Great Ways To Make Your Solo Trip...FABULOUS!

Frigid temperatures have a way of transporting my mind to warmer climates and new adventures.  Give me a balmy cup of perfectly brewed tea and a good book, (sometimes of the travel variety) and I am well on my way to planning my next adventure.

Yes... I said MY NEXT ADVENTURE.  Most of my friends think that I am a bit looney for traveling solo, but I revel in the opportunity. After all, how often is it that you are truly given the opportunity to go and do whatever you want, whenever you choose. Although I know some who would disagree, taking advantage of the luxury of not having to consider another individual, in my opinion, is priceless. I understand that solo travel is not for everyone, but I find that it is the one time that I can be completely selfish and not have to worry about the whims of another....I'm taking sheer indulgence here.

"But aren't you afraid of traveling alone?" I am always asked.  The short answer is... NO!  I will admit, there are extra precautions that one (especially women) should take, but it's not a big enough concern to prevent me from traveling alone all together. Besides, if I had to wait for another partner to find the time, or the money, I may never have the opportunity. So with the help with my friends at Smarter Travel, we were able to come up with a list of ways to make the best of your solo trip...

Courtesy of Smarter Travel... 

Make Friends
Just because you're traveling alone doesn't mean you should be solo the entire trip. What's one of the best ways to socialize on the road? When you're dining alone, sit at the bar (or counter), where you'll have more opportunities to strike up a conversation than if you were sitting at a table. Chat up a waiter or bartender for tips on the best local sights, or converse with fellow diners/drinkers about the hip secret spots they've stumbled across so far. Use your transit time wisely, too, and chat up your seatmates if they're willing. If you want guaranteed companionship, joining a group tour, even if it's only for a few hours, can be a great way to meet people.  If tour buses and guides aren't your thing, consider signing up with Meetup (a website that lists gatherings for pretty much every interest in hundreds of cities) and attending an event full of like-minded people while you're on the road.

Hostels

Avoid pricey hotel rooms for just one person and have a built-in way to meet people by staying at a hostel. Don't want to share a room on your solo trip? Many hostels have private rooms (some even en suite) that are still cheaper than a traditional hotel. Hostels usually offer plenty of common rooms (such as a kitchen and a TV room) where people congregate to meet fellow travelers. Most hostels organize daily activities (be it a movie night or a bar crawl), so you can find a good group to go out with. Or, check hostel message boards, where travelers often post if they're looking for people to travel with.

Indulge Yourself

Revel in the luxury of not having to please a travel partner (or a group of people). Spend the whole morning sleeping in your hotel bed, or wake up super early to hike somewhere in time to catch the sunrise—you're the only one making the decisions on this trip. Have an obscure hobby, interest, or taste in food? Go crazy and eat only at your favorite kinds of restaurants or spend your whole trip checking out the weird museums no one else likes—you won't be hearing any complaints or whining.

Stay Safe
Knowing that there is no one there to have your back is the most important thing that you can remember.  Do your research before you go so you know which areas are unsafe, which you should avoid after dark, what the common local scams are, etc. Be sure to let someone back home know your approximate schedule (in case you don't return on time), and use common sense when it comes to flashing valuables or going places with strangers.  In order to make the most out of your trip, be sure to stay safe—you don't want to waste time at the police station or embassy (or worse: in the hospital) after getting mugged.

Bring Good Reads
You might have a lot of alone time when traveling solo, so be sure that you have lots of reading material with you. Treat yourself to some books that you've been dying to read, and you'll always have a good (silent) companion with you when you're eating or on a long train ride by yourself. Plus, if you're traveling alone in a country where you don't speak the language, it can be very comforting to lose yourself in your native language after long being immersed in something you can't understand. Opting for a physical book can be a good conversation starter when strangers ask what you're reading, but e-books can save prime space in your luggage.

Avoid The Single Supplement
Unfortunately, solo travelers on many cruises and tours will get slammed by a "single supplement," punishing them for not sharing a room with a travel partner. Research tour companies before you book—some have an option that will let you sign up to be paired with another single traveler as roommates, so you can still get the cheaper rate. For cruises, look for ships that offer single rooms (supplement free) or for cruise lines running great deals that might be willing to waive the fee.

Get a Camera Extender

Traveling alone doesn't mean that you should be deprived of prime Facebook snaps of you posing in front of famous attractions. Get in the picture (without having to entrust your camera to a stranger) by using a camera extender, which you can use to take self-portraits. We like the GorillaPod line of portable mounts for cameras (and camera phones) that will let you take your photos, free of stranger arm contortions.

Don't forget, 2013 is the year that you begin to live your life with intentional purpose and passion.  There is an entire Earth filled with exploits and escapades expecting your stamp of approval.  So what the heck are you waiting for?

Intentional Purpose With Passion For Your 2013

I

Nothing happens unless we first dream…

I don’t know about you, but for me, 2012 was a pretty spectacular year.  Looking back, I can honestly say that I’ve had quite a few spectacular years.  I’ve also had more than my share of disappointing ones too.  But if I had to point to the one thing that made this year so monumental above all others, I would have to say …  that I intentionally lived this year with PASSION.

And while you might say… “oh, that’s easy!”  Let me confess to you that it is much more difficult than it sounds.  It’s more than just a task, but rather an intentional purpose.  It is one that takes vision to see, strength to quash the fears that haunt, and exceptional patience to execute.  But above all else, it requires action.

As a result of my action of intentional purpose, I traveled the world (well at least the world of Central America,) published and promoted my first book, helped my mother become a cancer survivor, earned a fabulous new position with a great company, and became a certified scuba diver. What's more, I was blessed to be able to share it all with family and the best friends in the whole world!

