Solo holiday booked but I'm terrified

[Powergower]

A few months ago in a fit of craziness I booked a solo holiday. Dh doesn't have enough annual leave and the kids are away at uni. I've got loads of leave to take so decided to book a solo holiday to a lovely little hotel we've been to many times.

Now it's almost time to travel I'm terrified! I'm scared I'll feel lonely and sad thoughts and memories from the past will flood in. I'm only going for a week so know that if I hate it I'll be home soon enough. I need to get used to travelling alone as I work pt and have so much more time off then dh and I'm sick of spending it sitting at home.

I've loaded up my kindle and trying to be positive but my heart is racing and I'm honestly so so scared. I love being alone and my own company so am shocked at feeling so scared. Has anyone travelled alone and hated it or loved it? Can you share your experiences?

I'd give my back teeth to be able to go off travelling on my own OP! I travelled solo all over the world when I was young, it's something I'm looking forward to doing again once my children are grown.

please pluck up the courage to go outside the hotel and see life outside. Even if you just look in shop windows, buy a bag of local crisps ( I always do this, it’s amazing how different crisps can be!) , have a coffee in the sun or buy yourself something from a shop as a memento it will be a way of connecting with the place you are in. When you get bold enough you can try a local bus ride, I always find hotel staff and tourist office staff really helpful, they will point you in the right direction for bus stops, advise you on paying for tickets and tell you easy places to get to. Zoos are quite fun places to visit if you don’t enjoy museums or galleries.

Married with DC but have been travelling alone for the last 25 years in India, Cambodia, Egypt, Turkey, Thailand and elsewhere..Not in resorts. Nothing very bad has happened to me. It is essential to my wellbeing.

I hadn't travelled alone until a few weeks back. It was a multi-base trip involving two international trains, one regional train in a foreign country and a variety of local public transport. Probably a bit of a baptism of fire for a first lone trip but I really enjoyed it. I met lots of of really interesting people, enjoyed stopping for a chat etc. Took a book with me when I went out for dinner and did a lot of sightseeing.

I think I would have a look at options for places to go and see/visit outside the resort as there was no time to be stuck alone with my brain while I was off out and about. It's not like you have to go and do the sightseeing but if you have some options you could decide to go off and do one if you find you need a distraction.

I do travel on my own sometimes if there is somewhere I really want to see, or I get a bit restless, or the other half is busy or whatnot. The first time was a bit strange, but over time I got more and more used to it and often wish we had separate holidays sometimes lol!

The one thing I do not like and cannot get along with is dinner alone at night. I feel very self conscious and whether I should or shouldn't doesn't matter - I do!

So I don't do it. I have a leisurely lunch somewhere preferably outside weather permitting. I can people watch and I find it's not in any way as inhibiting as dinner is. Please remember that is just ME.

I'll always make sure there is a fridge and kettle in the room, and buy something during the day to eat at night. Breakfast in a cafe outdoors where possible too.

Other than that the freedom of deciding when to get up, when to eat, what to see etc. is all mine and I love that bit! Have never felt worried or in any danger, but I wouldn't go out late at night either. I am in my 60s now so am invisible anyway!

I've been solo traveling for 15 years now. Initially out of choice (my DH encouraged me to visit places I'd dreamed of while he stayed home with the teenaged kids) and then out of necessity after he died.

If you normally holiday with the family, you'll really enjoy the fact that you don't have to consider anyone else! That first solo trip made me so aware that without even recognising it, normally I'd be watching everyone, noticing who was looking tired or bored, and making decisions around that. Just doing my own thing and not having to explain or justify anything to anyone was the most amazing freedom!

Have a wonderful time!

And always have a bar of chocolate and a packet of biscuits handy, if you manage to find something decent to watch on the hotel tv, biscuits and chocolate while lying in bed is wonderful, especially if you don’t have to deal with the crumbs. Good luck finding decent telly abroad though, it really makes you appreciate home grown programmes when you see the dire stuff other countries have ( looking at you Italy and Spain in particular) .

You Tube and Netflix etc, can be watched over the accommodation wi fi. I also have proxy server (Nord VPN) that allows me to watch UK stuff abroad where it might otherwise be blocked.

I love solo travel (though I've always done it big cities tagged onto work trips). Nobody is going to judge you for just sitting somewhere warm and sunny reading a stash of books.

I try to book a couple of walks/excursions/boat trips so I can at least chat to a tour guide/other tourists.

Advice? Pack a few bits of clothing in your hand luggage in case your suitcase decides to stay in the UK.

To be super cautious make sure somebody you trust has a copy of your passport and bankcards etc in case you lose them.

Where(ish) are you going?

Make good use of it all and I live a good old breakfast buffet but..when I go to a city I try to book myself into the best restaurant I can find (obviously I have to like the food!) and have been to some of the top restaurants alone. No one cares and you'll have a wonderful and memorable meal. You're special - don't forget that. (As are the fellow solo travellers here!)

And I may or may but have a packet of Percy pigs in my room for later along with my nightcap on the terrace....🐽

I've bought a travel lock because one of my worries is people coming in and out of the room. The hotel obviously has cleaners and I know from past experience that even if the do not disturb sign is on the door sometimes they come in regardless. Same for the minibar person who restocks it all. I hope they don't think I'm being rude by locking myself in!

