To think going on holiday alone will be shit?

[balune]

Be honest here. And don’t answer as if you’re a frazzled woman with a job and parents and kids and husband and are lucky if you get to have a wee alone.

Every day is alone for me. So if I go on holiday alone, won’t it just be more of the same? Can’t decide ...

its like the rest of life, its what you make it. If you are miserable at home being alone, then yes being on holiday alone may not be much fun. Before I adopted my son I went on many holidays on my own.

Sometimes I went on group trips with companies like Exodus or Explore, or Dragoman, so you aren't on your own all the time, if you don't want to be. I've travelled across many African countries with these companies. They also do more mainstream trips in Europe, the states etc I've always found someone to get on with and made some real long lasting friendships.

Other years I booked self catering apartments on the Greek islands or city breaks. I'm not a beach lover or want to spend hours sat by a pool, or 'nightlife' , so I went to places with lots of culture - galleries, musuems etc, wander round the shops. Had very busy days, nice lunches, found quiet tavernas for evening meal. Quite happy then to have a wander round the markets before going back to the apartment for a glass of wine on the balcony and a good book.

OK, I am a FTWOHM.

But I fantasise about holidays alone. Activity holidays - a yoga trip to somewhere like Greece, sailing with a group, possibly taking a cruise, certainly doing a walking holiday (probably alone but possibly as a group thing).

If you want a holiday and are alone, think about where you really want to go, what you really want to do, and how much you want to spend.

So you may have single supplements, but you could go on either organized trips entirely, a holiday where you can join in with organized days but have some days to do your own thing, or just plan an itinerary totally solo and see what happens.

What interests you?

Do you want to explore cities, enjoy art galleries and museums, sit drinking coffee/wine while reading interesting books and people watching?

Do you want to do a lot of shopping?

Do you want action - walking (flat or mountains), swimming, sailing, diving, cycling, tennis, yoga?

Do you want to learn something - a cookery course, painting school, writing class, photography sessions?

Do you want to utterly unwind? Spa and a swimming pool with good heathly (and slightly sinful) food? Quiet days with a book and cold drink?

Do you like warm or cold weather?

Do you want to meet people, to make friends or find a partner? Or are you happy being solo (ok - your opening post says not really).

How do you like to travel? Plane, boat, driving, bus, train? Are you happy to mix types, or do a multi-stop holiday (e.g. fly to Paris, couple of train journeys to get to Rome, few days on a boat to Sicily, then plane back home), rent a car/motorbike/motorhome when you arrive somewhere, take a coach tour, or just get somewhere and stay put until the journey home?

Do you want to stay in a hotel, a hostel, camp out, air b'n'b, or guesthouse with a host?

Would you be happy to get a guide for a couple of days to show you what you're interested in somewhere, and build in time (or not) for you to explore or relax solo?

A holiday can mean so many many different things that being alone really doesn't need to mean feeling lonely.

If you think it will be shit, then it will.
But when I was single, I often holidayed alone and I loved it. I'd go to museums, bus tours, etc and I'd always find people to chat to.

I don’t know about chatting to people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m friendly enough, but I can imagine there being an AIBU about being stuck with a weirdo on holiday

I don’t agree with the “if you think ... it will be” either - I’m sure in a way it would be nicer to be somewhere hot alone than in England alone, but worth the money, not sure.

For 10 years, I was single and lived alone, and circumstances conspired to the effect that I had literally no one to go on holiday with. My choice was either go alone or don't go at all. So I went alone, and I loved it. But - I didn't go on a standard beach holiday, I wanted to get out and about and be more active. So I went with these guys:

www.explore.co.uk/

It was amazing - no single supplements if you were prepared to share with another person of the same gender, the whole thing planned and managed without feeling in the slightestbit 'coach trip', very sociable, and I got to see things and places that I will remember my whole life. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Go for it a week away on my own is sheer bliss. I try and go at least four times a year. I wouldn’t want to go for more than a week at a time.

I can completely understand where you are coming from. I am on my own too and when I force myself to go places alone, I’m ‘done’ within an hour. I have booked a group holiday for this summer as otherwise I would be sitting at home alone again. I am apprehensive though but I do look forward to sun and sea.

Glad it’s not just me Badger

I don’t know about a group holiday. It’s not going to be cheap and so in a way I would rather have control of it.

I've been going on my own for the last six years. I've been all over the world and I love it.

I can't imagine travelling with anyone else ever again. The freedom of doing what you want, when you want is amazing.

