Inspiration

Travel alone or with a tour group?

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It is week two of my solo adventure in France. I have learned a lot about myself and group travel. As some of you know, I have lived alone for 20 years and have been retired for nine. I am pretty independent to say the least. So, having to decide whether to travel alone or with a group tour was the question. For my first overseas solo adventure, I planned to go with a group tour.

Tour group

Pros of group travel

  • Someone else is in charge of the arrangements. All you have to do is pay and show up.
  • You pay one up front cost usually.
  • Someone picks you up at the airport usually making transfers easy.
  • You have a ready group of people to hang out with.
  • A tour guide or director handles any issues that come up.
  • Transportation is,or can be, arranged for you.
  • Dining out experiences may have more variety as others may pick somewhere you would never select on your own.
  • Typically your guides are local so they know the area well.
  • Groups help you feel safe upon arrival. We have 20 people in our tour group, six couples, four widows, two single ladies, and two married ladies who are traveling without their husbands. We are 55+ with the oldest being 95!

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Solo travel adventure – France

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For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of renting a villa in the south of France, Provence, for a month and live like the locals. Eating fresh fruits, vegetables and fish, seasoned with the best spices. While I did not rent a villa, I am living in Provence, France for three weeks for my solo travel adventure abroad. After one week, I can tell you it is living up to my dream.

solo travel adventure France
Fountaine de la Rotonde, Aix-en-Provece (Photo by slc)

I booked a tour with Smithsonian Journeys back in January so I could be in France on my 65th birthday in August. That tour was cancelled due to lack of participation so here I am in September. I booked my own flights and flew solo from Colorado to France via Chicago and London. Our tour driver picked up six of us travelers outside of the baggage claim in the Marseille, France airport.

Roussillon
Roussillon, France (Photo by slc)

So far, the architecture, history lessons and the food are superb. The hilltop villages in the Luberon region have been my favorites so far, with Arles close behind. On Sunday, we will visit Avignon for more history lessons and many photos.

One of the primary reasons I chose Smithsonian Journeys is we stay in one place in Aix-de-Provence. I unpacked once and live in a city apartment for my entire stay. Options for further excursions exist: culinary, art and cultural, and French language tracks. I chose the art and cultural track.

This tour also allows for five or six days on your own. These days are a nice break from the group travel. While I meet up with the group for excursions and some meals, I have plenty of small group or alone time. It is our choice whether to join in on the group activities or go it alone.

As the famous author Peter Mayle wrote in Toujours Provence, “There are no regrets, few complaints, many pleasures.”

Sherry’s solo adventure #1

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solo adventure trip map
Solo Adventure #1 Trip Map

Preparation for first solo adventure:

  1. Checked out books from the public library to see what sites I wanted to visit besides Yellowstone and the Tetons on my travels to Wyoming and Idaho.
  2. Came up with the route which connected these sites and sent travel plans with a map (see above) to my oldest sister in case of an emergency.
  3. Researched weather patterns as to best time to travel with few tourists traveling the same route. Settled on end of September and beginning of October, 2023.
  4. As this was mostly a hiking and photography trip, I selected clothing, shoes and camera accessories accordingly.
  5. Took my small dog, Goldi, to vet for immunizations so she could be boarded during my travel.
  6. Decided to pack most of my clothing and shoes in a bag I would not take in to hotels. I would just take things from that bag daily and put dirty clothes in a separate laundry bag I left in the car.
  7. Made sure my vehicle was ready for the road trip and my mail held.
  8. At least a month before leaving on my solo trip, I reserved all of the hotel rooms so I didn’t have to worry about where I would lay my head each night.
  9. Packed luggage, pillow, satellite phone, some snacks, drinks and some wine.
  10. Acquired a new credit card (Marriott Bonvoy Bold from Chase) to rack up travel points for future travel.
solo adventure

Grasshoppers – Day 1 – Drove from Greeley, CO to Rock Springs, WY (332 miles)

  1. Dropped off Goldi (my dog) for boarding in Eaton, CO ($30/day)
  2. Stopped in Larimie, WY for thrift store shopping ($0) and lunch at the Prairie Rose Cafe ($14)
  3. Drove along Snowy Mountain Scenic Byway, Mirror Lake ( see photo)
  4. Stayed at Clarion Hotel in Rock Springs, WY ($126.72 )

Sheep are White – Day 2 – Drove from Rock Springs, WY to Burley, ID (333 miles)

