Alone&Happy in Carvoeiro?

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:07 pm

Although Ive put CVO in the subject ..it could relate to anywhere!
My question is..are you happy to travel alone...be alone..on holiday?
I realise some of you maybe be single and are therefore used to it.
Some folk are very indepent and like to be alone to do their 'own thing'.
When I went to CVO this April..it was my first experience of travelling alone in quite a few years.
I had been back to Portugal to work on my own and although nervous..I had found it exciting.
In April..I was a bit nervous again..but once on the plane I felt exhilarated & had great feeling of freedom..I wasnt Wife-Mum-Nan- but me..and the feeling seemed very new to me.But I was staying with a little family and had company.
Bit different on my recent months hols..when I experienced more than a few very lonely moments/hours...which somewhat took the edge of the 'Freedom' feeling..
Okay..I could do what I liked..got to bed when I liked..get up whenI liked etc....
How do you feel about this? Are you happy to 'go it alone?'...Maybe youre used to travelling/being alone and you prefer it?
Have to say.that although I enjoyed my hols and made many friends..I really missed......sharing

fatscholes · Post by **fatscholes** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:34 pm

been to CVO on a couple of occassions when i had the time between jobs on my own and had very relaxing times

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:50 pm

Hi Ellie

I travelled to cyprus by myself a couple of years ago to look at properties.
Panic did not set in until I was on the aircraft at night alone and I realised I was going to have to find the car in a dark car park, then find the hotel by myself in the dark!

However the 5ft tall x 5ft wide midget that was the reincarnation of an English Bulldog (conjure up that picture in your mind)terrified the developers who thought seeing a woman alone was going to be a pushover

I think the worst time for me was mealtimes surrounded by couples and families at the hotel and not being out by yourself after dark.

There was also no one to read the map...well in Cyprus there were no street signs in the end I found my way round using the potholes in the roads like Braile.

It was a lonely week and I read a complete book.

maddi · Post by **maddi** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:31 pm

Hi Ellie

I think I would be relatively happy and confident to travel to CVO and several other places on my own due to the number of times I have been there before. But can easily imagine being dreadfully lonely on occasions whilst I was there.

However there are a host of "new" places I want to see like Tallinn, Estonia; Angkor Wat, Cambodia; Macchu Piccu, Peru and I am dreading going to these places on my own, I want to be able to share the planning, share the experience and have someone to talk about it with over and over again.

To be honest I am not the sort of person who is particularly happy with only my own company, especially in the evenings - dinner, for example. And since my split have cancelled 3 booked holidays because I couldn't face going on my own. In fact since the split the only place I have been was CVO in May/June and I did have the company of other members of my family for that trip.

I guess though if I want to see the world, I need to get on with it - and personal confidence will come with the travel.

Mads

Thunderbolt · Post by **Thunderbolt** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:36 pm

Hi Ellie,

The only place I've ever been on holiday on my own is CVO but I found it easy because I was staying at my villa so didn't really suffer with the do I don't I go to the restaurant on my own.

It was all very familiar and I was never really alone because my friends looked after me there.

But sometimes it did get a bit weird. Gave me a lot of time to think though which was nice and I read even more books than I usually do.

I don't think I'd be comfortable going somewhere I don't know on my own but a friend of mine (girl) went travelling for 9 months to OZ, South America and Asia on her own and had a fantastic time.

loretta · Post by **loretta** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:26 pm

My Friends mum travels on her own all the time, She has been to Cambodia, Cuba, Egypt, New Zealand, Austalia,Thailand,Canada,USA and most of Europe. She is now in her late fifties and has been travelling alone for about 20 years and has made many friends on her travels.
I think she is very brave. I myself wouldnt travel alone i would be to nervous, if i didnt have anyone to go with i just wouldnt go.

swingdingin · Post by **swingdingin** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:42 pm

hi girls
i`m sure many of us have wondered what it would be like to holiday alone...i think i could stand it for maybe a week , if i had a nice hotel room , a pool , a bar , and plenty of books......but i still believe i would be lost at night....you have to be a very sociable person to go out for a meal alone , and it brings back horrible images from that film "shirley valentine"
However travelling and sightseeing may be different , and i would expect the people you would meet would have similar interests
mike

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:12 pm

Hi Ellie

Good question, I have travelled quite a few times now to our place just outside cvo, whilst it was being renovated, where I staying in a hotel, and after where I was able to stay at our house. To begin with the kitchen was not completed so I had to go out for an evening meal, I must say, I didn't mind it as I love to watch the world go by and do some people watching, the only time I felt alone was after my meal, a woman on her own walking around the streets of a town is not so comfortable as when you are with someone else.

