Boldly Go Solo

When I took a Backroads biking trip to the Canadian Rockies, many years back, the price was right for me as a young writer (read: poor). It was a camping trip and I enjoyed the spirit and attitudes of the people who were willing to rough it. When I had more money I took a more expensive trip and stayed at lovely inns. It felt different. The people were used to finer things and complained if things weren’t going well. And why not? They’d paid good money for their trip.

It may be a massive generalization based on a statistically insignificant sample but I will continue to wade into this dangerous territory. My theory is, the more luxurious the trip, the more particular, shall we say, the people might be. If you are the type that demands the best, by all means, pay for it and hold the company’s feet to the fire. But if you’re more "go with the flow" and it would bother you to listen to others make those demands, go cheaper or rougher.

Continued…   

There are other clues about trip styles if you pay attention. A bus tour to five countries in seven days is likely to
involve sedentary people. And on the older side. Unless it’s specifically marketed the the young. An all-singles trip is likely to feel
more like a "meet and size each other up" opportunity than a "regular" trip.

It’s important when you’re
traveling solo to talk to the trip companies you’re considering and
find out age ranges and who is going the week (or more) you’re going. If I find
out it’s going to be all couples and me, I pass. Or go a different week. Same if the guest list is, say,
two families of five and me. I prefer that at least two to three
other people arrive solo. They may not be the ones I hang out with. After
all, couples are nice people too. (Huh?) It’s just that I’m looking for a certain
group dynamic, one that doesn’t include me being the 11th or 13th or
15th wheel. This method won’t work, of course, if you are an early bird
booker and the first to sign up.
   
Then again, I can make all these "wise" decisions and
it’s still no guarantee that I will be with a great bunch of people. That’s why I
make sure I’m choosing something I really want to do. That way, no
matter what the group is like, I’ve still gone some place I wanted to
go and done something I wanted to do.