And as much as I’d like to say that I took great care to plan every inch of that spectacular journey, most of this didn’t happened as I imagined.  Instead, what happened was the good stuff.  I could take a few moments to share how the two differ, but why bother? The catalyst was making the promise to myself about accomplishing the things I wanted to do, and then taking the action to make them happen.  The point is, these actions were deliberate, intentional and most importantly, connected to a sense of meaning and purpose.

Make more of the good stuff happen in your life. I challenge you to make this your year of action.  May it be the year that you quash your fears, and execute the life that you've always envisioned for yourself. It is my wish that each of you live 2013 and beyond, with that intentional purpose that drives you to live a life beyond your wildest dreams.  Blessings to you on this magnificent upcoming year!

“The person who risks nothing, has nothing, does nothing.” - unknown

Back To My Reality... As I Choose It For Now...

Sunset at San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” — Lao Tzu

As much as I hate to admit it... travel adventures as I know it are now over. Gone is the freedom of solo travel and the allure of meeting new friends to explore new adventures. At least, for now.  Not because I choose it to be over, but because the reality of life has come to the forefront. As much as I would love to globetrot as if I were Lewis and Clark, my last name is neither, and the Johnson's of my family tree has not endowed me a trust fund in which to subsidize my hearts desires.  And yes, although I can pay bills by internet and keep in touch with family members via Skype, I do not possess the team of people that I trust to give full autonomy to my financial state of affairs to renew car registration, car tags and drivers license. My guess is that to assemble a team as such would probably take millions... millions I do not have. At least not yet anyway.  And so my reality is... to return to life as I knew it.

But the truth is, life will never really be as it was.  The reality is... experiences make us grow. Learning new lessons, and implementing them into our lives changes everything about who we once were. Mr. Albert Einstein I know would agree.  To take a page from his book...

 “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

Albert was a smart man.  Every time I step foot in a new city, a new country, a new continent... I am in awe.  There is something hypnotic about experiencing the world that you've only been able to read about on paper, come to life before your very eyes. The world, if you've never seen it, is the mysterious.  And it is out there, sitting, waiting for all who are willing to take privilege in it.

Sadly, when I joined the ranks of Americans who actually held passports in 1998, I was devastated to learn that I was part of a small but elite group just over 6.5 million or 15% of the international traveling minority in this country.   It wasn't until 2007, that the travesty of 9/11 made it mandatory for Americans traveling to Canada and Mexico be required to acquire passports when traveling on land or sea.  But even then, the number only jumped to 18.3 million or 22% of the American public. Even as of this writing, only 30% of Americans possess a passport in 2012, according to a recent CNN travel article.

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” 

– Frank Herbert

But the truth is, travel can be a reality for all of us who deem it a priority.  I often hear people affirm ... "you sure travel a lot!", as if it were a privilege only afforded to the wealthy. Just yesterday, I heard those very words while chatting to an old high school acquaintance.  I suppose that is because, I do see it as my reality. And for things which we ourselves deem as important... these things then take precedence.

I suppose I obtained the spirit of exploration from my father.  A truck driver by trade, he was determined to see..."as much of GOD'S green Earth as HE would allow." Despite the fact he understood it required a bit more time to travel with me, because I "couldn't just pee in a cup" like my brother... he still deemed it significant for me to experience the long trek along the Canadian pipeline to the heights of Alaska... TWICE.  As a little girl, I often resented not being able to travel with my Dad as much as my brother, and so I in turn felt the urgency to direct my aim so that I could perfect the talent of being able to "pee in a cup." Little good that did me...

But back to the point at hand... there is never a good time for change, but it is important to understand is what the cost would be if we don't.  What do we stand to loose if we don't create travel opportunities for ourselves.  By not executing a curiosity for the unknown, what message does this send to our children, nieces, nephews and youth of tomorrow...  Americans are comfortable in their own environment, and do not find it important enough to venture out into unfamiliar territory. Why on Earth is that??? In many countries, but particularly Israeli, it is considered a rite of passage to travel abroad. They do this in the year following army service, as a way to unwind from the stress of serving two to three years.  I was able to experience this first hand during my travels throughout Central America. Young Israelis were everywhere, as were other nationalities. Sadly, few Americans were to be found.

Foremost on the reasons to travel is that you discover a lot about yourself. Now I'm not talking about taking a family trip to Disney World. When I speak of a special vacation, I envision someone backpacking across Europe or driving along the coast of Australia... that is, a trip with cultural significance. Not many things in the world can inspire you like seeing the Colosseum in Rome or the Pyramids in Egypt.  Whether you're a lover of history, architecture or nature, only travel will satisfy your passion. No words can describe the rush you feel when gazing upon the Mona Lisa or admiring the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  Experiences can range from the legendary (watching the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain) to the relaxing (enjoying a hot spring while snow swirls around you in Iceland), but they share one common link: they are all memorable. In every corner of the world, there is excitement waiting for you. It is simply a matter of sticking your head out and going for it.

Time puts everything in perspective for us. Can you recall those stressful milestones that once invaded your life – your first exam, your first date, your first real job?  Many of these you barely remember because in the grand scheme they’re not the significant events they once were.  Leaving your current situation may seem daunting, but in the future it may only seem like a minor event in your life, and perhaps even an obvious choice.  If you don’t make the travel change now, will you regret it years later?

“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what

 inspires me to travel it.” — Rosalia de Castro

Amen Ms. Rosalia! Amen to that!