  1. Visited the first and second JC Penney stores in Kemmerer, WY (tea $4)
  2. Got gas in Rock Springs ($3.87/gal) for $48.80
  3. Relaxed in the world famous hot springs in Lava Hot Springs, ID ($7.50 + towel rental)
  4. Browsed in antique shop in old town Pocatello, ID until it closed at 6:00 pm ($0)
  5. Checked in to Fairfield Inn in Burley, ID and listened to roofers until 8:00 pm (water $3)

Sick in Burley, ID – Day 3 – Spent the day in hotel room

  1. Woke up at 5:00 am sick, so no expenses or driving today
  2. Listened to roofers pounding away starting at 8:00 am and ending at 7 pm
  3. Stayed in bed until 12:30 pm
  4. Another night at Fairfield Inn ($258.38 for two nights )
solo adventure

Faith over Fear – Day 4 – Drove from Burley, ID to Hailey, ID (164 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Got gas ($3.96/gal) in Burley for $39.06
  3. Visited the Encampment at Minidonka, ID (not much to see)
  4. Browsed at thrift shop in Shosoni, ID ($0)
  5. Purchased frozen pizza, water, granola, Tylenol and razors at Natural Grocers in Hailey ($?)
  6. Enjoyed soaking in the hotel hot tub solo
  7. Stayed at Fairfield Inn in Hailey, ID
Snake River

Going on a Moose Hunt – Day 5 – Hailey, ID to Stanley, ID and back (147 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Drove along Sawtooth Scenic highway for photography of Sawtooth Mountain Range and the Salmon River (see photo)
  3. Purchased yummy Wild Huckleberry Licorice in Stanley ($9)
  4. Purchased lasagna, wine, and dinner roll at Albertson’s for dinner in my hotel room ($31.45)
  5. Stayed at Fairfield Inn in Hailey, ID ($240.80 for two nights)
Tetons

Anticipation – Day 6 – Drove from Hailey, ID to Rexburg, ID (266.4 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Got gas ($4.19/gal) in Hailey for $41.86
  3. Visited Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve near Arco, ID
  4. Drove to Driggs, ID to photograph back side of the Tetons (see photo)
  5. Drove back to Rexburg, ID
  6. Stayed at Springhill Suites in Rexburg, ID ($145.80)

Natural Beauty – Day 7 – Rexburg, ID to Jackson, WY (211 miles)

  1. Breakfast at hotel (complimentary)
  2. Visited Yellowstone National Park (free with senior pass) , Old Faithful; Saw one bison ($37.08 souvenirs)
  3. Visited Grand Teton National Park (free with senior pass), ($39.21 souvenirs)
  4. Saw antler arches in downtown Jackson, WY
  5. Stayed at Anvil Hotel in downtown Jackson, WY

Rain, Rain Go Away – Day 8 – Jackson, WY (Drove 313.6 miles)

  1. No breakfast, ate a blueberry muffin from Rexburg, ID hotel
  2. Cold and rainy! Thankful for heated steering wheel
  3. Saw Moose off Gros Ventre Rd in Jackson Hole
  4. Visited Grand Teton National Park ($63.57 gifts for grandkids)
  5. Saw family of moose at Moose Junction
  6. Visited Jenny Lake in the rain
  7. Ate at Doran’s Pizza and Pasta Co. for early dinner/beverage ($26)
  8. Visited Mormon Row early/late in the day, took lots of photos
  9. Stayed at Anvil Hotel in downtown Jackson, WY ($440.20 for two nights)

Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jog – Day 9 – Jackson, WY to Greeley, CO (483 miles)

  1. No hotel breakfast
  2. Got gas ($4.20/gal) for $41.99 in Jackson and again in Laramie for $45.01
  3. Picked up Goldi from boarding facility (total $240)
  4. Back home safely

First Solo Trip Takeaways

  1. Pack clothing for variety of weather
  2. Pack medical stuff like thermometer, Tylenol, ice pack, Imodium, laxative
  3. Buy/Pack satellite phone
  4. Keep gas tank at least 1/4 full
  5. Search for gas stations on Google for best price
  6. Let someone know your travel plans
  7. Stay confident and aware
  8. Cut costs when you can so you can splurge on other expenses
  9. Travel and arrive at hotel before dark; get a paper receipt of charges and check it
  10. Faith over fear!

Next solo adventure: Provence area of France this fall

Granny basketball

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Just ‘cause we’re old, don’t mean we can’t com-pete,
And moving keeps us up u-pon our feet.
We still can pass and guard and shoot and we can e-ven score,
But we just don’t look good na-ked a-ny-more.

