Whether you’re single or live with a partner or family, one of the greatest opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth is to take a trip on one’s own. For many people though, it’s also one of the most intimidating and nervewracking experiences imaginable. Two new books provide inspiration, encouragement and practical guidance. The Solo Travel Handbook (Lonely Planet, $17.99. www.lonelyplanet.com) begins by asking “What’s stopping you?” and addressing some of the most common travel-solophobias, from introversion to safety concerns to guilt at leaving loved ones behind.
Then come tips on meeting people, how to use social media to your advantage (without constricting your experience of the world to a portable screen), some suggested solo itineraries, and selection of inspiring first-person accounts of trips taken solo.
In Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities and the Pleasures of Solitude (Viking, $27. www.stephanierosenbloom.com), New York Times travel writer Stephanie Rosenbloom savors opportunities for musing, reflection, and setting her own pace as she spends stretches of unscheduled days in Paris, Florence, Istanbul, and, finally, her hometown of New York. The latter section is particularly interesting: Rosenbloom gives herself weekly non-journalism “assignments” that encourage personal exploration and discovery in her own backyard. It’s a reminder that solo travel involves journeys in the mind as well as on the map.
Originally published in PASSPORT magazine
