Comments on: The Upside of Traveling Alone http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/ Solitude is impractical and yet society is fatal ---Ralph Waldo Emerson Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:29:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Brook http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Brook Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:33:12 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-570 Stephanie, insightful comment! Good advice on marrying, too. Traveling with another is a surefire way to see that person's true colors. I'm sure I'll write another little entry in the future about the benefits of traveling as a couple or a group...building more meaningful relationships is at or near the top of the list. Stephanie, insightful comment! Good advice on marrying, too.
Traveling with another is a surefire way to see that person’s true colors. I’m sure I’ll write another little entry in the future about the benefits of traveling as a couple or a group…building more meaningful relationships is at or near the top of the list.

]]> By: Stephanie Sigmon http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-568 Stephanie Sigmon Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:24:42 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-568 I have never traveled alone, but I have done a lot of traveling with my family/friends over the years and I have learned one valuable thing. When you do travel with someone you learn so much about them in a short time period. This is a good thing especially if you don't want to waste your time. Traveling is such an adventurous trip it allows you to see every mood a person can have, good or bad. I have found this to be very entertaining as well as interesting. So, Brook, have fun and travel solo or with friends for right now, but my advice to you for the future is: before you do something serious with a girl, like marry her, travel with her. Afterward you will know whether you can live the rest of your life with her. :) I have never traveled alone, but I have done a lot of traveling with my family/friends over the years and I have learned one valuable thing. When you do travel with someone you learn so much about them in a short time period. This is a good thing especially if you don’t want to waste your time.

Traveling is such an adventurous trip it allows you to see every mood a person can have, good or bad. I have found this to be very entertaining as well as interesting. So, Brook, have fun and travel solo or with friends for right now, but my advice to you for the future is: before you do something serious with a girl, like marry her, travel with her. Afterward you will know whether you can live the rest of your life with her. :)

]]> By: Brook http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-470 Brook Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:20:01 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-470 Glenn, it isn't traveling, but same idea. As they say in Thailand, "Same-same, but different!" Speaking of movies, I loved going to the movies in the Pacific with friends and singing the poorly made local commercials together---best movie watching experiences of my life. I guess it all really boils down to how compatible you are with the other person/people, and how easily the group builds consensus. What is that word? Synergy? Glenn, it isn’t traveling, but same idea. As they say in Thailand, “Same-same, but different!”
Speaking of movies, I loved going to the movies in the Pacific with friends and singing the poorly made local commercials together—best movie watching experiences of my life. I guess it all really boils down to how compatible you are with the other person/people, and how easily the group builds consensus. What is that word? Synergy?

]]> By: Glenn http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-469 Glenn Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:57:37 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-469 I like going to the movies by myself for many of the same reasons. Granted, this is nothing like going to Vietnam, but many of the same advantages you speak of are involved. I don't have to consult with others about what to see, where to see it, who is paying for what, and what time. I just go. It is good after the movie to have someone to talk about what you saw, but that's about the only drawback. I like going to the movies by myself for many of the same reasons. Granted, this is nothing like going to Vietnam, but many of the same advantages you speak of are involved. I don’t have to consult with others about what to see, where to see it, who is paying for what, and what time. I just go. It is good after the movie to have someone to talk about what you saw, but that’s about the only drawback.

]]> By: Brook http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-465 Brook Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:39:30 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-465 The buddy system can have huge benefits, like you say, but it is inherently burdensome and slow. Traveling to a repeat destination where everybody has a common goal (say tailgating a football game, or making an annual family trip to a cabin in the mountains) is almost always funner in a group. Sometimes I imagine myself returning to these same places (SE Asia) with a friend and think how fun it could be---mostly because I already know the area, could act as somewhat of a tour guide, and can eliminate all the guesswork and time that comes with being somewhere new and trying to figure out logistics. I stopped at the huge pagoda, built by the Thai Air Force, a few miles down the mountain from Doi Inthanon. They had a sign saying something like "Most Majestic Toilet on Earth," which drew my attention but I never saw any majestic bathrooms while there! The buddy system can have huge benefits, like you say, but it is inherently burdensome and slow. Traveling to a repeat destination where everybody has a common goal (say tailgating a football game, or making an annual family trip to a cabin in the mountains) is almost always funner in a group.

Sometimes I imagine myself returning to these same places (SE Asia) with a friend and think how fun it could be—mostly because I already know the area, could act as somewhat of a tour guide, and can eliminate all the guesswork and time that comes with being somewhere new and trying to figure out logistics.

I stopped at the huge pagoda, built by the Thai Air Force, a few miles down the mountain from Doi Inthanon. They had a sign saying something like “Most Majestic Toilet on Earth,” which drew my attention but I never saw any majestic bathrooms while there!

]]> By: sizetracker http://www.endsofearth.com/2009/10/the-upside-of-traveling-alone/comment-page-1/#comment-461 sizetracker Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:32:26 +0000 http://www.endsofearth.com/?p=816#comment-461 Unless the goal is to try and make memories with a specific person, I agree with you whole-heartedly, Brook. Granted, I have had good times with traveling companions, but usually it is because we have similar tastes, interests, and risk-tolerance (or we were in an area where we needed the extra security of not being alone - like hitchhiking with booze smugglers across no-man's land). If not, I find an out and go exploring on my own. Nice pictures, btw. I see you made it to the peak - did you stop to see the temples along the way? Unless the goal is to try and make memories with a specific person, I agree with you whole-heartedly, Brook. Granted, I have had good times with traveling companions, but usually it is because we have similar tastes, interests, and risk-tolerance (or we were in an area where we needed the extra security of not being alone – like hitchhiking with booze smugglers across no-man’s land). If not, I find an out and go exploring on my own.

Nice pictures, btw. I see you made it to the peak – did you stop to see the temples along the way?

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