–Joyce Kitson, from the song We Just Don’t Look Good Naked Anymore
Granny basketball
Photo from Granny Basketball website

According to the official website of the Granny Basketball League, Inc., granny teams began forming in 2005.  Now, there are “more than 450 players on 41 teams in 10 states:  14 teams in Iowa, 9 in Kansas, 5 in Texas, 3 each in Missouri and Oklahoma, 2 each in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and 1 each in Louisiana, Virginia and California. New teams are continuing to form.” My youngest sister plays on a championship Iowa team. I never knew granny basketball existed until she started playing.

A very good player in high school, my sister started playing granny basketball a few years ago in her 50’s. The team she plays on, the Cedar Rapids Sizzlers, won the 2022 National Granny Basketball Tournament.

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She shed structure’s progress – window view

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It has been nearly two years since I began my she shed project at my mountain cabin property. The she shed structure’s progress has encountered several road blocks along the way. That first summer it took several months, instead of days, to improve the build site and complete the custom designed Tuff Shed properly. Last fall, improvements to Sherry’s She Shed were halted due to the Cameron Peak wildfire evacuation. Then, winter set in. Now, I’m back at it with some help and the she shed structure’s (say that three times fast) progressing again.

she shed structures progress
Adding a window view, Photo by slc

I recently hired a family friend and master carpenter, Matt Tanner, to install a window I purchased at Home Depot last fall. I asked him to install it with the bottom sill about 32″ from the floor so my desk can sit right underneath it. Matt also added 2″ x 4″ bracing around the small windows on two sides of the shed. Little did I know at the time, but I saved a ton of money since I purchased the materials last fall. Building materials are now outrageously expensive.

she shed structures progress
Added 2×4 window blocking, Photo by slc

Once Matt finished installing the window and bracing, I was able to complete the insulation installation. Finally, the she shed structure’s progressing and now it has a window view.

she shed structures progress
New She Shed Structure with a Window View, Photo by slc
she shed structure's progress
Window View, Photo by slc

neighbor's rubbish pile
Neighbor’s Rubbish Pile, Photo by slc

P.S. A hiccup I’m dealing with now is the neighbor’s new rubbish pile on their property but is also near the entrance to mine:

Traveling solo in Van-Geaux

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Traveling solo has been around for years. Many articles and books have been written about it. Tour companies cater to the solo traveler. Senior solo travel expert Janice Waugh of Solo Traveler World “…estimates that probably 75 percent of solo-traveling seniors opt for a tour, but there are certainly some who choose to explore completely independently. ‘I think that as long as you’re fit and healthy and adventurous, then it works well,’ Waugh says. ‘Those who go independently, it’s very interesting to see the response of the world to them. It’s very welcoming.'”*

traveling solo
Cyndy Miller-Hughes and Van-Geaux

Cyndy Miller-Hughes, a friend and former colleague of mine, retired in 2018 after 32 years as an educator. She has been traveling independently since. I met up with her recently to examine her “new” way of traveling solo in Van-Geaux.

Sherry: What were you most looking forward to in retirement?

Cyndy: Travel

Sherry: I understand you purchased a small van for traveling.  Why this particular van?

Cyndy: It is just the right size, drives like a car, and has everything I need.

Sherry: Did you have it customized? 

Cyndy: It was built out by Cascade Campers in Nevada City, California.

Sherry: Does it have a name?

Cyndy: Van-Geaux…I went to grad school at LSU…Geaux Tigers! 

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Motivation for the new year

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Have you ever wanted to do something you thought would be fun but didn’t do it because you couldn’t find someone to join you? Let’s agree to not let that happen again. There’s no reason that the lack of a companion should stop us from visiting someplace new.

Heidi Herman
motivation for the new year

Many times I would like to go to a concert or try out a new restaurant but I don’t because I don’t want to go alone. After reading Heidi Herman’s book On With the Butter! Spread More Living onto Everyday Life, I resolve to “not let that happen again” in 2021. Her book is full of motivation for the new year.

“This book was inspired by my mother, who lived her life to the fullest,” says Heidi Herman. After my mom’s recovery from a stroke in 2016 at the age of 92, my mom began promoting the message of living life with vitality no matter what your age. I helped her achieve and log 93 new activities between her 93rd and 94th birthdays, just to show you’re never too old to have fun.”

This delightful read is full of personal stories of Heidi and her inspirational Icelandic mother, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 94. One of my favorite stories was the depiction of her mom’s microwave hop. Her morning exercise routine was unique but easy to do. The challenges at the end of each chapter, with easy to use checklists, makes this a practical motivational approach. Some of the ideas in the book we have heard before, such as stay active. It doesn’t hurt to hear them again along with numerous new ideas.

Have a friend or relative retiring this year? Consider this small but mighty book as a gift. They will enjoy the inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout the book. I love this one by Hans Christian Anderson, the author of The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling:

Enjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead.

Hans Christian Anderson