En Voyage - Issue #8

Travel
Introverts can revel in the peace and anonymity,
but for reluctant introverts, those who wish
they were a little more outgoing, this way of
holidaying is a fabulous way to force yourself
to open up to new people. After all, travelling
alone doesn’t mean you have to be lonely.
Travelling alone can often, almost paradoxically,
mean travelling in a crowd. Group tours, escorted
trips and group activities offer the chance to
travel with like-minded strangers. If you choose
it to be, it can, in many ways, be the reverse of
going solo, and not being in a clique of friends
and loved ones can make you more likely to
strike up conversation with new people.
For the solo traveller, small hotels and guesthouses
with just a few rooms can be a great source of
information and company. The owners of such places
often enjoy meeting and chatting with guests. They'll
also have the best advice
TRAVELLING
ALONE CAN
OFTEN, ALMOST
PARADOXICALLY,
MEAN TRAVELLING
IN A CROWD
and most accurate upto-date
information on
things to see, where to eat
and how to get around.
It is important to
remember a few simple
safety rules and tips.
If you are heading
out by yourself, let
someone know where
you are going, especially at night time. Don’t
carry all of your money around – keep some
locked securely away, along with an emergency
card in your hotel room – and make sure you
have access to a few emergency contacts.
When travelling alone, you can’t afford to
leave common sense at home, the onus sits
squarely on you. But for the chance to cast
aside the shackles of other people’s priorities,
the extra responsibility can be so worth it.
So whether it’s a short trip away, a week, or
longer, rejoice in the opportunity to escape
from the life-baggage of home and embrace the
freedom to explore the world on your terms.
LOOKING FOR PEACE AND QUIET…
Fly direct to Bristol and make the two-hour
drive to Gaia House, rated one of the best
meditation retreats in the UK. Offering silent
meditation in the Buddhist tradition, the
house is a historic listed building set deep
in the peaceful countryside of south Devon,
with views of Dartmoor National Park.
gaiahouse.co.uk
FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD…
If you’re after a gourmet culinary break, in
which you can eat great fodder, learn how to
make it and meet like-minded foodies, then a
trip to the Northcote Cookery School, one of the
UK's top culinary schools, might be for you. Fly
direct to Manchester, from where you can reach
the school by road in under one hour.
northcote.com
IN SEARCH OF HISTORY AND CULTURE…
A two-hour trip by rail from London is the
world-famous city of Oxford. Particular sites to
see include the Gothic twin towers of All Souls
by Nicholas Hawksmoor, the domed Baroque
Radcliffe Camera by James Gibbs, and the
modern St Catherine’s by Arne Jacobsen.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bath is
celebrated as a place of historical and cultural
importance, and a beautiful city in which to
wander at leisure. Fly direct to Bristol, from
which the city is an hour’s drive.
A GATEWAY TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS…
Known as the 'Capital of the Alps', Grenoble
boasts great museums, excellent dining, exciting
nightlife and a superb public transport system.
It’s an excellent starting point for exploring the
French Alps. Fly direct to Grenoble from
3 February to 31 March.
IMAGES COURTESY OF NORTHCOTE
48 En Voyage | Aurigny’s Magazine