HOW TO SKILLFULLY TRAVEL SOLOALL OF MY SOLO TRAVEL LESSONS

ABOUT...All of my solo travel lessons were learned on nude

beaches. The lessons I refer to were garnered prior to a career in travel writing. Suffice it to say, my initial travel forays sans companions titillated me to the point of making it my profession. Though, my suitcase is a little heavier these days…

BE BOLD

How did I find myself naked in Mexico? A break-up was involved. The desire to do something daring/edgy/fearless was vital. Thumbing through a guidebook for Mexico, I stumbled across the words “nude beach.” I was in.

BE SMARTER (THAN I WAS ) No, I don’t speak Spanish. Nor did I know anyone who’d ever been to this part of

the world. I was flying blind. Where I should have gone right off the bat –travel.state.gov. Not only does the site give travel warnings and alerts, it also has advice for potential emergencies and crises, as well as tips for traveling internationally.

*A tip – check to see if there’s a website not only for accommodations, but the destination itself. Visitors Bureaus can be invaluable, as can online communities where others who have visited the region can give recommendations.

BRING MEDS As you can guess, I packed light for the trip to Mexico. With all that extra suitcase

space, I should have slipped in some RX for Montezuma’s Revenge. It hit me. Hard. Now I travel with a plethora of over-the-counter medications including Benadryl for bug bites and a decongestant for cold/sinus issues — ear pressure mid-flight can be a killer. As for prescription medication, it’s packed in original pharmacy bottles versus a pillbox for safety and security reasons, especially when abroad.

GET TRAVEL INSURANCE I’m the klutz of all klutzes. There was a nude hot tub calamity in Ojai, California,

during which I broke my foot, but was too embarrassed (translation: naked) to go to the hospital. When traveling out of the country, or on a cruise ship, purchasing travel and medical air transport insurance is a good rule of thumb. This has come in handy on numerous occasions, including losing a tooth to a gummy bear in Germany and when fly-fishing with a barbed hook on a windy day.

HAVE A BACKUP BUDDY A lesson learned en route to a nude beach in Italy’s Cinque Terre – when traveling

alone, make sure a designated person has all your travel information, including an itinerary, copy of your passport, etc. Should you veer off the itinerary, let them know. Getting locked in an abandoned train tunnel (not fun) is a surefire recipe for a Lifetime movie about your disappearance.

PREPARE FOR ROMANCE Traveling solo can be exhilarating, restorative, romantic… I’m all for setting

intentions prior to departure. And if romance is among those intentions, condoms are included on the packing list. And yes, the nude beach trip resulted in a (declined) marriage proposal.

STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Which brings me back to – Mexico. I was swaying in a hammock meditating on the

ocean. Not too far away, people were doing tequila shots on swings at the bar. “Time for reflection” was booted off my intention list in lieu of meeting people. I flagged down a group of Texans and introduced myself. This is one of the perks of traveling solo – connecting with strangers. Something that’s less likely to occur when traveling with BFFs, a lover or family members.

RESERVATION FOR ONE For many, solitary dining is an uneasy affair. At a Bed and Breakfast on Lake

Como, the keen hostess paired up solo guests during mealtimes. Now, If I’m feeling the need for company, I may peruse other “one top” tables. However, I’ve found that dining alone can bring with it the opportunity to immerse my senses in a meal versus merely talk over it. Bringing all the senses online for a meal turns into an intimate event. One that often requires cell phone photos for remembering every single, delicious detail. Another lesson – if you decide to share these photos online, make sure you check with your cellular company about international rates/charges beforehand.

HOW TO SEE THE SIGHTS If guidebooks haven’t turned up something intriguing, get chummy with the hotel

concierge, pool attendants, wait staff… anyone who seems like they may be on the same wavelength as you are when it comes to attractions. Excellent recommendations can also be found via online communities. My favorite thing to do – wander. Get lost. Let the less-traveled road unfold what it will before me.

VENTURE OUT Finally, even though you’re alone, take risks. Try something new. In Mexico, I

visited the ruins in Tulum (do pay for the extra car insurance), checked out a sea turtle refuge, swam with dolphins, re-enacted From Here to Eternity on the beach with a Swede and… walked around naked for 10 days. Even though… no one else was. All those concierges, pals at the bar, hotel staff… nary a one mentioned I wasn’t staying at the correct beach.

LAST WORD. Yeah, still working on my map-reading skills. But hey, it was an unforgettable

vacation, and I wouldn’t do one thing differently. Because that was what it was all about – one person, me, tuning into and learning a lot about myself in a nude, er, new environment. Which leads to a final must: pack sunscreen, but leave your inhibitions behind.