solo traveller
Discussion
Are there any older people on here who travel solo but with a small group?
Looking for suggestions. My wife of 48 years would rather stay at home these days, which is fine with me. It just means that if I want to do a tour, then it will have to be only me.
Although I am 70, I regard myself fit for my age. I run 3 times a week, including park run on a Saturday, so I am not sure what age group tour I need to be in!
I was thinking of going with a company called One Traveller to start with. Probably a short break in Europe, before venturing further afield. I don't want a beach holiday or cruise, thanks.
I have no idea if I will be suited to it or not. It does make me feel a bit nervous!
Looking for suggestions. My wife of 48 years would rather stay at home these days, which is fine with me. It just means that if I want to do a tour, then it will have to be only me.
Although I am 70, I regard myself fit for my age. I run 3 times a week, including park run on a Saturday, so I am not sure what age group tour I need to be in!
I was thinking of going with a company called One Traveller to start with. Probably a short break in Europe, before venturing further afield. I don't want a beach holiday or cruise, thanks.
I have no idea if I will be suited to it or not. It does make me feel a bit nervous!
Kind of similar position to the OP...but not quite. Wife of 44 years now has mobility problems; but at nearing 70 I still windsurf (proper windsurfing, big winds and small boards), ski hard and fast from lifts opening to lifts close, and ride big motorcycles. One difference being that she's still keen to travel, but just can't do half the stuff we used to...and she physically can't get on the back of a bike any more.
So I do a fair bit of solo travelling (and have done for some years now) but never as part of a group tour. Maybe wrongly, but I'm thinking one or two t
ts on the group and it spoils it for everyone; and if it's all singles I'm not really looking for friends with benefits. My wife does have a single friend who does solo trips and has been all over the world with them and enjoys it immensely, so I am probably wrong. But she doesn't go on solo-only trips, rather she books solo places on regular groups and usually meets a few other solos who are interested in the trip and not a live version of tinder.
But if you've a pastime you can work a trip around, then that works for me. I do one (or more!) solo ski trips every year - I just book flights, rental car and accommodation and go. I've done all over Europe and North America, and fancy Japan next. I've met people along that way, but I don't really mind 'table for one' evenings. I worked away from home a few days every week so maybe that helps.
I do solo motorcycle trips - one coming up in a few weeks is with the OG group to Provence sometimes mentioned on here. In fairness I meet folks at the destination on these trips but it's a solo ride down and back. I rode to Czech and back in June solo and enjoyed it immensely. It was actually to a motorcycle event, but you could do the same in a car and aim for an event/location that floats your boat. Being PH, you could do worse than planning a solo trip to the Sinsheim Museum in Germany exploring a few German towns along the way...done that. And on your own there's all sorts of little detours you can fill your time with. I made a detour to Salzburg on my Czech trip and tried to track down all the Sound of Music locations! Even in a car (or rental car) I'd be far happier doing my own thing going places I want to see and doing things I want to do than being part of a group.
Now one difference is my wife is still keen to travel, she just has mobility problems so we still do vacations and road trips (with not a lot of walking at the destinations!). She drives very rarely now and I can see her car being sold in the near future. Plan is to buy something fun and LHD and do more euro-touring - like I do on the bike but she can come too. We both fancy a Corvette; we've done lots of miles in them in the US and like them. I have a friend in a similar position but he's just bought a camper van to take his wife touring, but I want to get there fast with style and stay in a hotel not a tin box. Another friend in a similar position again (maybe a bit worse as she's wheelchair/scooter bound) has found cruises work for them.
Not much help with the solo tour group as originally asked, but at our age quite a few of us just alter travel plans to accommodate less able partners; road trips, cruises etc., assuming of course they're up for going. And for the solo trips I do ski trips and motorcycle trips. Maybe something around what you do? Walking, cycling or whatever, or just solo city breaks? Or I could have unfairly maligned solo travel groups...but not for me.
So I do a fair bit of solo travelling (and have done for some years now) but never as part of a group tour. Maybe wrongly, but I'm thinking one or two t
ts on the group and it spoils it for everyone; and if it's all singles I'm not really looking for friends with benefits. My wife does have a single friend who does solo trips and has been all over the world with them and enjoys it immensely, so I am probably wrong. But she doesn't go on solo-only trips, rather she books solo places on regular groups and usually meets a few other solos who are interested in the trip and not a live version of tinder.But if you've a pastime you can work a trip around, then that works for me. I do one (or more!) solo ski trips every year - I just book flights, rental car and accommodation and go. I've done all over Europe and North America, and fancy Japan next. I've met people along that way, but I don't really mind 'table for one' evenings. I worked away from home a few days every week so maybe that helps.
