009. Solo Travel: online forums and groups

009. Solo Travel: online forums and groups

There are plenty of general travel, solo travel, and solo travel for women groups and forums on Facebook and other platforms. You’ll get hundreds of people asking “where should I go?” And in return, you’ll get a lot of answers as well but then no explanation as to why. There always has to be a why. 

 From the start, why did you ask perfect strangers to recommend a place for your vacation? Are you surrounded by family and friends who have never gone anywhere or have they’ve only been where you’ve already gone? 

 Second, there’s a whole wide world out there! Seriously? You’ve just set yourself up for more confusion. You’ll get answers such as Iceland, Jamaica, Europe, the Maldives, Africa, Southeast Asia, etc. Can you narrow it down to a region or continent, at least?  

 Third, you didn’t say what you’d like to do while on vacation. Horseback riding on the beach, off-roading on atv’s, snow skiing, water skiing, hiking, skydiving, shopping, touring ruins or ancient sites, learning about your heritage, etc.

 Fourth, you didn’t say when you wanted to go. Even the Caribbean and other tropical destinations have different seasons: dry or rainy. Traveling during school holidays and summer could be absolute madness but perhaps those are the only times you can travel.

 Fifth, you didn’t say what your budget is. Iceland might be reasonably priced to fly to but do you know how expensive the food is there? Is staying in a hostel or Airbnb okay with you or is this the trip where you go all out and do that top-tier luxury thing?

 Sixth, you don’t say what mode of transportation you’re comfortable with. Even in this day and age, a lot of people have still never flown on an airplane or taken a cruise. Some people won’t get on puddle-jumper/small aircraft while others won’t get on a ferry or small boat. So going to the Maldives, if you're not staying on the mainland, you're going to have to take a puddle jumper or a ferry boat, a small boat to get to all those different atolls and islands

 Seventh, you didn’t say how many people are going with you. Solo travel can be exhilarating and costly but if you’ve never done it before, you might want to start with small steps. If you have many people wanting to go with you, some hotels will turn you away (or kick you out) if it’s really a bachelor/bachelorette party or spring break shenanigans.

Your indecision about the world at large is grating. Some might respond condescendingly or meanly while others may laugh out loud and/or not answer you at all. At least pose a more focused question such as...

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And in return, you'll get a lotof answers as well.
But then no explanation as towhy there always has to be a Y

(01:50):
from the start.
Why did you ask perfectstrangers to make a
recommendation for yourvacation?
Are you surrounded by family andfriends who have never gone
anywhere or have they only beenwhere you've already gone?
Second, there's a whole wideworld out there.
Seriously.
You've just set yourself up formore confused.

(02:13):
You'll get answers such asIceland, Jamaica, Europe, the
Maldivian Africa, SoutheastAsia, et cetera.
Can you narrow it down to aregion or a continent at least
third?
You didn't say what you like todo while on vacation, horseback
riding on the beach.

(02:33):
Off-roading on ATV.
Snow skiing or water skiing,hiking, skydiving, shopping,
touring ruins, and ancientsites.
Learning about your heritage, etcetera.
Fourth, you didn't say when youwant it to go.
Even the Caribbean and othertropical destinations have

(02:54):
different seasons, dry or rainytraveling during school
holidays.
And.
Can be absolute madness, butperhaps that's the only time you
can travel fifth.
You didn't say what your budgetis.
Iceland might be reasonablypriced to fly to, but do you

(03:17):
know how expensive it is to eat?
There is staying in a hotel oran Airbnb.
Okay.
With you, or is this the tripwhere you go all out and do that
top tier luxury thing?
Sick.
You don't say what mode oftransportation you're
comfortable with.

(03:38):
Even in this day and age, a lotof people have still never flown
on an airplane or taken acruise.
Some people won't get on apuddle jumper or a small
aircraft while others won't geton a ferry or a small boat.
So going to the Maldives, ifyou're not staying on the main
land, you're going to have totake a puddle jump.

(04:01):
Or a ferry boat, a small boat toget to all those different
atolls and islands seven.
You didn't say how many peopleare going with you.
Solo travel can be exhilarating,but it can be costly.
And if you've never done itbefore, you might want to just
start with small steps.

