Traveling alone can be a daunting undertaking, if you let it be. A woman traveling alone, especially to Europe, is thought of as ill conceived, even dangerous. I traveled to Europe for three weeks on my own, and it turned out to be one of the most important decisions I have ever made for myself. The rewards of travel are many; culture, broad mindedness, history-but the rewards of travel on your own are more complex. When I decided to go, I searched for a companion, even browsed some travel tours, but they were not my style.
I’ve always been the one who does things different, ‘bucks the system’ and even an occasional disregard of authority! Humor aside, I decided I would go anyway, sans companion. The timing for my trip was a catalyst for my decision I was in between residences, which meant no mortgage payment, no rent due, no utility payment. Obviously, this was an advantage financially, and helped put my plan into action. I had yearned for a trip back to Europe-it had been twenty years since I was there! I saw my chance at returning fading away from me, and I was determined not to let it pass. I had a very rough itinerary, a passport, and a rail pass, other than that I kept it simple.
There would be some advantages to such a loose plan; after all, I was free to change my plans without any reservations to contend with. You, of course, can see the peril in such a plan as well. I started off in Germany, winding down the Rheine at a leisurely pace, and continued on to France and Austria. I returned to Paris, and spent many more days there than I had planned. The sights and memories I have from that trip are with me still, as vivid as the day I was there; the “Tour Eiffel” at midnight, with all the beauty of the city below, the natural spring baths in Baden Baden, Germany, the mountains of Austria. Too many to list here, hardly any justice paid to them in written word, you just have to be there. ‘People watching’ kept me busy enough not to feel uncomfortable about my solo dining, taxis to and from my hotels kept me safe at night. I alternately followed guide books, then let myself get lost, unable to contain my love of wandering up and down mysterious cobbled streets. I sometimes followed music, sometimes wonderful smells!
I followed my nose to a back yard in Maine, Germany, a little village on the Rheine. The woman in the backyard engaged me in conversation, and I rambled with her through memories of the war when she had been a nurse, and how she married an injured U.S. Soldier. They moved to Wyoming after the war, raised four children, and when he died, she moved back home to her beloved Germany. Following such a wonderful conversation, I was rewarded with strudel and coffee, proving that sometimes following your nose can be a very rewarding experience.
I wouldn’t have given up this trip for anything, and during the drudgery that is day to day life, the places I visited, and people I met along the way give way to joy, and a single woman travelers achievement. I plan more trips in the future, possibly to Italy, Switzerland, or Poland. Wherever my plans take me, I will remember that, “all those who wander are not lost.” (unknown author)
