ratula
Registered User
Posts: 7
(6/8/03 3:16 am)

Just...thanks

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As I get closer and closer to my departure date, I'm finding it increasingly more difficult to contain my excitement ( and just a little trepidation over the thought of doing this trip on my own ). It's so delightful to read all of your trip summaries and journals and find out your impressions of some of the places I will be visiting. Your posts really get me revved up for this trip and very impatient for June 30th to get here. I can't wait to post my own journal on here when I get home.

Happy trails!

Ratula

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1541
(6/9/03 9:28 pm)

Trip Reports

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Hi Ratula,

I agree with you completely that it is fun being an "armchair traveler" and reading everyone else's experiences. The fact that we have been following their progress from the planning stages to the completion of their trip makes it even more interesting.

I hope you have read Valerie's posting "I had a GREAT time!". She also took a solo trip to Ireland. Perhaps it will lessen your trepidation to know that she emailed me to say that she had such a great time on her own she thinks she will do it by herself again.

Michele

Anita
Unregistered User
(6/10/03 1:00 pm)

Travelling alone

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I had also never travelled alone before this so I was feeling pretty much like you before leaving. I was excited about going, but concerned that I was going to get hopelessly lost on my own. I have a terrible sense of direction. I made up for it in the planning. I studied my Lonely Planet guide, and a few others, before leaving, and tried to have a pretty good idea where everything was before I got there. I looked for maps of each town and circled the location of train and bus stations, hostels, and tourist information shops. I got lost a few times, but not badly.I also felt better having all of my hostel reservations before I left, and print-outs of the train and bus schedules. I enjoyed myself so much I will probably travel alone again as well. You are so much more free to do as you wish, and if you don't get to a couple of sights you have only yourself to blame. I have one friend I tried to convince to come with me because I was so worried about going alone, but now I'm glad she couldn't make it because she never could have kept up with me. We would have been arguing about everything after the first couple of days. The best thing about hostels is that there are a lot of other people travelling alone. You will pick up plenty of hints and tips, and meet a lot of friends you can travel with for a day or just have dinner with in the evening. You will enjoy yourself.

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 1543
(6/10/03 6:15 pm)

Great Solo Tips

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Hi Anita,

Thanks so much for sharing your tips for solo travel in Ireland. I think that it will reassure Ratula and make her trip much easier. You are right that there is always a need for give and take when traveling with others. But when traveling alone you have only yourself to please and can go at your own pace.

Michele