Vacationing alone

CEBU, Philippines - The common idea of a vacation is to go in a group. The fun is assured that way – one is in the company of people one is comfortable with and enjoys. But this concept is not quite ideal if the vacation is intended to truly “get away from it all.”

Yes, there are times that one wants to take a vacation – alone. The going away somewhere takes on a higher purpose. It helps that one is in an unfamiliar environment, where one is a stranger, in order to discover oneself more.

By traveling alone to some place new – where one had not been to before and where no one knows him or her – one is not compelled to put his ‘covers’ on. He can free himself of the expectation of family and friends. Good Johnny, for example, doesn’t have to bear with Tita Linda’s cooking, which she claims he likes.

Even traveling with friends can become suffocating, when one is “forced to share hotel rooms, café tables, and the occasional train seat with another person,” writes Matt Meltzer at www.thrillist.com. He suggests a solo vacation, instead. And he shares tips he has gathered from expert solo travelers on making the most of vacationing alone.

Get off social media. One is not going to see much of the new place when his face is stuck in the phone showing everybody back home what he just had for lunch ‘in an exotic eatery in this great place somewhere!’ Does anybody care?

Realize the first person you meet doesn’t know everything. When one gets to a new place, it’s wise to ask questions in order to find his way about. But frequently the person he asks does not have all the answers. Just because the ‘habal-habal’ driver says that Mang Tinong’s is the best bed-and-breakfast place around doesn’t mean he knows for sure, the guy might just be trying to give an answer. Being a local guy, the driver may not have stayed at Mang Tinong’s at all! The same holds true for any other thing the traveler asks about.

It’s okay to lie a little. While one doesn’t have to present himself as an astronaut who used to play professional badminton and started Instagram in his basement, being alone in a place where nobody knows him it’s fun to embellish a little on one’s ‘credentials’. He’s probably never going to see those people again, anyway.

Try restaurants with communal tables. It’s a great way to strike up conversations with locals who can steer one towards some interesting sights he might not otherwise see. In the rural areas, it’s also a great way to learn of some local delicacy.

Keep your schedule flexible. In an unfamiliar place, the vacationer won’t know what to spend his time on. He might get into an interesting conversation with local fishermen at the beach, with matching sips of a local wine. If it’s really an interesting chat, and the wine is really good, the the he might decide to spend forever there.

Don’t bring anything expensive and eye-catching. In a new place, one is smart not to be too trusting. He doesn’t know anything about the place, so he better stay on the safe side. Besides, even good people instantly turn bad at the right opportunity. Thus, it’s advisable not to bring one’s latest-model DSLR, or wear the thumb-size diamond pendant he got as gift from his aunt.

Always give a tip. No, it doesn’t have to be a fortune. It doesn’t even have to be always money. But it’s kind and polite to give something to show appreciation to someone who does one a little favor. It’s advisable to always have coins or some sweet treat to give to children who can show the vacationer the shortest way to the best part of the public beach, for example.

Be careful about giving personal information. Again, the vacationer won’t know to whose ears the personal information he gives out may reach. Information like where one is staying at or where one wants to go the following day can get in the way of one’s privacy and freedom of movement. If someone he doesn’t know asks questions, the traveler shall be very careful with his answers.

The solo traveler shall always remember that privacy and anonymity are double-faced coins. Those can allow him the perfect chance for deeper self-discovery by doing things away from the prying eyes of familiar people. At the same time, he is left to face certain risks – all on his own.