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Traveling alone Anonymous
Do any of you guys go on trips alone?
I'd like to tour Asia (I live in the US), but I really wouldn't want to drag along a friend or family member.

Good idea?
Bad idea?
Safe?
>> Anonymous
Yeah, it's how I do most of my travel; it's the way to go. Only down side is, all your acquaintances and some of your friends will suspect you're travelling to have sex with little boys. This is particularly so if you have no significant other.

The creepy thing is when you feel like the customs guy is winking at you as if to say "I know what you're doing here, and I don't really care".

I find that being away from people I know clears the mind, so I put up with the innuendo regardless.
>> Anonymous
>>10045
what kinda places have you gone? Any really good solo treks you can recommend?
>> Anonymous
If you mean: "I'm going alone but still on a tour with a bus and scheduled trips and other people" then go ahead!
If you mean: "I'm going alone to wander Asian countryside by myself" DONT FUCKING DO IT YOU'LL BE RAPED AND EATEN.
Seriously though, you could be the most mature person on earth, but in general, stick with guided tours instead of throwing yourself headlong into a far-off country. Alone.
Plan that shit out. Know where you're going to stay. Keep a schedule.
A mate of mine did a guided tour of China in the '70's, by himself. Heaps of fun.
>> Anonymous
I've wanted to do this for a good while, but never had the balls/found a good time slot. Finally planning to do it this summer though.

I'd imagine the biggest point is meeting new people, ie. how social you are. Also depends on where you're travelling, I don't think meeting masses of new people in Japan is realistic... oh well, someone has to know something
>> Anonymous
I hate traveling with other people. They cramp my style and I cramp theirs. It's a lose-lose.
>> Anonymous
I've travelled on my own - not to Asia though - and it was fine for me. I planned what I was doing each day and just went for a wander. It got a little boring at nights though as I had no-one to go to say a bar with.

Not sure how safe Asia is though compared with Europe and such. You could always try going to a hostel that way you could meet other travellers and perhaps join up every so often?
>> Anonymous
>>10045
Having gone to Japan alone I'm going to have to agree with this person. They were shocked to find I didn't come back with a token Japanese girlfriend.

>>10084
I met a few complete strangers and hung out with them for a bit in Tokyo, but they were all other English-speaking foreigners surprise surprise

Traveling alone just generally makes more sense to me IMHO.
>> Anonymous
Do it faggot. Travelling to a foreign country with people you already know can only lead to a few things:

(1) They slow you down
(2) You must put the interest of your friendship ahead of what you want to experience
(3) They piss you off
(4) They complain and disagree with you

Either way, you will no longer be friends with them after the trip. travelling with people you meet, is a good idea.
>> Anonymous
>>10049

you're a pussy
only faggots go with tours
>> Anonymous
>>10102
This anon is wise.

Japan alone is perfectly fine. If you have the "ah, if i'm not in a group, I'll fall prey to a horrible crime" concern, you don't need to worry about that in Japan. At all. Unless you're a fucking retard.

I've done Seoul, Beijing and Hanoi alone, as well, and had absolutely no trouble because of it. Any troubles I had (being followed by hawkers, being ripped off by 'art students', etc.) would have happened either way.
>> Anonymous
>>10116
>Art Students

I lol'd a weary lol. Fuck art students; I don't care if I never go to a fucking traditional beijing tea ceremony and they try to force me into paying 30bux for it again!
>> Anonymous
>>10121
I went to a "tea house" recommended by my hotel, which was "free" to experience tea ceremony. Then they wouldn't let me leave until I had bought $100USD worth of tea and tea paraphernalia. I had to buy another suitcase to carry all the tea home. -_-

Also, chillin' in Tiananmen square, there was a group of university students from Guangzhou, and they wanted to talk with me, learn about where I was from and where I'd travelled, and practice their English. They were cool, and it was fine. They didn't try to get me to go anywhere or sell me anything, so it was all good.

After they'd moved on, maybe 20 minutes later, another couple came to me and said they were art students from the country, and they had an "exhibition" at the national art museum (just across the square), and they wanted to know if I wanted to see it. I did, so I said I'd go. But the museum was closed. But they took me in anyway. Then I was trapped in a room in the museum full of scrolls as they tried to sell me a whole bunch of wall hangings. I ended up buying one and then dodging out the door before they could try to sell me more.
>> Anonymous
>>10130
The first time, I paid for the tea. But the second time I knew mandarin and told them that "I thought the cops were getting aggressive towards scammers as the Olympic committees start to come in". Also some sassy british guy was there who, after my comment, said "YEAH FUCK YOU!" with an air of class.
>> Anonymous
>>10131
The most hostile shitheads I met in Tokyo were other foreigners. The locals are better at ('nicer') hiding their hatred for your tourist ass.

Some Canadian dipshit was like 'WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE YOUR COUNTRY FIREBOMBED TOKYO GTFO'. I left mid-conversation.
>> Anonymous
>>10135
hahaha what
you should have dropped him.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm Canadian, but not (as much of) a dipshit.
>> Anonymous
>>10135
You should have punched them in the face.
>> Anonymous
>>10135
Fucking Canadians. Trying to be little Americans is cute and all, but leave the xenophobic misunderstanding of history to the masters.

We let you beat us in hockey every year so that you can feel good about something, but don't act like you're entitled to anything else or we'll sell you back to the British for half a farthing or whatever the fuck they use over there.
>> Anonymous
I'm gung ho for a hitchhike across the US when I graduate, but I'm debating about crossing the Pacific when I hit California myself. Time would not be an issue for me though, I'll go home when I feel like it
>> Anonymous
I did central and south America alone. Its not an issue.
>> Anonymous
i /trv/led israel alone. it's a great experience. don't be stupid, of course. keep your money and your passport as close to your body as possible. front pockets are good. underwear pockets are good too.

don't advertise the fact that you're travelling alone. i'm not a typical paranoid american, but there are plenty of people who will take advantage of tourists, especially solo ones.

it can get lonely if you're alone for a while. well, i take that back. depends on your personality type. i prefer social interaction to solitude. i found a lot of nice people in hostels. also some moderately crazy ones.

i say go it alone. make sure people back home know where you are though. check in once a week or whatever. just to be sure.
>> Anonymous
im thinking about travelling to SEA alone.

first i'd meet up with my thai friend in bangkok and the head off to laos and vietnam without him for a couple of months. then come back and spend something like a month in thailand.

im finnish so i wont have to worry about any anti-american sentiments. but on the otherhand, im very young - only 19.

will i have to carry a cane to keep away the punks?
>> Anonymous
>>10329
You are a Finn. The people there will be horrified of you.
>> Anonymous
>>10130

Same EXACT shit happened to me in regards to people trying to sell art in Tienanmen square.

Also protip: When traveling to a country were your currency is very strong (IE Americans /Europeans going to china) get small bills, like 20's and 50's at the largest (unless you want a 100 for a souvenir) because when you go to buy something and you whip out the wallet full of 100's they won't sell you anything unless its price is in increments of 100.

This happened to me at a tea shop in shanghai, but I didn't really have a problem with it because I intended to buy a lot of tea anyway