I have had a really difficult few years, and whilst I feel I have emerged stronger, I feel very delicate and bruised. I'm hoping this trip will just give me the physical and mental headspace I need to just live a little. Also, I was a child carer for a close family member who now needs care as an elderly person, then i had kids young so I've been caring for others all my life. I booked the solo trip so I could just have some moments of peace for myself, and some self care.

Oh, and I will be venturing out during the daytime. One of our family traditions on holiday is sampling all the local crisps so I'll definitely be walking to all the local shops.

Booking onto a food tour or walking tour can be a good way to pass the time (and a meal) and gives you a bit of interaction. Depends how remote your location is though.

I've just come back from a solo trip to Greece and it was amazing. So much anticipation and planning, that was half the excitement. I rented a tiny Airbnb and spent the days wandering around the town, shopping and exploring. I did exactly what I wanted to do and had to consider NO ONE. It was utter bliss!

Solo travelling is the best …
doing what you like , when you like !
I love it ….
go for it !!

@Powergower

“sampling all the local crisps” glad it’s not just me then! There are probably loads of us but we don’t confess our little secret for fear of being thought shallow.

“ Yes, the temples and beaches are wonderful, but the crisps are out of this world”

I've been to Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and Vienna on my own and have amazing memories...

My absolute fave crisps are Spanish munchitos. They're like enormous pom bears. I spend a ridiculous time online looking to see if I can buy them but apparently they're only sold in Spain! Every time we go there I stock up on enough bags to last us the holiday and the first few weeks at home.

but don't think I'll be leaving the resort too much for my first time solo travelling
You might as well have booked a hotel in your own town if you are not going to go out much and just listen to podcasts, drink wine and eat crisps!
Go and explore, see how things are different, learn new things, be fascinated otherwise what's the point?
What are you so scared of?
Just take reasonable precautions as you would any where and have a great time.
If you dont get the courage now, next time you go, you'll just find reasons not to leave the resort again.
Grab life and get out there.

I'm single/childless so holiday alone all the time. Love it. In fact the last short weekend I had with friends I found it overwhelming and longed to have alone time. Suits my introvert self.

No one bats an eyelid or cares. I sit and people watch and there are plenty of people alone. If it's a sunny beach break take a kindle or books and just relax or go for nice walks. If it's a city break I do a few laps on a hop on/off bus to get my bearings then sightsee, stop for a nice wine/cocktail/coffee.

I tend to book nicer hotels that have good a bar that I can sit and have a drink then nip up to my room. Like a PP also found a cinema that was in English for an evening activity but usually I'm knackered from walking about all day.

One of the things I was determined to do when I turned 50 this year was go on a solo trip abroad, which I hadn't done since having DC. They are now all teens and perfectly capable of surviving with DH on hand to supervise, so I booked flights from our local airport to one of the Greek islands and an Airbnb room in someone's home just outside the main town. (That was perfect for me from a security point of view, and I ended up chatting with my lovely host every evening.) I like to 'do stuff' on holiday, whereas the rest of the family – not so much. We love travelling together, but it always involves compromise, which is fair enough... So I revelled in being completely selfish for a change: spent the week getting 6.30am buses all over the island, doing massive hikes, swimming (and skinny dipping) in deserted coves, having gyros + beer for lunch, back to my room for lazy afternoon naps – without feeling guilty! – then out to explore the town and eat at local restaurants every evening. It was completely liberating and utterly restorative. Exactly what I needed, time to just be me. Am now looking further afield and currently planning my next solo trip – to South Korea!

I was a bit nervous before I went too, but read a load of solo women travel blogs when planning the trip, which helped to bolster my confidence and inspire me. Also took more books and magazines than I thought I would get through, and a walking guide to the island which I looked at every evening to plan the following day. And I ate out a little earlier than I usually would, so it was quieter and I didn't feel conspicuous eating alone. Actually I found everywhere really welcoming.

It sounds like you deserve a bit of time to centre yourself. I really hope you have an amazing time away.

I mostly travel solo since my divorce, and I can honestly say it’s the best thing (for me). I’m a naturally detached person and don’t cling to people in any way, so that makes it easier. Of course, I do feel feel pangs of sadness when I see families, couples, groups. I invariably meet lots of people, and there’s little time to feel lonely. Enjoy having unimpeded time to yourself. Don’t try to fill time but savor where you are. You’ll learn things about yourself if you are open to it.

@notacooldad I've had some really terrifying experiences as a woman alone. I've been on work trips where I've been out and felt very threatened. I won't compromise my safety. Also, I'm going with no expectations. This means that if I want to sit on the beach and read that's what I'll do. My daily life is spent extremely busy, every minute accounted for so I'm trying to be kinder to myself.

I'll see how I feel when I'm there. I've been to this area many times so I've seen all the local sights and so I'll do trips if I feel like them otherwise I'll just enjoy reading and swimming.

Where in Greece did you go? I'm thinking of Greece for my next trip.

Would you mind sharing the blogs you found that helped? I'm planning Greece for my next trip. Do you recommend the island you went to?