You comment about traveling solo should come as a wake up call to those if us what are traveling with partners. We should invite others to join us on nights when we are getting our own dinner.
One of my top memories of a Tauck trip comes from our first one in 1993. We were in Bruges and invited two older women (who may have been younger than we are today) to join us for dinner. They were from St Louis and my husband is from Kansas City. We found that they had grown up in the Italian neighborhood in St Louis called the Hill. One woman's cousin was Yogi Berra. They spoke about the Yankees and others from their neighborhood - including Joe Garagiola and a man who went on to become a priest. He turned out to be my husband's Latin teacher in KCMO!
They were so appreciative of our invitation so that one sent me her risotto recipe along with a package of the seasoning that she used.
On our next trip we will reach out to others and not assume that they would not want to join us.
And, please don't get me wrong....over the years people have been more than kind and generous including me in dinners and whatnot. I also have not been reticent to ask to join a table when the opportunity presents itself. I tend to travel solo, but have never felt alone (until recently). I also fully appreciate couples wanting alone time to eat a quiet dinner and decompress from the day...I also need my space on occasion. I'm sure it is probably a sociology experiment in the making to follow group dynamics and each trip I've been on has been slightly different. Some groups "jell" from the getgo, some take a few days, some are one big group, some break out into smaller groups...I have noticed however, that when there is more free time (which I do believe is the case now) and more "meals on your own" (which I also feel is the case now), the group does not jell like they have in the past.
I travel solo and in my experience it really depends on the make up of the group more than free time or meals on your own as to whether solos get invited in or not. On some of the trips, there have been family groups (adults) and/or couples traveling together and they want to keep it that way. Other times, they are welcoming and inclusive. I never let it bother me. I live alone, do things by myself at home, so why should it different any where else?
On Regent, they ask if you want to share a table with another couple or a single. We almost always do. We've met some interesting people that way. There have been a few "busts", such as the couple who's husband stayed on his smartphone all through dinner, but not many.
I remember many times on land tours, the tour director would go through the bus to take dinner reservation times and would ask if we wanted to sit with particular people, anyone, a single or ourselves.
On riverboats we usually eat by ourselves. We are not gregarious and enjoy time alone. We use the lounge time for socializing and meeting new people.
Goddess - I agree that much of the group dynamics depends on the make-up of the group. Having said that, if there are multiple days, afternoons and meals on your own that people make plans for pre-tour, it is bound to affect the cohesiveness of the group. No judgement good or bad - it is what it is. I will explore on my own if it feels like a safe location, but i don’t like eating dinner on my own in a foreign country… like I said, it is what it is.
I just eat at the hotel, usually a light meal in the bar. People watch, bring a book................
I don't venture out after dark in any city alone (especially walking) - in a foreign country or this one.
Comments
Jane P,
You comment about traveling solo should come as a wake up call to those if us what are traveling with partners. We should invite others to join us on nights when we are getting our own dinner.
One of my top memories of a Tauck trip comes from our first one in 1993. We were in Bruges and invited two older women (who may have been younger than we are today) to join us for dinner. They were from St Louis and my husband is from Kansas City. We found that they had grown up in the Italian neighborhood in St Louis called the Hill. One woman's cousin was Yogi Berra. They spoke about the Yankees and others from their neighborhood - including Joe Garagiola and a man who went on to become a priest. He turned out to be my husband's Latin teacher in KCMO!
They were so appreciative of our invitation so that one sent me her risotto recipe along with a package of the seasoning that she used.
On our next trip we will reach out to others and not assume that they would not want to join us.
Thank you.
And, please don't get me wrong....over the years people have been more than kind and generous including me in dinners and whatnot. I also have not been reticent to ask to join a table when the opportunity presents itself. I tend to travel solo, but have never felt alone (until recently). I also fully appreciate couples wanting alone time to eat a quiet dinner and decompress from the day...I also need my space on occasion. I'm sure it is probably a sociology experiment in the making to follow group dynamics and each trip I've been on has been slightly different. Some groups "jell" from the getgo, some take a few days, some are one big group, some break out into smaller groups...I have noticed however, that when there is more free time (which I do believe is the case now) and more "meals on your own" (which I also feel is the case now), the group does not jell like they have in the past.
I travel solo and in my experience it really depends on the make up of the group more than free time or meals on your own as to whether solos get invited in or not. On some of the trips, there have been family groups (adults) and/or couples traveling together and they want to keep it that way. Other times, they are welcoming and inclusive. I never let it bother me. I live alone, do things by myself at home, so why should it different any where else?
On Regent, they ask if you want to share a table with another couple or a single. We almost always do. We've met some interesting people that way. There have been a few "busts", such as the couple who's husband stayed on his smartphone all through dinner, but not many.
Great idea!
I remember many times on land tours, the tour director would go through the bus to take dinner reservation times and would ask if we wanted to sit with particular people, anyone, a single or ourselves.
On riverboats we usually eat by ourselves. We are not gregarious and enjoy time alone. We use the lounge time for socializing and meeting new people.
Goddess - I agree that much of the group dynamics depends on the make-up of the group. Having said that, if there are multiple days, afternoons and meals on your own that people make plans for pre-tour, it is bound to affect the cohesiveness of the group. No judgement good or bad - it is what it is. I will explore on my own if it feels like a safe location, but i don’t like eating dinner on my own in a foreign country… like I said, it is what it is.
I just eat at the hotel, usually a light meal in the bar. People watch, bring a book................
I don't venture out after dark in any city alone (especially walking) - in a foreign country or this one.