I'll start with the obvious pros and cons. First, if it's good company as it certainly is for me, it can really enhance the experiences. Also, splitting the cost of lodging is a real benefit. I'm normally budget conscious on a solo trip. If I'm going to the beach, I'll stay inland and use the public lot. Now, I can splurge and stay on the beach but still come out about even. Plus, I don't have to worry about the damn key fob getting lost or wet if I leave it in the room.
Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am full speed ahead when traveling and like to set the pace. I can tone down the Type A personality with Cynthia but I still want to pack as much adventure as possible. Only once have I missed out on a museum that I would have seen on my own. I was a little disappointed but not angry. It probably worked out for the best but that's another story.
I still spent much of my time in the surf in Panama City but I do take breaks to sit out and talk. It's worked out well for both of us. In Savannah, I didn't expect to enjoy Bonaventure Cemetery all that much but I actually did and would have missed out if I had been solo. Overall, a net positive just based on the above.
Although I am a little on the introverted side, I usually have good success connecting with others on my trips. All I have to do is ask where they are from and I have an opening. I have almost certainly been to your hometown and definitely your home state or province.
Now, it's a lot easier to connect with other couples. In Savannah, I was sitting next to a guy with a Detroit Tigers cap. I asked him if he was from Detroit and if he's a big Tiger fan. Though I have been there, I have yet to see Comerica Park, which looks to be one of the better ones. We had a great conversation and I found his wife to be very nice as well. When we said goodbye, she said that she couldn't remember if she gave me a hug earlier so I took another one.
We had a server in Panama City from Atlanta and I made some small talk about the city and mentioned some specific roads and towns. She thought we were husband and wife and told us to ask specifically for her the next time we are in town. I doubt very much if either of these connections would have formed if I was solo. In the future, I hope to reach out and invite solo travelers to hang with us because it meant a lot to me.
Now, a mini-rant:
Why is it that guys are so much more appealing to women if they are in a relationship? I'm pretty much the same guy.
I have one co-worker and a woman from my neighborhood who barely talked to me before but now have become good friends. Several Facebook friends that hadn't liked or commented on my posts in years are all of a sudden dropping hearts on every picture with Cynthia. I'm grateful for their support but the ones who stuck with me through thick and thin are valued higher.
No comments:
Post a Comment