Traveling Solo—Sandy’s Story

Sandy was an armchair traveler for 20 years as she raised her children and taught high school.  Now she travels and blogs about her experiences while looking for girlfriend getaway fun for groups and women traveling on their own.  You can find out more at The Sandy Chronicles.

Ocean Isle Beach

I am on the last two days of a seven day trip down Highway 17 (The Coastal Highway), with a visit to a lovely North Carolina beach tonight and heading toward home and another beach tomorrow.  The weather, along with all sorts of good luck, travel juju and just being blessed, has conspired to make this a wonderful trip.

Some of my family and friends looked at me funny, and even outright questioned my sanity, when I first mentioned traveling alone.  I came to solo travel late (about three years ago) and truth be told just really started traveling at all as an adult.  My family of origin consisted of four girls with a blue collar father who truly believed in the sanctity of work and a mom who could care less about seeing new sights.  That, coupled with the fact that we had a beach house when I was growing up, led to the situation that when my father had time off, we went to the beach.

The sights and sounds of the ocean have always sung to me and given me a solid sense of peace and connectedness.  Combining my childhood familiarity and love of the beach with visiting new properties, seeing new places, and seeing beloved places from a new perspective—well, this trip has been one for the record books.  But this still doesn’t answer the question…

New Bern, North Carolina

Why do I love to travel alone?
Partly, it’s a sense of adventure.  When I head out for a new place or open the door to a new bed and breakfast, hotel property or inn, there’s a little frisson of excitement.  There is also a feeling of freedom.  I can take back roads or fly down interstates.  I can listen to the radio and sing out loud without anyone thinking I have lost my mind.  I eat when I am hungry, I rest when I am tired.  And, strangely enough, I find with this freedom I treat myself quite well, giving myself plenty of exercise, as well as feeding my body and soul adequately.

None of this means that I don’t love traveling in a group.  I simply adore a gaggle of gal pals.  In fact, I just spent two days with my oldest and dearest friends.  I am blessed with a husband who is also my best friend—we make out quite well traveling together.  My dear adult children are so much fun to hang out with.  They actually like my company, although I have been told I can be “embarrassing”!  What’s with that?

Ocean Isle Beach, sound side

A special experience with the most important person in your life…
I don’t travel alone because I have to, or need to, but because I want to.  Thinking my own thoughts while taking good care of myself is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.  The older I become, the more I enjoy my own company and the nourishment that comes from doing just what I need to do for me.  Am I weird?  Could be.  But I count myself among the growing army of women who have a similar love for the new, unique, and solitary.  Some, like me, just travel a few

days from home—others are traveling to Europe, Asia and the Caribbean on their own.

If you have never tried traveling solo, maybe you could start with an overnight trip close to your home.  See if it works for you.  Some women are afraid, lonely, or bored.  But maybe, like me, you will discover that traveling solo is quite wonderful and a special experience with the most important person in your life—you!

Related posts: