How to Travel Alone – the prologue.
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“How to Travel Alone” – that’s a pretty basic title. But then, this post is about the basics. Or, at least, it’s an introduction to a series of posts on the basics. To date, the series includes:
It discusses how to decide where to travel alone.
This afternoon, (Monday, October 12, 2009) I was walking down the street on my way to the local coffee shop when I ran into an artist acquaintance. We did the usual quick update. How she’s doing. How I’m doing. What she’s doing. What I’m doing.
- So, are you surviving on your art now? I asked.
- It’s a meager existence, she said.
My immediate response was to direct her to Chris Guillebeau’s blog – The Art of Non-conformity. There, he has a number of guides including “The Unconventional Guide to Art + Money”. The key point here is that:
- I immediately directed her to Chris’s blog.
Art + Money
Some Solo Traveler soul searching.
As I continued on my way, I wondered whether anyone would do the same for Solo Traveler. If they met up with a friend or acquaintance who bemoaned the fact that they had to travel alone, that they get dinged by single supplements, that they are fearful of traveling alone… would the readers of Solo Traveler pipe up and suggest this blog as quickly as I suggested Chris’? If I was the reader and not the publisher, would I?
- My conclusion: Mmmmmaybe.
I would likely mention to my friend that there is this blog that I read that has some good perspectives on why it’s great to travel alone, as well as some great stories about traveling alone. But, I don’t think I would be so sure that Solo Traveler would have what he or she needed, which is real how-to advice, easily found, that can solve the problem. For this reason, I may not be so forward and forthcoming with the URL. And then, as I did this afternoon, offer my card so that she could email me and ask for the link in case she forgot it.
This rather tentative conclusion may be because I live and breathe it every day. You would be a better judge than me. But, it got me thinking and there’s no harm in that.
New subscriptions every day.
Please don’t get me wrong. I think that Solo Traveler has lots of great posts to offer – by myself and the many guest bloggers who so kindly contribute their thoughts and stories. And, by standard measures, it’s doing very well. More people subscribe to it every day.
But, truth be told, under comparable circumstances I wouldn’t offer Solo Traveler up with the same gusto that I did Chris’s blog. Yet, I want it to be that type of blog. One that people just have to share.
I want Solo Traveler to be inspiring, thoughtful, entertaining and USEFUL. I want it to be the go-to site for solo travelers. If someone has a question about why, how, when and where to travel alone, it should have the answers – and those answers should be easy to find.
How to travel alone.
So, I’ve done a bit of planning and reorganization. For one thing, the Solo Travel Tips category has been renamed to “How to Travel Alone”. In the coming weeks, you’ll see all sorts of posts on how to travel alone – from planning to meeting people to safety and adapting to cultures. The objective is not just to touch on these issues but go into them with some depth.
Of course, there will be the posts on solo travel stories, safety and perspectives as usual. And I will continue to invite others to share their experience and thoughts as well — there are a number of great ones coming your way. I’d also like to do a series on “lessons learned” on the road alone. Please contact me if you’d like to write on this topic.
I have lots of ideas but I really need yours. How can I make Solo Traveler really valuable – the go-to blog on traveling alone. Your comments on these thoughts would be very, very welcome.
Cheers, Janice
In the meanwhile you could check out the following:
I'm known as solo traveler. Here's the backstory... Continue Reading >>
