Budget Bliss!

Three Star Luxury in Mauritius! (source - MikeW)

Three stars!  That is all it takes to please me.  I write this blog post (in my Moleskine) as I lounge by the infinity pool in my three star hotel in Mauritius.  Up to this point, I have apologised four times already for a number of things I need not apologise for; namely the numerous attentive staff just doing their job.  As a regular user of hostels and other types of budget accommodation, this three star palace is the height of luxury for me.  To be fussed over with hot towels, served drinks at my sun lounger and to be treated with some degree of deference is something of a novelty.  And, to be honest with you, it is a little embarrassing!  I am eternally thankful to be blessed with with a cheap taste for travel; so to have an army of hotel staff tempting me with a host of foods and drinks, clearing away my litter and lifting heavy bags, all with a cheery smile, is completely unfamiliar to me.  I am no Diana Ross.  I have no diva-ish tendencies that might suggest I have delusions of grandeur when it comes to travel.  I am a dyed-in-the-wool Yorkshireman who firmly believes that you should not make others do what you would not do yourself.  So, to have a retinue of staff to do your bidding just seems a bit silly!  But, I forget.  This holiday is a momentous one; where I am celebrating, with my family, a number of special occasions.  I am not backpacking through Eastern Europe on a budget of £10 per day or trying to negotiate the lowest price for a room in Croatia.  I am in this Indian Ocean paradise to relax.  I have certainly paid a fair whack for this and should certainly let the staff here take the load.  This is a treat!  I have a fairly stressful job where I think constantly about the welfare of others; so to have someone make my bed and clean my room for me each day, as well as bring me drinks and cook me sumptuous meals is an unadulterated joy...and, one I should savour!  Sure...I am only here for 10 days, but how lovely it feels to let those stresses ebb from your body as you sink into that sun lounger, pick up your book, dip into the pool, back to your book, dip into the coral filled tropical ocean, read more of that book...

MikeW 'Slumming It'! (source - MikeW)

So, you may feel out of your depth; a little above your financial station, but my advice to the budget conscious traveller out there - give it a try!  Throw yourself into the lap of luxury for a week or two!  Besides, you save so much on your other trips, why not live it up for a while; even if it does mean 'slumming it' in a three star!

Safe travels!

Eating Alone - TRGTALP's Guide to Chowing Down Solo

Pad Thai in Chiang Mai (source - author)

When I tell people that I often travel solo, the first reaction I often get is, "Oh!  Not for me!  I couldn't eat out alone!"  The tone with which this statement is said would suggest that dining alone is too horrific to even contemplate or can be a major stumbling block to enjoying your travels.  I can assure you there is nothing to worry about and the thought of eating solo should certainly not stop you from getting out there and exploring.  I guess most people fear that their fellow diners may be mocking or pitying them and their lonely existence.  I imagine eating in a restaurant surrounded by loved-up couples might make the solo diner feel somewhat uncomfortable or out of place.  Much of this is due, I believe, to projection and what we think people are thinking about us.  In the majority of cases, your fellow diners; but for a passing glance or comment about someone eating alone, do not give two hoots about you.  They are probably too consumed with the menu, the prospect of their own delicious meal arriving in front of them and their fellow diner's spinach-filled teeth to care about you.

Of course, it is great to eat with company, but eating alone allows you to take in more of your surroundings and gives you the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts.  I prefer not to, but I know people who get round this by reading a book.  I sometimes write in my travel notebook/Moleskine (something I referred to in my previous 'Your First Time') all the things I have been doing or plan to do on my trip or plan to do when I get home.  Remember, your meals are a small part of your day and need not consume you with angst.  So, here are my top tips to make dining alone that little bit easier:

1. Choose your eatery carefully...
- Though you should not give a stuff, you probably don't want to be eating surrounded by several doe-eyed couples sharing their spaghetti (a la Disney's 'Lady and the Tramp').  A friendly local venue is likely to be filled with a mixture of couples, families and, probably, the odd singleton just like you!
2. Eat at lunch...
- Eating your larger meal at a quieter time of the service will take the pressure off feeling that you need to be dining with another person for the day's main meal in the evening.  You can then free yourself up to take in some street food or local fast food options in the evening as you wander round and explore your destination.  The Khao San Road in Bangkok is a great example of where you can munch on satay, spring rolls, pad Thai and finish with some pineapple all for a few pounds as well as soak up an atmosphere you certainly would not find in the confines of a restaurant in the city.
3. Play on the WiFi...
- Only last night, in Split, the waiter took pity on me and came up to me with a till receipt with the restaurant WiFi password written on it.  His kindness was unwarranted, but not unwelcome and I was happy to spend 10 minutes or so, until the food came, sending a message here and there and catching up on the news back home. 
4. Buddy up...
- On a number of occasions I have dined with fellow travellers I have met in hostels, bars on tours that same day.  It is a great way to meet someone and can offer you the chance to get to know people really well as you 'break bread'.

