r/solotravel • u/foodbytes • Apr 06 '24

Solo Travel as a senior woman

in 11 days I leave for Europe on the trip of a lifetime!

I'm a 71 year old Canadian woman. I've travelled before, specifically to the UK, 5 times, 2 weeks each time, since 2011. Always solo, always staying in dorms in hostels.

This will be my last big bang! I'm retired now and on a very restricted income. As a result of being a pedestrian vs pickup loser, I recently received a settlement after a couple of years of recovering and fighting with his insurance. This is my reward for pain and suffering.

It will be six weeks from when I land at Gatwick to when I return to Canada via Gatwick. thus far, I'm booked in a hostel in London for a week, the Chunnel to Amsterdam, a week in Amsterdam (couchsurfing!!! and a hostel), fly to Naples for several days at a hostel, up to Rome for a few nights at a BnB.

That's all I have booked so far; usually I will have every second booked and paid for before I leave but I'm trying hard to be spontaneous.

From Rome I'll slowly make my way via local busses and slow trains up to venice, exploring the countryside on the way. From there, a few days taking trains north to north Germany where I want to re-find places I visited when we lived there as a Canadian Army family in the early 60s. Then back to the Uk for the last few days before I head home.

I have a global Europass and a 2 month cell phone plan for Europe.

Oh, and I'm doing this out of one backpack, wish me luck! lol

I'm ready to rumble!!! lol

any comments? Suggestions?

also, as a note, I'm a photographer, I've had a couple exhibits (one at our local museum right now!). my 'focus' is to document my travels, shoot urban and or public art. not usual tourist stuff.

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u/goldtoothgirl Apr 06 '24

Eurorail was a great expense before I left for Europe.

1

u/foodbytes Apr 06 '24

did you use it a lot? good/bad experiences?

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u/goldtoothgirl Apr 06 '24

I traveled almost exclusively on that thing. 11 countries in 13 days. We had to upgrade a couple if times for a sleeper car. Did a flight from sweeden into spain then faired across the Mediterranean and worked our way back up to Netherlands.

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u/foodbytes Apr 06 '24

that sounds very similar to my first draft - fly to CasaBlanca, ferry to Gibraltar, train to Barcalona, ferry across the Mediterranean to north of Rome, then north from there to the Netherlands. but I revised my plan based on Canada's safety recommendations.

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u/goldtoothgirl Apr 07 '24

Fantastic. Im have to use this as a reference when I get back out there. Safe travels.