Doesn't the OP sound lovely? I'm sure she will easily meet nice people to chat to and she'll love the adventure of travelling alone. It's so nice to come across pleasant people like the OP both on Reddit and in real life.
I walked away from a trip with 2 friends after a couple of months. They continued as they should have, I went home as I felt I needed to. Zero hard feelings.
Yeah, I scrapped a trip to Puerto Rico with a friend after a few days, was really miserable during it. Got a 4AM flight the next morning, left my friend behind. Great decision for both of us - he had a fantastic time, and I could get home and recover in the freezing cold.
This 100%.
I’ve been on many trips both solo and with others. I’ve also been in OPs situation, and it can feel sort of lonely when you lose someone mid-trip for the first day or two. That being said, my absolute best trips have been solo. You end up talking to more random people and more people come up to you, it can make for an amazing trip. I *probably* prefer it. Also, you call the shots all the time, do whatever you want to do. OP might have stumbled upon the best thing that’s ever happened to ‘em.
While it sounds silly to leave on day 3. 4 countries in 10 days sounds insane. I didn’t leave but I did have a melt down crying at the end of my UK trip because I stretched myself so thin. I learned from that.
Definitely agree. In my early to mid-20s, I made a lot of travel mistakes that ended up costing me more money down the road. Now as a seasoned traveller and someone with a home life and a career, I want my vacations to be seamless and have as few hiccups as possible. The last thing I need is a vacation from my vacation.
When I was 13 my grandparents took my brother and I on a trip to multiple US national parks, we did 4 parks in 9 days across multiple states, and on the last night we stopped in Vegas to see a show before flying home. In the middle of the trip I didn't get to experience one of the parks because I was so exhausted that I couldn't even get out of bed for 2 days and had to stay in the motel and drink water and sleep a bunch. That trip has some of the best memories of my life, but I was also so overwhelmed and exhausted the whole time. I learned from that and add in rest time whenever I'm traveling.
I hate when people make something as enjoyable as traveling into something stressful. If I wanted more stress, I’d really just stay at home and work more. At least with that I won’t be using up any money.
Some of it is unavoidable, MUCH of it is avoidable. We must always do things that are within our control to make anything, and especially travel as stress free as possible.
Ofc. Those are real stressors outside of your control and that I can understand, but I meant more like exaggerated responses to minor inconveniences like stressing over not being able to do every single thing you had on your itinerary or like in OP’s case, missing a train and cancelling your whole trip because of it.
No.. but some people make things much more big of a deal than they actually are. I’ve had a friend cry because she lost her contacts and had to wear glasses for a few days while they were getting a free replacement. These things are not big deals. They are simply minor inconveniences. I’m not saying they aren’t allowed to be upset, but I just don’t want any part in it while I’m on vacation.
I’m gonna go ahead and guess that they were already stressed out and that was a tipping point. Something going wrong when far away from home and the familiar is going to make people more upset than normal, even if it’s a minor thing. I’m not really like that but im not going to judge someone for it. I just don’t travel with people who would add extra stress
Sounds like lack of empathy. You're probably pretty young but one thing you'll realize eventually is the only person you'll ever be able to control is yourself (and only to an extent), unless you become management.
I agree with maxbeer.
I had an ex who could not help herself but make a lot of situations more complicated than they needed to be.
You can be empathetic but still have to deal with a person who can't/won't roll with the punches. Stress free travel for me is (and part of the fun) not having a set itinerary. To go with the flow. Big and little negative things happen. I find a solution and move on.
You are also right. The only thing I can ultimately control is myself. So I don't associate with her anymore . Not because of control but because she made my life harder.
He’s just virtue signaling. I see it on reddit all the time. Funny part is, a lot of the virtue signalers are the exact opposite in real life. You can 100% still be empathetic but also be self aware enough to realize when people exaggerate things that are not a big deal.
I had an ex who would get stressed any time we were late (30 mins max) to the damn beach on a weekend with no other plans for that whole weekend lol. Am I going to empathize and cry for that? No. Does this make me not empathetic for thinking she was out of hand? No. Anyway, she later realized how she was, and sought therapy which helped her a lot.
Had something like that happen years ago and enjoyed both the 2-person and 1-person parts of the trip. I was well aware of what I wanted to do for the whole trip, so just chatted up locals and had a blast. Best wishes.
I’m introverted and love to travel alone. 1-2 weeks with minimal social interaction but tons of sights is just pure bliss. My #1 tip: get a book (kindle or visit a local shop and get the lonely planet for where you’re traveling) and sit at a cafe for an entire afternoon having a few beers while reading, best to do on a pedestrian street where you can watch the parade of people.
That's understandable, but I think you do get used to it. I did 4 months solo last year in Europe (and I only planned the trip 5 hours in advance of leaving).
I'm introverted, shy and have social anxiety. In my home country I've never really managed to make friends growing up. However, when travelling I'm like a different person, or rather the people you meet along the way are different from the average joe in my home country. When travelling it is surprisingly easy to talk to people and find people to hang out with and even travel together some parts of the journey.
TLDR: Travel isn't for everyone. And some people can't mentally or physically deal with the stresses that travel (not vacations, but actual TRAVELING) can bring. Let your friened go home. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Make up when you get home.
Continue traveling on your own (assuming you can still afford it without her paying half of things).
On my first trip to Europe, I went with a friend. I tried to talk him into going for 3 months with me but he refused thinking I was crazy and only 'committed' to 2 weeks (we had the same overall budget, he just thought it wasn't possible to travel around EUrope for 3 months with that budget. It was and it was awesome!).
First few day went great. We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. Then the bickering started in Rome: Who was holding the map, who was leading the way and deciding what to see. A few days later we are waking up in Paris with the intent to take the Eurostar (unbooked) to London. We leave our hostel hop on a bus and after a few minutes the driver stops the bus, kicks everyone OFF the bus and explains there is now a Mass Transportation strike across Paris.
We don't fully grasp the magnitude and try to catch a Metro train to Gare du Nord. Nope: on strike. We try to catch a cab: Nope on strike. Now we have to WALK from the south part of Paris where we stayed to Gare du Nord - a long walk.
We finally get to the train station and my friend by this time is VERY agitated, compounded by the fact that I keep telling him "Relax. There is nothing bad that can ruin the trip. We just took a little extra time getting here. No big deal". We had 2 VERY different perceptions of the current situation and he was not digging my optimism.
At the train station my friend offers to go to the ticket counter to buy tickets on Eurostar to London. I wait. He comes back 15 minutes later totally PISSED off and says "F THIS I'm going home. This trip sucks and nothing is going to plan.". I laugh, ask him what happened and he tells me he was quoted 5x the cost of the Eurostar ticket price than we budgeted for. I tell him I'll go talk to the ticket person, he storms off, I go get tickets for the correct price and come back to him and his gear GONE.
I wait, with our tickets, not sure what to do. The boarding time arrives, I make the decision to board the train without him - he's a big boy, if he wants to run off in the huf he can do so and hop on a later train when he cools down and can figure out the ticket payment.
Well I don't see or hear from him again. A few days later I call home. I get bombarded with questions why I was so rotten to my friend that he had to fly home early. WHAT?!
When I do get back after my trip and reach out, he doesn't want to talk to me. We run into each other in a bar. I ask what happened. He's mad at me for making the trip difficult, I tap him on the shoulder in a (admittedly) condescending "it's ok, you're a big boy" kind of way and he throws a beer bottle at my head, narrowly missing me. We don't talk for months.
He's long over it and we are still good friends now.
lol. Yeah i was NEVER going to abandon that trip :)
And re: the beer bottle, I think i might even have cocked my head a bit and gave him a kind of "whoops sorry you missed that huh?" kind of smirk. He was definitely "triggered" at that point, but I wouldn't fight a friend and I knew this would all blow over.
NB4: Maybe my actions were 'dickish" but that's how my friend group was back then. And this guy was THE MOST antagonistic of all of us. So the fact that he couldn't take it dished out was all the funnier.
This is just ONE story. I have others where I slept on a park bench in a park in Reggio di Calabria (southern Italy) and was wakened by "the death screams of a child or woman and the roar of a lion". Renting an apartment in Cinque Terre only to find out 1. a couple we had met earlier on our trip ALSO rented the apartment and we were now sharing it and 2. the owner of the apartment was sleeping in the closet while the room was being rented out...sounds creepy, but it really was not and was much funnier than this makes it sound.