(04:23):
If you have many people wantingto go with.
Some hotels will turn you awayor kick you out if it's really a
bachelor or bachelorette partyor spring break shenanigans,
truly your indecision about theworld at large is grading.
Some people might respondcondescendingly or mainly while

(04:45):
others may laugh out loud or notanswer you at all.
At least pose a more focusedquestion such as.
I'm thinking about going to X,Y, or Z next summer.
What's been your experience inthese places during that season,
or throw out your must haves andhave nuts, such as I'm open to

(05:07):
anything, but I love historicalsites and ruins, but also want
some beach time and I'm willingto try zip lining and different
foods, but I don't like, or I'mallergic to coconuts and
bananas, something like that.
Or.
I hate the cold, but alwayswanted to see the Northern
lights.
Where's the best opportunity tosee them in the shortest amount

(05:29):
of time.
Yeah.
For instance, since I hate thecold, I only want to be there
three nights.
That's it.
So is Anchorage better or isIceland better or Norway or
something like that?
Um, I just want to relax on thebeach somewhere warm.
That's no more than a three-hourflight from X, X, X, you know,

(05:52):
from St.
Louis or wherever the answers toyour focus questions can turn
out to be very valuable in thelong run.
As a travel advisor, I have toask you these types of questions
and a whole lot more.
We have to be detectives,especially if you don't have a
place in.

(06:12):
But even if you do have adestination in mind, I still
need to know why you chose it.
As I said, there always has tobe a why I might start with
close your eyes for a minute andpicture your dream vacation.
Where are you and what are youdoing?
And then I will actually staysilent for a minute.

(06:36):
I had a client who was set onJamaica for a solo trip.
But was afraid to gointernational.
And during that quiet minute,she saw herself surrounded by
water, but not on the beach.
She had hiking boots on withwaterfalls and kayaks in the
background.

(06:58):
I did not send her to aCaribbean island.
I sent her to Hawaii and sheloved it.
Another example of what I mightask.
When you are a child or ateenager, what did you dream of
going?
What were your favorite subjectsin school?
Favorite TV programs, books, ormovies, childhood games.

(07:20):
That's how I get a sense of yourideal place, whether you realize
it or not, your childhood playsa major role in your dreams,
desires, delights,disappointments, the feats and
destiny.
Hey, I had a troubled childhood,but I still had dreams and
favorites.
And I excelled in certain gamesin school subjects.

(07:43):
My favorite TV shows led me toAfrican safaris, scuba diving in
a Ruba and snorkeling in the PPIislands of Thailand.
My favorite games and schoolsubjects led me to Greece and
Italy.
And eventually either.
Did you know, there is a JaneAusten festival, Downton Abbey

(08:05):
game of Thrones and Bridget andtours.
You get to visit some of thefilm locations and historical
references.
Learn some of the dances, attendto ball dine with a real duke
and Duchess and ask some of thebattle scenes, et cetera.

(08:29):
I'm a Lord of the rings fan andhave been, since I read the
books when I was at age 13, sogoing to New Zealand was at the
top of my list.
I had to go when hot-button wasrebuilt because it was torn down
after Lord of the rings becausePeter Jackson didn't think he
was ever going to do hot-button,but then he did and he rebuilt

(08:51):
hobby.
And now it is a main attraction.
I was always a huge fan and Igot to see it in real life.
Another example, have you heardyour mom and dad say, if you dig
a hole deep enough, you'll endup in China?
Well, I grew up in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, and I found out

(09:14):
that the polar opposite ofPittsburgh is in the middle of
the Indian ocean, but thenearest.
Is Augusta Australia.
It's about a three hour drivesouth from Perth, Australia.
So when I visited Perth, Ipurposely found a tour that took
me through not a stop becauseAugusta is just a little town,

(09:38):
but I found a tour that took methrough Augusta Australia.
Why?
Because I've always beeninterested and I was going to be
over that side of the worldanyway.
So why.
On top of that, it was a greattour.
I get it.
I know that not everyone needsor wants to work with a travel
agent slash advisor.

(09:59):
So if you're a DIY buyer, youshould also ask yourself these
same questions, because with alittle bit of investigation, you
will find your dream vacations,not just one destination, but a
whole list of.
The hardest part should be howto put them in some sort of

(10:20):
order.
You can't call yourself a queenif you've never ruled.
And that means knowing your ownmind and being a leader, not a
follower while you may seek thecounsel or opinions of others,
sit still for a minute.
Cut out that noise.

(10:40):
Let your mind disconnectscattered to the far away.
Then reconnect to be laserfocused on your own needs, write
down your dreams and then planout the house, the whats, the
whens, the wares, because now,you know, the why's.