I thought that I would throw this out and see if I get any responses. I would like to find a travel buddy. I am a woman and I think that a like-minded woman would probably be the best fit. We wouldn’t have to do everything together but it would be fun to see some sites together. My primary objective would be to split the cost of lodging, although companionship is a close second. If I had someone to travel with, I think that I would go on more trips.
When I was in my 20s and again in my 30s I went on a big bus tour of Europe. I am not new to travel, but I have only done one big solo trip. It was 1n 2022 and I was gone for a month. I went to London and Paris. I went solo carrying a backpack and staying at hostels. I did a massive amount of research before I left and I think I would research any trip thoroughly.
I have a tight budget. In the past, I have kept my daily budget to $100 and that includes food and lodging. I stay in hostels and sleep in dorm rooms. Having a travel buddy might mean that I could share a private room or an airbnb and split the cost.
I am a “slow traveler.” I really like to spend several weeks at a location and really see and do everything. Travel days are stressful and tiring for me, so I would rather have just a few destinations. My ideal trip would be 1 to 3 destinations and last 3 to 5 weeks. I would like to travel once a year.
My primary interest is history and what I want to see and do is museums and historical sites. Museum tickets are what I spend my money on. Art museums are also on my list. I have enjoyed gardens as well. By history I mean Western history, ancient and medieval. My interests end at about 1900 and that is more for art (the Impressionists) than history.
I am in decent health. I do have some prescriptions that I travel with. Before a trip I would want to exercise and increase the number of steps per day that I feel comfortable with. With some work I would be capable of 10,000 step days, and I figure that is a typical vacation day.
I like and use public transportation. I do not drive.
I am not a shopper. At home I do enjoy thrift stores, but I travel light so I don’t want to buy anything while traveling and antiques would be a temptation.
I am not a foodie. I like good food but I am happy to eat from grocery stores or bakeries. In London I lived out of Pret A Manger and in Paris it was Chez Meunier a bakery that made box meals.
By nature, I am a night owl, but while I travel I like to get up early to beat the crowds. On most days my day is over with by 3pm at which time I want to be looking for my dinner. I don’t go clubbing or stay out late. I do enjoy the occasional beer or wine.
I am used to the Pacific Northwest climate and don’t tolerate heat very well. Spring and fall are my ideal travel times. I am happiest in the mid to high 60s. I am not a beach person. I would love to go to Italy in the winter.
I am an introvert and not a big talker. As I have gotten older I have learned to speak up more often. Speaking of speaking, I took high school Spanish but only speak English.
I am fairly tech-savvy and use my phone for many travel-related tasks. I am proficient with Google Maps however my innate sense of direction is very inaccurate and this means that I am often lost or retracing my steps.