Boldly Go Solo

The sounds of Egypt include a lot of clip-clopping and calls to prayer

Before going to Egypt, my visions of the country didn't extend much beyond the pyramids, the Sphinx and Mubarek.

But two of the strongest memories I have now, in addition to those iconic pyramids, are of the many horses and buggies aimed that fill city streets, and the public call to prayer, or the "drone of proclaimed faith," as a Washington Post article called it, that occurs five times a day in Cairo, emanating from mosques' loudspeakers around the city.

When I first heard that drone one evening early in the trip, I was perplexed. Was someone playing the radio too loudly in the hotel room next door? I walked onto the balcony, overlooking the Nile, and eventually surmised the sound was coming from all around the city. Still, I wasn't sure what it was. And I certainly couldn't understand the Arabic to figure it out.

Eventually I learned meaning behind the chanting sound. The signal to Orthodox Sunni Muslims that it's time for prayer. You can tell the devout Muslims by the prayer mark on their foreheads. From touching their heads to the ground so often.

I was always intrigued by the sound when I heard it. It would start up and I would wonder what that noise was. Then it would hit me. Oh right, it's time for prayer. If I were near a mosque, I'd see men walking from all directions towards its doors.

I wanted to record the sound but it took forever to finally do so. Since I couldn't predict when the calls would happen or know where I'd be, I seldom had a recording device at the ready. But finally, in Luxor, I managed to capture it.

Well, actually, I captured two sounds. The other is of a horse clopping. The horse that was pulling the carriage I was riding in with my new-found friend Ann. (We met at the airport on the first day of our organized trip and discovered both of us had arrived solo.) We'd taken a long walk into town and toured the Luxor Museum and decided to give our legs a rest on the way back.

Besides, we'd seen these horses and buggies everywhere and wanted, finally, to hop on board. (Little did I know how hard that seat would be, despite the cushion.)

The sight of the carriages was most intriguing at Edfu, where they were coming from all directions to greet the early arrival of Nile cruise ships about to unload.

Like New York taxi drivers, I'm sure the carriage drivers have to make their "nut" each day, not for gas, but for feed for their horses. And upkeep of the vehicles.

The funniest thing about the ride was that our driver Mohamed, soon after picking us up, pulled over to a food cart to buy himself some sweets.

He was vaguely apologetic about it. Asked us if we wanted anything. Not the most efficient service. But charming in its way, after the initial "what the ...?"  He was just a hungry young guy. With a horse named Cinderella. Trying to earn a living.

Photos and video: Ellen Perlman. The Sphinx. A main drag in Luxor. The street by the dock in Edfu.

 

Great cities to cycle around and ways for solo travelers to find bikes and companions

Travel + Leisure's July issue describes the "world's top biking cities" Three are in the U.S.: Minneapolis, Portland (Oregon) and Seattle.

The others are Amsterdam (of course), Bogota (who knew?), Copenhagen, Montreal, Munich, Paris and Perth.

The site offers a slide show of the various cities. There's a great photo of a four-story parking structure in Amsterdam filled completely with bikes.

The write-ups give a nice little description of why the writers liked these particular biking cities. Even better for the solo traveler, they give information about where to rent a bike.

Here's a tip they didn't mention: If you don't want to bicycle alone, check out the Adventure Cycling Association's "companions wanted" page. Perhaps you can connect with someone who wants to bike where you do.

In Copenhagen, the "bycyklen" are free with a refunded coin deposit. The city so supports cyclists that a city agency maintains the huge fleet available to tourists. The bike Web site claims its city bikes are world famous. "When you tour the city you notice, that especially tourists love riding the city bikes."

One of the more unusual experiences I had, while in the Netherlands, was renting a bike as a means of transportation for a several-day excursion. My friend and I (this was not a solo trip) would throw our bikes onto trains and park them in front of hotels.

Because they were rentals, they weren't anything fancy but who needs a lot of gears in a flat country? One night we pedaled several miles from our hotel to a nice restaurant with white tablecloths. We dined on seafood and drank wine by the sea as the sun set. And felt like we earned our food because of the pre-meal exercise.

Minor problem with biking to dinner? Who wants to get back on that bike on a full stomach? Lesson learned. Not that I wouldn't do the activity again. But I would pencil into the plan some post-meal digesting time.

And get home before dark if the ride home is through the woods...as ours was. Especially if I were alone.

Photos: Ellen Perlman. The Netherlands.

Advice for 20-something transformation is to "do things alone"

Doing things alone is the best way to develop confidence in yourself, your skills and your judgment. So says, a self-described life coach and Gen Y expert in a post on tips for transforming during the 20's. Or, really, during any stage of life where you are undergoing major changes.

But Christine Hassler's focus is on young adults. She says they often "travel in packs or yearn for a permanent 'plus one.' " She suggests they learn how to be their own companions by going to a movie or dinner alone, "or best yet, travel alone. Be open to discovery."

I was 19 when I headed off to the University of Exeter, England, for my junior year abroad. It was not as part of a university program. I had applied independently to the university and I headed off on an airplane, alone, landing in London's Gatwick Airport.

I'd sent a duffel bag of clothes for the year as cargo. When I inquired at the airport where to find it, someone directed me in such a way that I ended up on an airport road in the cargo/warehouse-y area of the airport. Lost. Confused.

I sat down on the curb with the luggage I'd flown with. And cried. Well, that didn't solve much. When I finished crying, I got up and kept going.

Eventually I was reconnected with my duffel. Signed some papers to have it trucked West to Exeter, a nice city in Southwestern England with a beautiful old cathedral. Personal storm over, and back in the airport once again, I started marveling at the differences of British English.

"Way out" for exit reminded me of a Flintstones cartoon. A woman helping me find my train into London said "shed-jool" instead of schedule.  Except the train schedule is actually called a timetable.

I got on a train (or was it a bus?) to London to make my way to my cousin's place where I was going to stay the night - he was also in England for his junior year - and was amazed to see sheep in the fields right outside the airport. What a crazy place this England was!

Long story short - things worked out really and I ended up feeling strong and in command. I'd made the whole year happen and here I was! Despite all the glitches.

The year itself was one of the best ever. I made new friends, mostly English, but also Indian, Malaysian, Swiss, French. Learned a new culture. Learned to eat fool and brussel sprouts and Cornish pasties and drink tea with milk in it. Learned what plimsoles and jacket potatoes and chokkie bikkies were. Played on the university volleyball team and traveled the country with those new friends.

Picked up a British accent. Sort of. (The Brits could see right through it. But when I returned home, my family and friends said I sounded like Mary Poppins.)

That was the last of my solo travel for awhile. But when I started running out of people to travel with years later, I swallowed hard and started up again. I went on a river rafting trip in Utah, as I wrote in my first couple of posts on this blog.

With each trip I take, or solo adventure I do - even if it's just one night of eating out alone during a business trip - it gets easier. Truly.

Photos: 1. Me in front of my dorm at Exeter University many, many years ago! 2. New British friends from my dorm, being 19 and silly.

Holidays for solo travelers from the Mail in Great Britain

Here's a fun read on solo travel from the Mail Online, a British Web site. The writer rounds up "the best" (that's subjective, though, isn't it?) "holidays for solo travellers." That is, the "best vacations for solo travelers" in American English (just taking the mickey, that is, kidding the British friend who gave me the heads up on this article).

Not all of the trips will make sense for Americans because they're based on British pounds and are geared to travelers starting in England. Nevermind. The article is a good basis for ideas and a reaffirmation that going solo can work out well for all types of travelers, including those who leave spouse and children behind.

Besides, how often do you hear about people vacationing in the Isles of Scilly, off the Southwestern tip of Great Britain, or hiking the Atlas Mountains in Morocco? It's a fun cultural experience for Americans and other non-Brits just to read the article.

I also like sharing articles like these so I can have other people say what I've been saying all along: that things often work out great when you take the risk of traveling solo.

In the article, a 29-year-old court reporter went snowboarding on her own in the Canadian Rockies because she was "fresh out of a relationship" and had no desire to go on a singles tour. " I thought it would be all couples, but there were only a few. It was really good fun and very bonding."

A 46-year-old divorcee who went to a health sanctuary in Thailand: "At the end of my stay there were six of us eating together – a German headhunter, New York museum curator, Italian lawyer, Greek fund manager and a lecturer."

I bet she stays in touch with at least one or two of these new-found friends.

Photo: Ellen Perlman. Thai buddha.

10 highest waterfalls in the world

When I wrote about the top 10 train rides last week, a reader commented how beautiful the photo of Norway was (no, it wasn't mine.) Funny, then, to find on Twitter a link to the 10 highest waterfalls.

Because I started scrolling through and whaddaya know? Surprise, surprise, five out of the 10 highest waterfalls are in Norway.

