Travelling overseas alone

[kleinstadt1]

Only time I've done it I went to London for four days on a whim. I had vacation anyway and I found a round trip, non-stop flight from O'Hare to Heathrow for around $300. I figured, why not?

I'm an only child so I'm used to entertaining myself. I tried the hostel thing for a night but for the reasons Guids mentioned I went the hotel route after the first night.

I had a great time. I didn't meet a lot of people but I didn't try very hard, either. Kinda wished I had kept with the hostels for that reason, and since I was in debt for months afterward.

Seriously, Guids, do it and never look back. You won't regret it.

[ArturiusX]

Travelling is awesome, full stop. I'm going with a buddy this year, and as long as your both social, outgoing, and have similar lifestyle ideas, it works out great. Going solo works out great too, because loads of people go solo, and even groups will take you in if you're a decent person.

I'd only worry about it if you were an introvert.

[murph0110]

ive done overseas 3 ways...

most recent was contiki with a good friend to australia. australia was really cool, but being stuck in a tour group really sucked.

number one, we are a little older, and contiki is very young. number two, i like to party, my friend does not - not a good combo for 2 weeks in the land down under...

number 3, it gets real clicky hanging with the same 30 people for 2 weeks, not my cup of tea.. personally, i would never recommend a tour group, although there are lots of different ones out there...

i did chile for a 1 week buz school trip, and 10 of us were very close friends, and all went together. this was/is the best way to go overseas - lots of friends..

we made friends with other people, took over bars, and santiago really has a pretty heavy US influence (much unlike europe) that made it really easy to hook up - even easier than australia...

the 3rd way was your way, solo thru europe. even though going solo is not as great as a bunch of friends, it is still awesome...

i did several countries and had a blast... italian women are very hot, classy, but hard to approach.. americans dont have the pull we once had trying to land international women...

i think u will have a blast...

ps careful - lots of pick pockets in italy, lots.... dont look like a tourist - dont wear american college/nfl shirts, dont wear sneakers, get travelers checks, etc...

[john voight]

Read Page 1 and am surprised.

Is traveling alone only an option for extremely socially skilled ppl? I mean I have no skill what so ever, and being in a foreign country would only isolate me more.

I could not imagine going anywhere alone, unless it was to get away from ppl. Italy does seem like a good place to if alone however; I have been there and the ppl are awsome, and make you feel comfortable.

[octopi]

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On the other hand, it can be frustrating and depressing and I felt more sad & alone than maybe any other time in my life on that trip.

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elaborate on the sad/alone part, why, and did it ruin or enhance the trip?

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I never really thought of this, but yeah, there are some sad times occasionally. Usually on long trips though, I think. (Unless you really aren't used to being a loner, I suppose)

One night I was staying in the shittiest god forsaken guesthouse in downtown Phuket, Thailand (actually the one used in that terrible DiCaprio movie, The Beach) and it was raining like hell out. It had been a rough week: bad full moon party, strange communiqués with an old boyfriend at home in Canada and an upset tummy. I laid on my bed, stared at the ceiling fan going around and around, while adjusting my radio just so, to pick up the small bit of English radio I knew I could get for a short time in the evening. I had been alone for probably two months at that point and even though had been in more desolate situations and weirder ones; that was my breaking point.

I ran out in the rain, got a bottle of Sangsom whiskey (cheap Thai rice whiskey), went back to my room and drank and drank and drank while listening to people in other rooms and watching geckos eat flies and crying.

Not sure why, but that was just the worst night of my entire time alone. Just felt so alone and far from home and ... cut off, I suppose. Had to happen though, I think. The mango (and Sangsom) tasted completely different the day after...but in very different ways.






Five years later, and I *still* can't drink that [censored].

[octopi]

Also, it occurs to me that travelling alone bothers some people for different reasons, especially in a country far from home. I think the main things that bother people are isolation, coupled with lack of language skills and foreign items in restaurants and supermarkets can make someone feel out of place. Lack of a buddy system and things to share with others can also amplify home sickness. Lack of social skills or a bit of shyness can make it hard to meet people.

I don't know. I, personally, live for that stuff.

[murph0110]

cool story..

know what ya mean - have not drank tequila in years...

[HP]

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One night I was staying in the shittiest god forsaken guesthouse in downtown Phuket, Thailand (actually the one used in that terrible DiCaprio movie, The Beach)


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lol, out of curiousity, why'd you stay at that place? I checked out that exact one, it looked ok, but some beaches were like 20 mins away

and btw to everyone: Phuket sucks don't go there. Unless you dig hookers. Totally amazing how many hookers thre are in one strip of bars

[guids]

Ok, Im def. doing it, Im planning on leaving mid august of '08, probably the 12th so I have a day or two to unwind before ferragosto, I plan on starting in milan, I am hoping to get a car, otherwise use public transport to travel south. I dont have the actual cities I will stay over night in, but I want to see the riveria, tuscany, rome, and sicily, those are the main spots. During the time Im there, from what Im told, all the northern italians travel to sicily to vacation leaving most of the north and the tourist attractions dead, but sicily crowded. I think that will be ideal as Id like to see the sites and do the touristy stuff in rome/tuscany etc, and enjoy the people/night life etc in sicily. If anyone has any specific cities/hotels/restaurants etc to see, let me know. One thing I def want to do is to have a couple days to really relax, spa treatments, 5 star meals, etc, if anyone knows where to go for that.

[KJS]

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One night I was staying in the shittiest god forsaken guesthouse in downtown Phuket, Thailand (actually the one used in that terrible DiCaprio movie, The Beach)


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lol, out of curiousity, why'd you stay at that place? I checked out that exact one, it looked ok, but some beaches were like 20 mins away

and btw to everyone: Phuket sucks don't go there. Unless you dig hookers. Totally amazing how many hookers thre are in one strip of bars

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I would not generalize on the whole island like that. I stayed at Nai Thon resort which was beautiful and had the best waves I saw in 1.5 years in the Kingdom. It was deadsville in terms of nightlife but that also = no hookers. Some of the other beaches in the North-West part of the island are also very cool and ho free.

Too many people go to Thailand, stay in the most heavily travelled and touristy places (Patong != Phuket) , which of course attracts all kinds of hustlers and working girls and then say "this place sucks and is full of hoes." Get off the beaten track a bit. Find where regular non-ho chasing people go. Most Thais do not go to girly bars.

KJS