Boldly Go Solo

50 gorgeous bridge photographs to set solo travelers daydreaming

Take a look at these 50 utterly fantastic photos of bridges around the world. 

At first, I didn't think of this as something to write about on a solo travel blog. But scanning (or should I say "spanning") the photos stirred up so many memories of my travels.

I thought maybe it would do the same for you, even if you haven't been across or in view of any of these particular bridges. For instance, seeing the bridge in Venice - one of so many you cross as you walk the quiet, carless streets - reminds me how special a place that city is.

If you've never gone because you haven't had someone to travel with...not a good excuse. You could wander for hours on your own marveling at the uniqueness of the place and stopping for pizza, gelato, cappuccino (what's not to like about eating in Italy?!) Bring a camera and a book and take your sweet time exploring any which way you'd like. 

I didn't see too many other bridges I'd actually visited represented on the 50 Fantastic Bridge Photographs post. But as my mind wandered, I remembered Chain Bridge in Budapest. I got to visit that one because I had gone to Club Med alone, met someone I became friendly with and a couple of years later she moved to the city for work and invited me to visit.

Alone on the Flying Trapeze...well, not quite

Swinging on a flying trapeze was never a childhood fantasy of mine, so I'm not sure what I was doing leaning off a platform 24 feet in the air, holding a 7-pound bar in my right hand.

With my left hand, I clung to one of the slender vertical cables that supported the platform.

The instructor, who was poised next to me on the tiny plank, was telling me to step off into thin air before grasping the trapeze with my left hand.

And I was thinking, "You're outta your mind." Can you spell, "hyperventilation?" (You can read the rest of the story here.)

That wasn't my favorite vacation ever. I was at a Club Med in Playa Blanca, which has since closed down. It was one of the few times I didn't meet any interesting people to talk to, let alone connect with kindred spirits.

And the sun didn't shine until the day I was leaving. But that's the chance you take when you travel. Hey, you can have a rotten time when traveling with a friend or spouse too.

The trapeze most certainly saved the day. I loved being able to do that. And it got to the point where several of us were going to perform on the final night of camp...uh...I mean the week's vacation.

I was nervous and excited at the same time. I think I was more worried about having to wear a white leotard - yikes - than having to do a "catch," that is, swing by the hands of a guy who is upside down, knees wrapped around the bar. In front of hundreds of people.

Then it rained. And rained and rained and rained. We're talking mudslides and power outages. There went my moment of circus glory. But, like others can always say they ran a marathon, or swam the English channel, I always have my story about my time in the circus. Ahem.

Although the Playa Blanca Club is no longer around, Club Med offers trapeze and other circus activities at several of its clubs.

Photo: Courtesy of Club Med. If you look closely, you'll see the teacher is holding a little kid mid-air, getting ready to let him or her go.

The fine details of booking a trip to Victoria, British Columbia

I'm in the middle of booking a four-day weekend in Victoria, British Columbia. Now I remember why I like traveling with tour operators. What a hassle it is to make my own arrangements!

I'm going to Seattle for my day job and decided it was a great excuse to do something else in the Northwest or beyond. Especially since the conference I'm attending ends on a Friday and the company has paid for my airfare.

And so the arrangements began. First I went for the flight. Checked out the cheapest airlines with the best times. USAirways won.

Then I went to the Clipper Vacations ferry site, which serves Vancouver Island, but didn't want to book right away. Not until I figured out where the pier was, in relation to the airport, for when I return. So instead, I clicked around for airport and city maps. 

Then a hotel. Looked all around the ferry site's package offerings but couldn't get something I wanted in my price range. Asked the tourist board for a list of reasonably priced hotels. Went on Web sites or called. Some were booked one night or the other. Some were too expensive. Finally settled on the Dalton Hotel & Suites. We'll see how that goes.

Single and looking. Single and biking. Single and doing lots of fun stuff.

I used to think Mr. Right might show up on one of the biking trips I was booking. Or at the Club Med. Or on the river where I was rafting. I've heard many stories of people meeting on active vacations and falling in love.

Sure, love could strike somewhere between biking a butte and doing an endo (the maneuver of flying unexpectedly over one's handlebars, sometimes cracking bones, sometimes not.)

I've had my vacation flirtations. After a biking-from-Banff adventure, for instance, I met up again with Joe from Chicago, for a biking weekend in Wisconsin.

But it dawned on me after awhile (sometimes I'm not too quick) that most of the people I meet on these trips are from far away. If I'm looking for a keeper, I'd really rather meet someone in my home town than someone from four states to the left.

