Boldly Go Solo

Did George Washington ever travel solo in Old Town Alexandria in Virginia? Hm...

Old Town Alexandria is one of those cute cobblestone historic areas that modern Washingtonians love to visit. A few authentic cobblestone streets remain, but most streets are paved.

Still, many of the sidewalks are bricked, which lends an old-fashioned feel to the 15-plus blocks of unique galleries, shops and restaurants.

I've written two travel stories on Alexandria for different newspapers. Today being Presidents' Day (the merged February birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, our first and 16th presidents), I figured I'd rerun one of the stories here. (This one ran in the Kansas City Star and the St. Petersburg Times.)

Read about George Washington's haunts, other Virginia history and the Alexandria of today. It's easy for solo visitors to get to Old Town Alexandria without a car. The Metro system drops you off within walking distance of the locations mentioned in the following story:

"Alexandria paints picture of the past"

George Washington liked to ride over from his Mount Vernon home to Gadsby's Tavern in this Potomac River town to drink, discuss the successful Revolution and attend a banquet from time to time. Two-and-a-half centuries later, people still head to Gadsby's Tavern, and other bars and restaurants in Alexandria, to drink, talk about the war and, once in a while, attend a fancy dinner.

10 travel tips for great adventures, come what may

The following 10 tips come from the Trusted Adventures travel alliance,a group of nine travel companies. The travel tips are meant to help people have a rich travel experience, come what may.

Unexpected events may include changes in plans, volcanic ash, oil spills and other "have-to-roll-with-the-punches" events that all travelers should be ready to face and deal with.

"How mentally prepared you are can make the difference between a meltdown and a good laugh," says Brad Moss, executive director of the alliance.

Meltdown people, you know who you are! But travel usually comes with a degree of delay and uncertainty and you shouldn't expect perfection. So think about how to plan for problems and ease the discomfort should they arise.

10 Tips to assure a better vacation:

1. Plan extra sightseeing activities and build in some extra time, in case you face delays, miss connections or lost baggage. (If in Atlanta, check out the aquarium!)

2. Make sure you have a carry-on bag with a change of clothes, food, books or other entertainment, chargers and anything else you can think of that will keep you busy and happy when you face delays or other snafus. For me, those snafus have been lost luggage. Too many times. So the change of clothes is mucho important.

High Museum of Art in Atlanta presents cool European design exhibit

Worth visiting: The High Museum of Art's exhibit on European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century. In Atlanta.

I was going to blog about the High Museum but my friend Diane beat me to it. So I'll just point the way to her post called "Way High Design at Atlanta's High Museum."

She mentions how excited I was to find two pieces in the museum that I actually own versions of. It's true!

A Philippe Starck tea kettle and an Ikea watering "can" (made of a plastic or polymer of some sort. Mine's green but it comes in several colors. Very inexpensive.)

It's exciting to see things you own in a museum exhibit. Well, not always. Once, I saw the Texas Instruments calculator my father had owned in the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. Mostly I felt old.

But I was intrigued by the High Museum exhibit and the experience was enhanced by feeling a part of it. I have to confess, though. The kettle was never really my taste. It was a gift. But it has elicited more comments that anything I own. Some sneers. Some compliments.

Diane runs a photo of the kettle that the museum provided since we weren't allowed to take photos. Here is the kettle on the stove, where it should be.  In someone's kitchen.

In this case, mine.

Photos: 

Bambu vases by Italian designer Laura de Santillana. Photo by Ivan Baj for Arcade-Italy

Hot Bertaa Kettle by Philippe Starck. Photo by Ellen Perlman

Bengtsson Slice Chair. Photo by Martin Scott-Jupp

You don't have to be great at travel to enjoy solo travel

Being a good planner and well organized are not prerequisites for travel. They might help but having tendencies toward disorganization (I call it "not overly compulsive") and late-in-the-game planning ("spontaneous") shouldn't keep you home.

I was reminded of this as I was leaving Atlanta for D.C. yesterday. I was sitting in a hotel restaurant downing a quick breakfast when a fellow travel writer came in. (We had both attended an SATW travel writers meeting.)

It was about 7:50 am. I told him not to bother joining me as I was about to leave to catch my flight. He told me not to worry, he didn't have time to sit down. He, too, was in a hurry and just grabbing a bagel to go.

Antiquing for solo travelers in New Oxford, Pennsylvania

If you're an antiques freak, I highly recommend a trip to New Oxford, Pennsylvania, to get your fill of Victorian, Civil-War era and other antique furnishings, toys and kitchenware.

I don't see it as an ideal place to travel solo if you don't love antiques because it's not exactly a hoppin' town, but for a couple of days it would be absolutely fine as a place to relax too.

New Oxford is a one-horse town in rural Pennsylvania that, as I said, doesn't have the bustle of an urban center. However, considering you could spend HOURS perusing goods from hundreds of dealers you would be quite the busy shopper/browser.

I went with a friend because I'm writing a story for The Washington Post on learning to like, or at least understand, antiques. So I took along a friend who has furnished her house in solid-wood oak pieces, green Depression glass and Watt pottery. (If you don't know what these are you're in the same boat that I started out in. I, at least, have begun to learn how to paddle.)

