A Table for One

Upon speaking with our good Friend Mary Thyme, she shared one of her favorite stories!….

A Table for One by Mary Thyme

The joys of travelling alone

There was a time when I was hesitant to do things on my own. I thought if I so much as went to a movie alone, people would think I had no friends. I travelled on my own for business back in those days, but would never have considered taking a pleasure trip alone.

Then one weekend in Denver, I found my courage to go it alone. I was at a conference and my flight home got cancelled. I had a choice: sit in my hotel room alone with take-out, or take myself out. I decided it was time I took a table for one.

And guess what happened? Nobody stared. The maitre’d didn’t drop dead of fright when I requested solo seating. Nor was I given a table by the toilet. Nobody tut-tutted about that ‘poor young woman with no friends.’ I had a lovely, quiet evening and a great meal. So the next time I had the urge to travel and my husband and friends were too busy to come with me, I booked a single ticket and the rest is herstory.

It turns out I’m not alone. Lots of women (and men) are travelling alone. So many, in fact, that resorts, cruise lines, hotels and tour operators are getting in on the act.

With the help of a travel counsellor you can find many enlightened operators and resorts that have a special “singles” price that won’t break the bank. I’ve also had great luck asking about “singles sharing” plans – many operators will pair you up with a roommate of the same gender and around the same age, so you’ll get the price advantage of travelling double, but by day you’re on your own.

Before you go “ewwww” at that idea, let me tell you that I really have had wonderful luck with this type of travel. The other women I’ve met have been mature in spirit and interested in the world.

I shared a tent in Tanzania with a lovely young woman who had been into banking in New York. The ‘rat race’ was burning her out, she needed time to rethink her career and was taking a year off to just travel the world and think.

I shared a hotel room in Paris with a woman who, at 70, wanted to indulge her love of photography and art deco architecture.

The great thing about all of these “roommates” is that I wasn’t paired up with them for my full trip. I had my space, and someone to share the ‘rent.’

So don’t be afraid to try the sharing route.

If you’ve never travelled alone before and are a little worried about things like getting lost, not knowing the language or just staying safe, I recommend taking a tour or a cruise. That way, you’ll have structure, an agenda, and a guide – but still plenty of alone time. Many resorts cater to singles, too. At a resort, you’ll feel safe and surrounded by staff whose job is to make sure you have a good time.

All right – now I can hear some of you thinking: “are these resorts going to be like singles bars – pick up joints?” In a word: no. Some resorts are known for their romantic singles vacations, but you don’t have to go those, unless that’s what you want.

My kids are long grown, but if you’ve got little ones and want to bring them with you, some resorts even have special Single Parent promotions.

Let me tell you something else I’ve discovered on my travels – you can always find someone to talk to. I meet more people while travelling alone than I do when I’m with friends. And the best thing is, it’s a new friend for a day or an hour, then I’m on my way. And when I want some quiet time, I’ve got it. (How else would I get these stories written?)

Until next time,
Mary Thyme

PS: if you’re ready to go it alone, contact your nearest Maritime Travel counsellor to get their help and recommendations. There are lots of options for singles of all ages!

Up Close and Personal

It is difficult to pick one favorite moment from our recent Florida vacation – however our Serengeti Safari at Busch Gardens in Tampa, stands out as a moment we will treasure for a long time. There are many ways to see the animals of Busch Gardens but there are a few unique opportunities to get up close and personal.

The Serengeti Safari experience takes you in an open-truck on the African veldt. This is an intimate experience that is prebooked with a time reserved for your party. As you explore the 65-acre Serengeti Plain, you’ll meet some magnificent animals and learn a great deal too.

Get nose-to-nose with a giraffe. Learn a thing or two about zebras. Understand exotic species like bongo, eland and ostrich as your guide helps bring you closer to the wildlife and wild places in this world we share. No two experiences are the same.

The highlight for my family was hand feeding the giraffes. Roman lettuce is their green of choice. These guys are big—and my children were far more comfortable with them than I was.

Photo opportunities on the Serengeti Safari are unbelievable. Be sure to bring your camera so you can share your Serengeti adventure with everybody back home. Plus a photographer goes out with you too, so this might be the chance to get the perfect family photo.

The 30-minute, open-truck tour is $33.99 USD, but the memories are priceless!! For more information check out.

Best Job in the World

Have you heard about the best job in the world? According to the Australia Queensland stat it is the chance to be the caretaker of a tiny tropical island in Australia, and it looks pretty appealing. Hundreds of thousands of people have agreed it would be their dream job – the site has crashed several times as people log on to apply or to vote for candidates.

The job offers a salary of US$105,000 to spend six months on the Great Barrier Reef island of Hamilton. Duties for the so-called “best job in the world” include feeding ocean fish, cleaning a pool and collecting deliveries of mail that arrive by plane. Thrown in is a luxury three-bedroom home and transportation to and from the island. No skills, nor experience is needed, and there is no age requirement. The job starts in July.

An official from the state of Queensland, which is offering the position, said the job was created as an antidote to the global economic slump and was being advertised in 18 countries including the United States and China.

Tourism officials from Australia’s Queensland state received nearly 35,000 applications for the job. The finalists who receives the most votes, as well as 10 others chosen by the tourism board, will be flown to Hamilton Island to be interviewed. The winner will be announced next week (May 6th) and starts work on July 1. The finalists are from 22 countries, including Canada, the United States, Germany, Greece and India.

The Final 16 Applicants will be travelling to Hamilton Island from May 3 to 6 for The Best Job in the World’s final selection process. Good luck to the Canadian Finalist. Erik from Vancouver, Canada (Online News Editor) to see details on the job or applicants visit http://www.islandreefjob.com/
And if you like your job, but would like to just experience this wonderful part of the world, contact one of our travel counsellors who can help you start planning today.
Until next time
Melanie Taljaard