Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with travel and resolved

Ideas for quiet Caribbean beach vacation?

mark7570 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:37:09 -0800

Where is a good quiet Caribbean beach resort, with good food and service but a minimum of loud people/activities/partying? Here's what I want from the resort or hotel: walk right out directly onto the beach. Sit down in a beach chair under an umbrella. Order a beer or pina colada (or bring one from the beach bar). Then do nothing all day, enjoying peace and quiet, looking at the water. Then walk back to the resort's restaurant for a good dinner. Bedtime. Next day, same agenda.

I don't want a casino. I don't want nightlife. I don't want organized hula hoop contests on the beach. I don't want rock-climbing or kayaking adventures. I just want a beach, an umbrella, and a beer. And then a nice dinner.

Extra points if this location is a direct flight from New York City.

One place that fits the bill, by the way, is resorts on Grace Bay, within Turks & Caicos. (Providenciales is a direct flight from NYC.) But most of those places are expensive and I'd love to find something that's more affordable.

Any ideas and/or recommendations from past experience?

P.S. I have seen this question about a short Caribbean vacation... which is helpful except that I'm not looking for a lot of outside activities.

What's a good career move for me, prefer travel?

photo guy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:08:05 -0800

What's a good career move for me? Forgive the length, as I've been giving this a lot of thought and really need to resolve this. I'm a bit unhappy with my career and have been for a while now. As it happens, I'm at a point in my life where I can make a clean break and chase my dreams, I just need some guidance.

My history: I'm 29 years old, single, no kids, and up until I was laid off earlier this year was working as an engineer. I don't have a lot of money or possessions, but have very little debt. I also own a house that I'm renting out to make some extra money. I should also mention that I'm not really the typical engineer - much more outgoing, hate being in a cubicle all day, and get bored easily.

The past five years I've spent working for a small design firm, basically writing software for cheap electronics - mostly two-way radios. I'm not a very skilled programmer (Assembly and C, that's it), found the work too stressful, and am honestly surprised I lasted there as long as I did. Before that, I spent a couple of years pulling cable for a telecom company - mostly grunt work, but worth mentioning.

Despite my misgivings in college, I finished my BS in Electrical Engineering since I was always a math/science whiz. I did reasonably well I think, given how hard the program was.

What I'm looking for: What I would really like is a job that allowed me to live abroad, or at least travel frequently. I've taken a few extended trips over the past few years, and am convinced that's what I should be doing. If I have to work stateside for the next couple of years, I would prefer to be able to at least live in another part of the country. I've been living in the same mid-sized Midwestern city my whole life, and for reasons I won't go into here, would really like a change of scenery.

What I've considered/been suggested so far:

Foreign Service - This would be perfect! I'm applying as an SEO, but have been given the impression that I will most likely not get medical clearance (which is very stringent) due to a minor condition I have to take medication for.

Other federal jobs - I've contacted a few three-letter agencies (CIA, FBI, etc), but haven't heard anything back yet. I don't know if there are any other government jobs out there that fit what I'm looking for.

Military - I'm not really the military type, but I haven't ruled it out completely.

Teaching English - Not exactly a career I would want long-term, but at least it would get me out of the States for a while.

Any other suggestions? I'm open to re-schooling if necessary (although paying for it could be an issue).

Going on a round the world trip. Am I starting out right?

sacrifix — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:30:34 -0800

[TravelFilter] I'm leaving the country next week, with no return ticket. I'll be starting off in Thailand (Bangkok), with a basic itinerary including other countries in Southeast Asia, Australia, and (eventually) Europe. I feel mostly prepared. But I'm curious as to what I'm forgetting? Your help is appreciated. I plan on being gone for at least a year, maybe more depending upon my funds. I've read the other appropriate posts on AMF, also various other blogs, guidebooks, etc. I'm feeling pretty prepared, but I get the feeling that there is something that I am forgetting but I can't quite put my finger on it. Any suggestions as to things that you forgot to do before you left, or wished you had taken care of, would be greatly appreciated. Also, any particular tips for this kind of travel are also appreciated. I apologize if this is too ChatFilter-y.