It seems with all these travel lists I post, I end up having been to one or two places but no more. I'm at least glad I experience that many of the 10 best this and that.

The highest waterfall in the world, according to the site, is Angel Falls in Venezuela. Named for a guy who, oops, nose-dived into them, and survived, as opposed to something to do with the heavens.

The sad story for me about Angel Falls is that I was traveling through Venezuela with a boyfriend years ago and we couldn't fit in everything we wanted to do. The Angel Falls trip would have taken several days and we just didn't have the time.

Hm, maybe I should have gone solo...and set the proper priorities! But that's water under the bridge now. Lots and lots of water.

Photo: Benedict.adams care of wikimedia

10 tips for traveling without checking luggage

As an update to yesterday's post, I direct you to Fodor's 10 tips for becoming a carry on traveler. The absolute hardest one for me is the advice to carry one pair of shoes. How do you DO that??

I find that if the shoes are comfortable, they're generally not pretty. I like sneakers for walking, sandals for hot days, something decent looking for evenings. But I'm working on it...

 

50 tips for traveling alone and why #4 helps you get free travel

Every now and then I like to point to someone else's list of good reasons for traveling alone and tips on how to do it, since I don't make those lists. But a refresher course is handy every so often.

In this post, "Travel Alone and Love It" the writer offers common sense advice and information. One tip is to pack light enough to travel with only carry on luggage. This is good advice for any number of reasons, not the least of which is that nearly every airline charges for extra for checked baggage these days.

But the 50-tips post points out that taking only carry-on luggage also saves you the time waiting in lines at check-in and at a baggage carousel upon arrival. And it eliminates the risk of losing your luggage. Or having it delayed by hours or days (This has happened to me way too many times.)

But this other post explains another good reason for packing light. Free flights. If you have the time and flexibility to volunteer your seat on an overbooked flight in exchange for money or flights, the airlines often prefer travelers who haven't checked luggage. Saves them having to burrow through the bowels of the airplane looking for your black luggage which looks like everyone else's black luggage.

Now I'm going to admit a dirty little secret. As a traveler lover, I pine for free flights. (okay, that wasn't too dirty, or much of a secret but what can you do?) When I'm traveling solo, I can choose to volunteer at every opportunity. I don't have a companion sitting there dying to get home. Or one who rolls his or her eyes at my desire to spend four more hours in the airport in exchange for a future adventure, care of Airline "X."

Which brings me to the final blog post I'll point out because I love how it described some people's reaction to traveling solo. It seems a therapist is writing it because the word "session" is used. Here it is:

"One of the obstacles I get handed in session is the holiday quandary. Who can I go away with? My partner/friend is broke/earns less money/hates the sun, mountains, beaches, cities, etc. When I suggest they travel alone a visible gulp resonates the room. ALONE? Traveling alone is akin to swimming with crocs it seems. The mere thought turns the face into a scrunched-up well-blown hankie. ALONE? Yes, on your own, by yourself. BUT WHAT WOULD I DO?"

And we all know the answer to that last question by now. In unison, please:

ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING YOU WANT TO!

Photo: Ellen Perlman. My three, count 'em, three passports so far. All of those little legal books have seen loads of solo travel and new friends all over the world. The current one is good until 2013. Hooray.

Top Ten Train Rides and the lure for solo travelers

Travel writers have come up with a list of their favorite train rides and it has set my mind to wandering. And daydreaming. About past and future trips. The only train ride they list that I've actually been on is the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that chugs through Colorado's two-million-acre San Juan National Forest.

As the coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive climbed its way to Silverton, I got to know my compatriots on a week-long Backroads bike trip through the Colorado Rockies. The views out the windows were spectacular - forest, mountains and steep drops to a river below. 

When we arrived in Silverton, described on its Web site as, "a gritty little mining town with Victorian pretensions," it had clouded up and I was freezing. A quick visit to a souvenir shop - and there are many, trust me - for a Silverton sweatshirt solved that problem. (I loved that sweatshirt but lost it on some other adventure...)

That was a great bike trip and the train ride, though I remember it going on a tad long, was part of the allure.

The only other two train rides I'm a little familiar with are the Rocky Mountaineer, because I wrote about it in September after interviewing a big fan of the train. And the Flam Railway in Norway. Sadly, I never made it to Flam when I was in Norway years ago. I was hitchhiking with a friend on that trip. Our five-week journey started in the Netherlands and continued on to Bodo, a town above the Arctic Circle.

For five weeks, we went where drivers took us. We didn't have much in the way of plans other than to see the Midnight Sun. Mission accomplished.

 But we did get driven East to West (or was it West to East?) between Oslo and Bergen, a bit south of Flam. I can attest it is one of the more stunning regions on earth. So I'm sure a train ride into those snow-capped mountains with their many waterfalls is just as spectacular.

I'd really love to get back there and see! "Ja, vi elsker dette landet." (The national anthem of Norway. It just happened to be a clue in Sunday's NY Times crossword puzzle.)

Take your solo self to falconry at Hershey for a wild good time

On a perch some 45 feet away from where I stand, Thunder awaits my call. "Hey, Thunder." At that, the Harris's hawk swoops in to land on my gloved hand. He's not there to socialize. The tasty bits of raw mouse and quail squeezed between my thumb and forefinger are the enticement for the visit.

And falconry was the enticement for MY visit to Hershey for The Falconry Experience by The Hotel Hershey. I traveled to Pennsylvania solo, with the idea of trying some aspect of the ancient "sport of kings."

Once Thunder's standing on my hand, I'm able to watch up close as his sharp beak dips down and he grabs his treat. I feel the tug of his talons, digging in for stability as he eats. Soon he's done. He takes a few steps and turns, eyeballing that perch in the distance. And off he flies.

One other guest was with me in the field. We took turns calling Thunder in for a landing. It was  a gorgeous sunny day and a little surreal to be that close to a majestic raptor. So similar to those I often see circling high in the sky, looking for prey. 

Bob Leonard, the falconer that day, taught the two of us the proper way to await a personal hawk landing. You stand sideways, arm straight out and ensconced in heavy leather. You don't want a bird with a sharp beak flying into your face by accident. Or landing on bare skin.

In the two hours of falconry, we got to touch Thunder's chest and wing feathers while he perched on Bob's hand. And visit with several other hawks and a peregrine falcon housed inside chicken wire on the green field.

The Hershey quiz and fun facts about chocolate town

In Monday's post I asked you to name which item did not belong in Hershey, PA. Now for a rundown of what Hershey has, and the one thing I put on the list that it doesn't. And, finally, whether this is a place for solo travelers.

Hershey has a large amusement park, as well as a minor league hockey team called the Hershey Bears. And a medical center that is the town's largest employer.

Milton Hershey opened a school for orphans that still operates today. And I saw Highmeadow Campground, with its 300 sites, with my own eyes. Who would have thought? A campground at Hershey? (It feels more KOA than Yellowstone in that it is not particularly woodsy rustic. But it's inexpensive and close to the attractions.)

There is a Chocolate Workers Local 464, the union Hershey workers must belong to. And an iceless "ice" skating rink, but let me tell ya, there is no real gliding without ice. Raptors? Yes, you'll find them there. I tried falconry and I highly recommend it. 

The rose-filled garden is down the hill from The Hotel Hershey and hosts many weddings. On the way to the new "cottages," which are actually modern stone buildings with luxury rooms good for business retreats, is an activity area with shuffleboard and croquet, along with bocce, horseshoes, volleyball, basketball and tennis. Shockingly non-gimmicky.  

There's a spa at the hotel, and the boardwalk and the tubing are at Hershey Park, the amusement park. Harvest Restaurant is under construction now and will open soon, serving food from local producers.

 The pond behind the hotel is filled with koi, a Hawaiian fish and the imports I mentioned? From Tanzania, Ecuador and Java? Those are the cocoas you can try during a cocoa tasting made with beans from six different countries. 
 
What doesn't Hershey have that I put on the list in Monday's post? An inline skating factory. (As far as I know.)

And the winner is...drum roll please...

ME! I'm afraid no one guessed correctly and I get to keep the Hershey's chocolate bar. But, as consolation, here is a view of the wrapper I designed, which would have wrapped around your very own imported Hershey bar.

As I've gone on too long already, I will save for the next post descriptions of the two things I think solo travelers would enjoy - the spa and falconry - and the things they might want to avoid.

Photos: Ellen Perlman

1. Cocoa pods at The Hershey Story's (it's a museum) chocolate lab; 2. Thunder, a Harris's hawk; 3. front porch of The Cottages; 4. the chocolate tasting at The Hershey Story.