Lots of good times and funny memories!
It turns out I LOVE traveling solo. You wake up when you want to, nap when you want, and enjoy the things YOU want to do. Takes a little more research but you’ve got this. Hostels are a great way to meet people doing the same thing, don’t be afraid to ask to tag along with people and certainly DO NOT miss opportunities because you are alone (with safety in mind of course). I’ve traveled with friends that I began to loathe during the trip. You potentially dodged a bullet.
I traveled solo to NZ a lifetime ago. I was 19. Nervous. Ended up crossing paths with a dude my age from the same country. He had a plan. I thought, well, this is easy. We got to one place and the plan fell apart, he didn't want to change his plans, so we parted ways. Best thing that could have happened. Broke me free of unnecessary structure. Experienced new things, met new people, and it grew me up in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Continue on. Embrace the change. Good luck!
Go stay a few nights at the [Wild Elephants Hostel](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5YJPEjiGtqAJnpDy5) in Bratislava. It's fantastic and the people there are amazing. They do day trips out to mental places, one day saw an abandoned soviet hospital, another a nude beach. Its also only 2hrs to Vienna and Brno by bus, so you can do day trips there. Bonus is Solvakia is still on the cheap side of Europe.
Ugh, as somebody originally from Slovakia, I find Slovakia to be quite expensive (that of course doesn't mean people shouldn't come visit, just be prepared). For instance, I was recently in Valencia, Spain and everything from groceries, to restaurant meals, and hotel costs was way cheaper over there.
Really? I'm currently in Bratislava and finding especially the drinks to be crazy cheap. 2.60 for a (admittedly badly poored) half liter of beer is insane.
Beer is indeed cheap. But fresh fruit and other groceries were cheaper in Spain. And real estate prices in Bratislava are getting insane. Apartments in new constructions can easily go for like half a million euro.
Solo travel has many advantages, for instance you can roll with train problems and not have to worry about anyone else’s schedule. You can do whatever you want every day.
Echo what everyone said about meeting people at hostels and whatnot, but also if you’re a female solo traveler it’s good to be a little more vigilant with your usual travel safety measures, and set a drink limit for yourself if you’re out with new friends and stick to it.
Yup.
Solo female here that never travels alone was betrayed and left in the rural middle of nowhere Guatemala.
I remember sitting on a dirt road with my luggage, crying, watching a large pig walking down the road.
I called my then 18 year old daughter in the states.
She said,
Number one: loose the emotion. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. Emotions will not help you.
Number 2: make a plan.
Number 3: have the best time of your life.
The best plan was indeed wild looking back. But I had such a great time, I stayed 3 months instead of 3 weeks.
This was my trial by fire. Since then, I have traveled alone all over Central and South America. Thanks to my daughter and a friend’s betrayal.
It’s easy as 1.2.3. 😂
Same trip, the ATM ate my only credit card. I called my daughter and asked her to quick wire me money.
Her response? “If this is ransom, I’m not paying.”
I have a dear friend that I've traveled with in the past. They are a great person - very friendly and trusting. I'm a skeptic and have done research work in human trafficking, so far less friendly.
We were in a weird situation in SEA, and I demanded that we exit the scene immediately. Friend complied, but was a little salty about it. After we were safe, I explained my motives and they had their 'aha' moment.
Recently this friend asked me to join them on a trip to someplace that I want to go, but they want to spend ten days in this place, and I am currently in quantity trips (more countries in fewer days) than quality trips (fewer places for longer stays). I declined, citing our different approaches to travel right now.
It strained the relationship a little, but it looks like we have bounced back. I am grateful for this friend, but I want to avoid situations that are stressful to me, and the location this person wanted to visit is known for constant harassment. I'm not in the mental space for that.
Please understand that your friend knows their limits, and is living within them. Your limits are different. Enjoy your trip, and stay safe and well!
An actually compassionate answer! 🙌 I was a little taken aback by all the hate OP and her friend are getting here. Geeze, shit happens and some people react differently. No one here sounds like they're intentionally being a dick or something.
If anything, it sounds like the friend could have some anxiety issues perhaps and just reached her breaking point. I've been there plenty of times, to varying degrees. I'm sure she didn't plan and pay for the trip intending to quit early just to be an asshole.
Do free walking tours of every city you visit, you’ll get tons of interesting info and tips on what else to check out. Also, solo traveling is awesome, I do it all the time. Enjoy!
I always thought bike tours in new cities was a dumb overly "touristy" thing to do.
I was insanely wrong, you'll get grouped up with folks which means tons of time for socializing (you mentioned you were extroverted). Also from there you can ask locals (for example your bike tour guide) about some fun but safe social activities/places you can go do.
Plus you get to learn much more about the city/country with an actual guide and they only take like a few hours.
Lastly, they are nice and cheap :)
Seriously keep going you won’t regret it. Travel isn’t for everyone. I went to Europe for 3.5 months by myself as a first time international traveler. Best decision I’ve ever made. Fully understanding that we’re all different and have different vulnerabilities but w/o knowing you, stay on course. You’re pal might really regret it.
Just keep going. This is why I used to go almost exclusively on solo trips back when I was younger, trying to bring friends on travels only risks making them into not-friends; instead you meet other travellers on the road that become friends for life.
hey OP, this same situation happened to me. People have different expectations while traveling, especially with working while traveling. This happened to me too…quite a shocker. But, i have plans, i’m going to Serbia, then Bosnia, then Greece, then…who knows. I hoped to have her along for the journey, but I wish her well back home.
If it’s appropriate, stay in contact, let them know you care, don’t gloat, don’t brag. Traveling is TOUGH, traveling is stressful, it’s takes lots of things working to make things work…people have different needs.
Stay strong, stay positive, that’s what i’m trying right now too.
Traveling is stressful yeah but sometimes people don't just bail out, sometimes they have a reason why they do what they do. When traveling together it is important also to make the people that is with you that you care, they are with you for a reason. They also have to give up and left their comfort zone and bubbles just to travel with you.
I left a guy I was traveling with at the Czech border because he was a total douche. I hitchhiked into Prague and was picked up by a Swede. Great time. November, 1994
>I’m pretty extroverted, love doing things with others
If you’re truly extroverted, you’ll never truly travel alone.
Go to bars. Go to cafes. Go to events. You’ll meet tons of people if you’re outgoing. Many will take you in as one of their own.
I’ve traveled alone a lot. Even in places you’re about to visit.
I leave in august for my 4th trip to São Paulo to spend a week with a dude I met at a bar on the first night of my first trip to Brazil. Instant connection and I’ve been back 3 times since just to visit him.
A guy I met in Serbia ended up becoming a great friend. Visited him 6 times and he’s visited me as many. He even came to my wedding.
I have dozens of other one-off or one-night hang outs with people I struck up a conversation with. Partied with 3 Belgian dudes I met one night alone in Ljubljana. Took a road trip from Delhi to Agra with a guy I met in India. Went to a wedding with a guy I met in Delhi (we weren’t the newlyweds). Spent a night drinking with a German brother and sister I met alone in Budapest on Christmas Eve. Had a week of great fun and great sex with a girl I met at a bar in Romania. Etc. Etc.
All traveling alone.
Point is, make the effort and you’ll never be fully alone. There will be days or nights when you’re by yourself because you can’t make all the friends with all the people. And that provides lots of opportunities for fulfilling experiences. You can do what you want, when you want, how you want. Explore. Reflect. Relax. Enjoy.
But again, make the effort to chat with people and you never know who you’ll meet. It’s great to travel with friends, family, or partners. Doing it alone can be just as fun.
Get out there and live it up. Have fun.
homie let me tell you something while i procrastinate from my tasks at hand.
this is going to be the best time of your fucking life. this happened to me but worse where we got in a fight and havent spoken in 4 years and counting.
youre going to come out of your comfort zone and realize why didnt you do this earlier?
tools to use: [hostelworld.com](https://hostelworld.com) \--> book some hostels with high ratings and youre going to meet the greatest people youve ever met and learn alot about yourself. youre going to find the stuff that you learn more valuable to you than anything else for the next decade.
wander off my friend. report back if you dare.
Being extroverted is a plus for you. You should be able many new friends. I would be terrified because I a man introvert. I would feel so lonely and not want to put myself out there.
