DON'T TELL ME I CAN'T… ...travel solo

Carolyn Pearson has learnt that seeing a sunset on your own doesn’t make it any less beautiful

- FRANCES LEATE

Looking over at the elegant tables lined up on the beautifully tiled floor, I smiled at the waiter. ‘Table for one,’ I said, watching as his eyebrows raised in surprise. ‘Someone will be joining you later?’ he asked as he led me to my table. ‘No,’ I smiled back, sitting down to read the menu. It was the summer of 2015 and I was on a solo trip to Paris, and visiting a restaurant I’d wanted to try for years. I hadn’t even thought about the fact I was dining alone and barely registered the curious looks of other diners as I tucked into my starter and main course. Then aged 50, I’d been enjoying solo holidays for years – and while back in my 20s travelling alone would have felt daunting, now I couldn’t think of anything I enjoyed more.

I first went on a solo adventure in 1990, to Australia. Working my way around the country, waitressing, doing data entry work and IT, I loved every minute of meeting new people, and never felt lonely.