Women can travel solo, with a few precautions. Remain aware of your surroundings, keep track of your plan, and maintain communication with those back at home base. Sometimes seeing groups of people together can make you feel lonely, however, there are ways around this. Joining a group tour is one way to address these issues, and, being open and observant can lead to new insights, experiences, and friendships. Recently, in Barcelona, I experienced the magic of conversation and a meal with three other solo diners.
Sharing wine and tapas in Barcelona
On the last evening of my three-night stay at Hotel Bagues 5* on Las Ramblas (a beautiful tree-lined street in central Barcelona), I realized I hadn’t experienced original Spanish tapas yet. The congenial and knowledgeable hotel staff recommended Bar Canete, down a narrow street, a 10-minute walk away. It was late, I was tired, but….off I ambled. I was assured it shouldn’t be too crowded…well, it was filled up! I put my name in with the hostess, was given a complimentary glass of cava, and sat down to wait, feeling fairly solitary.
As time passed, I heard two women conversing in English, and went over to speak with them. The two of them, along with a German law student, were also on the waitlist as singletons. We had an interesting and far-ranging conversation, from the law student’s upcoming trip to UC Berkeley for a Master’s program to one woman’s software startup, to my O-level program in Welsh, and another’s determination to visit every European country on weekends.
Meanwhile, still no seating for singletons. So we agreed we’d ask the hostess if we could share a table, and when I listed our names and said we’d really bonded whilst waiting…we were seated immediately. Waitlist problem solved! One person chose a bottle of wine to share, another had the brilliant idea to ask the wait staff to recommend tapa to us, and we even enjoyed getting to know her – nothing warms a person quite as much as asking their opinion!
We shared various dishes, discussed and sorted out various world issues, connecting in a real and warm way as we shared a gorgeous chocolate dessert four ways. We took a selfie for us all to remember the warmth and fellowship as we closed the restaurant, and still keep in sporadic touch.
Connecting with others with new perspectives is a benefit of traveling solo
Learning about others, hearing different perceptions and ideas, really connecting — that’s what travel can bring if one opens oneself to the possibilities.
Dragon In Your Pocket can create an itinerary just for you (and your friends if you want a group you know). If you prefer to have a group to travel with, join one of Dragon In Your Pocket’s adventures – you’ll be glad you did!! #WhereDoYouWannaGo?
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