Boldly Go Solo

I'm a working stiff who has a few weeks vacation a year. So I choose the easy road to solo travel. I go on active adventure tours that organizers have planned for me. I usually wander on my own for a few days before or after, trying to pack in as much walking, museum going and "highlight attractions" viewing as I can.

But you know that if you've been reading this blog for any length of time.

On the "extreme" end of traveling alone are the people – often from Australia and New Zealand – who take a "gap year" before or after university, or travel for months on end at some point in their lives after quitting a job. Or before getting one. I met several of these folks while I was teaching English to Spaniards last year.

If that's something you dream about, you should look into the Web sites that focus on getting your act together for long-term travel. One such travel site is How to Travel the World, written by an experienced solo traveler who offers advice for long-term solo travelers.

Rolf Pott's Vagabonding is another site with stories and tips. And I'm sure there are many more. Safe travels to those who are going to be on the road for a long, long time.