Boldly Go Solo gets recognition from travel writer's association

Rumor has it that the Society of American Travel Writers' Atlantic Caribbean Chapter has awarded "Boldly Go Solo" second place in the blog category during its annual awards ceremony.

I did not attend the meeting so am relying on hearsay. Very good hearsay, however. My friend, Diane, another travel writer, (check out her travel blog) attended the conference in Charleston, S.C., and heard it with her very own ears. (Very good ears, from what I remember, from yakking with her at the various SATW conferences we've attended in Houston; Manchester, England; and Santiago, Chile, to name a few.)

This is exciting! I'd like to thank all the little people, and my parents, who made this all possible and ... oops, is that the "get the music" hook I'm hearing...??

Update, 6-11: I just learned that the judges were members of the Journalism School faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Thank you, UNC judges!

 

Hershey, Pennsylvania - chocolate, sports, chocolate, amusements, chocolate, gardens and chocolate

When you think of Hershey, Pennsylvania, what comes to mind? Really, I want to know. I've just returned from a weekend there and having been there at least twice before, I now think of it with a new twist. 

But everyone seems to have their own impressions. What do you think? Is it land of chocolate? That's a given. What other impressions do you have? Talk to me.

And now, here's your chance for a prize. Which one of the items in the following lists is NOT found in Hershey? There's just one correct answer. The first one to send it, either via comment or email, wins.

Here we go. Hershey. Home to:

A large amusement park? Minor league stadium? Medical center? School for orphans? A campground?

An inline skating factory? Labor union? Raptors? Iceless ice skating rink?

Rose-filled garden? Museum? Old-fashioned outdoor games such as shuffleboard and croquet?

Luxury spa? Boardwalk? Tubing? Weddings? A restaurant with food all from local producers?

Hawaiiian fish? Business retreat? Imports from Tanzania, Ecuador and Java?

Name which one doesn't belong. The winner will get a prize: A milk chocolate Hershey bar imported directly from, um, Hershey. By me. Wrapped in a one-of-a-kind wrapper I created myself at The Hershey Story, a museum on Chocolate Avenue. At one of the interactive exhibits.

I will send this unique chocolate bar to the first person who correctly names the one item/answer that doesn't belong.

I'm going to limit the "contest" to U.S. residents for two reasons:

One, how well is a chocolate bar going to hold up over days and days during a trip overseas? And two, I have found from experience that non-Americans are not enamored of Hershey's chocolate. It tastes odd/unpleasant compared to what they're used to. So why waste the postage?

On Thursday, I will announce the "winner" (with permission) and reveal the wrapper I came up with. Don't get too excited. It's not like I'm an artiste or anything. I was just fooling around as best I could with the tools the exhibit provided. (And having a good ole' time doing so, too.)

The exhibit allows you to email your creation to yourself and print it out in the perfect size for a regular-sized chocolate bar.

Contest rules: Employees of Hershey and its affiliates not eligible. haha.

Photos: Ellen Perlman. The Hershey Hotel, from the front and back.

Advice and tips for the solo traveler

In an opinion piece in the New York Times, writer Nicholas D. Kristof offered 15 tips for traveling to "even the roughest countries." These are serious suggestions for staying safe and holding on to your money, but they're amusing all the same.

Some of my faves: 

- If you're a woman held up in an isolated area, stick out your stomach, rub it and say you're pregnant.
- If you're held up by bandits carrying large guns, shake hands "respectfully" with all of them. (Do you ask them to put the guns down first?)
- If terrorists "finger" you, start singing, "O Canada." (How do you know the terrorists don't hate Canadians? Or is this just a distraction technique anyway? If you like this tip, here's where you can memorize the tune and lyrics "...O Canada we stand on guard for thee...")

In any case, remind me not to travel with Kristof. Where does he GO, anyway?

In this story on Fox News, it's all about how to "snag the best seats" on an airplane. Sweet talk and kindness are some of the skills needed. Brush up.

The story also advises on how to snag a free upgrade to first class. Interesting advice I hadn't ever heard, about offering to give up your economy seat for a standby passenger, in exchange for a first class seat. And why that might actually work!

And finally, in a National Public Radio podcast called, "Summer Travel Outlook: Sunny, Chance of Bargains," Scott McCarthy, who writes the Wall Street Journal column, The Middle Seat, gave tips for traveling better and more cheaply this summer.

One of the coolest tips he gave Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air, was about the Web site Flightstats, which can inform you of gate changes and delays before the pilot even knows. Why is this so important?

