Script for a Solo Trip

The Reality of Traveling “All-by-Yourself“

After traveling alone, I realized my mother’s “all-by-yourself” comment didn’t reflect reality. From when I left the house to when I returned, I was in the company of others. People talked to me on the plane, hotel clerks checked me in, store proprietors greeted me in their shops, and waiters helped me make menu selections. Also, other tourists and locals recommended places to visit. After all, folks love giving advice. The opportunities to encounter people and strike up conversations were endless.

One of the most delightful encounters I experienced with a stranger took place when I needed information to plan a serendipitous excursion to Paris. I stopped in a bookstore in Oostende, Belgium to pick up a travel guide, but they didn’t have any written in English. 

After spending a few minutes chatting with me, the store proprietor realized I understood bits and pieces of French. “Do you think you could handle a children’s travel book written in French,” she asked offering the travel guide. I thumbed through the pages and said, “Brilliant solution!” Later at the hotel when I studied the book more carefully, I found a note tucked inside the back cover that invited me to contact her if I returned to Belgium.