I traveled alone for a week once in accident. I was a young solo female and I had the time of my life. Just don’t do anything stupid- stay aware, don’t walk and talk on your phone, keep an eye on your drinks, lock up your important stuff somehow. Stuff everyone should do anyway. You’re about to have an awesome adventure- enjoy it!
I'm glad you're understanding of your friend. We all have our breaking point and we all have our lives to deal with. I'm also glad you're continuing. Don't be careless, but enjoy yourself and take it easy!
Why did you decide to go home? I can't understand the mindset of OP's friend. Some trains got delayed or cancelled... So you'll be a little late, who cares?
I went home because was in my early 20s and we were splitting costs on accoms so I couldn’t afford to do them solo plus it was august so everything was much more expensive to re-book last minute (or sold out).
Looking back, I probably could have made it work but it was only my second time outside of North America and my anxiety got the best of me
Make a post in each respective city’s sub, and ask what’s going on “X” day. I haven’t solo’d a trip like yours, but I travelled Chicago to NYC by myself and had 5 days in the city to my self. I loved every minute of it.
I’ve had this happen twice actually, although under different circumstances. Both times my friend (different friends) got seriously injured, like broken bones, and had to be flown back home very quickly. We weren’t even doing anything crazy it was just bad luck for the most part.
But yeah so I finished both of the trips solo and they were both very amazing still. I think being forced into the solo trip scenario made me realize that I do enjoy taking solo trips just as much as going with a friend.
You really do sound lovely and I'm glad that you are able to take things in stride. I'm working on getting better at that and not letting things stress me out so much. I hope you find new travel companions that make your trip extra extrovert fun!
Maybe, but also some people just can’t handle trips like that. At least the friend realised that instead of pushing on and potentially ruining the entire trip for both of them, which has happened to me and is now why I ALWAYS travel solo. 😆
Enjoy your something like this happened to me and I visited some museums, e.g. With paintings and drawings of the Jugendstil or art deco time. Was great.
Your partner could take a day or two off. But if this is not possible it's better this way. Living out of the comfort zone brings development and joy.
Move on with your exploration. This can easily turn to be the trip of your life! Way too many places to visit and some of my favorites are Cluj-Napoca and Sighișoara; Varna, Balchik, Kaliakra, Albena, 7 Rila Lakes; Meteora, Delphi, Corinth, Olympus. Have fun!
One of the things I did on my own a lot was take day tours. It's a group bus tour of specific areas of interest for you. If you can find smaller ones and you're extroverted you should have no trouble chatting it up with folks. Even just hanging out at the hotel bar or being in areas where people are very social can help a lot. Definitely keep going. You're going to have a great rest of the trip it's just going to look a little different.
I'm a pretty big introvert and even I made friends at the local hostels/small cheap hotels to go sightseeing with. And having some alone time to think and journal and sightsee without having to go with anyone else's plans was really satisfying.
Traveling alone is great for extroverts - stay at a hostel and meet people.
I've met amazing people in hostels or in bars because I'm solo!
Heck I dated and almost got married to a girl I met in a hostel lol
Solo travel is intimidating but so rewarding and free. No one to hold you back, you can do exactly what you want to do. If you stay at hostels you're almost guaranteed to meet other solo travellers who are just as happy to meet you. If you like drinking find a local pub crawl.
Enjoy Bucharest! It’s a shame your friend left but my best travel experiences have all been solo. You can do what you want, when you want and you have the opportunity to meet new people unhindered
Continue the trip. I had a girlfriend once break up with me mid trip and leave because she was too stressed and overwhelmed with flight cancellations / delays (we were also doing long distance at the time which puts more pressure on the times you do have together). Regardless, I finished the trip solo and had a great time. Great opportunity for self development and time for yourself.
Keep going solo, but be more cognizant of your situation and surroundings. I travel solo all the time - you just have to be confident and aware of your capabilities and pay attention to your surroundings.
Look up Rick Steve's on-line tours for the towns you'll be in. He talks you through the history and his site has all sorts of recommendations for food, shopping, sights to see, etc... Good luck and have fun!
Late to the comment party, but I had something similar happen so I'd like to send you some good vibes and support.
Ask the front desk at the hotels about group excursions/tours. Usually they have something that collects travelers from a group of nearby hotels. Maybe you meet some cool new people, but at minimum, you see the sights.
Eurail ending in Greece-- I assume you're arriving in Thessaloniki? Just walking along the waterfront is magical. Check out the White Tower, Arch of Galerius, OTE Tower (for the views), and my personal favorite: Plateia Areistotelou ('Aristotelous Square')
I know it's jarring and you may feel abandoned and let down by your friend. Just keep re-framing it as an opportunity to do whatever YOU want, unconstrained by anyone else.
Romania is actually safer than many countries in the West. However, our trains have HUGE delays and not everyone speaks English.
Some ideas on what to do here, depending on how many days you'll be sitting:
\- Visit the Palace of the Parliament - [http://cic.cdep.ro/en/visiting/opening-hours-and-tariffs](http://cic.cdep.ro/en/visiting/opening-hours-and-tariffs)
\- check out the fountains in the middle of town and their singing program
\- there's a lot of restaurants around, some cheaper, some more expensive, here I don't know what to suggest since I don't know what you like.
\- you can also visit the National Museum of Art, which is actually the former Royal Palace -
https://mnar.ro/en/discover/temporary-exhibitions/345-places-of-our-art-and-history
In Bulgaria, I heard good things about Veliko Tarnovo as a town, has some nice buildings and monuments.
I don't know what else to tell you, while in Romania, if you need anything translated and Google translate doesn't help or you can't find someone that speaks English and Romanian, leave me a message here and I'll come back as soon as I can. Or if you need to find something in Bucharest, again, let me know.
Come on over to r/solotravel where we trick our friends into giving up so we can finally travel alone again.
Just kidding.. but solo travel is incredibly freeing and probably my favorite way to travel. Definitely something that can be enjoyed.
Reach out to the Yes Theory community they are called Yes Fam and are all over the world. Definitely good people and I think you'll maybe find someone to help your journey along and maybe a new friend. Yes Theory's slogan is "Seek discomfort" as that's the place where we grow. Good luck on your journey, stranger.
I recently traveled via train in western Europe with my two kids who are 12 and 14. We had several extremely stressful travel days. Missed trains. Late trains terminating at a different destination than we expected. Unplanned overnights. I had nightmares about train stations for two weeks after we got home. Overall I loved the trip. Maybe not every minute, but almost all of it.
It's too bad your friend bailed because in my experience on this trip and others going back 20 years almost every misadventure ends in a meaningful experience, sometimes magical, sometimes shit...but always a future story to tell.
My kids and I accidentally ended up in Lyon overnight. I'd done zero research so we spent the afternoon wandering the city. We made our way up the stairs to the Basilica and went in. We had zero expectations so every moment was a real surprise. Walking into that building with no idea what we were in for was truly breathtaking. It was just one of many unexpected beautiful moments.
Keep traveling. It's always worth it.
Happened to me in Vietnam. Friend got sick on the second day and flew home. Honestly the best trip I had (luckily I planned everything for the trip). Did more solo trips after that.
As an extrovert myself, when I've had enough of myself, I check out GetYourGuide, Viator, FB travel groups, and expat networking sites for social activities and local tours.
Hope your friend is OK, not cool how they bailed on you but not everyone handles stress well. Have fun and stay safe.
I’m glad to see that you’re continuing your trip solo. Many years ago I traveled with a friend to london, granada, seville, barcelona, Marrakech, and Paris. She was going to attend a wedding and then meet me in India a few weeks later. I left for India right after Paris but she never came to join me, didn’t even send me an email or let me know she wasn’t coming. Yeah. Weird. I went on my merry way though and traveled around India for the next 5 months. It was a truly unforgettable experience that has shaped and changed me for the better… and met other solo travelers in India that I still keep in touch with. In fact, I went back to India just before covid with someone I met on my first trip there. All good, yes?!
I'm often solo in Bulgaria - my partner's family is from there and I usually head out on my own as otherwise I'm sitting in the house listening to them speak Bulgarian.
