Guess where I am? In Madrid!
You might be wondering why I’m writing a blog post instead of soaking up the Madrid nightlife. Well, it turns out the weather has been rainy and cold since I arrived 24 hours ago. On top of that, I’m exhausted. Right now, my main goal is just to stay awake until 10 p.m. Spain time so I can reset my internal clock. That comfy Marriott bed is calling my name!
To be honest, though, I’ve never been much of a nightlife person. I’m more of a boring Benjamin Franklin type—early to bed, early to rise.
Learning to Love Solo Travel
If you’ve followed my travels, you may recall my moody and lonely blog post from Mexico when late-night partiers kept me up. That trip made me realize how much I missed having a travel companion. Almost every vacation I’d ever taken before retirement was with a friend, family member, or romantic partner. I always believed that what makes a vacation truly fun isn’t the destination—it’s the company. Sharing meals, figuring out directions together (I really need that!), and creating shared memories have always been the highlights of my travels.
But once I retired, my travel motivations changed. I no longer needed a break from work, so my trips started falling into different categories:
- Chasing the sun in the winter
- Spanish immersion
- Volunteer work
- Meeting up with friends or family
- Seeking new experiences
After my lonely Mexico trip, I swore I’d never go on a long solo trip again. But then I realized the issue wasn’t traveling alone—it was not having an easy way to meet other solo travelers.
The Joy of Connecting with Fellow Solo Travelers
One of the great things about meeting other solo travelers is that it expands your worldwide network of like-minded friends! (Side note: I’ve also discovered the magic of solo cruising, but that’s a whole chapter if I ever write a book about solo retirement.)
Back in January 2020, just before the pandemic hit, I spent a couple of weeks in Costa Rica at Conversa, a Spanish immersion program. There, I met David from the UK, who introduced me to VaughanTown, a program where native English speakers help Spanish business professionals become more fluent in English. In exchange, English-speaking volunteers get free room and board. How amazing is that?
I’m so excited to be volunteering with VaughanTown next week! After that, I’ll be heading to Valencia, where David has generously offered to host me in his “flat.”
Why This Trip is Perfect for Me
This solo trip to Spain checks all my favorite travel boxes:
✅ I’ll meet lots of new people (and talking to them is my “volunteer job”!)
✅ I’ll get to practice Spanish with native speakers.
✅ I’ll get to visit David, an interesting, fun, and thoughtful friend!
✅ I’ll have new and unique experiences every day.
Solo retirement travel is a learning process, but I’m finding my sweet spot—mixing adventure, connection, and personal growth. And who knows? Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I’ll even stay up past 10pm. (I hear at VaughanTown, dinner isn’t even until 9pm, and then “social time” is from 10-midnight. Sorry, Ben Franklin.)
Update: Today I read about this adventurous 66-year-old woman who is traveling the world solo on her bicycle!
Have you ever traveled solo? What were your best (or worst) experiences?