I have:

- good walking shoes
- a good backpack (packed well, only about a week's worth of clothes)
- my shots
- a decent first aid kit
- passport
- travelers checks, American dollars, Visa card, Mastercard, and 2 checking accounts
- notified all of my credit card companies and banks that I will be using their cards overseas
- a flash drive with Portable Firefox, saved passwords, photocopies of passport, social security card, credit cards, etc (any apps that you have found useful in your travels would be appreciated)
- an unlocked iPhone

I have not:
- gotten travel insurance (any suggestions on companies?)
- gotten a Thai visa (but it doesn't seem like it would really be that beneficial to get it before I get there)

Please help me make Christmas memories for my boys

FunkyHelix — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:04:55 -0800

Children and Christmas in NYC - where are all the good windows? Where should we eat dinner? And what else should we check out? Next Friday I'll be taking my 6 and 11 year old boys into NYC via train for some Christmas site-seeing. It's something my mom did and it was always a bright holiday memory. So I really want to pass it along to my two.

We're going to swing by the big tree in the morning and possibly try the ice skating. From there we want to check out the fancy Christmas windows. Which ones would you suggest visiting as being awesome/interesting/etc?

We're going to street cart it for lunch and then look for somewhere interesting for dinner. We need somewhere moderately priced, not overly kitschy, touristy, or crowded and with a patient waitstaff (6 yo is ADHD and autistic.) Not looking for something like MacDonalds. It's a sin to be in a place as awesome as NYC and then eat at a franchise fast food place. Any suggestions?

We're going to try walking past the tree light up for night time on the way back to the train station. Anywhere to get hot chocolate and decent coffee that isn't a Starbucks that you'd suggest?

Finally? Besides the tree and the windows, I'd love any other suggestion for things to check out that are kid-friendly.

Thanks ahead of time!

Bait-and-Switch or ineptitude?... WTF Travelocity!?

blueberry — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:27:45 -0800

Buying a ticket to Bangkok—is there a dependable online ticket-searching service that is all about getting the truly cheapest fare? Skinflint-In-Coach.com? Argh!, I spent over an hour today working on the Travelocity site, trying to find a low-priced ticket from Portland to Bangkok. After noodling around with my Portland/Bangkok departure dates I finally found a reasonably priced ticket that I could afford. However when I clicked to order it Travelocity said Sorry, that ticket's not available, please go pick another one—all of the other tickets being at least $500 more. (And annoyingly, when I went back to look at the other tickets, that cheaper un-buyable ticket was still listed as being available)

So, I tried Kayak.com and found that while it searches across four different ticket sites, each site finds fares that differ from each other by thousands of dollars. That is, each site is saying "This is the absolute cheapest flight out there" but actually the ticket prices vary from $1900 to $4000. To my mind, there should be only one "cheapest flight"—you know, hence the "-est" suffix.

So tell me hive mind, is there one ticket-finding site that
A: doesn't advertise tickets that it doesn't have (Travelocity), and
B: searches all flights all through one interface—so you don't have to dig through several different sites and windows wasting time with their laughable ideas of what they call "the cheapest flight"?

[For reference, I'm looking to leave PDX on Dec 9th, and leave BKK on any of the days between Dec 31 and Jan 3]

Is it safe to fly with (mystery) reflux?

bitterkitten — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:20:53 -0800

Safe to fly with (mystery) reflux? I'm not sure that's what I have, but I'm definitely not ill (cold/flu) wise. I don't have (the feeling of) heartburn and have rarely had it. I've been checked out by a ton of doctors over the last year, including a trip to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona for a slowly worsening stomach condition that feels like it just keeps getting bigger - all they've found so far via endoscopy a couple months ago is "it's red and irritated, but we can't see anything else". It's like this 24/7 regardless of what I eat or do not eat. Or even if I eat nothing (maybe 24+ hours of no food from the capsule study wasn't enough time for it to quiet down, if it can). And I've been scoped and scanned and xrayed all over and every which way. Pleasant, eh?

This past weekend, it seemed to have worsened, making breathing more difficult than it was previously, and now I feel like I'm clearing my throat all the time, feel like my throat is perpetually full of gunk, which is typically a symptom of some kind of stomach/gerd/throat thing. I've already done trials of prilosec, nexium, and prescription zantac, and none of them did anything, and have been attempting cpap but have not been successful (strangely, my doc decided on this last visit to take away the machine, and wants me to try to sleep better on 'safe' non-benzo sleep meds before trying the machine again). I've also been working with a psychiatrist on getting a new anti-depressant to help ( i was on Zoloft a few years ago) , but haven't found a good new one yet.

