Boldly Go Solo

Solo travelers: You should be traveling ... NOW!

Can you say "shoulder season?" Summer's over. The holidays aren't here yet. Deals abound.

I know a  lot of people are skittish about spending on "luxuries" such as travel, what with the financial meltdown around the world and all. Understood. But if you're up for traveling, you can pay for a trip without totally depleting that pile of bills that's now under your mattress instead of in your ailing bank.

You can find large discounts on package tours now. When the kids are back to school and fewer families are on vacation, prices drop. Ten percent, 20 percent and more. And, of course, tours come with people who will keep you, as a solo traveler, company.

Just be sure to call and find out the demographics of the trips you're interested in. Ask if any other people are going solo. You don't want to end up with all 80-year-old married couples (not that there's anything wrong with them) if you're 25.

As to individual countries, the best value for the dollar at the moment is Egypt, according to a poll by the U.S. Tour Operators Association of "hot" 2008 destinations. Gulp. Yah, that's pretty far to go last minute. Other good values for travelers with dollars are China, Turkey and the United States.

South America wasn't on the tour operators poll. Maybe because the association's members don't have as many trips that go there? From what I know, Central and South American countries generally are a good value, all year round.

Get to it. Times-a-wastin'. Don't let life pass you by.

Photo: Ellen Perlman. Tucson

Surfing, stretching or salsa-ing in Spanish

Whoa, slow down calendar. I've got vacation days piling up and no vacation planned. Meanwhile, I'm only allowed to carry over five days into next year. There is nothing worse, in my mind, than wasting vacation days by taking off and staying at home...not that I've ever done it. 

When it has come to planning vacations I've made rash decisions. Spur-of-the-moment ones. Off-the-wall ones. But never have I let vacation days wither on the vine. At least, not for an entire week.

The vacation idea that formed in my head about a week ago, and has been solidifying since, is a trip to Costa Rica or Guatemala to take Spanish classes. I wrote about my brother's trip to Costa Rica but now I think I want to do something different. That is, ever since I landed on the AmeriSpan Study Abroad Web site.

I'm intrigued by their offerings. Not only is it a one phone call type of vacation, which I often relish, but the site has a category called "Language and Fun."

For example, if I choose Costa Rica, I can combine Spanish with surfing, Spanish with yoga or Spanish with digital photography at Jaco Beach, a premier surfing beach. What a great idea! Especially for a "want-to-order-two-things-and-share-them-because-I-can't-decide-and-I-want-to-taste-both" type of person like me.