookandonSoloTraveler,theblog,recommendationsaremadeastohowtomakesolotravelsafeandfun.Therearealsonumerousbenefitsproposedthatyou’llenjoybytravelingsolo.Naturally,resultswillvary.Everypersonandeverytravelsituationisdifferent.ThecontentofthiseBookandSoloTraveleraremeantassuggestionsonly.Yoursafety,satisfactionandfuntravelingsoloareyourresponsibilityaloneandnotthatofSoloTraveler,itspublisher,editorand/orwriters.

©2009JaniceWaugh

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Contents

No,it’snotweird.......................................................................................................................................................4

TopSevenReasonstoTravelSolo.............................................................................................................................5

DiscoverYourself–TheGapYear.............................................................................................................................6

RedefineYourself–40sand50s...............................................................................................................................8

PositiveAgeing-Seniors...........................................................................................................................................9

SoloTravelandCommunity....................................................................................................................................10

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NO, IT’S NOT WEIRD.

Theworldisinteresting.Whatcomesnaturally–what’sano-brainer–foronepersonisastruggleforanother.Forme,solotravelcamenaturally.Itraveledsoloinmy20sforonereasonandinmy50sforanother.But,whateverthereason,always,inallways,itwasagreat,growing,gratifyingexperience.

Travel+Alone≠WeirdItseemsthatsomepeoplecometomyblogonsolotraveloutofangst.Theysearchphraseslike,“isitweirdtotravelalone”.Whatasadquery.Eithertheythinkthere’ssomethingwrongwiththemforhavingthisdesireorothersaresuggestingso.I’mnotsurewhichisworse.ButIamsurethatthepressurestomeettheexpectationsoffriendsandfamilybytravelingwiththemcanbeoverwhelmingandthatithastostop.It’stimetoexpandourunderstandingofsolotravelasnotonlyalegitimatechoicebutawiseone.

Travel+Alone=toomuchforasimpleequationSolotravelhasanimpactonthepersontraveling,thosewholovethem,thosewhodon’t,theircommunity,country,theworld,theuniverse…Wellyougetit,solotravelisimportant.

It’snotthatsolotravelersdon’tlikepeople.It’snotthatwedon’tsendthe“wishyouwerehere”postcards.It’sjustthattravelingsolooffersatrulyuniqueandvaluableexperience.Thismanifestomakesthecaseforsolotravel.

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TOP SEVEN REASONS TO TRAVEL SOLO

Therearecertainaspectsofsolotravelthateveryoneenjoys-regardlessofage.AndI’mnottheonlyonewhothinksso.I’veconductedmanysurveysonsolotravel.Herearethetopsevenreasonspeoplesaythelovegoingitalone:

• Independence.Noneedtocompromise.Asasolotraveler,youcandowhatinterestsyouandyou’renotdraggedtoplacesdon’t.

• Connectingtolocalsandothertravelers.Becauseyou’renottalkingwithatravelcompanion,youaremorelikelytotalkwithlocalsandlearnhowtheylive.

• Specialtreatment.Youarelesslikelytobetreatedlikeanormaltourist.Goingsoloraisescuriosity,respect,concern,andinterestfromlocals.Theytendtogooutoftheirwaytoenhanceyourexperienceintheirhometown.

• Solitude.Youcaneasilyhaveperiodsofquiettimeforreading,painting,thinking…• Growth.Youstretchyourself,developnewskillsandoftenlearnmorebecauseit’salluptoyouto

navigatecultureandlogistics.• Thefocusistravel.Asolotripismoreaboutthedestination,culture,andhistory…thanyour

companion.• Confidence.Bytravelingalone,youdiscovernewself-confidence.

Anyoneofuscanenjoythesebenefits.But,dependingonwhatstageoflifeyou’reat,thepleasuresandbenefitsofsolotravelrunmuchdeeper.AsIalludedtoabove,whatonegainsintheir20sisquitedifferentthanintheir50s.Here’show.

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DISCOVER YOURSELF – THE GAP YEAR

Whetherit’satraditionalgapyearbetweenhighschoolanduniversity,orsimplytimeofftoexploretheworldbeforebeingsuckedintotheworldofwork,it’safabulousideatotravelasayoungadult.It’sevenbettertodoso–atleastpartofyourjourney–alone.