I have been treated for allergies/asthma/Hashimoto's/IBS for years, and drainage out the wazoo - I'm pretty sure this is not those. My nose feels pretty darn clear and I think my chest is ok... it really feels like the throat. I also have a list of all the things this thing might be (and I was going to post it as a 'mysterious-diagnosis-me, mefites' in the next couple of days) - I even wrote a letter to this guy a couple days ago, but the thing right now is, after seeing 4 different docs in the last few days, none of whom said "we must get into an er right now to look at you again", but instead "ok, we'll scope you again in a few weeks as soon as you can get in there", I am supposed to get on a plane tomorrow morning and fly my ass to New York to visit the family.

The answer is probably the obvious one "if you don't feel up to it, don't get on a plane, dumbass". Still, outside of possibly catching something from somebody out there with flu or a cold, which I feel would end up with me needing serious help, is there any reason why just going on the plane, change in pressure, etc, should make any difference? I mean, there could be heat, change in humidity, etc... or perhaps me perceiving that I'm having more difficulty breathing just from making myself do this, rather than an actual problem.

So while I'm not asking for a diagnosis here, unless you feel like it, I'm just wondering if this is a really stupid idea. I have already flown twice in the past year feeling the big stomach pressure, but was not having as much trouble breathing then as I've had the last couple of days. Normally I fly with my little pillbox of tricks in case of whatever might happen, but for this, nothing seems to be making a difference.

One day in Fresno, let's have fun!

cabingirl — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:49:46 -0800

How should I spend my afternoon in/near Fresno next weekend? I'll be in Fresno for about 7 hours next Saturday and I'm looking for something to occupy myself. My usual fallback activity is browsing yarn shops and drinking coffee, but I'm open to other types of stuff, including a driving tour or something. Is Sequoia National Park too far away? What else would you suggest?

Paid-for air travel—help me save the money for later

coolnik — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:50:41 -0800

Lots of air travel in near future. Help me survive and save money. Early next year, I will be traveling a lot for business—conferences, seminars, etc. While almost all of this travel is paid for, I will be reimbursed only after the said event is done. Which means I will have to buy my own flight tickets.

Help me identify how I can use this opportunity to save money for my personal travel later in the year? What are the best options to to accumulate the air miles? If it helps, I am based in Rhode Island, and all of my upcoming business travel is going to be within the US.

Prepaid iPhone data plan in Mumbai?

jesseendahl — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:40:15 -0800

Hi, I will be living in Mumbai for 11 weeks next summer. I have an unlocked iPhone 3G. What is my best bet in terms of carrier and plan for the cheapest and most reliable data access? I plan to do local calls over the cell phone voice network and international calls via Skype on the iPhone. Thanks in advance!

What New Zealand Campervan experiences have you had?

birdwatcher — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:19:42 -0800

New Zealand Campervan advice -- anyone done NZ by campervan? We're heading to New Zealand in the middle of February for a month and want to rent (hire) a campervan to get around. We want to start our trip on the South Island so we're planning to pick up the van in Christchurch. We'd appreciate advice on which company to go with, which options you took with your van, what your experience was like in the various camping parks, and whether you took the van over on the ferry to the North Island. We will be leaving from Auckland at the end of the trip but only want to spend about a week to 10 days on the North Island. We're a little undecided about whether to take the campervan over on the ferry or do the North Island by car.

I should add that we are experienced RV-ers here in the US having travelled and camped for 5 years and over 60,000 miles in various motorhomes. The camper and camping won't be new; only the country. Also, we know we'll be driving on the opposite side of the road. That too is not a new or daunting experience.

Thanks very much for your advice and experiences.

What films are about people who decide to live on the road?

artlung — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:39:47 -0800

Besides Lost in America, Easy Rider, Surfwise, and Into the Wild, what other films are about people who make an affirmative decision to live on the road? The closest Wikipedia seems to get is Road Movies, which is not really apt. If not movies, what other cultural works of fiction deal with that kind of decision?

