Operation Wanderlust - solo novel Tips For Women

 

The freedom and flexibility of traveling alone can be a rewarding experience and has been a way of life for me for years.

One of my most memorable solo trips was a five-day getaway to Cozumel. I had just put in a staggering amount of extra time and energy transitioning into a new high-profile promotion. Feeling like a ticking time bomb, I needed to get away solo-novel.com for a long weekend, even if that meant going it alone. When I came up with the idea of taking a mini vacation, my husband couldn't get away due to prior commitments. We agreed that I should go away to recharge my batteries, even if he couldn't. The best choice at the time was an all inclusive resort in Cozumel, Mexico. All inclusive meaning; everything - food, lodging and entertainment were on site in a safe vacation community. The plan: read a couple of trashy novels, sleep, and chill out on the beach. For the majority of the trip I was completely quiet. Practicing silent meditation for several days helped me get back to center. On the last day of my sojourn I was ready to socialize and met some lovely German women poolside.

As long as you have a keen sense of awareness and stick to destinations that are safe, vacationing alone does not have to be daunting. When I traveled to Mexico, the only time I left the gated community was for a snorkeling trip at the Palancar Reef. Admittedly, I would have ventured off site more had I traveled with my husband. BUT, the intention of this particular trip was to travel to a safe destination and allow for pure, unbridled peace and relaxation.

When you travel on your own it doesn't really matter whether you are an introvert or extrovert. An extrovert can meet many new people, and the introvert can simply mind their own business. If you are already comfortable dining and exercising on your own, traveling solo may be a natural next step for you.

Another notable solo adventure consisted of a long weekend in San Francisco exploring China Town, writing poetry while sprawled out on the lawn at the Palace of Fine Arts, sampling delicious clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl at Fisherman's Wharf and touring the beautiful grounds and eerie facility of Alcatraz prison. Then there was the time I flew to New York City about eight months after 9/11. Allowing for extra time to visit and pray at the devastating site of Ground Zero was a priority. This solemn heart-wrenching experience led me to a walk through Battery Park to catch a Ferry to Ellis Island and marvel in the beauty of the Statue of Liberty. I am still moved by the memory of the experience. Deep sorrow followed by an awareness of intense hope and liberation.

Acting on an innate sense of adventure is nourishing to your soul.

Women are estimated to comprise 50 percent of frequent fliers, according Laura Begley of Travel & Leisure magazine. If a woman has a family, she may make 70 percent of all her family's personal travel decisions. Forty percent of business travelers today are women, while just thirty years ago female executives comprised only one percent. A glance around any airport or train station confirms things have changed.

Among the leisure-travel crowd, "We find that women solo travelers take comfort from going in a group," said Begley. "Women want to go to exotic places, they want to have exotic experiences, but they feel much more comfortable when there's a guide or an experienced person there to make them feel safe in a foreign country."

While writing this article, I interviewed several women to get a better sense of why some women are uncomfortable traveling on their own. I posed the question, "When you consider all of your travel options, why wouldn't you go away on your own?" The top three reasons were: vulnerability to theft, harassment, and loneliness.