Agapyearisnotayearofflearning.Itisoneofintenselearning.Morelikelytobecashpoorandtimerich,youngadultstendtotakeitslowandreallyengagewiththecommunitythey’revisiting.Assoloadventurers,youngadults:

• Discoverthemselvesastheydiscovertheworld–withouttheexpectationsoffamilyandfriendswhohavedefinedthemovertheyears.

• Findthattheyarecapableofmuchmorethantheyrealizedsimplybecausetheyhadneverbeengiventheopportunitiesbefore.

• Identifywhatreallyintereststhemwithouttheinfluenceofothers.• Learnself-relianceastheybookhostels,managemoney,andnavigatecitiesalone.• Developskillsindecision-making,relationshipbuilding,communication,organization…• Gainconfidenceastheynavigatenewcities,situationsandcircumstancesthemselves.• Developtheirownopinionsonissuesastheyhavetimetolook,analyse,andreflect.• Gainmaturityastheynavigatetheworldthemselves.• Discoverthattheyactuallyliketheirowncompany.

Oh the Places You’ll Go!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.

Dr.Seussspeakingatagraduationceremony.

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DEFINE YOURSELF – 20S AND 30S

Unlessyou’vehadadrivingambitiontobeadoctor,firefighter,architectorsomeotherspecificprofession,youprobablywentthroughschooland/oruniversityinageneralarts,scienceormanagementprogram.Youareageneralist.Which,bymymeasure,isfabulous.Butwhatmanygeneralistsstrugglewithisestablishingthemselves–findingtheirnicheinsociety.Anichethatisnotonlyfulfillingpersonallybutalsofinancially.

Travelingsoloisanexceptionalopportunityforthoseattheageofestablishmentto:

• Explorenewcareeropportunitieswithouttheweightofsomeoneelse’sagenda.Tryonacareerthroughvolunteerorcontractworkandseeifitsuitsyou.

• Upgradecredentialsforthenextstepinyourcareerpathbytakingtimeforintensivecourses,self-studyprogramsoressentialreading.

• Confirmyourcommitmenttoarelationship.Ifyou’reunsureabouttakingarelationshiptothenextlevel,sometimeawaycanhelpyouunderstandwhoyouare,whotheyareandwhetheryou’reagreatfit.

• Demonstratehowcapableyouaretoyourselfandothers.Thiscanhelpyourparentswithdrawfromparentingyou.

• Getgroundedinwhoyouare.Whetherit’salasthurrahtripbeforekidsorsimplytimetoexperienceandreflect,travelingalonehelpsyoufindyou.

Alloftheabovecanbeachievedonshortaswellaslongtrips.

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REDEFINE YOURSELF – 40S AND 50S

Beinginmy50sandhavinglaunchedatravelblog,IthinkI’mparticularlyqualifiedtoaddressthesubjectofredefiningyourselfthroughsolotravel.Itdoesn’tmatterwhetheryou’resingleorinarelationship,solotravelisanenrichingexperience.Atmidlife,itcanbeevenmoreso.

Midlifeisatimeforchange.Jobsandrelationshipsmayhavelosttheirlustre.Emptynestsyndromeleavespeoplewith,well,anemptiness.Unanticipatedchangescanthrowyouforaloop.Travelingsolohelpsonethroughthesesituationslikenootherformoftravel.Bytravelingaloneyou:

• Discoverwhoyouarewhenyou’renotresponsibleforaspouseorchildren.• Returntoyourjoborrelationshipenergizedwithnewideas,experiencesanddreamstoshare.• Buildconfidenceafterlossoradivorce.• Demonstrateyouryouthfulnesstoco-workers;it’sdifficulttoseeanadventurerasold.• Reducestress,amajorcontributortohealthproblems,byrelaxingandtravelingonyourownschedule.• Savemoney.It’smucheasiertobookhostels,hospitalitystays,andgreatdealswhenyoutravelalone.• Injectchallengeintoyourlifethatmayotherwisebeonautopilot.

Solotravelistrulyrejuvenatingatmidlife.

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POSITIVE AGEING - SENIORS

Travelingsoloasaseniorhasauniquequality.Therearehealthandsafetyconsiderationsthataremoreobviousatthisstage.Seniorscanbemorevulnerable.Butitisalsoatimewhentravelingalonemaybetheonlyoptionor,witha“nowornever”attitude,atimeforadventure.Regardlessofthereasons,therearesafewaystotravelsoloasaseniorand:

• Dowhatyoucouldn’taffordordidn’thavetimetodointhepast.• Fulfilllifelongdreams.• Rediscoveryourself,youpersonalityratherthanyourroleinfamilyorcommunity.• Feelreallyuseful.Volunteerprogramsneedthelifetimeofskillsyou’vedeveloped.• Eatdessertfirst–ordoanythingelseyouwanttodothatmayhavebeenjudgedinthepast.• Travellongterm.Younowhavethetimetosettleinandenjoycommunitiesforlongerperiodsoftime.