We're looking for a fun, warm place to spend New Year's Eve!

ersatzkat — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:26:24 -0800

My husband and I want to be someplace warm for New Year's Eve where we can see the full moon over the water. We can take time off between Christmas and Jan 3, and we'd like to go someplace warm for a few days. We're travelling from the East coast, have never been to the Caribbean or Mexico, and have a nerdy desire to see the full moon over *some* body of water. I'd like something relaxing and beachy, he'd like a bit more adventure and local interest and tall shit to climb (sorry, editorial I know).

Our problem is narrowing down our options - can you help us? Any recommendations for islands, cities, beaches - I know it's broad, but we don't know where to start! Assume that money isn't a huge object, but we'd also prefer not to blow 10K on a week. We're happy to make lots of reservations and stuff ourselves, but could be swayed by an all-inclusive that wasn't tacky and/or a ripoff. We're both late 30s. Thanks in advance for your help!

where can i leave my luggage for the day in boston?

gcat — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:24:53 -0800

please help me see boston for a day! (anyplace i can leave my luggage for a few hours?) i fly into boston this afternoon. i will be having dinner with an acquaintance and then spending the night at his home. the next morning, we will part company. he will go to work and drop me off somewhere in boston (apparently he lives 10 minutes north). then i am meeting another friend at 6pm and we are driving up to maine.

so, between 8-ish am thursday morning and 6 pm that evening, i will be free, so i would like to see at least one historic tourist attraction.

the problem: i will be carless and will have my luggage - a heavy suitcase and a carry-on bag. is there *anywhere* i could leave my luggage for the day?

i know, poor planning on my part, but is it a lost cause?

so my question is essentially this: can anyone help me think of anywhere i can leave my stuff that is both 1) safe (for my luggage) and 2) very close to public transport? i would be willing to pay if necessary.

it wont be at all practical to leave my stuff at my friends place for the day.

oh, and also, havent had a chance yet to research public transport. any tips? where should i have my friend drop me off thursday morning? (i.e., maybe somewhere close to something really cool that is not too far from public transport?)

im not really coming up with any ideas, so it may not be realistic, but if the hive mind could help me i would be very grateful.

thanks so much!!

Yelp a Paris?

kenzi23 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:48:48 -0800

Is there a Yelp-type site for restaurants in Paris (or Europe, as a whole)? Ideally I'd like a restaurant guide for Paris that is based on user reviews, is easy to search and bookmark like Yelp to make my meals in Paris a breeze. I'll even take a blog or a list if that's all I can get. Any suggestions are welcome.

Day trip from Krakow

triggerfinger — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:46:03 -0800

Day/overnight trips from Krakow? I will be going to Krakow in a few weeks for a six day visit. I am planning on spending a day each on the Salt Mines, Auschwitz and Krakow itself and am hoping to do a day trip if possible to another major city. Warsaw is an option but I'm also wondering how easy/difficult it might be to instead go to Budapest, Kiev or any other Eastern Europe cities? I am willing to take an overnight train, spend a day in the city and catch another overnight train back to Krakow. I've done a lot of searching on the internet and am having a difficult time finding enough information to make a decision.

Basically, I have come to the conclusion that as far as cities within an overnight train ride distance, the options I have are as follows:

Warsaw, Hamburg, Berlin, Leipzig, Prague, Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava, Kosice, Lviv, Kiev and Odessa

I've been to Prague and Berlin so those are out for me. Is there anyone who is more familiar with the region who could give me an idea on the travel time (via train) for the other cities? Which ones are more do-able than others? Which ones would be the most interesting to see? Are there any that involve hassles that are best avoided? For example, I've read that Ukrainian customs can hold you up for hours. I am a US passport holder if that matters.

Any advice would be appreciated. I'd like to take advantage of my trip to see another major Eastern European city if possible. Thanks.

Weird me out in London

MsMolly — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:37:44 -0800

Fun/weird London activities. Sock 'em to me. I'm going to be in London for three days at the end of November/beginning of December before an academic conference. I lived in London for a year during high school 20 (ulp!) years ago, and have been back a couple of times since, but my last visit was in 2001. I'm looking for quirky, off-the-beaten-path places to go and things to do. Something like Philadelphia's Mutter Museum, or Toronto's Bata Shoe Museum, or NYC's Peanut Butter and Co.. Shops, restaurants, museums, activities, all appreciated.