Overall, though...I would suggest that you be bold in these situations.  You have every right to sit at a restaurant by yourself.  You are a paying customer.  Who cares what anyone else thinks!  Go ahead and chow down!

Your First Time!

MikeW in awe at the Orsay!  One of the best art galleries in Paris!

A newly single friend of mine asked me the other week for ideas for a trip she could take by herself; the first one abroad since her break up.  It got me thinking...where and what makes a good destination for first time solo travel.  I know this topic has been covered umpteen times on travel forums and I am not here to reinvent the wheel, but I feel that there are certain things that can make your trip as brilliant as you might hope and without any of the fears you might think such a trip will bring.

Now, my friend has travelled solo before, but not for a few years...so, for her a few reminders and for any solo travel virgins here are my top tips for that first time:

1. Destination...
Choosing the right place to visit can make or break your trip.  I probably, should say 'appropriate place to visit' as the key element of a successful solo trip is keeping myself occupied.  Opting to visit rural Italy, although lovely, may leave you feeling rather lonely and a bit bored.  I would say start off with a city.

(I am going to stick to Europe for this post - even though I have readers from all over the world, but the same principles apply wherever you are on Earth!)

Cities offer the solo traveller with a whole host of sights and different activities that will easily fill their time there.  For example, Paris, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Rome and Berlin are cities filled with world class museums, art galleries, historical sights, superb parks, great food, a brilliant and varied nightlife as well as a really distinctive metropolis feel that you just cannot help but get swallowed up by.  You will not be bored by these places!

On top of this, certain cities offer options for great day trips too.  Paris, for example, could see you catching the RER train and head out to the magnificent Palace of Versailles, the chateaux of the Loire Valley or to Giverny, the home of impressionist painter Monet.

2. Stay in a hostel...
You might not like the thought of a hostel for your stay, but I feel the hostel offers the solo travel one of the best ways to meet fellow travellers and find yourself someone to share some of your first solo trip with.  The hostel is a multicultural melting pot of different nationalities - though, you can ALWAYS guarantee at least an Aussie, a Yank and two Irish friends being there!  Choose your hostel carefully (following the ratings is often your best bet on www.hostelbookers.com and www.hostelworld.com) and you could end up in somewhere pretty swish.  When I travelled to Lisbon, I had a choice of top quality hostels to choose from and was thrilled with my decision to stay here... http://www.lisbonloungehostel.com/about_us.html.  The beautiful communal 8 Euro meal, laid back nature of the place and fun activities the hostel laid on for its guests, both during the day and at night, made this a perfect place to stay for the solo traveller.

3. Take the free tour...
I have said it before - (The Glorious Free Tour) get on the free tour!  I ALWAYS do the free tour...as a way to get my bearings and as a way to meet potential travel friends.  You are likely to be trudging round with many people in a similar boat to you and human nature dictates you are going to be drawn to the people who find the tour guide's crazy fashion sense, poor jokes or frighteningly in depth knowledge of the Ottoman Invasion of the city you are visiting strangely amusing.  The tour will also give you a chance to get to know a local who will be keen to show off their city at its best, so you can ask them about where is best to visit during the day and in the evening.

The Solo Traveller Toolkit:
- A good book for those down time moments or for when you are sitting in a cafe soaking in the atmosphere and hubbub of the city over a gloopy Continental coffee.
- An iPod/MP3 player.  It is just nice to hear a familiar voice from time to time and what better than a favourite song or energising tune to get you marching to that next tourist attraction.
- A Moleskine notebook.  Any notebook will do, but I like the Moleskine range as they are so luxuriously lovely!  I write down things I have seen that I do not want to forget, my thoughts, doodles, ideas for future art projects and for things I would like to do in the future.  Travelling to places away from home, is a privilege and I love being inspired by and learning from the places that I see often triggers ideas in my head for future experiences I want to enjoy.

Finally, be bold!  It is your first trip alone...just get out there and enjoy it.  There is no point wallowing in self pity or thinking 'I wish someone was here with me'.  Make the most of your trip, stride out there with confidence and savour what your destination has to offer you.  You won't regret it!  Oh...and if all of this advice has done nothing to inspire and you need someone to join you...you know where I live!