I don't think I would like to travel on my own to a country I had not visited before, unless I knew I would be meeting up with someone I knew. My Hubby is always saying I should go with him when he travels for work but doing things like exploring a new city etc. I think is far nicer with someone else. But if I had to be on my own I think I would do it anyway. I just love to travel

.

I think I have contradicted myself a bit

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:26 pm

Evening girls(Mads-Lori-Lesley-Guest)-Fatscholes.Mike!
Interesting replies and I was gonna say maybe its easier for a fella to travel alone but maybe not (except from safety point of view?) as we can all experience the rotten feeling of loneliness cant we?
Mike..its funny you should mention 'Shirley Valentine' ... my older son said as much to me.both in April & Sept. ! His words
"Mum..youre not doing a Shirley Valentine are you?" then started laughing....
But reading all your comments here..particularly from the girls, we have something in common in that we wouldnt/dont mind..going to CVO alone..dont think I could go to place thats alien to me, alone.
My friend lost her husband very suddenly (they were in their early 50s)..for a time she was completely lost.She didnt drive and had never been anywhere without husband. But after a time she forced herself to get on a plane alone..she was very scared..now 10 years on shes been all over Europe.Sometimes with friends but often alone.
In April.as I sat on the plane alone, I thought of her & others like her..and thought 'this is what its like for them most of the time'..and theyve had to get used to it.
But at least when you visit CVO..you are in a small cosier..intimate place/where its certainly easier to make friends.
Like Lesley..most times during my hol I dined alone..But thats why I go to Colombos. I know them well and I feel at home & like Lesley its good place to watch the world & his wife go by

Must admit though..there were a few times I did feel a bit of a 'lulu' sitting on my own..and dont know whether Lesley experienced it..but I did get a few quizzical looks!

My loneliest times were....some mealtimes..on the beach (seeing couples & families laughing together) and at night before going to bed. Also,I couldnt bring myself to walk into Jailhouse or a strange bar ..
Do you girls feel the same ..I mean going into bars alone?

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:28 pm

p.s. My daughter said "How did you do it Mum? Travel alone and stay alone for whole month?"
I said "I dont know.I just did it"

loretta · Post by **loretta** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 7:10 pm

Hi Ellie
I could go into a bar on my own and not feel out of place, but there are certain bars i would feel uncomfortable going in. It wouldnt bother me going into a bar ordering a drink and sitting on my own, but only if i was meeting friends, I couldnt go in and sit there for the night drinking like men do, I would i feel like everyone would be looking at me.

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:42 pm

I agree with Loretta, Iwould go into a abr if I was meeting someone, but to go in alone for an evening would make me feel very uncomfortable, as people/men do look at you in 'that' way.

And yes Ellie, altho' I really enjoy being on my own, watching the world go by, by yes you do get looked at.

It seems OK for a bloke to go somewhere on their own and it is accepted, but a woman seems to be 'out on the pull' if we go out on our own.

Michael Crane · Post by **Michael Crane** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:49 pm

I frequently travel to Turkey on my own.

I get to play backgammon all day, and eat and drink (and play backgammon) all night - and I don't have to worry about Sharen stood waiting for me.

mac · Post by **mac** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 12:56 pm

The only time I've travelled on my own is when my OH was on business and I few out to join him and got myself to the hotel to meet him later. That wasn't bad and people on the plane were really chatty but then we did a round car trip and travelled home together. Another time we flew out together but he had meetings so I sight saw on my own. We were only there a couple of days so that wasn't bad either. And once I flew home on my own as he was called away on business on our skiing trip so I collected the car from the airport, etc. etc.

I wouldn't mind going to Carv on my own as it does seem familiar now but I wouldn't like to go to a strange country and I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable going into a bar on my own and staying on my own all evening. I'm sure we girls/women do get looked at in a strange way

Thunderbolt · Post by **Thunderbolt** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 1:25 pm

I've travelled to America on my own but only because my friend was flying from a different country.

I hate flying so you can imagine how pleased I was at having to spend 10 hours on a plane on my own feeling increasingly anxious.

But got there in one piece (all 3 times I did it) and had a great holiday afterwards.

The only place I don't mind flying to on my own is CVO. Have been over about 8 times this year and most of them were on my own as I was meeting someone over there.