My Year of YES! Part Two or How I Decided to Be a Solo Traveler

I've always loved to travel.  Every bit of it, even sitting in an airport, fills me with delight.  I love going new places, experiencing new cultures.  I love the romance of it all.  But, I've always traveled in the company of others.

I grew up traveling with my family.  We flew back and forth across the Pacific.  When in the States, we would embark on long cross-country road-trips to visit family and "see" our passport country, stopping at museums, national parks and presidential libraries all along the way.  I sometimes think I've visited more of the U.S. than most people my age.

I didn't do much traveling during college other than going home to Japan.  One of my few regrets from college is not taking advantage of the overseas trips my college offered.  I could have studied in Paris or London.  I could have visited Australia or China.  Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

Of course, with a travel companion, photos like this happen.

Several years ago, I decided I wanted to go to Italy.  It seemed like a wonderful introduction to Europe and a great place to start my travels.  A friend agreed to go with me and really helped propel me from wishing I could to actually buying airplane tickets.  We had the best time, tossing coins in the Trevi in Rome, climbing the Duomo in Florence, wandering the alleys of Venice.  I came back with a greater appreciation for food and art and all things Italian.  I loved every minute of it.

It's easeier to travel with someone.  Generally, it's cheaper as well since you can often split room and board.  A good travel companion is a blessing, someone to share experiences with, split some costs and, I think most importantly, someone to reminince with.  "Remember when we went to the opera in Rome?"  "Remember the glass-blower on Murano chastising us about buying Chinese glass?"  "Remember asking the Japanese tourists, in Japanese, to take our photo in front of the Rialto Bridge?"  (By the way, the looks on their faces were priceless!)  "Remember watching Italy's first game in the World Cup at the Walk-a-bout Pub?"  "Remember when..."

My family has a bunch of those "remember whens" as well.  Interupting the morning poker game at a diner in Arthur, NE.  Eating cheetos with chopsticks in front of Eisenhower's presidential library.  Flying olives, swearing chefs, battered fish, a choral director dressed like a bat... all of these are enough to send my family into hysterics, remembering. 

I've had so much fun traveling with someone.  Also, as a single female, I was hesitant to travel alone.  Safety in numbers after all.  But, as I've gotten older, my friends have gotten married, settled down, had kids.  It's harder for them to save money for a grand adventure across the pond.  It's harder to find the time.  I kept thinking, I'll go somewhere soon, when I find someone to travel with.

Last fall, I finally realized, if I keep waiting for a travel companion, I'd be waiting a long while.  I want my life to be full of travel and experiences.  If I want to keep traveling, I have to go alone.  So, last fall, as I started mentally preparing for my 30th birthday, I decided.  Yes, I was going to continue traveling.  Yes, I was going to go somewhere special for my birthday.

 Yes, I will be a solo traveler.

I leave for London on Monday.