please empty your brain below
|
I hope you had a good time exploring wherever you ventured to.
I look forward to reading about your visit over the forthcoming days.
Rob Healy | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 7:13 a.m. | #
|
|
At one time I found solo dining weird. But these days I just sit there with a good book and let the world fly by.
Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 7:33 a.m. | #
|
|
When I summoned up the courage to take a newspaper or book into dinner with me, I generally lost inhibitions too. I was usually too lost in the article or story to notice my surroundings. Otherwise, I used to eat in Indian restaurants a lot. There were always a few single blokes, likely contractors working away from home, so it never seemed unusual.
Mike Newman | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 7:48 a.m. | #
|
|
I look forward to reading all about it; Sutton Coldfield is such a surprising gem.
The Banbury Man | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 7:50 a.m. | #
|
|
A good book is an excellent aid, and can serve as a firewall. I was once in Atlanta on a solo business trip. At the end of dinner in the hotel, I took my glass of wine to the bar to finish it. It proved to be very useful to immerse myself in Jane Austen, as the other unaccompanied women there were clearly there for a different sort of business ...
Liz | 19.03.18 - 8:14 a.m. | #
|
I was really surprised at your unease over solo dining. As someone who has travelled on the continent a lot for both business and pleasure it has never occurred to me that it is an issue. In fact I rather like it.
As others point out, people do it for business all the time so you don't stand out as much as you may think you do.
I tend to choose a quiet restaurant, or a time it is quiet. They are grateful for your business. On some occasions I have had lovely conversations with the proprietor/waiter/waitress that have helped get an insight into the local area and have made be feel that I am not just an ordinary tourist.
On occasions when this conversation has been in a foreign language I look at it as a chance to practice the language with a native - something that you can formally do in London but it is expensive. Not only is it much cheaper - you get a meal thrown in as well.
Pedantic of Purley | 19.03.18 - 8:42 a.m. | #
|
Probably only you who is conscious of dining alone in an hotel. The other guests do not care too much,
If you dislike lugging baggage around you could consider a coaching holiday or as I think you have a driving licence hire a car for a week and take a touring holiday, heavy bags stay with the car and overnight bag into hotel. The occasional use of a car would let you get to some places that public transport does not reach.
Looking forward to reading about your trip my guess is that you headed West somewhere.
John | 19.03.18 - 8:46 a.m. | #
|
Solo dining is a great time for people watching. Window seats give you two shows for the price of one.
As others have said, solo dining is not a rare occurrence. And you should't be worried about getting the mobile out at the table whilst waiting. Lots of people do it - not just the teenagers who can't tear themselves away from social media.
I hope you enjoyed yourself despite your dining fears.
Jon Jones | 19.03.18 - 9:11 a.m. | #
|
Keep on taking holidays alone. Given your day trips, and as you live alone, I think you will actually end up preferring holidays alone than spending all your time with someone (and, especially, the idea of sharing a room). You do also meet people, so there is not total lack of human contact. It's sometimes good to include a meeting with an old friend in the area at some point: not to stay with them, but for a meal and catch-up.
And taking a book to a restaurant, as everyone suggests, is a must. Even if you don't open it or only read a page or two. And, yes, there are lots of solo diners, particularly in the week.
You know your own character best, but, unlike John, I couldn't cope with a group holiday of any kind. There'd be the constant need to escape. Can you really be organised into sitting next to someone on the bus and feeling obliged to be sociable? Only you know.
Martin | 19.03.18 - 9:15 a.m. | #
|
I am quite surprised at your reticence about holidaying alone. I like the independence to do exactly as I please although I do sometimes have to force myself to do the obvious "touristy" things like museums or monuments. You never seem to have such issues given your meticulous research and genuine curiosity about places you visit.
I've never been unduly bothered with the dining alone issue. As others have said there are plenty of ways of "coping" if you feel you need to. There are usually loads of other solo travellers so you don't stick out like a sore thumb. And lucky you having a holiday break away - I haven't had one in 6 years.
PC | 19.03.18 - 9:16 a.m. | #
|
The clues (rail, "won't get this far", and not-pullover-gloves) suggest the Iberian peninsula to me. though the englishness-sounding of the shop man might point to Malta, Gibraltar, or southwest Ireland. However, my previous guesses on such puzzles have always proved spectacularly wrong.
No, silly me, you always need a pullover in Ireland. Bilbao?
Malcolm | 19.03.18 - 9:27 a.m. | #
|
|
I find I no longer feel self-conscious about lone dining after the second glass of wine.