I do solo motorcycle trips - one coming up in a few weeks is with the OG group to Provence sometimes mentioned on here. In fairness I meet folks at the destination on these trips but it's a solo ride down and back. I rode to Czech and back in June solo and enjoyed it immensely. It was actually to a motorcycle event, but you could do the same in a car and aim for an event/location that floats your boat. Being PH, you could do worse than planning a solo trip to the Sinsheim Museum in Germany exploring a few German towns along the way...done that. And on your own there's all sorts of little detours you can fill your time with. I made a detour to Salzburg on my Czech trip and tried to track down all the Sound of Music locations! Even in a car (or rental car) I'd be far happier doing my own thing going places I want to see and doing things I want to do than being part of a group.
Now one difference is my wife is still keen to travel, she just has mobility problems so we still do vacations and road trips (with not a lot of walking at the destinations!). She drives very rarely now and I can see her car being sold in the near future. Plan is to buy something fun and LHD and do more euro-touring - like I do on the bike but she can come too. We both fancy a Corvette; we've done lots of miles in them in the US and like them. I have a friend in a similar position but he's just bought a camper van to take his wife touring, but I want to get there fast with style and stay in a hotel not a tin box. Another friend in a similar position again (maybe a bit worse as she's wheelchair/scooter bound) has found cruises work for them.
Not much help with the solo tour group as originally asked, but at our age quite a few of us just alter travel plans to accommodate less able partners; road trips, cruises etc., assuming of course they're up for going. And for the solo trips I do ski trips and motorcycle trips. Maybe something around what you do? Walking, cycling or whatever, or just solo city breaks? Or I could have unfairly maligned solo travel groups...but not for me.
Edited by tvrolet on Sunday 24th August 14:11
I'm kind of with tvrolet. I'm a medical courier so solo travel constantly. Long haul means 5 days away, a day getting there, 2 days to myself, a day picking up and getting back and then a day delivery in the UK.
Apart from airline, hotel, restaurant and medical staff, I can find myself going days not talking to anyone, and just pleasing myself, exploring the city. It's bliss.
But I often meet interesting people. I met a delightful young Welsh couple in the cafe at the top of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. Spent a couple of hours talking about our travels and stuff. And a lovely older couple in a bar in Toronto, where I'd gone to watch football. They were from Phoenix and I've got his number to call him if I ever go there, so they can show me around. And I'll show them around London if they ever come here. And in a bar in Hong Kong, a retired Scottish oil executive living in Houston. He was a fascinating guy, what a life he'd lived.
Apart from airline, hotel, restaurant and medical staff, I can find myself going days not talking to anyone, and just pleasing myself, exploring the city. It's bliss.
But I often meet interesting people. I met a delightful young Welsh couple in the cafe at the top of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. Spent a couple of hours talking about our travels and stuff. And a lovely older couple in a bar in Toronto, where I'd gone to watch football. They were from Phoenix and I've got his number to call him if I ever go there, so they can show me around. And I'll show them around London if they ever come here. And in a bar in Hong Kong, a retired Scottish oil executive living in Houston. He was a fascinating guy, what a life he'd lived.
Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Sunday 24th August 14:41
I had an excellent time with a company called G Adventures touring Vietnam and Cambodia, mixture of mostly couples and a few singles on the tour, more mature crowd id say an average age 45ish and everything is laid on for you, plus you get the services of a local guide for the entire trip. If you don't want to share a room with another single traveller you do have to pay the supplement though. Id definitely do it again.
Have a look at Distant Journies. We toured India, and whilst we did a private tour, we bumped into the main "group" at a few hotels and they were all in their 60s and 70s and seemed a nice bunch. Very well run tours, exceptional.
I mention them because a) we saw them and b) places like India attract your age group (its part of the reason we went on a private tour as we are younger and knew we'd bee the odd ones out - that and I could not bear to be stuck with strangers for 4 weeks....)
I mention them because a) we saw them and b) places like India attract your age group (its part of the reason we went on a private tour as we are younger and knew we'd bee the odd ones out - that and I could not bear to be stuck with strangers for 4 weeks....)
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff