whited3
Well-known
Hehe, Roger you're a lucky man. My wife is of the anti-mud type (scrutinizes my camera budget too). But heck I can't complain. She does have her virtues.
Yikes - 99.99% sure she will never visit RFforum
Yikes - 99.99% sure she will never visit RFforum
kbg32
neo-romanticist
My wife and son are extremely tolerant of my career and always give me the space when needed. Sometimes just having them around is the perfect excuse for people to leave me alone.
Spicy
Well-known
ironically enough, traveling alone is a much better way of meeting people.
Vics
Veteran
I think travel is better experienced alone. It teaches self-reliance and boosts confidence. Enjoy your trip!
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Dave,
Yes, very fortunate. My argument for travelling together is simply that I gain far more from Frances's presence than I lose. Relaxation, shared wonder, comfort, love, help, understanding... Yes, very occasionally she'll dissuade me from something, but generally only when I'm exhausted anyway.
Cheers,
R.
Steve M.
Veteran
No, of course there is no stigma. Your friend is, well, unsophisticated. That's what I'll say in this family type space. When I lived in Hawaii the overwhelming number of visitors from outside the U.S. were young singles, or older singles. Or, when single, travel singly. When a couple, travel together.
Been married 11 years now and I love traveling w/ the ol lady. When single, I loved traveling alone. However, there is nothing worse than traveling w/ the wrong person, I remember that vividly.
Been married 11 years now and I love traveling w/ the ol lady. When single, I loved traveling alone. However, there is nothing worse than traveling w/ the wrong person, I remember that vividly.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
For kids, maybe.
There's nothing WRONG with travelling alone, or with choosing to do it. I've done it quite a lot. Even since meeting Frances, I've been alone to India a couple of times and Portugal once, and when we've been in India together I've sometimes travelled for a few days without her. But travelling without her has never been as enjoyable as travelling with her.
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Sejanus.Aelianus
Veteran
As Roger says, there's an awful lot of extrapolating from personal predjudice going on here. Some people like to travel alone; some people like to travel in company; some people like it one way sometimes and the other way othertimes.
How does it harm one person, if another has different values?
How does it harm one person, if another has different values?
goamules
Well-known
....he said judgmentally....
My comment was to the anonymous person the original posters talked about, that seemed unable to fathom being alone. There is a season for alone, and for togetherness. I photograph, ride mules, backpack and travel with my wife quite a bit. I also do those things alone quite a bit. Or with a friend. Or with just my kids but no wife. Or with the whole family including the wife....
My point is a well balanced person doesn't always need a wife/girlfriend along. If a person cannot be happy by themselves sometimes, well, life is going to be rough.
Case in point my younger sister-in-law. She and her husband did everything together. He made her ride mountain bikes, she made him go to jewelry shows. They were best friends but the marriage for some reason failed. Now she's trying to build a life, after 10 years of only being 50% of a "married couple."
I'm quite happy with my life. My wife likes 75% of what I do, and let's me enjoy alone time for the other 25%. I do the same. We've been married a quarter century so far...and are doing fine.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
ktmrider
Well-known
I just spent a month alone in SE Asia. I enjoyed the time to myself while also missing my wife. I admit being concerned about motorcycling by myself in Laos and was relieved when I stumbled upon a couple Canadians doing pretty much the same trip.
I was not worried about being alone but something happening (motorcycle accident) which would be easier with a couple other gringos present.
Honestly, I think it depends on the circumstances (don't think I would like to solo Everest).
I was not worried about being alone but something happening (motorcycle accident) which would be easier with a couple other gringos present.
Honestly, I think it depends on the circumstances (don't think I would like to solo Everest).
Scrambler
Well-known
While in complete agreement with the sentiments expressed so far, there are some settings where it is much better to travel in company. If you plan to travel anywhere where injury is likely and communication poor you really should have a companion. There are technological alternatives such as a Spot.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
kshapero
South Florida Man
Absolutely not. Travel anyway you like. I have traveled the world over both alone and not. Both ways are rewarding.
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
thanks everyone !
Of course it does depend on the trip, but I mostly wanted to see if anyone else had encountered this reaction
Of course it does depend on the trip, but I mostly wanted to see if anyone else had encountered this reaction
gns
Well-known
I think anyone who has traveled both alone and with a companion (and anyone else who just thinks about it for a minute) can easily come up with pros and cons for each.
As far as judgement from others, that's their problem.
I especially like traveling alone in the wilderness. For me, that's backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. I know there are inherent risks in that, but I'm careful and feel the risk is worth what I get from it.
Gary
As far as judgement from others, that's their problem.
I especially like traveling alone in the wilderness. For me, that's backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. I know there are inherent risks in that, but I'm careful and feel the risk is worth what I get from it.
Gary
Archiver
Veteran
A friend of mine has gone on a number of solo trips to out of the way and often dangerous places, like Tibet, Burma, Laos, and the less citified parts of Thailand. He's an adventurer and enjoys exploiting her personal resources and skllls to get around in such places. I admire that, but have only been on a few solo trips myself, only interstate in Australia.
Not sure if there is a general stigma against traveling alone, but I can see clear benefits to both sides. When traveling alone, you set your own times and pace, go where you want, whenever you want, and do not need to account for someone else.
On the other hand, traveling with a like minded friend or partner means you have someone to watch your back, someone to confer with about experiences and places, and someone to take care of certain tasks while you attend to others.
I spent three weeks in Japan with a great friend who didn't hold up my photography at all, and his intrepid nature led us to all sorts of places. Being military, his sense of direction and orienteering was excellent, so we found our way around surprisingly easily. From my end, I did most of the translation and talking, and organized all the hotels, flights and other logistics. Looking back, I wouldn't have have done it alone, and I would happily do it all over again.
But I'm often out on photo walks by myself, or going shopping, going to shows or gallery exhibitions, and suchlike. It's at those times when I 'get my Zen on', and the need to attend to someone else, even if they are totally independent, is gone. It allows me to focus 100% on my own experience of photography, just me and the camera and the world around me.
Not sure if there is a general stigma against traveling alone, but I can see clear benefits to both sides. When traveling alone, you set your own times and pace, go where you want, whenever you want, and do not need to account for someone else.
On the other hand, traveling with a like minded friend or partner means you have someone to watch your back, someone to confer with about experiences and places, and someone to take care of certain tasks while you attend to others.
I spent three weeks in Japan with a great friend who didn't hold up my photography at all, and his intrepid nature led us to all sorts of places. Being military, his sense of direction and orienteering was excellent, so we found our way around surprisingly easily. From my end, I did most of the translation and talking, and organized all the hotels, flights and other logistics. Looking back, I wouldn't have have done it alone, and I would happily do it all over again.
But I'm often out on photo walks by myself, or going shopping, going to shows or gallery exhibitions, and suchlike. It's at those times when I 'get my Zen on', and the need to attend to someone else, even if they are totally independent, is gone. It allows me to focus 100% on my own experience of photography, just me and the camera and the world around me.
thegman
Veteran
I've never traveled alone for a significant amount of time, but it's certainly attractive. You don't have to worry that you're in too much of a hurry, or taking too much time, or the other person is bored etc.
Andrea Taurisano
il cimento
I don't think there is any stigma associated with travelling alone, but I definitely experience the same surprise / skeptical / slightly critical reaction you report, every time I mention that I'm going to venture on yet anoter of my solo trips. These have led me several times to relatively remote regions of Russia, including a winter Trans-Siberian trip, as well as Japan and Afghanistan.
Some of those trips would just not feel the same if I was travelling with friends or partner, at least those where the point is to inspire a feeling of huge distance from all your known world, of total isolation, of leaving everything behind, not to mention how great it is to feel that you're doing something unique, that most others wouldn't dare do..