Jimmy | 19.03.18 - 9:36 a.m. | #
|
I reckon DG has gone somewhere down in the South West using the GWR ticket offer of a couple of months ago.
I and 2 friends are off on a day trip to Bath just before Easter. We had hoped to use the same offer (£8 each way), but they all sold out - so it is now costing us £9.20 each way!
John Simmons | 19.03.18 - 10:11 a.m. | #
|
|
I find that my kindle helps deal with the solo dining “problem” very well. It’s small, relatively unobtrusive to read, lies flat, and easy to turn the pages.
martin in canada | 19.03.18 - 10:36 a.m. | #
|
|
Not abroad. I'm plumping for Cornwall. Looking forward to reading about it, wherever it was.
Pamela | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 11:22 a.m. | #
|
|
You'll be hiring a Cycle Hire bike next ... 😊👍
Geofftech | 19.03.18 - 12:22 p.m. | #
|
It snowed again this morning.
I'm now on the rail replacement bus for the start of the journey home.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 12:57 p.m. | #
|
A good few years ago, I was dining alone in a restaurant in Budapest and had a book with me to read. The waiter (proprietor?) noticed that I was struggling to read because it was quite dark so brought a lamp over for me!
With a Kindle this problem goes away - I can just increase the font size - but at the time it was a lovely touch!
Steve | 19.03.18 - 1:03 p.m. | #
|
Rail replacement bus? Somewhere on the GWR network sounds plausible then.
#guesswheredghasbeen
Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 1:16 p.m. | #
|
|
Malcolm, DG said he hadn't left the country!
David | 19.03.18 - 1:19 p.m. | #
|
|
Oh well. I said I always get it wrong. Perhaps not paying attention is part of the reason...
Malcolm | 19.03.18 - 2:01 p.m. | #
|
Inspired by your post from last year, and GWR's sale earlier this year, I'm off to Exeter and Dawlish tomorrow!
Being the Spring Equinox I too was expecting a lovely day!! I fear it might be rather bracing now!
Had this post happened last month, would it have changed the Mystery Count?!
Cornish Cockney | 19.03.18 - 3:34 p.m. | #
|
Gotta say one thing about the weather-forecasters, which is that they seem to have become pretty accurate.
After 'Beast from the East' Mk1 I'd hoped to think that that'd be the end of that.
I was a little dubious when they said there was a second belt on its way.
I was still dubious after waking at 6am on Saturday and thinking my plans for the weekend could remain intact.
Within 3 hours, I'd had to concede to the forecasters that they hadn't got it wrong!
RogerW | 19.03.18 - 5:59 p.m. | #
|
|
I tend to plump for Youth Hostels when travelling on my own, despite being older than DG. A fair few have a decent evening meal on offer and it's not considered unusual to get into conversations with other guests, solo or not. I broke that rule last Friday night and ended up sitting in a bus shelter in Cromford eating fish and chips, not because I didn't want to eat in alone per se but because all the other options including the hotel I was staying in seemed too posh to waste on eating alone! It seems much more normal in a greasy spoon.
Andrew S | 19.03.18 - 9:54 p.m. | #
|
|
Only just read today's post and totally agree with suggestions about taking a book to solo meals. How about taking a few of The Times 'Deadly Killer Sudoku' puzzles, the ones with a typical 55 minutes par time, that should fill the gaps between food deliveries. With my advancing age I always cut them out and blow up to a sheet of A4 so I can read them, do that at home and stuff the sheets and a pencil in your pocket.
Sudoku fan | 19.03.18 - 10:42 p.m. | #
|
I wonder where you went: 7 comments
Solo dining isn't that bad: 13 comments
How out of character: 1 comment
Gosh, the weather: 1 comment
diamond geezer | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 10:53 p.m. | #
|
|
Can we have some guidance on what is an acceptable subject for comment please, or are we all part of some devious experiment to see just how predictable we are? I quite liked the colour-coded comment phase actually.
Andrew S | 19.03.18 - 11:15 p.m. | #
|
|
Slightly paranoid comments assuming the previous comment was a comment on the acceptability of comments: 1 comment
diamond geezer | Homepage | 19.03.18 - 11:27 p.m. | #
|
|
If it's snow and engineering works, then my money is on a holiday destination beyond Truro. So, for me it's a choice between St Ives, Penzance or (even) the Isles of Scilly.
Petras409 | 20.03.18 - 9:16 a.m. | #
|
|
|
TridentScan v2.10.0 | Privacy Policy
|