I've travelled solo before and I loved it!! But as an Asian backpacker I noticed....
That is true Kenneth, and many people I've met travelling has the same opinion. After travelling for a while, it can be preferable to seek such environments. But for me, I want to fully immerse myself in a destination so I want to see the lives of the local people, eat at the places they eat, and stay at the places they stay. I don’t want my accommodation choice to be an enclave filled with other fellow foreigners and travellers which contrasts to the world outside.
To me such places can often (but not always) feel like a security blanket, an environment which is more familiar due to the presence of other similar people, and it is where a person can unwind or let their guard down to a degree. I prefer to have this “comfort area” confined to the room I’m staying in and no further which includes public areas of the hotel or hostel. At times I do regret this method of travel when I have made a poor accommodation choice, but overall it has served me very well. This is not a right or wrong approach, it is a personal choice which many not suit everyone.
Reply to this "But for me, I want to fully immerse myself in a destination - so I want to see the lives of the local people, eat at the places they eat, and stay at the places they stay. I don’t want my accommodation choice to be an enclave filled with other fellow foreigners and travellers which contrasts to the world outside."
Thank you (and eloquently stated).
Reply to this I guess if staying in a low budget hotel is in your budget, then by all means. You've given me ideas though. Maybe down the road, I might try what you did, see how it goes.
Reply to this Good on you Kenneth for thinking about it! Try it, and if you don't like it, as least you can say you have experienced different travelling options. Guide books or reviews on the Internet are a good indication of the standard of some of these budget hotels. My experiences have ranged from dreadful to wonderful!
Admittedly, I don't have as many financial restrictions as a few years ago due to the wonders of now having a secure and well-paid job, so such options are open to me. I can understand from a financial perspective why someone would choose the dorm room in a hostel option. However, in some countries, such low budget hotels are still very affordable so you still might be able to throw the occassional night in one of these places.
And tarinay, thank you for your kind words 😊
Reply to this I love hanging out with the locals. But I also love chatting with other travelers... it's just so nice to hear those travel stories especially from those people who have traveled to places that i've never get to visit. That's why I love staying at dorms..more people more talk. But I guess that's just me coz I really like to talk to other people so much.. i'd die staying in a private room.
I guess whatever fits your budget then go for it.. you can always meet someone anyway as long as you're open to it.
oh and i have a bit of a question. ...during your travels have you guys met someone you really REALLY get along with to the point that you find yourself being attracted to the point that you think about that person almost everyday even after your holiday. sorry it's so unrelated to the topic.
Reply to this oooh...never had the luck to be in such a situation myself! haha 😉
i have met some interesting people whom i still remember long after my trip. particularly in Tasmania.
2 of the guys running the hostel i stayed in in Launceston got really excited when they found out i'm from Malaysia. & they kept talking about Anwar Ibrahim (it was in the 90s & there was some controversy going on in Malaysian politics then)...turned out they had actually gone to Malaysia. not to travel, but to join in an anti-government protest.
then there was this wildlife park i stumbled onto quite by chance (due to the sight of a gigantic bird statue from the road). there was a staff there who looked like he belonged in a Green Day gig (tattoos and piercings all over, punk hairstyle) rather than tending to Tasmanian Devils at a wildlife park. but he was really passionate about his job & loved the animals he had to take care of...despite the bites & scraps he's gotten from cranky devils.
Reply to this Yay! Kenneth, I've stayed in some nice bbs for as low as $12/night in Thailand and 45Euros in France. There are definitely low budget options outside of hostels.
Travel Camel, I listened to your radio interview and your statement really touched me. Especially the bit regarding the "opposite of death is love".
Traveling Angela, I understand the need to decompress with others....and we need details LOL!
Reply to this oh wow that's really cool! i met people that will stick in my head forever also.
but this one guys is just so special. so now i'm back in the USA and i get super sad at times coz i so miss the guy 😞 how do i get over the dude.. so hard!!!
by the way, do you live in Malaysia right now?
Reply to this tarinay i wanna be so detailed but i know this guy is using travelbog also. i dont want him to read all these stuff haha
Reply to this you didn't get his contact details? ;p
& no, i actually have not stayed put in Malaysia for longer than 3mths tops since i left to do my undergrad degree in Australia in 2000. i'm now doing a masters degree in UK after getting sick & tired of Singapore working life.
trying to make the most of my time in the UK (when i can actually find free time away from studies) to travel instead. but it looks like trying to find travel buddies amongst my coursemates/flatmates is a bit hard as most of them need to get visas to travel outside of the UK...or they'd rather go someplace else, as i tend to be drawn towards colder climates. 😞
Reply to this Gotcha😉
From an old married lady (that's moi): The BEST way to get over someone/something is to travel of course!
I know this borders on escapist...
Reply to this hahaha travelingangela I know what you mean, well sometimes for me it's the same thing but heck it, when you're travelling it spells out F-R-E-E-D-O-M. of course, I'm not asking you to be promiscuos etc. but you're suppose to have fun and try not to get tangle up in this mess.
although, to tell you the truth, I can't wait to go Nepal in Dec-Jan2011 because of someone ^_^
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