Taking a RS guided tour by yourself

Holly, I have taken nine RS tours,all on my own. I'm a single male 50"s without someone to travel with. I put off traveling until I had someone to go with me...well life moves on. Traveling with RS will be a great experience. Interesting people willing to make friends and have fun. It's been the best thing I have done for myself. I too can be a bit introverted but the groups are very open and you'll have no problems. Airports can be scary but learning how to get around is part of the fun of traveling. I now take a trip on my own once a year and also continue to take tours. Have fun it will be a rewarding experience.
Tony Newark De

Holly I am you (50's & travel solo). The first time I flew to Europe, I was alone and was more scared about getting lost in an airport than anything else. Then I learned that all airports are the same with lots of signs and people to ask for help. You can be lost for long. I have gone (solo) on 2 RS tours and am going on a third this October. It was mostly couples, but there are usually a handful of solo travelers. But you will not feel like an outsider. The couples will invite you to join them. The whole group becomes friends. You should do this and have tons of fun.

I say go for it! The last tour I took there was one older single man in his late sixties or early seventies and he apparently does tours traveling as a single all the time because his wife didn't like the same kinds of trips he did. An RS tour group is large enough that there will be all kinds of people of different ages and interests and you will have many opportunities at the hotel breakfast, dinners, bus, group outings, etc. to make friends. The one thing you would be aware of are your options for rooms. http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours11/content/rooming_policies.cfm

Holly - What Denise said. You'll be fine and will make friends with the other tour members. I am also in my 50s and a bit shy and have taken three RS tours and was fine on all of them. On the second tour, I became friends with three other women and we have traveled together since then. You will love the tour. I hope you try it!

Ditto all of the above. I've taken six of RS's tours, four of them on my own. On the first tour I did keep mostly to myself as I had a pretty definite free-time itinerary that I wanted to follow. But during group activities, everyone was very friendly and inclusive. Same thing on all the other tours. Like you, I can be shy and introverted, but I've made lovely friends and had a fantastic time getting to know people -- whether other singles or couples -- on the tours. Just be open to invitations and try not to be nervous about approaching another single. "Do you have dinner plans?" is an excellent way to get yourself a dinner companion or two. "I'd like to see that church too. Mind if I tag along?" is another great way to make friends. You'll have a tremendous amount of fun! And don't worry too much about connections at airports and whatnot. I worry every time, but it always works out just fine! :-)

Go for it! I've been on four RS tours. The number of singles has varied - one tour there were a lot of single women, my last tour I was the only single, but you'll find people are friendly and willing to include you. I'm a serious introvert,but I loosen up a bit when I travel. Don't stress about the airport. Which one are you connecting through? You should just need to follow the signs for connections. And if your trip is all on the same ticket, it's the airlines responsibility to look after you if you're inbound flight is late.

We have been on 8 RS tours, soon to be 9, and I think that there have been single folks on every one of those tours. Sometimes 1 or 2, sometimes more. On every one of those tours most of the other paired up tour members have made obvious efforts to include the single folks during non-tour times like dinner or non-tour tours. As other folks have already said, most everyone on all of our tours ends up being friends but that is certainly not a requirement if you choose not to socialize with the others. Also, as someone else already posted, be aware of the rooming situations. Depending on the number and sex of single tour members, you may be roomed with a member of the same sex except on those tours where RS offers a single supplement. Most of the single rooms I have seen are not a double with one person in it, but rather a small room for one. Go for it. I just wish I had done it a long time ago rather than waiting until I turned 55!

Holly, As the others have suggested, don't be concerned in the least about taking a RS tour by yourself! I also travel solo, am well over 50 and have taken four RS tours so far with another booked later this year. All of the tours I've taken have included both couples and a few singles, both men and women. I've found that the people on the groups have a very similar travel philosophy, so everyone gets along well. By the end of the tour, everyone almost seems like old friends, and at the farewell dinner on the last night there are often "a few tears shed". As Charlie mentioned, if you choose not to pay the single-supplement, you'll be bunking with another single of the same gender. If there's more than one single, the Guide will generally "rotate" them during the tour. The tours provide an excellent mix of group time vs. free time, so if there's something specific you want to see and do, that's not usually a problem. Which tour are you planning to take? If you want some idea of what the tours are like, you might find it helpful to order the free Tour DVD. While it's a bit "dated", it provides a good idea. If you have some spare time on a weekend, you could also take a drive to Edmonds and attend some of the free travel classes at ETBD. You'll probably find that "networking" with other travellers will dispel some of the anxiety you have about flying alone. Finally, to get some idea about "how" to travel in Europe, reading Europe Through The Back Door will provide a lot of good information. Happy travels!