The chances that someone within a 100-mile radius of where I live will sign up for, say, the Italy biking trip, the same week in November that I do, are akin to the chances of me ballroom dancing with Brad Pitt this Saturday night. Give or take.

Still, "singles" trips are appealing to many people. (I define singles trips as those where guests are single and looking, and want no marrieds on board. As opposed to a solo trip, where you just happen to be on vacation on your own, with a mix of different people.)

Single supplements are going the way of the...well, they're not quite going away yet.

I'm in shock. Two things. One, hotels and tour operators are recognizing that lots of people travel solo. Two, they're actually giving deals and discounts to solo travelers. Scrape me off the floor.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from solo travelers is that they get rooked by the travel industry. Either they have to pay a single supplement. Or they have to share a room with a stranger (an option on some, but not all tours). One solo scribe called it, "A Hobson's Choice" (see previous post).

But this just in from msnbc:

"We've found four beach vacations where your solo self can revel in the same benefits usually extended to couples - without paying a single supplement for the privilege."

They exaggerate a tad. Not all of the single supplements have been waived at the places they mention. And these places aren't inexpensive.

Changing the mindset of the travel industry

My goal is nothing less than to change the travel industry. To benefit solo travelers, of course. Sounds pretty grandiose, eh? But I don't think it's that difficult. Out of self interest, the industry should consider paying more attention to the solo market.

Too many would-be vacationers, with money to burn, are staying home because hotels and restaurants make them feel as though they need to show up as a pair. At minimum.

Meanwhile, the number of single adults is growing all the time. From single/never married to divorced, plenty of these people want to travel but don't have a travel companion. And don't view the industry as single friendly.

So many times I walk into a hotel restaurant and see table after table for two occupied by one person. I'm not going to stop and ask these people if I can join them. No, propriety dictates that I avert my eyes and get my own table for one.

But not at a place like Club Med. There, my host would seat me next to other people at a large table, and I might end up having a lively dinner conversation with someone new. At Club Med, you're expected to break the ice no matter where on the property you are.

Continued...

You can't possibly predict where solo travel will take you

The second time I went to Club Med, it led to international travel in three countries on two continents. No, not all in that same week.

I used to like going on vacation to Club Meds because they're easy. One phone call and you're done. Not a lot of agonizing or planning. A plus if you don't have anyone to plan with. And, the clubs make life easy for solo guests. Hosts seat you at tables with other people so you can mix and mingle. You meet people during sailing and windsurfing lessons, on the volleyball court, in exercise classes.

I went to my first Club Med with a friend, during a week off from grad school. So I knew what to expect. We'd go to the amateur entertainment at night and afterwards dance, dance, dance. But you don't have to. You can participate in a lot of activities. Or you can sit on the beach and veg.

I have to admit, I went looking for single men. Instead, I met a great female friend. Women ALWAYS meet great women when they go to a singles event looking for men. Ask anyone. But that's a story for another blog. In any case, Nicole was bubbly and gregarious and by midweek, she'd put together a group of about eight of us, six women and two men, who hung out on the beach, at meals and on the tennis court.

Continued...

Taking the Leap

There are so many reasons to travel alone. I could go on and on about them. In fact, I will. That's the purpose of this blog. To "talk," not just about how to set out alone, but why.

Friends tell me I'm brave to do it. C'mon, now. Neil Armstrong was brave. Ulysses S. Grant was brave. The guy who invented bungee jumping and decided to be the first off the bridge was brave. Me? I just like to travel. It was really irritating not to be able to go places I wanted to go because I couldn't find friends to go with me.

You know the story. They're busy. They're poor. They want to stay in five-star hotels. Or they want to stay only in Motel 6's (okay, I don't have too many of those sorts of friends). They don't like getting dirty, so camping is out. They don't bike or they don't boat or they don't do Asia. Whatever. I got tired of hunting for travel companions to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it.

Brave? HA! I'm apprehensive before every trip I take. Even though I'm experienced enough to know that the minute I land I'm happy and excited to be there. I compare it to the time I tried the flying trapeze at a Club Med in Mexico. Standing on the platform, I thought my head would explode from the pounding fear. Yet, the second I finally jumped off, and was flying through the air, the fear left me immediately.  But a few days before any trip, I'm standing on the same damn platform.

I'm just grateful I always jump. The pre-trip feeling is incredibly uncomfortable, but so far I haven't allowed it to stop me. Neither should you.

Photo courtesy of Club Med