Solo Travel: Embracing Adventure Despite Anxiety

I have to admit that I have been having a little worry, call it anxiety, unsettled thoughts, about my upcoming trip to France.

You see, I have never really traveled by myself before. I have traveled TO places by myself, but have always met up with friends or had friends there already. But have not gone somewhere for a whole trip entirely by myself. So apropos to that, today when I woke up, I found this in my email inbox, How to Overcome the Fear of Travelling Alone, and some of it spoke to me.

I know that, for women, life is different. We know to be wary. We have to be always vigilant.

When you would like to think of yourself as an explorer, a traveler, it can be hard to admit that you can be a little afraid, a bit anxious, about your adventure.

My fears: Will I be lonely? Will I be lost? Can I make my connections? Will I be vulnerable? A target?  As a somewhat older woman by herself, perceived as helpless? Have a medical emergency?Well, on and on... I have lots of worries, and usually they are frets and worries about my children and my loved ones. But for now, the trip worries are only worries about myself. Saying it that way, puts it into perspective. If I can pause to remember that, the thought that nothing I do on the trip will hurt my kids/anyone but me, can make me calm and happy.

So, why travel alone at all? In the last year or so, I have encountered many testimonials about the benefit and the power of traveling solo.
     Here's my take on it:
   
        When you travel alone you have to connect with the people in the country you are in.
  And,
        you may be forced to interact with people in their language, rather than spend your time conversing with your travel companions in yours.
       Traveling alone can increase your confidence.
       Being alone can help your introspection. Sit, think, make entries in your travel journal.
       It is an opportunity to become immersed in the country and culture in which you are a guest.

It is so encouraging to hear and to read about other women who have set out upon journeys of their own. I was very inspired by Female Nomad, I read her book several years ago, the tale of a very brave woman who ditched everything, at a mature point in her life, okay, like my age...I mean after 50, to travel by herself to some really interesting locales, places that would be challenging for many Westerners, especially women traveling alone. Her travel memoir is an inspiring story of a woman who could always relate and find connection with others in exotic places.

Of course, Eat, Pray, Love, the book by a woman on a quest to quiet her demons and find herself , inspired many of us to set out and sail the seas of self discovery.

I understand how grief and sadness can propel us into a new expedition, a new way to be.

I am going. The adventure is waiting.

Just Go: Planning a fall trip to France

Vintage Travel Poster  Source: Wikimedia

You might notice that the image at the beginning of this post is a cool vintage poster of Paris, and not my own photograph. That is because I haven't been there yet. I studied French in high school and college, and always intended to make that trip to France, preferably sooner rather than later. But later is good too. So when a September girls' getaway trip to New York fell through, I started researching fares to places in Europe and ended up booking a flight to Paris on Icelandair, just for me.

Three weeks from right now, I'll be in the middle of my first day in Paris. Probably jet-lagged, sated with crepes, and almost definitely lost. I plan to walk as much as possible, as I like to do when visiting cities, take the metro or buses as needed, and in a pinch—heavy rain, daunting distance, or when I've just given up getting my bearings —taking a taxi or Uber back "home" to the apartment I have booked in the 11th Arrondisment near the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, through Airbnb.

After four full days in Paris, I thought I'd get away to the Normandy coast, to the picturesque town of Honfleur. I envision this as a calm interlude with walks on the beach, but as I have booked two nights there in a little apartment or guest flat, also through Airbnb, I could take a day trip to Bayeux to view the famous tapestry.

I am really excited to continue my journey into the Loire Valley, where I will stay in a family home in Amboise (yep, Airbnb) and visit the impressive early Renaissance chateaux the area is famous for.

On my list:

Chateau d"Avignon                     Source: Wikimedia

Chenonceau                             Source: Wikimedia

I'll spend two nights in Amboise, and that leaves five nights as yet unaccounted for. Where shall I go? Certainly, I want to include Provence, especially to pay homage to van Gogh, visiting Arles and going to sites of where some of his paintings were created. A nice home base in Provence, might be Avignon, home of the Palace of the Popes, where many popes lived and reigned instead of Rome, in an interesting period in the history of the Catholic Church. I love the sea, so the far southern coast is appealing, but I think I'll avoid Nice and save the busy port city of Marseilles for another time. (My options will be limited by the fact that I am not planning to rent a car this trip, so will be dependent on train and bus schedules.)

Some ideas: Martigues, known as the Venice of Provence—intriguing, and Isle sur Sorgue, also called the Venice of Provence, the culinary destination and busy city of Lyon, or the fairy tale village Beaune. I have the feeling that I will finish up this trip with even more places on my French wish list.

If you have any suggestions for me, please comment. In the meantime, I will be brushing up on my classroom French and figuring out how to pack for this trip in my backpack.