Well, if your flight is canceled and you're stuck in a city overnight, you want to be the first on the phone to make plans for a morning flight or for a room at a local hotel before everything's booked and you're bedding down upright in an airport seat.

To that end, he suggests taking along the numbers of airport hotels in the cities you're flying from/to so you're ready with your dialing finger. I dunno. That's a little more trip preparation than I might be able to handle.

But there you have it. If you're going to travel solo, you might as well have your wits about you and make it as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. After all, you don't have a shoulder to cry on!

Being a solo traveler can save you money

We solo travelers find there's usually an expense to not having a travel companion. You can't share hotel room costs, taxi fares or dinner entrees. But every once in awhile, a financial perk comes along.

I was in Minneapolis last week for a conference. I had just a few free hours and grabbed them to visit the Walker Art Center, a fabulous contemporary museum and sculpture garden within walking distance of downtown hotels. I lucked out because entry is free Thursday nights.

I took a nice walk through the Loring Park neighborhood on the Southern edge of downtown to get there, hoofing it from my hotel right off Nicollett Mall, a major street with lots of outdoor cafes. When's the last time you've seen a park with shuffleboard and horseshoe pits along with basketball and tennis courts? Anyway...

On the day I was leaving, I had little time to spare to make it to the airport. Which meant I'd have to grab a cab for $40 instead of taking the light rail for a few bucks. As I finished checking out a man with a suitcase was walking from the hotel's elevator in the direction of the front door. Surely he was going to the airport?

I asked if he wanted to share a cab. Not something I typically do. He looked taken aback. Then said, "sure." He asked if I could wait while he got money from the ATM out the back door of the hotel. I said yes. He left his suitcase right where it was, in my care, and went to get cash.

Long story short, we shared a cab, talked a little about where we were from and what we were doing in Minneapolis and how bad his allergies were. And when we got to the airport, he insisted on picking up the cab fare because, he said, the ride to the airport passed so quickly and enjoyably. I totally agree.

It wasn't until we got out at the airport that he stuck out his hand and introduced himself. So we learned each other's names as we parted.

Yup, a lot of the joy of solo travel is in the serendipity of meeting others. And both people benefiting from the encounter.

Photo: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. SPOONBRIDGE AND CHERRY by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.

A solo traveler goes wherever the road takes him

Andrew Fu set out from California with the idea of visiting every state over a period of months. Since then, the 25-year-old has driven a tractor and shoveled manure in Kansas. Hung out with a fisherman in Florida. And helped break a record in Georgia for making the most pancakes in eight hours.

Most recently he was shopping for a new car in the Washington, D.C., area, after crashing his Honda Element. That's where we met up for coffee.

Fu started traveling at the end of March. On his own. After quitting a well paying job and before attending business school in the fall. He headed South after he hit cold and slippery roads in Colorado.

Every day is unique, he says. He has found that he enjoys the solitude and reflection traveling solo affords him. He's surprised to find that even after two months he has not hit any lonely patches. "I thought I'd feel lonely by the second month. I don't know why I haven't hit that. There's a lot of solitude at times. Sometimes I find it very comforting."

He ends up places on a whim. After someone mentioned sights in Texas, he found himself floating and swimming on the Comal River. I completely understand. I decided to go to Iceland after seeing an ad in a magazine. And chose to go to the balloon fiesta in Albuquerque after a conversation on a rafting trip.

Fu has a few months more for his adventure and recommends that others set out on the road. "People should live their dreams," he says. The beauty of his adventure is not knowing what he's doing next.

And he doesn't know of anyone who's sorry about going on such an adventure. "Anyone who's hit the road, I don't think there are any regrets."

About going alone? If you can't do something by yourself, it must not be that important to you, he surmises.

As for the pancakes? Fu contributed mightily to the 80,000 flap jacks poured and flipped in Atlanta that day. It took its toll. "I don't think I want to flip a pancake for a long time."

Photo: Joshua

 

 

 

Solo travelers - negotiate and look for the many deals to be had

"...shore towns dangle last-minute offers to lure frugal travelers to close-by getaways." This was the line of a Washington Post Web story focusing in on Memorial Day weekend getaways to the beach. Granted, it's too late for Memorial Day deals now.

The point is, though, that if ever there were a season to find deals, negotiate away a single supplement or get a hotel to lower its rates, this is the one. Yes, I've said it before. But I was surprised to learn, while researching a story recently for the Philadelphia Inquirer, that even beach lodgings can be negotiated, and during high season no less.