27 travel tips and what we learned in 2009 - a roundup of travel bits and pieces

I scour millions of pages of the Internet every day so you solo travelers don't have to. Below are some finds on lessons learned, cheap tips traded and discussion boards discussed:

Fodor's recently posted an entry on lessons learned from travel in 2009. One person learned from travel to third world countries how "very blessed with riches and people" she or he was. 

Another learned that people can "communicate without any common language." Any English speaker who has traveled in a non-English speaking country understands the beauty of this. Smiles and pointing fingers can accomplish a lot.

Lonely Planet came up with 27 travel tips. One of the many tips I liked was to take your hobbies with you. A big soccer fan? Get tickets to a game while in Buenos Aires. An architecture buff? Take a walking tour when in a city like Chicago. Pursuing your passion while abroad is bound to connect you to people.

And honestly? If I go to one more church or temple...

These are the sights most often touted by guidebooks. The churches and temples. They're fine. Nice to see. Especially if you happen to be a church or temple buff.

But I don't go to them in my own city. I'd rather dig deeper and get behind the tourist sights. I've seen way too many small churches that didn't need seeing.

Check in with solo sites such as Tripadvisor's solo travel forum. Just as a for instance, an entry on Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, says that the city comes highly recommended for solo travelers, especially female solo travelers. The writer says it's one of the friendliest places on earth and that you never feel like you're alone.

Traveling solo around Tokyo, Kyoto and other places in Japan

Anyone who knows my friend Bob knows how much he loves all things Japanese. He's been studying the language for years in Washington, with Japanese language partners and in classes. He's even learning how to write kanji, one of three Japanese alphabets. The most complicated one from what I can tell.

Every time I turn around, Bob's off on another trip to Japan, including the time he rented out his apartment in Washington a few years ago and lived in Tokyo for several months, going to language school there and traveling around.

Having never been to Japan, I decided to let Bob talk about what it's like to travel around Japan solo. Usually, he splits his time during his vacations in Japan, visiting friends and then heading out on solo jaunts to explore new places. He's in Japan now. He answered my questions before he left. (btw, the women pictured at left are NOT geisha, but maiko. Find out the difference) 

How many times have you visited Japan?

This trip is my tenth. Each time, I go someplace new that I found in my Lonely Planet guidebook, or that someone recommended.

What places do you like the best?

My favorite places are Tokyo, Kyoto, Miyajima and Beppu. Tokyo may be too crowded and modern for some people but I have found much to enjoy. In the spring, for example, the cherry blossom trees around the Imperial Palace are truly spectacular.

I like the parts of Tokyo where you can see the remnants of old Japan. Asakusa, a popular area with an ancient Buddhist temple and five-story pagoda, is a good place to get started. It's also where you can find all kinds of tourist gifts.

Close to Shinjuku station, literally the busiest station in the world, is an area called Omoide Yokocho, or Memory Lane. It's a maze of alleys filled with tiny restaurants that were built after World War II and serve tasty yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick).

For a sample of great Japanese tradition, I would recommend visiting the old kabuki theater in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Kabuki plays can last all day but you can buy a ticket for just part of a performance for an hour or two.

  And if you don't understand the story (I didn't, even with an English translation headset), just seeing the theater and the way of performing is worth the visit.

I think no trip to Japan can be complete without a visit to Kyoto. It's where you can see the most of old Japan, with its many temples, shrines and gardens, and possibly, a geisha in the Gion district.

Miyajima is a small island near Hiroshima that is said to be one of the three most beautiful places in Japan. I would agree. It is famous for its gorgeous torii, or entrance gate, to a Shinto shrine sticking out of the water, and deer that wander the streets.

Beppu is in the far western part of Japan, in Kyushu, and is known for its numerous hot springs. In addition to the mineral water baths you can also take mud and sand baths. Beppu's collection of nine bubbling hot springs, known as "hells," are not for bathing. Just for viewing.

The Hershey quiz and fun facts about chocolate town

In Monday's post I asked you to name which item did not belong in Hershey, PA. Now for a rundown of what Hershey has, and the one thing I put on the list that it doesn't. And, finally, whether this is a place for solo travelers.

Hershey has a large amusement park, as well as a minor league hockey team called the Hershey Bears. And a medical center that is the town's largest employer.

Milton Hershey opened a school for orphans that still operates today. And I saw Highmeadow Campground, with its 300 sites, with my own eyes. Who would have thought? A campground at Hershey? (It feels more KOA than Yellowstone in that it is not particularly woodsy rustic. But it's inexpensive and close to the attractions.)

There is a Chocolate Workers Local 464, the union Hershey workers must belong to. And an iceless "ice" skating rink, but let me tell ya, there is no real gliding without ice. Raptors? Yes, you'll find them there. I tried falconry and I highly recommend it. 

The rose-filled garden is down the hill from The Hotel Hershey and hosts many weddings. On the way to the new "cottages," which are actually modern stone buildings with luxury rooms good for business retreats, is an activity area with shuffleboard and croquet, along with bocce, horseshoes, volleyball, basketball and tennis. Shockingly non-gimmicky.  

