"I was so much more aware of everything; my senses were really alive"; "I found myself talking to more, and very different, people"; "It really opened my eyes in so many ways". All these are familiar phrases that I typically hear from people who have taken their first solo trip in the past year or so.
Solo travel is booming post-pandemic, with one Google Trends report in 2021 claiming that searches for the phrase were up 761%. It doesn't come as a surprise, as the trend had been curving upwards for years, and coming out of lockdown has only heightened our desire to get out in the world and live our best travel lives. Yet there is still a lot of ignorance around who the typical solo traveller is, with even the travel industry often using the word 'single' interchangeably with solo.
It never really has been just about young singles. When I took my own first solo trip in my 20s, I felt very adventurous until the day I came across a tiny, white-haired British lady who looked like she should be eating cream teas in Devon rather than hiking through the hills of northern Thailand. It was a wake-up call that solos come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, and can participate in any type of travel.
Most of my trips over the years have been solo, from business travel in my 20s (where I would often add on a couple of days to explore a destination) through to myriad trips for Wanderlust researching articles or attending conferences. I've experienced every type of trip covered in these pages, and what I have found - like the people quoted previously - is that I see more when I'm on my own.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August/September 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August/September 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
