Cyd Webster Beacham March 18, 2005
The First Time I Traveled Alone
I thought about it for a long time... years. I even went to a couple of book stores and bought books about traveling alone. I have read articles about it and tried to imagine myself taking a journey by myself. I can’t help but feel sad about the fact that I have come to the conclusion that since I love to travel, I must get the courage to go it alone. But I force myself to not dwell on the reason why I am embarking on this effort and focus more on actually doing it.
So after perusing a couple of books, magazines and websites, I picked up a few tips traveling alone such as being aware of my surroundings and traveling light. I decided that my travels should be in an effort to relax when I am alone so I centered my focus on Spa Resorts. I pondered this idea for a while because I began to think that I may run the risk of getting depressed if it turned out to be a Spa Resort that catered to newlyweds, married couples, romantic settings, etc. And since I am alone and have no prospective love interest in my life right now, this is an issue I must consider.
I searched some websites and found that many Spas cater to singles, women and health. This became very encouraging and inspiring. I began to get excited about the journey I planned to embark on alone. Now that I had found an activity to focus on in my travel, I began to think about locations I’d like to visit. The Caribbean was the first place that came to my mind. I love the blue water and white sand. There is so much serenity there in the warm sun and beautiful beaches. But then I found that these places do cater to romance, not to mention that they are quite expensive. I had decided to put the Caribbean idea on the back burner for now.
My search then narrowed to someplace domestically located which had a Spa I could go to. I decided that I should go somewhere I had been before for my first travel alone so that the familiarity would make me more comfortable. I finally came up with the idea to go to Las Vegas. I have been there before and enjoyed it. There’s so much to do there and the hotels are beautiful. The price is right too. And while I was there I decided that I would take a tour to the Grand Canyon which is something I have always wanted to do. I got really excited at having this plan come together in my head.
I made the reservations and began to prepare for my journey. I called and made a couple of appointments with the Spa in the hotel I decided to stay at and decided to wait until I got there to arrange the Grand Canyon tour. I was very excited at finally actually making a trip alone.
Once I set out to go to the airport, I felt a sense of happiness and calm. I was able to be so relaxed and not have to worry about what anyone else wanted to do or anyone else’s agenda but my own. I could wander around the airport and look in the stores, go eat what I wanted without hearing any comments about it being high carb or too much fat.
I got on the plane and pulled out a book and was able to relax and read. Once arriving in Las Vegas, I caught a shuttle to the hotel and once I got into my room I just flopped down onto the most comfortable bed and laughed to myself. I did it! I am here! I am already enjoying myself and I haven’t even done anything yet.
I am so happy that I made the effort and now I know I can do it. I plan to travel a lot more now and won’t worry about whether I can find people to travel with me. I choose to be happy and make an effort to make the best of my life while I am here.