Dear Mystery Site: Where can I fly for $300?

tinamonster — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:41:39 -0800

I am looking for a Website I once used that allowed you to enter in a departure city and a date and then gave you all possible worldwide flight destinations sorted by cost. What was that site?

I know the names don't match, but it's really me! I swear!

arianell — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:22:48 -0800

Someone purchased an airline ticket for me, but booked it under my nickname instead of my legal name. I don't have any photo ID with my nickname on it. Will I be able to fly? (I know there have been previous questions asked about this kind of thing, but none since these new TSA guidelines were implemented.)

Everyone calls me by a nickname that is very different from my "actual" first name. Say my name is Josephine, but I go by Scarlett because of my hair color.

Anyhow, my boyfriend booked a trip for us, and he forgot to reserve my ticket as Josephine instead of Scarlett. We called the airline, and they can't/won't change the name on the ticket. Instead, they kindly offered to let us purchase a replacement ticket for the low low price of $600, which neither one of us can afford.

I know that, until recently, you didn't actually have to show ID to procure your boarding pass or get through security, although the agents at the security checkpoint would flag you for an extra screening. How much has this policy changed? Does it seem likely that I'll be able to board my flight? If not, do I have any other options?

Alaska dork needs help! Cool things to do in DC Oct. 27-Nov. 2?

Alaska Jack — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:29:09 -0800

Woohoo! Several idle days in Washington DC! I desperately need wise counsel; Please please please tell me about cool things to do! I'll be attending a conference just outside DC (Leesburg, VA, to be precise) from Oct. 27 to Oct. 29.* Then, from Oct. 30 through mid-day Nov. 2, I will have FOUR WHOLE DAYS with absolutely nothing to do in our nation's capital! I would LOVE to get ideas!!!

Here's some things to get started -

(1) I'm way more interested in seeing cool, quirky metropolitan-type stuff than I am in the usual monuments, etc. I love trying new things and expanding my horizons. I love music, I like meeting people, but I'm also perfectly happy doing things by myself.

(2) To that end, I won't be staying in a Holiday Inn etc, but lining up a room or even just a couch through a website I found. I should be able to get a place pretty close to downtown.

(3) I am used to doing a lot of walking -- and really looking forward to it! I doubt if I'll have any other transportation aside from public transit.

(4) I'll be there over Halloween.

(5) Hmm... should I worry about being mugged? Don't have to worry about that in Alaska. Now that I think about it, I guess things to avoid would also be helpful.

So how 'bout it? Festivals? Art shows? Tai Chi at dawn? Awesome little places to eat? (I esp. love street vendors, unusual ethnic foods, etc.) Should I make a sign and go protest and/or support some random government policy? Demand to see my legislators? I've never had a martini before -- who makes a great one? What should I bet on if I see one of those street guys with the cups and ball? Should I carry a can of spray paint in case I feel the uncontrollable urge to "tag" something? Get drunk and start a fight between Republicans and Democrats? Listen to some crazy speaker and subscribe to his intriguing newsletter? Anything to see at sunrise? How about midnight?

Sorry to sound so excited! But what can I say, I am! Help me fill every waking moment with memorable awesomeness!

- AJ

* Even during the conference, I'd love to know about awesome things to do in the evening.

Last minute advice for solo trip to Paris?

cider — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:21:50 -0800

I'm heading off to Paris for four days, and I'm starting to get a bit nervous that I'll forget something important. I've never been to Paris, and I haven't been to Europe for fifteen years. I'll be staying by myself in a hotel in Arondissement 7. I'm wondering if you can help me out with any last-minute tips or things I'm likely to have forgotten. Here are the types of questions that I suddenly find myself asking:

Will I need an adapter of some sort in order to charge my camera or ipod?

Am I required to carry my passport with me, and if so, should I get some sort of money belt? (I believe my hotel room has a safe deposit box -- is it better to leave it there?)

I'm assuming that I can get Euros out of a bank machine with my regular (Bank of America) card. (That's what I did in Germany years ago.) Is this true?