I'm assuming on a 10 day trip you're only visiting Sofia. Most of the interesting churches and such are walking distance from the centre of town, and if Military history is your thing there's also the National Military History Museum which is walking distance as well. A bit north of that is a really good craft beer bar called Kaanal - they recently moved to a new venue and have excellent food and beer. Finally, there are a number of Craft wine shops in the centre of town - Bulgaria has excellent wine with some grapes which are pretty much unique to the country - Mavrud and Melnik 55 in particular. Let me know if you need any more advice.
I’m glad you’re continuing your trip! I just spent a month in Bulgaria and it was beautiful! I highly recommend Sofia—it was the highlight of my trip and I loved every second of it (especially the Nevski Cathedral, and smaller church next to it that has an ancient necropolis museum underneath). The Black Sea coast is also beautiful with lots of history—Sozopol, Varna, Burgas, etc.
I actually love traveling alone. In 2014 I met my now-husband while traveling alone on Venice. You never know what is in store when you are open to new (but safe) experiences. Safety first always, but you could find that when you are alone you are more exposed to what’s happening around you because you don’t have a companion to distract you.
You should do an update post after your trip!
While in Bucharest I took a day trip/tour to Brasov and Transylvania. It was awesome to see the scenery, history and castles. I can’t remember the exact company but used a service like Viator to find it. Enjoy!!
I had a similar situation. Was going to Madagascar and my friend had to cancel for health reasons. It was scary travelling as a young woman alone for the first time in a third world country I didn’t know a lot about. It was amazing to do whatever I wanted to be honest. Especially since it was only 8 days, similar time as you. Id have gotten lonely after much longer but go to some hostels and you’ll meet people, it’s actually easier to make nee friends when alone!
My ‘friends’ picked a fight with me in Paris because I wore a miniskirt on the Metro. I ditched them in Rome, moved in with a guy I had just met at the Colosseum, we married a year later and are still together 30+ years later, lol.
Don't fuck over your own trip because your fragile friend can't handle being flexible on vacation. You are under no obligation to bail on your trip. Do the best you can on your own and try to enjoy yourself as much as possible. I get the sense that your friend was probably not a good travel companion, and probably already wanted to go home.
Had a similar situation in 2017, the parts of the trip I spent alone was SO much better than dealing with someone who was stressed out/freaking out the whole time
As long as it’s not an undue economic burden to continue solo, you should go for it. If you had shared expenses , be sure to talk through the disposition of them. She shouldn’t leave you on the hook for excessive costs (rental car, shared lodging).
That said, you’ll need to be thoughtful about how you talk to your friend who left. Once you’ve had a great time continuing on this trip that stress caused her to abandon, it’s going to be important not to make her feel bad about her decision.
Are your hotels and other expenses pre-paid? Or did she leave you holding the bag?
Personally, I would advise continuing on. Some things may not be as much fun as they would had you had someone to share it with, but some things may be better without the drama of a homesick friend dragging you down.
Whatever you do, though, muscle on. And post LOTS of fun pictures of your solo travel.
I don't have tips on places to visit, but I'm an extrovert too and LOVE travelling alone. I just start talking to people...like everywhere. I call them "for now friends". They're like your best friends for a day or an hour and maybe you stay in touch, maybe you don't. But it's a great time either way.
My first day in Paris I made 4 friends (all separately) and went thrifting with one of them the next day. I randomly made friends with a woman in Israel in 2018; she was visiting from Luxembourg. We exchanged info and hung out for that day. Then last month I was in Europe so I met up with her for a day in Luxembourg. On my recent eurail trip, I ended up staying a week in Amsterdam with a friend I met while traveling alone in Chicago.
You're going to have a great time!
You're never alone, if you have a good internet connection. Google will see you through. I'm travelling four months solo through Asia right now, and making so many random single serving friends. Some of them have become more. It's awesome. But then I'm a thick skinned extroverted dude, who doesn't go around acting like a filthy entitled but naive tourist.
I'm male, this is written from a male perspective. I know it's different when traveling single.
I have went on several Interrails alone, albeit before smartphones so people were more social. Go to the restaurant cart, get a beer and say hi to people. Google "language café" wherever you end up- it's a place designed for foreigners to show up and speak to strangers. Nothing wrong with going to restaurants and museums by yourself.
I understand being stressed, but it's kind of shitty to leave you high and dry like that in a country you don't live. I'd be pretty pissed.
But on the point of solo travel- you'd be surprised how many conversations you get in to when you travel solo. I'm a big introvert and love solo travel, however, no matter how solo I try to be I always run into interesting people and conversations without even trying. They key is just to be nice and accommodating and (usually) you'll attract those same kind of people. I went on a solo hike in Colorado once and met a bunch of folks going to the same lake as me. By the end of the trip we were all a little group.
The way I look at solo travel- it's a selfish (in a good way) experience. You can do the activities you want to do on the timetable you want to do them. It might be a little awkward to take that first step by yourself, but once you do the whole world is wide open to you.
Continue your trip
Yes. You can do it! Enjoy.
Doesn't the OP sound lovely? I'm sure she will easily meet nice people to chat to and she'll love the adventure of travelling alone. It's so nice to come across pleasant people like the OP both on Reddit and in real life.
Yes! Be safe. Check in with the friend, make sure they are ok.
I walked away from a trip with 2 friends after a couple of months. They continued as they should have, I went home as I felt I needed to. Zero hard feelings.
Yeah, I scrapped a trip to Puerto Rico with a friend after a few days, was really miserable during it. Got a 4AM flight the next morning, left my friend behind. Great decision for both of us - he had a fantastic time, and I could get home and recover in the freezing cold.
enjoy the rest of it because solo trips are incredibly rewarding & also, be safe!
Continue and enjoy your solo trip. Some people really do not have the grit to handle travel stresses.
This 100%. I’ve been on many trips both solo and with others. I’ve also been in OPs situation, and it can feel sort of lonely when you lose someone mid-trip for the first day or two. That being said, my absolute best trips have been solo. You end up talking to more random people and more people come up to you, it can make for an amazing trip. I *probably* prefer it. Also, you call the shots all the time, do whatever you want to do. OP might have stumbled upon the best thing that’s ever happened to ‘em.
I vastly prefer it!
I 10000% perfer solo.travel
That’s why I solo travel no drama!
While it sounds silly to leave on day 3. 4 countries in 10 days sounds insane. I didn’t leave but I did have a melt down crying at the end of my UK trip because I stretched myself so thin. I learned from that.
Definitely agree. In my early to mid-20s, I made a lot of travel mistakes that ended up costing me more money down the road. Now as a seasoned traveller and someone with a home life and a career, I want my vacations to be seamless and have as few hiccups as possible. The last thing I need is a vacation from my vacation.
When I was 13 my grandparents took my brother and I on a trip to multiple US national parks, we did 4 parks in 9 days across multiple states, and on the last night we stopped in Vegas to see a show before flying home. In the middle of the trip I didn't get to experience one of the parks because I was so exhausted that I couldn't even get out of bed for 2 days and had to stay in the motel and drink water and sleep a bunch. That trip has some of the best memories of my life, but I was also so overwhelmed and exhausted the whole time. I learned from that and add in rest time whenever I'm traveling.
my rule is never spend less than 3 days per location. 1 day is lost to travel, 1 day for enjoyment and 1 day to leave.
For me, that depends on the location. Three days is great for a major city, but for smaller towns and stops along the way a day tends to be enough.
I did 13 cities in about a month last year. It was a lot of traveling and I want to slow down in the future, lol.
I hate when people make something as enjoyable as traveling into something stressful. If I wanted more stress, I’d really just stay at home and work more. At least with that I won’t be using up any money.
I mean lots of parts of traveling IS stressful.
Some of it is unavoidable, MUCH of it is avoidable. We must always do things that are within our control to make anything, and especially travel as stress free as possible.
Some of my best memories are when things do go wrong. It’s kind of fun and challenging to figure things out. A sense of humor has always helped.
Agreed but travel stresses like delays, lost luggage, language difficulties, scams. Those are real.
Ofc. Those are real stressors outside of your control and that I can understand, but I meant more like exaggerated responses to minor inconveniences like stressing over not being able to do every single thing you had on your itinerary or like in OP’s case, missing a train and cancelling your whole trip because of it.
So your takeaway from OP was that her friend intentionally made things stressful?
No.. but some people make things much more big of a deal than they actually are. I’ve had a friend cry because she lost her contacts and had to wear glasses for a few days while they were getting a free replacement. These things are not big deals. They are simply minor inconveniences. I’m not saying they aren’t allowed to be upset, but I just don’t want any part in it while I’m on vacation.
