Holiday by myself..

[CraigRevelHorwoodsPetCat]

So just thinking of booking a wee week away somewhere by myself. Thinking Spain or Cyprus. I'm going on a girl's holiday in August - which will be the usual; drinking too much and barely seeing sunlight.

I am overworked. I am exhausted. I need to disappear for a week with books and some lovely weather.

However, will I look really odd by myself? I don't mind the travelling on the plane and to destination aspect. I'm just wondering about eating out at night by myself. I'll probably end up back in my room at 8pm every night 

Would you do it?

[Ragwort]

you dont need to do what others want to do and you don't, no one else is faffing about getting ready when ur sitting waiting etc - totally agree with that comment, I find family holidays hugely stressful - trying to find something that DH, teenage DS and I all like doing is almost impossible - invariably there are endless 'compromises' and no one really enjoys it that much.

Being on your own, choosing what to do, where to go, where/what to eat, even just what time to get up is absolute bliss and a real break from routine life.

Last year I was on my own, woke early and just fancied a swim in the sea at 5am - it was lovely, as we usually share a room getting up that early would have been impossible and I would have lain awake in bed seething with annoyance that I was 'wasting' my day. I am not someone who enjoys a lie-in.

[stubbornstains]

Oh yes. I would say I'm dreaming of it wistfully, but having just received a passout to go to Amsterdam for 5 days in August (albeit to a kind of work conference, but a fun one), I'm happily planning it instead .

I find I prefer a solo holiday if there's the opportunity to have a minimum amount of social interaction- I did spend 7 days on my own in Lesbos once and hardly spoke to anyone, and that was a bit lonely. Mexico was good, as I stayed in hostels/ guesthouses where there were other travellers, so there was the opportunity to socialise when I felt like it (plus the locals in Mexico City were surprisingly friendly and chatty).

Have also had a good holiday on another Greek island (Angistri) in a guesthouse run by friendly hippies, and also in France, camping solo and filling the time between a period of work and meeting up with friends at a festival by spending days sitting at the same cafe table with a glass of wine at my elbow, reading.

[AbelMancwitch]

God, I'd bloody love this. Off to google...

[SorrelForbes]

I've done holidays on my own to the US and had a wonderful time. As a PP said take take a Kindle so so that you don't run out of books! I found that people didn't pester me but plenty said hello when I was by the pool or by the open air bar so I never felt starved of conversation.

If you're thinking of the Med, I can recommend Tavira in Portugal. Lots of lovely little apartments etc in the town centre. No need for a car as the beach is close by. Lots of little restaurants, shops and cafes and there is a lot of live music in the evenings, classic to pop. Beautiful place.

[Twooter]

We stayed at an all inclusive that set up large round tables reserved for single travellers so they didn't have to dine alone ( although they could if they wanted)

[scarednoob]

God yes, I always fancied a week in the Caribbean by myself with a suitcase full of books. Won't be happening any time soon, as DD is only a few months old, but it's still an ambition! I know lots of people who've done holidays alone and loved it.

[chipsandpeas]

done it a few times, a mixture of all inclusive and self catering - eating out alone didnt bother me although i pretty much eat and go, i have my ipad filled with tv shows or movies to watch at night and kindle filled with books

re single supplement someone mentioned - i paid about 100 more when i done a package which i was ok about paying
some one mentioned about putting sun cream on as well above - get a back lotion applier - i use the once a day sun cream anyway so it works perfect - you can get them easily for using with fake tan

anyone that finds out ive been away on my own sees me as brave rather than sad, if they thought that then they have never said it to my face and if they did then fuck them - ive been away plenty times with friends and its different, you dont need to do what others want to do and you dont, no one else is faffing about getting ready when ur sitting waiting etc

[Helenluvsrob]

Ha! Posting this from Madrid where I am holidaying alone. It's been bril mostly apart from one crap eatery who chucked me away on my own with the to blaring football.

However , obviously it's not a sitting around the pool break. I've walked my feet off seeing stuff. I wouldn't do a pool/hotel holiday anyway, not my thing.

Nothing more fab than many hours in an art gallery / museum at your own pace and I've been on 2 walking tours. Met some nice people etc.

Do it !

[barefootcook]

Sounds wonderful!! Definitely take plenty of reading materiall. You will feel very relaxed on your return.

[wannabestressfree]

Ashley one of the Greek islands you could totally do. Like thassos for example. Quiet and secluded but with the right level of 'things to do' or santorini. I have always fancied Malta though due to the history.... I couldn't just sit for a week.

