Solo Traveler: Tales and Tips for Great Trips, 1st Edition (Special-Interest Titles) [Paperback]

Lea Lane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Series: Special-Interest Titles

A quarter of all travelers hit the road without a companion each year, whether for business or pleasure. In this personal book, solo travel expert, Lea Lane, reveals the joys of the experience as well as its challenges, and dispels the stigma of traveling solo, covering such topics as:

• Dining alone
• Solo-friendly lodgings
• Group and special-interest travel—including ditching the group
• Socializing with locals and finding romance along the way
• Traveling with pets
• Smart ways to save and spend

With warmth and wit, the seasoned, and award-winning journalist, Lane helps readers conquer their fears, make intelligent choices, and appreciate solo travel not just as a different way to go, but the ultimate way to go.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The difference between a tourist and a traveler, contends globetrotting journalist Lane, is that a tourist seeks only comfort while a traveler seeks discovery. Travelling, she claims, is best experienced alone. While vacationing by oneself often carries a stigma of loneliness, this insightful guidebook proves that solo journeys can be much more rewarding than travelling with friends or spouses. Lane addresses the typical fears people have about vacationing alone-"I'll be in danger"; "I'll get lost"; "I'll have no one to talk to"-but she explains how to avoid the pratfalls and shows that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Going above and beyond the basics of packing and cost efficiency, this book is filled with helpful tips for making the most of the travelling experience-how to engage strangers in conversation, how to savor the dreaded "table-for-one" scenario, how to have a romantic fling or find the love of your life. In addition, Lane sprinkles entertaining personal anecdotes of her own solo experiences, recounting the time her pet poodle was lost by an airline and her flirtations with a young promising actor named Jude Law. Seeking to inspire readers to be independent and self-sufficient, Lane successfully shows that solo travel enables one to meet new people, become immersed in new cultures and learn about oneself. Whether planning an entire vacation alone or simply parting with travel companions for a few minutes, readers will find a wealth of information here on how to make the most of their travel experiences and appreciate the joys of solitude.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140001400X
• ISBN-13: 978-1400014002
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #636,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Solo Travel

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally...Practical Advice for the Solo Traveler, April 24, 2005

By 

Paula J. Musto "pmusto" (Miami, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Solo Traveler: Tales and Tips for Great Trips, 1st Edition (Special-Interest Titles) (Paperback)

As someone who frequently travels solo --both personal and business trips-I found this book insightful and helpful. Solo travel can be fun and rewarding (not something to be advoided at all costs as so many otherwise adventurous gals and guys believe) but you need strategies to overcome the dreaded "table for one" and other fears that plague solo's on the road. Lea Lane tells you how do it with flair. It's a must for anyone who has been timid about taking off alone.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Out Your Passport, April 24, 2005

By 

Wanda World (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Solo Traveler: Tales and Tips for Great Trips, 1st Edition (Special-Interest Titles) (Paperback)

This is a delightful, readable book that got me excited about travel. I've done some "partial" solo travel, so I could really relate to the author's stories. I especially loved her tales, some sad and some laugh-out-loud funny. She had many useful ideas for dining alone, packing your bags, dealing with strangers and loneliness, planning ahead and so much more. Her many experiences (some were amazing) just whetted my appetite to get on a plane. Can't wait to read Ms Lane's next book (while I'm enroute to some exotic destination!).

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK !!!!, June 20, 2005

By 

P.K. (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Solo Traveler: Tales and Tips for Great Trips, 1st Edition (Special-Interest Titles) (Paperback)

This book was given to me as a gift while I was deciding if I would want to go on a long trip alone. It is a wonderful book. It convinced me that traveling alone is worth the adventure. I loved Ms. Lane's writing. I enjoyed this book so much that I am currently ordering three more copies of it from amazon to give to other solo friends as gifts. It is well worth the money, and all around a delightful book. I highly recommend it.