Ifyouarewealthyrelativetothelocaleconomy,thiscanbequitepossible.

Solotraveldoesn’thavetomeanthatyouleaveyourprovince,stateorcountry.Travelsoloclosetohomeifthatiswhat’srightforyou.

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SOLO TRAVEL AND COMMUNITY

Whenyoutravelsolo,you’refocusedonallthatisnewinthemoment,notyourcompanion.Becauseofthis,peoplearemoreinclinedtotalktoyou.Theyfeeltheyhavesomethingtoofferandlessliketheywillbeinterrupting.

Andyouaremoreinclinedtotalktoothers.Youneedtoreachoutbecauseyouare,afterall,asocialbeing.

Mypointisthat,whenyoutravelsolo,youexperiencetheworldmoreintimatelythanwhenyoutravelwithacompanion.Thebenefitsforcommunitieseverywherearegreat.Everyinteractionincreasesourunderstandingofothers.Asaresult:

• Stereotypesbreakdown.• Ourcommonhumanityisshared.• Wediscoverhowsmallourdifferencesreallyare.• Ourunderstandingofotherculturesdeepens.• Ourappreciationofthechallengesfacedinothercountriesincreases.

Whenwereturnhome,webringthisnewunderstandingandspreadittofamilyandfriendstherebyincreasingharmonyinourhomecommunity.

“Travelisfataltoprejudice,bigotry,andnarrow-mindedness,andmanyofourpeopleneeditsorelyontheseaccounts.Broad,wholesome,

charitableviewsofmenandthingscannotbeacquiredbyvegetatinginonelittlecorneroftheearthallone’s

lifetime.”—MarkTwain,1857

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SOLO TRAVEL FOR EVERY ONE AND EVERYONE

Myargumentinthismanifesto,isthatsolotravelisgoodforindividualsandgoodforsociety.

Likealltravel,it’sfunandrewarding.Butitgoesdeeper.Therearebenefits,likethefreedomtofollowyourownschedulethateveryoneenjoys.Therearealsobenefitsspecifictoeverystageoflife.So,solotravelisgoodforeveryoneofus.

Butitisalsogoodforeveryone.Solotravel,bybringingusclosertoourdestination,increasesanunderstandingbetweendifferentculturesinawaythatmostotherformsoftravelcan’t.Thismakessolotravelgoodforcommunities,citiesandstates.

Now,afterwritingforeightpagesaboutthemeritsofsolotravel,Imustsaythattravelingwithacompanionisafinewaytogo.Ithasitsbenefitstoo.Butthatwasnotmypurposehere.Myobjectivewastolegitimizesolotravel.Tomakeitbetterunderstood.TostoptheGooglesearchesonwhetheritisweirdtotravelalone.Andtoencouragepeopletotaketotheroadsolo.

Ihopethat,asyou’vebeenreading,you’vealsobeenplanningyournextsoloadventure.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TherearemanypeoplewhohavebeenreallyhelpfulinthedevelopmentofSoloTravelerandthisebook.First,mysisterDale.ShespentmanyhoursredesigningaWordpresstemplatetolookthewayIwanted.ShemadeSoloTravelerpossible.Andthen,somanymore,innoparticularorder:ElizabethMacKenzie,SusanWard,ElizabethVerwey,CarolinePius,HarryvanBommel.Thankyouallforyourfabulousguidance,supportandincrediblepatienceasIrattledonintheprocessoffiguringoutwhatIwasdoing.ThankstoKeithoftheVelvetEscape(http://velvetescape.com/blog)andEvelynatJourneywoman(http://journeywoman.com).Youhavebothbeengenerouswithyourknowledge,insightsandsupport.And,ofcourse,Mom.She’sprobablytheonlyonewhoreadsabsolutelyeverythingonSoloTraveler–evidenceofthesupportshehasprovidedmywholelife.Ok,ifyou’vereadthisfar,you’rethesentimentaltype,soI’llgoon.Thanksalsotomylatefather,whotaughtmehowtoengagetheworldwithasmileandmylatehusbandwhotaughtmetoseewonderandbeautyeverywhere.