Will I generally be safe walking around at night? I'm a woman who will be travelling by herself; are there areas I should avoid?

I hate not having access to internet in case I want to look up directions, print tickets, or other computer-based tasks. I have an iPod touch -- is there likely to be free wi-fi around? Are internet cafes common in Paris?

Is there anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks so much!

Should I go to Burma/Myanmar?

MuffinMan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:37:28 -0800

Should I go to Burma/Myanmar? I'm idly considering off the beaten track holiday locations for a trip at some undefined point hence - and one of the options is Myanmar.

Now, there are two broad schools of thought:

1) Go - you're contributing to the economy and helping open up the country
2) Don't go - you're only filling a murderous dictatorship's coffers

I'm aware of the ethical considerations for and against, but even ethical tourism companies diverge on their advice and increasingly people seem to be suggesting that it isn't unethical to travel there.

Has anyone been, or know someone who's been, who could give me more of a feel on what Burmese people actually feel about this when their views aren't being monitored by the secret police?

And are there better/worse ways to organise a trip so that the junta benefits as little as possible?

Can you use airport amnesty bins to erase certain crimes?

Damn That Television — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:07:50 -0800

Where can I find the written laws that regulate amnesty bins at airports? (Amnesty bins are the bins right before the metal detectors in some airports where you can, according to signs, throw away anything that you can't take through security without penalty.) And, related, are these actually legally binding, or just a gentlemen's agreement? Could someone hypothetically put a stolen painting in the bin, and be free of legal consequence of having stolen it?

No room if you 'aint hitched?

smoothvirus — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:06:18 -0800

Do hotels or motels refuse to rent rooms to unmarried couples anymore? I took my girlfriend on a romantic getaway to the beach this weekend, and while I was not very concerned about it, I did wonder if it would be a problem. Back in 1991, I visited a platonic friend in Indiana and when she reserved the room for me, she had to lie and tell the manager that I was her cousin, even though she was not spending the night in the room. We were not romantically involved but the manager would not rent a room to an unmarried couple. This was a major chain motel in a big city in Indiana. I did go out on the Internet to see if this sort of thing still goes on but did not find anything, save one notable exception.

P.S. My girlfriend and I had an absolutely wonderful stay on Cape Hatteras in North Carolina this weekend. Go if you get the chance!

Alternative holiday ideas for New Zealand?

dinoworx — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:46:26 -0800

It's a common enough question, what should I do on my holidays in New Zealand? But we're not regular folks so finding good information has been difficult. We have 10 days in late October and we fly in and out of Auckland. We're Australian but well traveled and will most likely stay on the North Island unless some compelling information arises. We've hired a campervan and intend to travel about and camp where we can. Maybe a bed and breakfast or two. Though we are on a budget the main goal is to relax and enjoy the scenery rather than try and cram in too much. With our particular interests can mefites offer some good advice on where to see and do things that we'd find appealing. We're reasonably fit but not hiking all day up mountains fit.

I have a keen interest in permaculture and city farms/community gardens. My partner loves alpacas and all sorts of animals whose fleece can be shorn spun and knitted, ideas for seeing spring, lambs? She also has a keen interest in Neil Finn so the museum is on our list. Any excellent craft and/or local food markets?

We both love coffee and tasting local delicacies. Especially wine! Mud baths and sulphur springs sounds cool as well. We're looking to experience some of the natural beauty that New Zealand has to offer.

As we are in Australia the odds of a second trip are probably high. But may be a few years off. This time of the year it looks like the weather will be cool and wet. So are there things to do that work well in that kind of weather? Many thanks in advance!

Need advice on travel in Europe

dmbfan93 — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:27:07 -0800

Need travel advice. Please give suggestions on the best way to travel around Europe when you are single, young professional, adventurous, don't want to travel with your close friends (already did that) but don't want to travel alone. Please share with me some information on your best experiences traveling abroad....when you either traveled on your own, or with a tour group? I'm interested in visiting Spain, Italy, Greece primarily (not necessarily all in same trip) but I don't want to be totally on my own, yet I don't have anyone in my group of friends I'm dying to travel with at the moment (and I'm single). Suggestions? If its kosher, please provide the names of good travel sites/tour groups. Has anyone had a positive experience with Sierra club trips? Thx in advance!