[ashleyanne2016]

Go for it, I would love to hear how you get on. I too have been considering a much needed single holiday after a traumatic year, I was also considering Cyprus, Greece or even Malta just a quiet time, some sun, nice food and books by the truckload but it's finding the right spot, right? please let me know if you find a suitable destination and your thoughts

[RiverTamFan]

My Dad hates travelling with a passion. My Mum wanted to fly to hot places. Result was that, in her 50's, she started bogging off on holiday without him! (He spent a quiet week buried in a book to his hearts content.)
She got so good at travelling on her own to various places that she ended up with workmates at least 20 years her junior tagging along because they didn't want to take the plunge themselves! She saw what she wanted, did what she wanted and occasionally went on package holidays went on the organised pub crawls where she usually found a friendly barman willing to make exciting cocktails for her while the rest of the party got drunk as fast as possible! She had a whale of a time. Go for it!

[Trooperslane]

........ also, re dining alone?

Honestly, as PPs have said it feels weird to start with but I've done so much of it with work - looking at you, Holiday Inn Express Luton Airport - in totally soul destroying places, think of the sea and the sun set and wine and your kindle book.......... wowwwsers.

It'll be absolutely fantastic and you'll be a new woman coming back.

[Rachel0Greep]

Loving all the ideas for holidays here. I've travelled alone, and don't give it a second thought. I travel for work frequently anyway.
The first time I went on a break alone, I was single, and a friend had let me down at the last minute. I thought, right, I can stay home and feel sorry for myself, or I can go alone. And I've done it loads of times since.

To anyone thinking about what others might think of them, don't give it a second thought. People are caught up in their own lives, and really nobody cares about you relaxing and enjoying your own holiday .

I already said OP, go for it, and anyone else, likewise.

[Trooperslane]

YABU

You need a kindle so you can take millions of books and read in the sun.

HTH

I'm sooooooooooooo jealous!

I went to Paris for a week 7 years ago by myself because I was feeling the same as you and thought my head was going to explode if I didn't get away.

I fielded calls all week saying "are you ok?" and my best friend's Dad wanted to fly her out................ lovely and thoughtful, but I VANT TO BE ALOOOONE.

Have a bloody ball/loads of craic (also a NI-er)

[kelper]

I've been on a couple of holidays where the friend i was with was at work all day so i was mostly on my own, it was bliss. In fact id quite like to be somewhere on my own right now, instead of on a hospital ward with an uber grumpy ds :-/

[notonyurjellybellynelly]

Ps - I cruise twice a year and my last one was to Alaska.

[notonyurjellybellynelly]

Has anyone been on a cruise alone

Hello there

I cruise alone and its very doable. Please feel free to ask any questions you like and i'll do my best to answer them.

And to the poster who's off to Disney for a fortnight - just don't dance with Goofy, and if you do he's rather lovely when it comes to giving you an ear to dry your happy tears. Or should that be - jesus I dont know whats wrong with me tears!

My happiest two weeks ever were spent at disney after my marriage of a lifetime broke up

[Sijeunessesavait]

I gave this recommendation on another thread recently - have been to a fantastic spa hotel in southern Spain (fly to Faro in Portugal) called AMA Huelva. Booked as a package through WellbeingEscapes.com, went with a friend but there were some singles there. Really comfortable huge rooms, friendly staff, fantastic food and brilliant spa and fitness facilities, with classes and/or personal training sessions, or just lounging around the indoor or outdoor pools. I would definitely go back and would be just as happy to be there alone as with a friend.

Enjoy your research

[isitginoclock]

Can I come with you OP? What a dream! A child-less husband-less holiday

[ChubbyPolecat]

I would love to do this but I just don't have the guts. I've never really been anywhere or done anything but right now I feel like I'm wasting my life not being willing to just do it!

[MangoMoon]

I didn't even think of doing a lone cruise!
I am off to start googling....

[shortaris1]

I stay with friends abroad most years OP. I get a bit of company at night but I fly on my own and they work so I get all day every day to lie on the beach with my Kindle. It's sheer bliss. Go for it!

[CraigRevelHorwoodsPetCat]

Lissa the replies to my original post have been most inspiring I am so excited. Night two of research with a glass of wine or two and the iPad.

A week is a long time to be alone. But I'm hoping to return tanned and refreshed, ready to tackle the rest of the year head on

[Costacoffeeplease]

A cruise isn't a bad idea - you can choose what size table you sit at for dinner, and if you want there are organised excursions so you'd be doing things with like minded people