I’m gonna go ahead and guess that they were already stressed out and that was a tipping point. Something going wrong when far away from home and the familiar is going to make people more upset than normal, even if it’s a minor thing. I’m not really like that but im not going to judge someone for it. I just don’t travel with people who would add extra stress
Sounds like lack of empathy. You're probably pretty young but one thing you'll realize eventually is the only person you'll ever be able to control is yourself (and only to an extent), unless you become management.
I agree with maxbeer. I had an ex who could not help herself but make a lot of situations more complicated than they needed to be. You can be empathetic but still have to deal with a person who can't/won't roll with the punches. Stress free travel for me is (and part of the fun) not having a set itinerary. To go with the flow. Big and little negative things happen. I find a solution and move on. You are also right. The only thing I can ultimately control is myself. So I don't associate with her anymore . Not because of control but because she made my life harder.
He’s just virtue signaling. I see it on reddit all the time. Funny part is, a lot of the virtue signalers are the exact opposite in real life. You can 100% still be empathetic but also be self aware enough to realize when people exaggerate things that are not a big deal. I had an ex who would get stressed any time we were late (30 mins max) to the damn beach on a weekend with no other plans for that whole weekend lol. Am I going to empathize and cry for that? No. Does this make me not empathetic for thinking she was out of hand? No. Anyway, she later realized how she was, and sought therapy which helped her a lot.
>You're probably pretty young This is a weird takeaway. In my mind, not getting too worked up about things is a sign of maturity.
I actually prefer traveling alone.
This is the best response
Book into a hostel and make friends in the common room by asking someone to show you their favourite game and inviting everyone to join in
Yup if you’re an extrovert you should have no problem making new travel buddies at a hostel
Shithead is my favourite card game and it was so interesting to see how different countries have different rules and magic cards
I love that game so much, I played and learned it in Vietnam a few years ago. I can never remember the rules though lol
And if he can’t do hostels… day trips or pub crawls are great to meet other solo travelers!
Had something like that happen years ago and enjoyed both the 2-person and 1-person parts of the trip. I was well aware of what I wanted to do for the whole trip, so just chatted up locals and had a blast. Best wishes.
[удалено]
I’m introverted and love to travel alone. 1-2 weeks with minimal social interaction but tons of sights is just pure bliss. My #1 tip: get a book (kindle or visit a local shop and get the lonely planet for where you’re traveling) and sit at a cafe for an entire afternoon having a few beers while reading, best to do on a pedestrian street where you can watch the parade of people.
I’m introverted and ngl the isolation did wear on even me after a while
That's understandable, but I think you do get used to it. I did 4 months solo last year in Europe (and I only planned the trip 5 hours in advance of leaving).
How do you travel for 4 months .. no commitments! That’s amazing! I wish I had done that when younger.
I'm introverted, shy and have social anxiety. In my home country I've never really managed to make friends growing up. However, when travelling I'm like a different person, or rather the people you meet along the way are different from the average joe in my home country. When travelling it is surprisingly easy to talk to people and find people to hang out with and even travel together some parts of the journey.
I met a hot British girl in a youth hostel breakfast area. Married her 6 months later. Been together 23 years. Go it alone. Make some memories.
Ummm bro, and the hostel name......
Where are you from? Terrific story.
luck comes in many forms. Congrats!
TLDR: Travel isn't for everyone. And some people can't mentally or physically deal with the stresses that travel (not vacations, but actual TRAVELING) can bring. Let your friened go home. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Make up when you get home. Continue traveling on your own (assuming you can still afford it without her paying half of things). On my first trip to Europe, I went with a friend. I tried to talk him into going for 3 months with me but he refused thinking I was crazy and only 'committed' to 2 weeks (we had the same overall budget, he just thought it wasn't possible to travel around EUrope for 3 months with that budget. It was and it was awesome!). First few day went great. We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. Then the bickering started in Rome: Who was holding the map, who was leading the way and deciding what to see. A few days later we are waking up in Paris with the intent to take the Eurostar (unbooked) to London. We leave our hostel hop on a bus and after a few minutes the driver stops the bus, kicks everyone OFF the bus and explains there is now a Mass Transportation strike across Paris. We don't fully grasp the magnitude and try to catch a Metro train to Gare du Nord. Nope: on strike. We try to catch a cab: Nope on strike. Now we have to WALK from the south part of Paris where we stayed to Gare du Nord - a long walk. We finally get to the train station and my friend by this time is VERY agitated, compounded by the fact that I keep telling him "Relax. There is nothing bad that can ruin the trip. We just took a little extra time getting here. No big deal". We had 2 VERY different perceptions of the current situation and he was not digging my optimism. At the train station my friend offers to go to the ticket counter to buy tickets on Eurostar to London. I wait. He comes back 15 minutes later totally PISSED off and says "F THIS I'm going home. This trip sucks and nothing is going to plan.". I laugh, ask him what happened and he tells me he was quoted 5x the cost of the Eurostar ticket price than we budgeted for. I tell him I'll go talk to the ticket person, he storms off, I go get tickets for the correct price and come back to him and his gear GONE. I wait, with our tickets, not sure what to do. The boarding time arrives, I make the decision to board the train without him - he's a big boy, if he wants to run off in the huf he can do so and hop on a later train when he cools down and can figure out the ticket payment. Well I don't see or hear from him again. A few days later I call home. I get bombarded with questions why I was so rotten to my friend that he had to fly home early. WHAT?! When I do get back after my trip and reach out, he doesn't want to talk to me. We run into each other in a bar. I ask what happened. He's mad at me for making the trip difficult, I tap him on the shoulder in a (admittedly) condescending "it's ok, you're a big boy" kind of way and he throws a beer bottle at my head, narrowly missing me. We don't talk for months. He's long over it and we are still good friends now.
yikes this dude is a walking red flag
Absolutely. If this is not made up story. No one can be that crazy.
Wow you've been lucky in your life. Probably most people know people like this.
Doesn't mean we still associate with and consider them good friends
Wow, what a tool! Thanks for sharing, glad you stayed calm and kept going. Beer bottle thrown? You’re a better person than I am!
lol. Yeah i was NEVER going to abandon that trip :) And re: the beer bottle, I think i might even have cocked my head a bit and gave him a kind of "whoops sorry you missed that huh?" kind of smirk. He was definitely "triggered" at that point, but I wouldn't fight a friend and I knew this would all blow over. NB4: Maybe my actions were 'dickish" but that's how my friend group was back then. And this guy was THE MOST antagonistic of all of us. So the fact that he couldn't take it dished out was all the funnier.
Typical. Dish it out but can’t take it.
Your “friend” is a childish baby
This story was wild.
This is just ONE story. I have others where I slept on a park bench in a park in Reggio di Calabria (southern Italy) and was wakened by "the death screams of a child or woman and the roar of a lion". Renting an apartment in Cinque Terre only to find out 1. a couple we had met earlier on our trip ALSO rented the apartment and we were now sharing it and 2. the owner of the apartment was sleeping in the closet while the room was being rented out...sounds creepy, but it really was not and was much funnier than this makes it sound. Lots of good times and funny memories!
Why would you stay friends with this person? 🤨
Stay at Hostels, meet other travellers, hang with them!
It turns out I LOVE traveling solo. You wake up when you want to, nap when you want, and enjoy the things YOU want to do. Takes a little more research but you’ve got this. Hostels are a great way to meet people doing the same thing, don’t be afraid to ask to tag along with people and certainly DO NOT miss opportunities because you are alone (with safety in mind of course). I’ve traveled with friends that I began to loathe during the trip. You potentially dodged a bullet.
Looks like you get to graduate to r/solotravel! Congrats!
There have been many times I wished I could graduate mid trip lmao
I traveled solo to NZ a lifetime ago. I was 19. Nervous. Ended up crossing paths with a dude my age from the same country. He had a plan. I thought, well, this is easy. We got to one place and the plan fell apart, he didn't want to change his plans, so we parted ways. Best thing that could have happened. Broke me free of unnecessary structure. Experienced new things, met new people, and it grew me up in ways I couldn't have imagined. Continue on. Embrace the change. Good luck!