Well it's me Holly again, and how encouraging everyone is! I don't have a trip booked yet, but I'm feeling better already. I will eagerly read any other comments that are posted. About 5 years ago I took a single ladies tour to Greece but was able to meet 2 gals at a connection at the San Francisco airport and we travelled from their to Europe, which eased my airport anxiety a LOT. I did stand in the Aegean Sea though on my cell phone, calling my young adult kids at home in the states, so I could "share" my experience with someone I loved. That felt sad to me, but it's a matter of attitude, opennes to new experiences and people, and proper expectations for travelling alone. I thank everyone very much for the comments so far!

Holly, I'm going add on to the crowd and encourage you to take the tour. I took the Berlin, Prague and Vienna tour and we had several singles. We swapped out room mates and that helped to meet people very quickly. Also, the couples on the tour, whether they are married or friends traveling together are for the most part very friendly. You find yourself checking out what everyone is doing for free time and either join someone or go on your own. I do understand about wanting to share the excitement with someone who knows you. On a recent trip, I kept a blog, which I could share with my friends. You don't have to post it everyday. In fact, there are those who will advise against if you've left a home empty back in the US, but you can write your blog while it happens and post it when you get home. Then share the link with friends and family. I think it's better than just sharing your pictures. Pam

Holly, you absolutely MUST check back in and let us know if you do sign up for a tour. Those of us who are "old hands" at this do love it when we get a convert! ;-)

Ditto to everything said already, and then some. I've done three RS tours solo. You can call the RS office and ask what the mix of people on the tour is before you sign up (they won't tell you specifically who, but they'll tell you generally if there are mostly couples, how many singles, and whether groups of friends are traveling together). It's better when there are many singles because you get to rotate roomies (let's be honest, not everyone will be a perfect match). If you do choose to pay the single supplement, you will have to force yourself to socialize and get to know people (last tour we had a single supplement person that never really interacted with the group, by her choice, and I think she missed out on a lot). The guides will look out for you, as will your "buddy" (the RS check-in system that has never failed to leave a person behind). I've met wonderful people, seen amazing sights, never felt lonely, and ventured out on my own in ways that helped me grow as a person. All good. Send me a private message if you have questions about it, I'd be glad to talk with you more (I've done the 17 day Italy, 14 day Ireland, and 16 day Spain tours). As for the travel part, that's where the internet is a godsend - every airport has a website, check the maps, plot your itinerary inside the airport ahead of time. Figure out how you'll get from the airport to hotel before you leave (jet lag is not a good time to figure this out). Pack snacks and a good sense of humor. Pick flights with ample transfer times (no matter how good the deal is, a 60 minute layover in any airport in Europe is a recipe for disaster). Most of all = GO!

Go Holly go! I did Heart of Italy as a solo at age 49. There were 2 other solo women, one had opted for the supplement so I bunked with the other solo gal the entire time. It was a match made in heaven! I was worried I wouldn't have anyone to drink wine with on the bus - she had the corkscrew! Although we got on terrifically, we didn't spend every waking moment together. There were 2 solo men, they bunked together the whole time with less success. I found everyone to be very welcoming and I spent time with almost everyone on the tour. There was a group of 3 ladies (two sisters and a daughter) that was happy to have a fourth. The whole trip was a delight and I loved being the only Canadian and made 23 new American friends. Dont let your fears stop you from enjoying a wonderful experience - go Holly go!

Holly, I am yet another person that says, "Do it!!!" I have been on two RS Tours so far (Village Italy, Scotland). On the Italy tour, there were 5 singles (me, 3 other women, 1 man). As others have stated, we rotated roommates as we went. Even though everyone was lovely, there was one person I got along with best, so I was glad to have some time with her. On the Scotland, there was only 2 other singles but one opted for the single supplement, so I had the same roommate the whole time. That worked out fine as well! As others have stated I found it very easy to integrate within the group. I just find different couples/groups to join with for activities and restaurants. I want to address the airport question though because I also can get very anxious when I'm not sure where to go. Someone already mentioned downloading maps, etc. of the airports before you go. That's a great tip! I would offer one more suggestion: when you get off the plane when you arrive (especially if you are transfering to another flight) , IMMEDIATELY start asking the ground crew for directions to your next gate/terminal. When I went to Italy, I had to transfer through Frankfurt. Some will say it's a very well-marked, easy to navigate airport, and yet, I got lost. Rather than wander around trying to retrace my steps, I stopped twice and asked for directions IMMEDIATELY! I think that made the difference in me making my connection versus missing it. So, if you have the maps of the terminals in hand and start asking questions quickly, you should have no problem! GO! GO! GO!

