With the start of Spring, there is always much talk about holidays and what travel plans are lined up for the coming year. And I find it fascinating to look at the choice of holidays chosen by different types of people.
I often hear my togetherfriends members discussing holidays, and one issue they often discuss is the type of trip to take as a single person. Many of my members live alone - they are single, divorced or widowed so you would think the world is their oyster as far as travel is concerned. And in a way it is. They are indeed big travellers. At a recent coffee morning I heard talk of Cuba, New Zealand and Bermuda. There was talk of walking holidays, cycling and art trips. There is no doubt about it, they want to travel, but what type of holiday do you take as a single person? Do you go independently? - no doubt there is a sense of pride in travelling a country alone, and for some this is the ideal way to travel. Many however prefer companionship on holiday. They want to share experiences, laugh together at mishaps, support each other when the suitcase is lost with all the worldly goods. But if you live alone and have no ready-made travel companion, who do you go with?
One option is to sign up to an organised holiday such as that offered by www.solosholidays.co.uk. There are loads of holidays on offer - from coach tours, to adventures, culture trips, to learning a new skill. There are holidays for single people, single parents and holidays for single and couples mixed. There is no doubt that there are holidays on offer for every person, but not everyone wants to go with a group - the cost may be prohibitive for a start and not everyone wants to spend their free week with people they don't know.
The other alternative is to find a companion. You may already have someone in mind that you could travel with. But if this is not the case, is there someone who would fit the bill? Is there anyone at your art class who would like to go on a cultural holiday? Is there anyone in your walking group who would like to join you in walking in Majorca? Is there someone at church who you hit it off with, who might fancy a trip away? Once you start to put out feelers, you may find that there are lots of people in the same boat as you who would be keen to join forces and go on an adventure.
If you are still struggling to find a travel companion, go online. There are lots of travel sites that help you find a travel companion. Sites like http://companions2travel.co.uk/ and http://travelcompanionexchange.com/ offer companions who want to travel to the same places as you.
But you may like to get to know a companion first, before setting off around the world with them. After all, you need to know that you will get on together before agreeing to a few weeks with no other company.
One option is to join an online friendship site such as www.togetherfriends.com. A friendship site allows you to meet others like yourself in an informal atmosphere, before broaching the subject of a holiday together.
Travelling is great fun, but it can also be stressful, so it is important to have a travel companion who is compatible with you, who has a similar sense of humour and who you just hit it off with.