Solo Travel (TS006)

Travel Tales From Beyond The Brochure

Hello :)

This is the recording of the sixth Twitter Spaces that I did with my friend V. This particular recording also saw a fair contribution from a Miranda, a mutual Tweep who lives in Netherlands.

This edition is on Solo Travel; I usually travel on my own and here I explain why, and whether there are any problems associated with that - especially with relevence to my Mental Health or Personal Safety. We also discuss the benefits and malefits of group travel, whether my experiences of solo travel would be different if I presented differently, and why I'm very unlikely to ever be taken in by a cult..

Usual disclaimer, be aware this conversation took place over the phone and is recorded via my computer's internal audio card, so the quality won't be as great as my normal podcast episodes. In fact, when I was editing it I realised it sounded pretty variable and dodgy. Blame Twitter for not allowing me to do Spaces through my computer.

Topics discussed include: * Why I travel alone (planning, last minute travel, unusual places) * "I go to these places so you don't have to" - vicarious travelling * Travelling with me is a veritable pot of chaos * How travelling with someone is hard from both people's point of view * Being scared to travel solo, and social anxiety * Places I wouldn't travel alone - mainly for admin reasons * Feeling like a minor celebrity in a different country * Dealing with language issues while travelling solo abroad * How I tend to ignore scams * Ways in which I don't get bored when I travel long distances * What's it's been like travelling with companions * Not keeping in touch with people you meet while travelling * Six Degrees of Separation, and how it both helps and hinders travel vibe * My feelings about full group travel; party buses, middle-class coach tours, & cruising * Worries about being sick or having accidents * The hidden expenses of solo travel * Female solo travel safety, & how safety is often relative and personally-specific * How someone should start if they want to travel solo but never have

I was interviewed by the lovely Victoria, but you can call her V.

A PDF transcript of this episode will be available shortly.

As always, if you have anything to say about the topic, or indeed about my podcasting in general, leave a comment or let me know. You can also sign up to my newsletter and find out about future podcasts and recent blog posts.

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Until next time, bye for now. :)