Attention, travel addicts, and you know who you are. Usually, you are those focused on either going somewhere now or planning to go somewhere in the future.
Some of you might prefer choosing the deluxe route — be it on ship, via guided bus tour or just through a traditional five-star travel company that does all the planning and decision-making for you.
At the same time, some of you who love to travel and are single women looking to economize might welcome an alternative option — one I bet you have never considered. I’m suggesting that if you have an adult son (over 25 and self-supporting) who is also single and loves a new adventure, you might consider traveling with him. And, since he is self-supporting, he will not rely on his mom to pay his way. In other words, he is not looking for a free ride, but he has as much enthusiasm and interest in going on these exotic adventures as his mom does.
I have to be sexist and recommend only a son as your “roommate,” because he will come in handy to accompany you to nightclubs, bars, discos and even to a few daytime areas that might be unsafe for solo ladies.
I have a friend named Carol who travels the world with her adult son, Michael (not his real name). She claims that even after three weeks of sharing an apartment rental (two bedrooms/one bathroom) and being each other’s constant companion, they continue to like each other and want to repeat the process the following year.
All of this fun and enjoyment that Carol and her son seem to have just makes me even more envious than usual when it comes to traveling.
Their first big trip was to South Africa, about five years ago. They planned everything online, including airfare, lodgings and local tours.
How did they know they would get along well together, instead of feeling stuck with each other for three weeks and wanting to kill each other at the end of the excursion? How were they able to agree on their itinerary, restaurants and myriad other decisions? Mothers and sons are not supposed to get along that well, unless the trip is really three days long instead of three weeks.
Among their recent trips have been visits to Turkey, France, Belgium, Portugal and my favorite — staying on a houseboat in Amsterdam.
I have two wonderful adult sons who also love to travel. But, as I indicated before: Three days, not three weeks, would be my max with either of them.
Bon voyage, Carol. I can’t wait to hear about next year.