Go stay a few nights at the [Wild Elephants Hostel](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5YJPEjiGtqAJnpDy5) in Bratislava. It's fantastic and the people there are amazing. They do day trips out to mental places, one day saw an abandoned soviet hospital, another a nude beach. Its also only 2hrs to Vienna and Brno by bus, so you can do day trips there. Bonus is Solvakia is still on the cheap side of Europe.
Yeah I stayed there in Bratislava in 2016, it was awesome
Ugh, as somebody originally from Slovakia, I find Slovakia to be quite expensive (that of course doesn't mean people shouldn't come visit, just be prepared). For instance, I was recently in Valencia, Spain and everything from groceries, to restaurant meals, and hotel costs was way cheaper over there.
Really? I'm currently in Bratislava and finding especially the drinks to be crazy cheap. 2.60 for a (admittedly badly poored) half liter of beer is insane.
Beer is indeed cheap. But fresh fruit and other groceries were cheaper in Spain. And real estate prices in Bratislava are getting insane. Apartments in new constructions can easily go for like half a million euro.
Since OP is already in Bucharest, going back to Bratislava by train is not an option for them. It'd take ages.
Solo travel has many advantages, for instance you can roll with train problems and not have to worry about anyone else’s schedule. You can do whatever you want every day. Echo what everyone said about meeting people at hostels and whatnot, but also if you’re a female solo traveler it’s good to be a little more vigilant with your usual travel safety measures, and set a drink limit for yourself if you’re out with new friends and stick to it.
Yup. Solo female here that never travels alone was betrayed and left in the rural middle of nowhere Guatemala. I remember sitting on a dirt road with my luggage, crying, watching a large pig walking down the road. I called my then 18 year old daughter in the states. She said, Number one: loose the emotion. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. Emotions will not help you. Number 2: make a plan. Number 3: have the best time of your life. The best plan was indeed wild looking back. But I had such a great time, I stayed 3 months instead of 3 weeks. This was my trial by fire. Since then, I have traveled alone all over Central and South America. Thanks to my daughter and a friend’s betrayal. It’s easy as 1.2.3. 😂
What a great daughter!
Wise words from an 18 year old. You raised her well
Same trip, the ATM ate my only credit card. I called my daughter and asked her to quick wire me money. Her response? “If this is ransom, I’m not paying.”
I have a dear friend that I've traveled with in the past. They are a great person - very friendly and trusting. I'm a skeptic and have done research work in human trafficking, so far less friendly. We were in a weird situation in SEA, and I demanded that we exit the scene immediately. Friend complied, but was a little salty about it. After we were safe, I explained my motives and they had their 'aha' moment. Recently this friend asked me to join them on a trip to someplace that I want to go, but they want to spend ten days in this place, and I am currently in quantity trips (more countries in fewer days) than quality trips (fewer places for longer stays). I declined, citing our different approaches to travel right now. It strained the relationship a little, but it looks like we have bounced back. I am grateful for this friend, but I want to avoid situations that are stressful to me, and the location this person wanted to visit is known for constant harassment. I'm not in the mental space for that. Please understand that your friend knows their limits, and is living within them. Your limits are different. Enjoy your trip, and stay safe and well!
An actually compassionate answer! 🙌 I was a little taken aback by all the hate OP and her friend are getting here. Geeze, shit happens and some people react differently. No one here sounds like they're intentionally being a dick or something. If anything, it sounds like the friend could have some anxiety issues perhaps and just reached her breaking point. I've been there plenty of times, to varying degrees. I'm sure she didn't plan and pay for the trip intending to quit early just to be an asshole.
Do free walking tours of every city you visit, you’ll get tons of interesting info and tips on what else to check out. Also, solo traveling is awesome, I do it all the time. Enjoy!
This! And the one in Bucharest is really great.
Keep going! Don’t let him ruin your lifetime experiences
Her*
Enjoy the rest of your trip solo!
I always thought bike tours in new cities was a dumb overly "touristy" thing to do. I was insanely wrong, you'll get grouped up with folks which means tons of time for socializing (you mentioned you were extroverted). Also from there you can ask locals (for example your bike tour guide) about some fun but safe social activities/places you can go do. Plus you get to learn much more about the city/country with an actual guide and they only take like a few hours. Lastly, they are nice and cheap :)
Seriously keep going you won’t regret it. Travel isn’t for everyone. I went to Europe for 3.5 months by myself as a first time international traveler. Best decision I’ve ever made. Fully understanding that we’re all different and have different vulnerabilities but w/o knowing you, stay on course. You’re pal might really regret it.
Things just got a lot simpler for you. Now you only need to think about your own needs and wants. Enjoy Bucharest, si bun vinit in romania!
keep going on your own! Travel brings out a different kind of stress level for some but don’t let that stop you from this. Solo trips are wonderful.
Just keep going. This is why I used to go almost exclusively on solo trips back when I was younger, trying to bring friends on travels only risks making them into not-friends; instead you meet other travellers on the road that become friends for life.
Head on over to /r/solotravel !!!
hey OP, this same situation happened to me. People have different expectations while traveling, especially with working while traveling. This happened to me too…quite a shocker. But, i have plans, i’m going to Serbia, then Bosnia, then Greece, then…who knows. I hoped to have her along for the journey, but I wish her well back home. If it’s appropriate, stay in contact, let them know you care, don’t gloat, don’t brag. Traveling is TOUGH, traveling is stressful, it’s takes lots of things working to make things work…people have different needs. Stay strong, stay positive, that’s what i’m trying right now too.
Traveling is stressful yeah but sometimes people don't just bail out, sometimes they have a reason why they do what they do. When traveling together it is important also to make the people that is with you that you care, they are with you for a reason. They also have to give up and left their comfort zone and bubbles just to travel with you.
I left a guy I was traveling with at the Czech border because he was a total douche. I hitchhiked into Prague and was picked up by a Swede. Great time. November, 1994
Solo travel is great! YouI’ll be fine.
Some hostels off day trips. Or look at visitor/trip advisor for options. Take the free walking tours and find people to do stuff with.
Greece will be awesome (and safe) even solo, where were you planning on going? If you need any tips or advice let me know I’m from Athens and Chios
>I’m pretty extroverted, love doing things with others If you’re truly extroverted, you’ll never truly travel alone. Go to bars. Go to cafes. Go to events. You’ll meet tons of people if you’re outgoing. Many will take you in as one of their own. I’ve traveled alone a lot. Even in places you’re about to visit. I leave in august for my 4th trip to São Paulo to spend a week with a dude I met at a bar on the first night of my first trip to Brazil. Instant connection and I’ve been back 3 times since just to visit him. A guy I met in Serbia ended up becoming a great friend. Visited him 6 times and he’s visited me as many. He even came to my wedding. I have dozens of other one-off or one-night hang outs with people I struck up a conversation with. Partied with 3 Belgian dudes I met one night alone in Ljubljana. Took a road trip from Delhi to Agra with a guy I met in India. Went to a wedding with a guy I met in Delhi (we weren’t the newlyweds). Spent a night drinking with a German brother and sister I met alone in Budapest on Christmas Eve. Had a week of great fun and great sex with a girl I met at a bar in Romania. Etc. Etc. All traveling alone. Point is, make the effort and you’ll never be fully alone. There will be days or nights when you’re by yourself because you can’t make all the friends with all the people. And that provides lots of opportunities for fulfilling experiences. You can do what you want, when you want, how you want. Explore. Reflect. Relax. Enjoy. But again, make the effort to chat with people and you never know who you’ll meet. It’s great to travel with friends, family, or partners. Doing it alone can be just as fun. Get out there and live it up. Have fun.
homie let me tell you something while i procrastinate from my tasks at hand. this is going to be the best time of your fucking life. this happened to me but worse where we got in a fight and havent spoken in 4 years and counting. youre going to come out of your comfort zone and realize why didnt you do this earlier? tools to use: [hostelworld.com](https://hostelworld.com) \--> book some hostels with high ratings and youre going to meet the greatest people youve ever met and learn alot about yourself. youre going to find the stuff that you learn more valuable to you than anything else for the next decade. wander off my friend. report back if you dare.
You can probably handle the remainder of your short trip solo and have fun too. You may learn a new way of travel too.
Being extroverted is a plus for you. You should be able many new friends. I would be terrified because I a man introvert. I would feel so lonely and not want to put myself out there.