It's me Holly again. How nice, kind, encouraging and helpful everyone on this board it. That makes me want to take a RS tour just for that alone! Thanks for the airport tips, that helps a lot. I am one of those directionally challenged that still gets lost in the basement of the hospital I've worked in for 6 years! OMG I see the fall tours are booking up really fast.

We did RS Paris tour. Made great friends and adopted the singles on the tour. One single on our tour preferred being alone. You breakfast together and everybody picks a buddy at the beginning of the tour (someone outside of your circle of friends) to make sure everyone gets on subway, makes it to the entrance and such. So they do encourage everyone to mingle. There were 2 singles on our tour and others I have talked said their tour was the same. The couples tended to stick together...we were 5 girlfriends on the tour together. The singles just tagged along. Some of us liked museums, some of us liked to sit in cafes so there was always someone off in another direction to match up with.

Sign up soon and go on a tour - you will not regret it. My first trip to Europe was as a single person on RS tour to Paris. Best thing I ever did. I return to Paris on my own regularly -- to chill out and do my own thing. If you don't have a friend to share experiences with this time, take lots of great digital pictures and share them with your friends -- you will most likely have lots of companions on subsequent trips -- I did.

Holly, I'm glad you're leaning toward going. I hope that you come back here to the Helpline after your tour and let us know which one you took and how you fared! Have fun!!!!! Oh, and one more thing about airport transfers, etc. : If you are worried about transportation, your first day upon arrival in a new country may not be the day to "practice" these skills. So, depending upon which tour you take, getting from the airport to your first hotel may be a little "difficult" if you are one of those people who gets anxious about the transportation details. This will be magnified if you are jet lagged and in a country that's national language is not English. In your case, I might recommend taking a taxi to your first hotel regardless of price and what the RS tour people recommend (within reason, of course). For example, the brochure for RS may say, 'arrive at airport,' 'find ground transportation and look for XXX bus, ' take bus XXX to such and such stop' then get off and walk XXXX blocks to hotel.' This may too much for you on your first day in a new country. I'm not saying not to practice and learn how to navigate transportation issues/details while in Europe, but you may want to wait and practice these skills during/after the tour is over. If you choose to follow this recommendation, just make sure you know ahead of time what a 'reasonable' taxi fare to your particular hotel would be (you don't want to get ripped off). Just something to think about if you are particularly worried about the transport aspect. HAVE FUN!!!

Hi Holly. I'll chime in and encourage you to sign up. I have done 2 RS tours on my own and 1 with freinds. All the tours had several couples and quite a few people travelling on their own or 2 freinds travelling together. What helps me when I am on my own is to plan for things to do during the free time. I read the RS book forwards and backwards and take other guidebooks out of the library to add info to plan. Having those plans ready made helps me if I don't find that other tour members are doing what I had planned. When doing the tours by myself, not only would single travellers spend free time together, couples also encouraged me to tag along for a meal or an evening concert. To help me with my connections and getting to the hotel after a long overnight flight and no sleep, I use a very small wire notebook where I write instructions to get to the hotel written down, with metro stop names or Ricks suggested airport transfer information. That way I can quickly pull out the notebook to refresh my memory when I am tired. I use this same notebook the whole trip. Each evening I make a few notes for the upcoming day's activities after I reviewed Rick's book. That worked to help me see what I wanted to see. I think Rick's tours are a great value, especially for a single traveller. The guides are wonderful, full of information, whether it be history of the area, airport transfers or the nearest pharmacy. On the Paris city tour, the guide gave us lots of information about using the Metro, so we could more easily use it on our free time. I am on a gluten free diet and the guides helped to ensure I received meals safe for me. Hvae a great trip. The tours sell out quickly!!!

Much easier on RS than other tour companies because of the small number in your group and the "no grumps". 4 females on the last one I went on - was brilliant. Repeating again this year. Next year meeting up with one of the people I met on the tour last year to do yet another RS. There will be times when you can go with a group on the free days, off by yourself or chill out. Meals are easy (and the food's lovely). I really enjoyed myself -as did everyone.
s :o)