Boldly Go Solo

We solo travelers find there's usually an expense to not having a travel companion. You can't share hotel room costs, taxi fares or dinner entrees. But every once in awhile, a financial perk comes along.

I was in Minneapolis last week for a conference. I had just a few free hours and grabbed them to visit the Walker Art Center, a fabulous contemporary museum and sculpture garden within walking distance of downtown hotels. I lucked out because entry is free Thursday nights.

I took a nice walk through the Loring Park neighborhood on the Southern edge of downtown to get there, hoofing it from my hotel right off Nicollett Mall, a major street with lots of outdoor cafes. When's the last time you've seen a park with shuffleboard and horseshoe pits along with basketball and tennis courts? Anyway…

On the day I was leaving, I had little time to spare to make it to the airport. Which meant I'd have to grab a cab for $40 instead of taking the light rail for a few bucks. As I finished checking out a man with a suitcase was walking from the hotel's elevator in the direction of the front door. Surely he was going to the airport?

I asked if he wanted to share a cab. Not something I typically do. He looked taken aback. Then said, "sure." He asked if I could wait while he got money from the ATM out the back door of the hotel. I said yes. He left his suitcase right where it was, in my care, and went to get cash.

Long story short, we shared a cab, talked a little about where we were from and what we were doing in Minneapolis and how bad his allergies were. And when we got to the airport, he insisted on picking up the cab fare because, he said, the ride to the airport passed so quickly and enjoyably. I totally agree.

It wasn't until we got out at the airport that he stuck out his hand and introduced himself. So we learned each other's names as we parted.

Yup, a lot of the joy of solo travel is in the serendipity of meeting others. And both people benefiting from the encounter.

Photo: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. SPOONBRIDGE AND CHERRY by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.