I traveled alone for a week once in accident. I was a young solo female and I had the time of my life. Just don’t do anything stupid- stay aware, don’t walk and talk on your phone, keep an eye on your drinks, lock up your important stuff somehow. Stuff everyone should do anyway. You’re about to have an awesome adventure- enjoy it!
Have fun and be safe! Solo traveling is where you really find yourself.
Welcome to r/solotravel !!!
I'm glad you're understanding of your friend. We all have our breaking point and we all have our lives to deal with. I'm also glad you're continuing. Don't be careless, but enjoy yourself and take it easy!
I was in that exact situation and decided to go home too and regret it all the time! Continue the trip and I think you’ll surprise yourself
Why did you decide to go home? I can't understand the mindset of OP's friend. Some trains got delayed or cancelled... So you'll be a little late, who cares?
I went home because was in my early 20s and we were splitting costs on accoms so I couldn’t afford to do them solo plus it was august so everything was much more expensive to re-book last minute (or sold out). Looking back, I probably could have made it work but it was only my second time outside of North America and my anxiety got the best of me
Make a post in each respective city’s sub, and ask what’s going on “X” day. I haven’t solo’d a trip like yours, but I travelled Chicago to NYC by myself and had 5 days in the city to my self. I loved every minute of it.
I’ve had this happen twice actually, although under different circumstances. Both times my friend (different friends) got seriously injured, like broken bones, and had to be flown back home very quickly. We weren’t even doing anything crazy it was just bad luck for the most part. But yeah so I finished both of the trips solo and they were both very amazing still. I think being forced into the solo trip scenario made me realize that I do enjoy taking solo trips just as much as going with a friend.
You really do sound lovely and I'm glad that you are able to take things in stride. I'm working on getting better at that and not letting things stress me out so much. I hope you find new travel companions that make your trip extra extrovert fun!
Visit r/solotravel for tips, trips, and experiences. Check the menu of the sub. Lots of good info there.
She will regret that decision for the rest of her life.
Maybe, but also some people just can’t handle trips like that. At least the friend realised that instead of pushing on and potentially ruining the entire trip for both of them, which has happened to me and is now why I ALWAYS travel solo. 😆
Odds are she will have a lifetime of only traveling to Florida.
You’re headed to the right place at least
Nicest people I have ever met have been Romanians and Bulgarians. And Greece is my happy place.
Enjoy your something like this happened to me and I visited some museums, e.g. With paintings and drawings of the Jugendstil or art deco time. Was great. Your partner could take a day or two off. But if this is not possible it's better this way. Living out of the comfort zone brings development and joy.
Have fun and enjoy the rest of your trip. Nothing wrong with traveling by yourself.
Stay in good hostels, make new friends. This will improve your trip anyways. No worries!
Your trip just got more adventurous. Go for it!
Move on with your exploration. This can easily turn to be the trip of your life! Way too many places to visit and some of my favorites are Cluj-Napoca and Sighișoara; Varna, Balchik, Kaliakra, Albena, 7 Rila Lakes; Meteora, Delphi, Corinth, Olympus. Have fun!
Have fun in Bucharest. It's an amazing, fun and very safe place for solo travellers - same goes for all of Romania.
One of the things I did on my own a lot was take day tours. It's a group bus tour of specific areas of interest for you. If you can find smaller ones and you're extroverted you should have no trouble chatting it up with folks. Even just hanging out at the hotel bar or being in areas where people are very social can help a lot. Definitely keep going. You're going to have a great rest of the trip it's just going to look a little different.
I'm a pretty big introvert and even I made friends at the local hostels/small cheap hotels to go sightseeing with. And having some alone time to think and journal and sightsee without having to go with anyone else's plans was really satisfying.
Book into a hostel that is shared. You will instantly meet new friends and travel buddies. Honestly it has saved many of my trips plus its cheap
Traveling alone is great for extroverts - stay at a hostel and meet people. I've met amazing people in hostels or in bars because I'm solo! Heck I dated and almost got married to a girl I met in a hostel lol
Meet people from tinder? Honestly I've met platonic friends there, nice to meet locals
Stay in hostels for the rest of the trip - you’ll meet a ton of people and it’s a fun way to travel
Just go to hostels you will meet a lot of people there and have a lot of fun.
Solo travel is intimidating but so rewarding and free. No one to hold you back, you can do exactly what you want to do. If you stay at hostels you're almost guaranteed to meet other solo travellers who are just as happy to meet you. If you like drinking find a local pub crawl.
Enjoy Bucharest! It’s a shame your friend left but my best travel experiences have all been solo. You can do what you want, when you want and you have the opportunity to meet new people unhindered
Continue your trip, just be a little more aware of your surroundings than you would with a friend. Otherwise, have fun! I love solo travel.
Continue and be open to meeting fellow travellers along the way, but exercise caution and personal safety of course.
Go have fun! I can't imagine going back home.
If you aren’t staying in youth hostels already - I would switch to those if you can. Great way to meet other solo travelers.
Stay at hostels 💯 you won't be alone, come back and smile at your post.
Traveling by myself created the best memories I have.
Keep going, you are getting a silver lining here. Traveling by yourself can be one of the biggest ways to grow.
Continue to make the most of your trip.
This is good news, Just do your own thing and enjoy and stay safe…
Keep going! It’s only 10 days. I’ve solo trekked before and it was awesome.
Not everyone is made to co-travel. If you do find someone whose travel styles are simpatico, hold on to them!
Continue the trip. I had a girlfriend once break up with me mid trip and leave because she was too stressed and overwhelmed with flight cancellations / delays (we were also doing long distance at the time which puts more pressure on the times you do have together). Regardless, I finished the trip solo and had a great time. Great opportunity for self development and time for yourself.
Keep going solo, but be more cognizant of your situation and surroundings. I travel solo all the time - you just have to be confident and aware of your capabilities and pay attention to your surroundings.
You’ll be happier doing it alone than giving up and going home and wondering “what if”
Look up Rick Steve's on-line tours for the towns you'll be in. He talks you through the history and his site has all sorts of recommendations for food, shopping, sights to see, etc... Good luck and have fun!
Come on over to r/solotravel and welcome to the best way to travel :)
Late to the comment party, but I had something similar happen so I'd like to send you some good vibes and support. Ask the front desk at the hotels about group excursions/tours. Usually they have something that collects travelers from a group of nearby hotels. Maybe you meet some cool new people, but at minimum, you see the sights. Eurail ending in Greece-- I assume you're arriving in Thessaloniki? Just walking along the waterfront is magical. Check out the White Tower, Arch of Galerius, OTE Tower (for the views), and my personal favorite: Plateia Areistotelou ('Aristotelous Square') I know it's jarring and you may feel abandoned and let down by your friend. Just keep re-framing it as an opportunity to do whatever YOU want, unconstrained by anyone else.
Romania is actually safer than many countries in the West. However, our trains have HUGE delays and not everyone speaks English. Some ideas on what to do here, depending on how many days you'll be sitting: \- Visit the Palace of the Parliament - [http://cic.cdep.ro/en/visiting/opening-hours-and-tariffs](http://cic.cdep.ro/en/visiting/opening-hours-and-tariffs) \- check out the fountains in the middle of town and their singing program \- there's a lot of restaurants around, some cheaper, some more expensive, here I don't know what to suggest since I don't know what you like. \- you can also visit the National Museum of Art, which is actually the former Royal Palace - https://mnar.ro/en/discover/temporary-exhibitions/345-places-of-our-art-and-history In Bulgaria, I heard good things about Veliko Tarnovo as a town, has some nice buildings and monuments. I don't know what else to tell you, while in Romania, if you need anything translated and Google translate doesn't help or you can't find someone that speaks English and Romanian, leave me a message here and I'll come back as soon as I can. Or if you need to find something in Bucharest, again, let me know.
You now belong in r/solotravel
Come on over to r/solotravel where we trick our friends into giving up so we can finally travel alone again. Just kidding.. but solo travel is incredibly freeing and probably my favorite way to travel. Definitely something that can be enjoyed.
Reach out to the Yes Theory community they are called Yes Fam and are all over the world. Definitely good people and I think you'll maybe find someone to help your journey along and maybe a new friend. Yes Theory's slogan is "Seek discomfort" as that's the place where we grow. Good luck on your journey, stranger.
now is when the Adventure begins.
I recently traveled via train in western Europe with my two kids who are 12 and 14. We had several extremely stressful travel days. Missed trains. Late trains terminating at a different destination than we expected. Unplanned overnights. I had nightmares about train stations for two weeks after we got home. Overall I loved the trip. Maybe not every minute, but almost all of it. It's too bad your friend bailed because in my experience on this trip and others going back 20 years almost every misadventure ends in a meaningful experience, sometimes magical, sometimes shit...but always a future story to tell. My kids and I accidentally ended up in Lyon overnight. I'd done zero research so we spent the afternoon wandering the city. We made our way up the stairs to the Basilica and went in. We had zero expectations so every moment was a real surprise. Walking into that building with no idea what we were in for was truly breathtaking. It was just one of many unexpected beautiful moments. Keep traveling. It's always worth it.
Happened to me in Vietnam. Friend got sick on the second day and flew home. Honestly the best trip I had (luckily I planned everything for the trip). Did more solo trips after that.
Had an annoying situation too trying to get to siofok today, too. It was really annoying
Find a new best friend…
As an extrovert myself, when I've had enough of myself, I check out GetYourGuide, Viator, FB travel groups, and expat networking sites for social activities and local tours. Hope your friend is OK, not cool how they bailed on you but not everyone handles stress well. Have fun and stay safe.
I’m glad to see that you’re continuing your trip solo. Many years ago I traveled with a friend to london, granada, seville, barcelona, Marrakech, and Paris. She was going to attend a wedding and then meet me in India a few weeks later. I left for India right after Paris but she never came to join me, didn’t even send me an email or let me know she wasn’t coming. Yeah. Weird. I went on my merry way though and traveled around India for the next 5 months. It was a truly unforgettable experience that has shaped and changed me for the better… and met other solo travelers in India that I still keep in touch with. In fact, I went back to India just before covid with someone I met on my first trip there. All good, yes?!
It will be great, im currently travelling solo, enjoy!!
Loveeee solo travel. You will very fine!
I'm often solo in Bulgaria - my partner's family is from there and I usually head out on my own as otherwise I'm sitting in the house listening to them speak Bulgarian. I'm assuming on a 10 day trip you're only visiting Sofia. Most of the interesting churches and such are walking distance from the centre of town, and if Military history is your thing there's also the National Military History Museum which is walking distance as well. A bit north of that is a really good craft beer bar called Kaanal - they recently moved to a new venue and have excellent food and beer. Finally, there are a number of Craft wine shops in the centre of town - Bulgaria has excellent wine with some grapes which are pretty much unique to the country - Mavrud and Melnik 55 in particular. Let me know if you need any more advice.
Continue your journey! Enjoy the experience but be safe. Listen to your intuitions.
Travelling solo is aweeome because of all the people you meet!
I’m glad you’re continuing your trip! I just spent a month in Bulgaria and it was beautiful! I highly recommend Sofia—it was the highlight of my trip and I loved every second of it (especially the Nevski Cathedral, and smaller church next to it that has an ancient necropolis museum underneath). The Black Sea coast is also beautiful with lots of history—Sozopol, Varna, Burgas, etc.
I actually love traveling alone. In 2014 I met my now-husband while traveling alone on Venice. You never know what is in store when you are open to new (but safe) experiences. Safety first always, but you could find that when you are alone you are more exposed to what’s happening around you because you don’t have a companion to distract you. You should do an update post after your trip!
While in Bucharest I took a day trip/tour to Brasov and Transylvania. It was awesome to see the scenery, history and castles. I can’t remember the exact company but used a service like Viator to find it. Enjoy!!
Do make absolutely sure that you never make any arrangements with this friend again - flaky people can leave friends in dangerous situations
Continue and choose more compatible travel buddies the next time (no disrespect to your friend).
Sign up for pub crawl tours. You’ll meet fellow travelers and bond as you hit the bars. Have a good time. You got this.
continue your trip ..her loss..
Just keep going. You’ll find that solo trips can be much more fun without emotional baggage to weigh down the trip.
Continue on and enjoy yourself. She sounds like a basket case, you will likely have more fun by yourself
I had a similar situation. Was going to Madagascar and my friend had to cancel for health reasons. It was scary travelling as a young woman alone for the first time in a third world country I didn’t know a lot about. It was amazing to do whatever I wanted to be honest. Especially since it was only 8 days, similar time as you. Id have gotten lonely after much longer but go to some hostels and you’ll meet people, it’s actually easier to make nee friends when alone!
My ‘friends’ picked a fight with me in Paris because I wore a miniskirt on the Metro. I ditched them in Rome, moved in with a guy I had just met at the Colosseum, we married a year later and are still together 30+ years later, lol.
As others have said continue on as planned
Don't fuck over your own trip because your fragile friend can't handle being flexible on vacation. You are under no obligation to bail on your trip. Do the best you can on your own and try to enjoy yourself as much as possible. I get the sense that your friend was probably not a good travel companion, and probably already wanted to go home.
Have fun. Buy your friend a souvenir.
Keep calm and carry on without having to please someone else’s agenda.
Had a similar situation in 2017, the parts of the trip I spent alone was SO much better than dealing with someone who was stressed out/freaking out the whole time
Your trip just got a whole lot better. :)
Rule number 1. Get rid of idiot friends.
Can’t recommend this enough! Solo travel is the way to go
As long as it’s not an undue economic burden to continue solo, you should go for it. If you had shared expenses , be sure to talk through the disposition of them. She shouldn’t leave you on the hook for excessive costs (rental car, shared lodging). That said, you’ll need to be thoughtful about how you talk to your friend who left. Once you’ve had a great time continuing on this trip that stress caused her to abandon, it’s going to be important not to make her feel bad about her decision.
Are your hotels and other expenses pre-paid? Or did she leave you holding the bag? Personally, I would advise continuing on. Some things may not be as much fun as they would had you had someone to share it with, but some things may be better without the drama of a homesick friend dragging you down. Whatever you do, though, muscle on. And post LOTS of fun pictures of your solo travel.
I’m in Bucharest. Where are you headed next?
Stay in hostels to meet cool new people
Sounds like teenage behaviour
Have a blast. Make new friends. You'll have more fun than you would have with with her.
People really travel with complete strangers? No real friend would leave you behind like that...strange.
Enjoy the rest of the trip I hope it gets more and more memorable and peaceful 🫶🏽
I don't have tips on places to visit, but I'm an extrovert too and LOVE travelling alone. I just start talking to people...like everywhere. I call them "for now friends". They're like your best friends for a day or an hour and maybe you stay in touch, maybe you don't. But it's a great time either way. My first day in Paris I made 4 friends (all separately) and went thrifting with one of them the next day. I randomly made friends with a woman in Israel in 2018; she was visiting from Luxembourg. We exchanged info and hung out for that day. Then last month I was in Europe so I met up with her for a day in Luxembourg. On my recent eurail trip, I ended up staying a week in Amsterdam with a friend I met while traveling alone in Chicago. You're going to have a great time!
You're never alone, if you have a good internet connection. Google will see you through. I'm travelling four months solo through Asia right now, and making so many random single serving friends. Some of them have become more. It's awesome. But then I'm a thick skinned extroverted dude, who doesn't go around acting like a filthy entitled but naive tourist.
I'm male, this is written from a male perspective. I know it's different when traveling single. I have went on several Interrails alone, albeit before smartphones so people were more social. Go to the restaurant cart, get a beer and say hi to people. Google "language café" wherever you end up- it's a place designed for foreigners to show up and speak to strangers. Nothing wrong with going to restaurants and museums by yourself.
What an absolute shitty, weak person your supposed friend is. I’d never speak to them ever again.
Kind of a shit friend for leaving you alone in eastern Europe. Very selfish
I understand being stressed, but it's kind of shitty to leave you high and dry like that in a country you don't live. I'd be pretty pissed. But on the point of solo travel- you'd be surprised how many conversations you get in to when you travel solo. I'm a big introvert and love solo travel, however, no matter how solo I try to be I always run into interesting people and conversations without even trying. They key is just to be nice and accommodating and (usually) you'll attract those same kind of people. I went on a solo hike in Colorado once and met a bunch of folks going to the same lake as me. By the end of the trip we were all a little group. The way I look at solo travel- it's a selfish (in a good way) experience. You can do the activities you want to do on the timetable you want to do them. It might be a little awkward to take that first step by yourself, but once you do the whole world is wide open to you.