I think I'd only do it if it was an activity holiday doing something I loved, most likely an organised trip. When my sister was single and aged 40-ish, she went on a wild swimming holiday swimming around islands in Croatia (sounds hellish to me, but she loved it!). At night you could eat either with the group or on your own.

But, what are your circumstances at home like Ches? Is being alone a novelty for you?

I did Torremolinos so not hugely exciting but lots of ex pats, felt very safe. I was 22.

Booked excursions with ridiculous times but got to see The Alhambra, Morocco and Gibraltar within a week, plus had a night out with the holiday rep (just us two), a day out with a girl similar age who lived over there and made friends with autoimmune younger girls who I met every other night.

Stayed in a tiny little hotel and the one night I came home early a family checked I was ok because they knew I was normally out till late. I loved it.

I went to Jamaica on my own. Fabulous! Met loads of people to talk to. Go with an open mind and talk to other people!

I have LOVED my solo holidays. I think you see and experience much more when you're alone.

I did just this about 18 mo the ago. I was absolutely shattered and really needing a beak. My PIL wouldn't look after the children for minger than 1 night so my husband supported me when I said I wanted to go alone as I would likely break otherwise - I needed sun and peace and quiet.

I really enjoyed it but felt a bit lonely towards the end. I went all inclusive and literally did restaurants and bar plus the pool of course - I also took my iPad and caught up on some Netflix

OK, having read all the points made while I typed...

If you want to go to an art gallery but think you zip around it alone - can you research it beforehand, have a look at some books or internet info about the specific paintings/sculptures there, and go in looking for certain details in certain works?

See if there's a guide to give you a tour.

Have a coffee in the coffee shop (maybe write a couple of postcards or a journal entry?, or get out your guide book to see what you've missed or had you, in fact, seen things mentioned there?), and a slow meander round the gift shop (maybe they have a different book about that place or somewhere else you are going to, or just a nice souvenir), before leaving and see if there are others there who might be interested in passing the time of day about it - you may not see them again but they may also be alone (or a small group - 2 or 3) and, as they are there, are likely to be at least a little bit interested in the works in that particular gallery/museum/whatever.

Ive been on holiday alone where i spent the week learning a skill which was great.

And always bring a book when going for dinner alone - you may not end up reading it, but it really does help give you something to focus on if you want to.

(While I may have family for holidays, I travel a fair amount for work and most of that is alone, so I am well used to getting around, eating, grabbing a glass of wine in a hotel bar, and occasionally getting to see something interesting if I get a couple of hours free - as a solo traveler).

There are plenty of group holidays where lone travellers are quite common if you're looking for company. If you're happy in your own company then a holiday alone could be great! Read by the beach, go on hikes, try the local food, see some culture, whatever you're into!

It might be more of a novelty for you not to be in control of it - that's part of the point of a group tour.

Hi op, I'm 48 and married with one child.
Before meeting DH I was single and lived alone for 10 years.
I tried going on holiday with friends but it was never what I expected or wanted. In the end I went alone. I went on a cruse of the Nile for 2 weeks and had a fantastic time, everyone on the cruise had gone to see the same things as me so lots of opportunity to talk to others if I wanted to. I also went to Malta twice alone, the first tims as a 'sunbathing ' holiday and then to see the sights.
Both times were brilliant and I'd love to go agen, on my own.
Skiing is supposed to be good fun alone, if that's your thing.

I go alone and like it. I usually plan to go to a couple of events where I’ll meet people and make sure I have a big list of things to do so if I am through an exhibit or attraction or whatever in an hour I have other things to do.
But I am happy eating out alone, going to shows and cinema alone etc.

You’re determined to reject all the advice and suggestions. What’s the point of people bothering?

FWIW I have the opposite experience from you with galleries etc- I bloody HATE having someone else trailing around beside me and find that other people invariably rush me through. Seriously, who has ever been to a gallery and found it easy to co-ordinate looking at pictures with someone else. Who wants to negotiate which direction to turn when you enter a new room? On my own I can get the audio tour, return to ones I loved and want to see again, miss out bits that I think are boring, browse in the bookshop for ages and most importantly not have to have an opinion on everything because my companion wants to know what I think. Even my husband bugs me in this context.

OP - look at Exodus and Explore Worldwide- los of lovely small group holidays across the world where about half the customers are travelling solo and there are no single supplements. Best of all it’s not a singles holiday