I always thought visitors are taken for a wash at the beach during June, July and August, no matter what. Too many people, not enough rooms, short season being the issues. But then I was told this by someone who tracks Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, specials:

"Most people don't realize they can negotiate the price of a room or a condo for a week," said Frank Shuman.

If they negotiate at popular Rehoboth Beach, I'm guessing they negotiate just about everywhere. Keep it in mind, no matter where you go.

More daring adventures and things for solo travelers to dream about

Back in early April I wrote about five high adrenaline adventures for daring solo travelers that a Boldly Go Solo reader, Tom, had sent in. The list has gotten way longer. It's fun for  both for daring travelers and armchair adventurers to read.

Some of them you've heard before. Run with the bulls. Try the bobsled and the luge. Spend New Year's in Times Square.

Others are not quite as familiar. The nine most extreme places on earth. Seven underground wonders of the world (labyrinths, crypts, catacombs). Snowdecking.

Many things on the list are not about travel per se. And several are links to more lists. Tom's suggestions are more of a "bucket list" of things to see and do and participate that he found intriguing.

Things such as playing volleyball over a border fence. Visiting the Crystal Cave of the Giants. Things that you or I may not be able to do or replicate.

Or things that don't merit a trip but are fun informational tidbits. Such as the town in New Zealand with the world's longest name: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.

Who knew?

Photo: Crystal Cave of the Giants. Richard D. Fisher

The Boston Globe travel section says "Why Go It Alone?"

The Boston Globe had a good story Sunday about why travelers--including solo travelers--should consider doing group travel. Groups can offer deals, company, experienced guides, time savings on trip planning and ease of travel.

The article suggests questions to ask tour operators that will help you choose the right trip.

As you know from previous posts, I'm all for joining adventure travel groups and biking, hiking and kayaking the hell out of a place. As well as skiing, horseback riding, ballooning, etc.

See if this article helps make the case.

Take a photo of an information board and you have an instant carry along map and brochure

Smapping. That's what Mike Sowden calls it when you become your own cartographer/photographer:

"Smapping is the process of taking a digital photograph of a map that you won’t have access to later, except if you take a snap of it."

This is brilliant. I've done something similar by snapping signs and information boards when I didn't want to copy down a lot of facts. Just photo it, and it's yours for posterity. It's like having a researcher/assistant on board taking notes.

But I didn't really think about it for local maps. That is, to have one on your camera, instantly.

Using a photo of a map in real time may not be as nice as having an actual map of a place. But if you don't have one, I could see where a photo could come in very handy. As Sowden points out, it may seem small, but you can zoom in for details.

I like taking photos of local historical or informational signs because they're often more detailed than explanations in guidebooks. Or contain facts that you might not see anywhere else.

Another reason I snap is to place the scenery that I'm photographing once I get home. Sometimes, the places all begin to merge in my mind days or weeks later. If I take photos of signs as I enter or leave a place, I will know where my photos are from. 

Photos: Ellen Perlman

1- Valley of the Kings, Egypt

2- Manapouri, New Zealand

3- Skylab sign in Houston Space Center Museum

Solo travelers don't have to dine alone

After years of solo travel, I've learned that I like the freedom and serendipity that come along with having all my time to myself. But not everyone feels that way.

A recent New York Times article describes various Web sites that help women business travelers meet up with other women in cities where they'll be working. They can find company and go out and do things they wouldn't do alone. I don't see why a vacation traveler couldn't take advantage of such sites if they appeal.

Maiden Voyage is a network for finding company for dinner in a city far from home. LadiesAway is another site for businesswomen looking for ways to contact other women in a city they're visiting.

But "ladies?" "Maidens?" What's the deal with using these labels for successful businesswomen? Really, now, aren't these just a tad outdated? By decades? Perhaps centuries? What's next? Sites called "Spinster Suppers?" or "Bachelorette Brunches?" But I digress...

There's also a site called Global-Dinner-Network, which has 2,000 registered members. If you're the type of traveler who knows you won't leave your hotel room for dinner alone, especially after dark, these seem worth looking into.

But I have to admit, I just don't see tying myself down by making dinner arrangements before I even get to a place. Then again, I don't know what it's like to be on the road for business night after night.

I travel just enough to get excited every time I land in a city that's not my own. Particularly if my company's paying my hotel and dinner bills.