Going on holiday on your own?

Soldato
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Has anyone been on Holiday on their own? Where did you go what was it like?

I was supposed to go on holiday with my friend at then end of next month, he’s pulled out though. The plan was to go to India for a couple of weeks, sit on the beach, bum about get drunk. The normal sort of stuff 24 year old boys do when they work hard all year then go on holiday, we’re not talking 18-30 chav type stuff though.

I’m not really the type of person that’s into site seeing and not sure how I would get on without a partner in crime.

Any advice on, where to go, where not to go (not just in India, anywhere) and general tips would be good. I’m well travelled just not alone.

Thanks
 
I'll be spending 4 days in Singapore alone , I'm looking forward to it but can't help thinking I will feel awkward sitting alone in a restaurant or something , I guess i'll have to take a book for something to look at heheh
 
Been on holiday on my own a few times (Africa, Germany, Italy, Croatia to name a few).

It's not that bad, you generally make friends and while, as you say, things like dining alone can seem awkward, you may be surprised how often you get invited over to a group of locals (or at least I found that, especially in Croatia).

Just be sensible about things, make sure you use plenty of common sense, DON'T get drunk if you're on your own (and personally wouldn't advise it with people who you may consider your new 'friends' - you still don't know them), but above all have fun.

It's hard, it's different, but you'll be surprised how much of the 'real' place you'll see rather than the tourist routes.
 
I went on a sort of working holiday by myself and it's remarkable how quickly you start to meet people and make friends, obviously this requires a little bit of effort from you to not just sit around by yourself but instead to get involved.

If there are 'bad' areas to town then I'd generally suggest you avoid them if you're on your own or unless you know the people you are with fairly well but other than that there isn't a huge amount to say. It does depend on your personality how you'll get on but I'd think for most people it isn't that hard to get on with.
 
DON'T get drunk if you're on your own (and personally wouldn't advise it with people who you may consider your new 'friends' - you still don't know them), but above all have fun.

I got utterly hammered with random bar-girls within the first week I was there! :D Never had a single problem. Even left my valuables with them for safe keeping. lol :D
 
I took my first solo holiday this summer. A week in Amsterdam followed by a week in Barcelona. I had a great time. I usually prefer doing things by myself anyway so going alone was never really an issue.

It's not that difficult to make friends in Amsterdam as most people are very friendly and almost everyone speaks English, not necessarily fluently but they have no problem holding up their end of the conversation. Barcelona was a different story. People weren't as welcoming and I'd exhausted my Spanish within about 5 minutes of arriving which made meeting people very difficult.

You say you're well travelled so I'm not really sure there's much advice I can offer you that you don't already know. If you're worried about getting lonely then it might be an idea to gravitate more towards popular tourist hostels/hotels. Places that are guaranteed to have some English speaking people staying there (assuming that you only speak English).

If your destination isn't locked in then you might consider travelling to somewhere a little closer to home just in case you decide that a fortnight on your tod is just too long. But, personally, I wouldn't worry about it. Just dive in. You're going to a new country where no one knows you. You don't need to worry about making a fool of yourself. You can be completely free.
 
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You couldn't pay me to go to india, i hate indian culture, based on religion and status essentially. I have some good indian freinds but traditional culture i find hard to see the appeal.

Personally I'd recommend somewhere like cyprus or greece, good for just chilling on the beach and having a drink, never been to a bad restaurant, and great culture, laid back, good sights to see (if you end up getting bored, seeing as you said it wasn't your thing, it's good to travel out of town for a drink to stare out at a beautiful but of scenery though)

Cyprus is especially good, hire a car, you can pop down to ayia napa if you fancy a big night, plus ayia napa is cheap if you haggle.

Or go to bangkok, get drunk, sleep with a ladyboy and spend the remainder of your holiday in your room crying.
 
You couldn't pay me to go to india, i hate indian culture, based on religion and status essentially. I have some good indian freinds but traditional culture i find hard to see the appeal.

Personally I'd recommend somewhere like cyprus or greece, good for just chilling on the beach and having a drink, never been to a bad restaurant, and great culture, laid back, good sights to see (if you end up getting bored, seeing as you said it wasn't your thing, it's good to travel out of town for a drink to stare out at a beautiful but of scenery though)

Cyprus is especially good, hire a car, you can pop down to ayia napa if you fancy a big night, plus ayia napa is cheap if you haggle.

Or go to bangkok, get drunk, sleep with a ladyboy and spend the remainder of your holiday in your room crying.

Is your nickname Mr Culture :p
 
I went to Bangkok on my own, and stayed there for three months (having never been to Thailand before). Absolutely loved it. Met plenty of new friends in no time at all.
Just a question - Since I plan to do a round the world thing when I'm a little older - how did you make friends out there? Did you work out there and just go out with the others working there?
 
Just a question - Since I plan to do a round the world thing when I'm a little older - how did you make friends out there? Did you work out there and just go out with the others working there?

No, I just went to bars there. It's easy to get to know the people who work there and the regular customers (both holidayers and ex-pats). Got to know a few of the bar owners too.
 
[TW]Fox;14934041 said:
Sounds like your idea of bliss is a package holiday to Benidorm. Plenty of curry there as well.

You know a lot about cars, I'll give you that. But you seem to lack other quite key attributes and pick holes in what people say by unnecessary taking it literally. Although it’s quite a good attribute sometimes it’s not very intrusive to conversation and is a good way to start debates that aren’t necessary. Thanks for your “constructive” input though, I think I’ll give Benidorm a miss though.

I like places, people, food, drink, sun and cultures. I don't like sights... museums, castle, temples and other tat like that. I guess I do like sights, but only natural ones. When you say sights that's not what people normally think of though.
 
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