There's a spa at the hotel, and the boardwalk and the tubing are at Hershey Park, the amusement park. Harvest Restaurant is under construction now and will open soon, serving food from local producers.

 The pond behind the hotel is filled with koi, a Hawaiian fish and the imports I mentioned? From Tanzania, Ecuador and Java? Those are the cocoas you can try during a cocoa tasting made with beans from six different countries. 
 
What doesn't Hershey have that I put on the list in Monday's post? An inline skating factory. (As far as I know.)

And the winner is...drum roll please...

ME! I'm afraid no one guessed correctly and I get to keep the Hershey's chocolate bar. But, as consolation, here is a view of the wrapper I designed, which would have wrapped around your very own imported Hershey bar.

As I've gone on too long already, I will save for the next post descriptions of the two things I think solo travelers would enjoy - the spa and falconry - and the things they might want to avoid.

Photos: Ellen Perlman

1. Cocoa pods at The Hershey Story's (it's a museum) chocolate lab; 2. Thunder, a Harris's hawk; 3. front porch of The Cottages; 4. the chocolate tasting at The Hershey Story.

Hershey, Pennsylvania - chocolate, sports, chocolate, amusements, chocolate, gardens and chocolate

When you think of Hershey, Pennsylvania, what comes to mind? Really, I want to know. I've just returned from a weekend there and having been there at least twice before, I now think of it with a new twist. 

But everyone seems to have their own impressions. What do you think? Is it land of chocolate? That's a given. What other impressions do you have? Talk to me.

And now, here's your chance for a prize. Which one of the items in the following lists is NOT found in Hershey? There's just one correct answer. The first one to send it, either via comment or email, wins.

Here we go. Hershey. Home to:

A large amusement park? Minor league stadium? Medical center? School for orphans? A campground?

An inline skating factory? Labor union? Raptors? Iceless ice skating rink?

Rose-filled garden? Museum? Old-fashioned outdoor games such as shuffleboard and croquet?

Luxury spa? Boardwalk? Tubing? Weddings? A restaurant with food all from local producers?

Hawaiiian fish? Business retreat? Imports from Tanzania, Ecuador and Java?

Name which one doesn't belong. The winner will get a prize: A milk chocolate Hershey bar imported directly from, um, Hershey. By me. Wrapped in a one-of-a-kind wrapper I created myself at The Hershey Story, a museum on Chocolate Avenue. At one of the interactive exhibits.

I will send this unique chocolate bar to the first person who correctly names the one item/answer that doesn't belong.

I'm going to limit the "contest" to U.S. residents for two reasons:

One, how well is a chocolate bar going to hold up over days and days during a trip overseas? And two, I have found from experience that non-Americans are not enamored of Hershey's chocolate. It tastes odd/unpleasant compared to what they're used to. So why waste the postage?

On Thursday, I will announce the "winner" (with permission) and reveal the wrapper I came up with. Don't get too excited. It's not like I'm an artiste or anything. I was just fooling around as best I could with the tools the exhibit provided. (And having a good ole' time doing so, too.)

The exhibit allows you to email your creation to yourself and print it out in the perfect size for a regular-sized chocolate bar.

Contest rules: Employees of Hershey and its affiliates not eligible. haha.

Photos: Ellen Perlman. The Hershey Hotel, from the front and back.

Being a solo traveler can save you money

We solo travelers find there's usually an expense to not having a travel companion. You can't share hotel room costs, taxi fares or dinner entrees. But every once in awhile, a financial perk comes along.

I was in Minneapolis last week for a conference. I had just a few free hours and grabbed them to visit the Walker Art Center, a fabulous contemporary museum and sculpture garden within walking distance of downtown hotels. I lucked out because entry is free Thursday nights.

I took a nice walk through the Loring Park neighborhood on the Southern edge of downtown to get there, hoofing it from my hotel right off Nicollett Mall, a major street with lots of outdoor cafes. When's the last time you've seen a park with shuffleboard and horseshoe pits along with basketball and tennis courts? Anyway...

On the day I was leaving, I had little time to spare to make it to the airport. Which meant I'd have to grab a cab for $40 instead of taking the light rail for a few bucks. As I finished checking out a man with a suitcase was walking from the hotel's elevator in the direction of the front door. Surely he was going to the airport?

I asked if he wanted to share a cab. Not something I typically do. He looked taken aback. Then said, "sure." He asked if I could wait while he got money from the ATM out the back door of the hotel. I said yes. He left his suitcase right where it was, in my care, and went to get cash.

Long story short, we shared a cab, talked a little about where we were from and what we were doing in Minneapolis and how bad his allergies were. And when we got to the airport, he insisted on picking up the cab fare because, he said, the ride to the airport passed so quickly and enjoyably. I totally agree.

It wasn't until we got out at the airport that he stuck out his hand and introduced himself. So we learned each other's names as we parted.

Yup, a lot of the joy of solo travel is in the serendipity of meeting others. And both people benefiting from the encounter.

Photo: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. SPOONBRIDGE AND CHERRY by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen.