The woman at the maitre d’s desk barely glanced up at me.
asserted
woman → glance → me
I have a lunch booking.
asserted
I → have → booking
The venue is Leeuwin Estate winery in Margaret River, Western Australia, a place that I suppose not many solo diners attend, if we’re going to be kind to the wait staff.
asserted
we → suppose → staff
It’s awkward enough when you’re rolling up to a restaurant on your own, checking to see if anyone is staring at the person with no friends, trying to act like this is all normal, without the staff treating you like you must want an extra water glass or a fresh fork rather than asking to be seated by yourself.
asserted
you → ’ → yourself
Still, I did eventually get to my table and proceed to have a very enjoyable three-course lunch in my own company.
asserted
I → get → company
When you have Art Series chardonnay and seared pink snapper, who needs friends?
asserted
who → have → friends
This is about the most awkward I’ve felt while travelling alone in quite a while, and it wasn’t that serious.
asserted
it → feel → while
An assumption that I wouldn’t be there alone, quickly fixed.
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For the most part, dining by yourself is pretty painless.
asserted
dining → fix → yourself
You realise very quickly as you start doing this regularly that no one is staring at you because no one else cares.
asserted
one → realise → you
They’re all just getting on with their meals, as you are free to do, too.
asserted
you → get → meals
You don’t need courage.
asserted
You → need → courage
You don’t need experience.
asserted
You → need → experience
You just need desire.
asserted
You → need → desire
I understand, though, that for people who haven’t travelled on their own before, this is an intimidating scenario, perhaps the most intimidating of the whole solo travel experience.
asserted
this → understand → experience
Dining alone just doesn’t sound right.
asserted
Dining → sound → ?
It sounds embarrassing or weird.
asserted
It → sound → ?
It sounds like something you would have to really work up some courage to go and do.
asserted
you → sound → courage
But I’m here to tell you, as someone who has travelled solo for 20 years or more: it doesn’t take courage.
asserted
it → ’m → courage
You don’t need a special set of skills or attributes to do this.
asserted
You → need → this
You just have to take the plunge.
asserted
You → have → plunge
There’s a misconception in travel that I think is propagated as much by the people who do go on holiday on their own as those who don’t.
asserted
who → ’ → those
You’re supposed to believe that heading out to see the world by yourself is brave.
asserted
heading → suppose → yourself
And it does sound it, when there’s no one else to rely on, no one to protect you, no one to blame when things inevitably go wrong.
asserted
things → sound → you
If you haven’t travelled solo before I can see how that would be the case.
asserted
that → travel → ?
Travel is a pursuit that’s also highly enjoyable when shared, something social that’s nice to look back on with shared memories.
asserted
that → ’ → memories
But what if no one else wants to go
asserted
one → want → ?
We do ourselves a disservice by leaning on this idea that you have to be brave to see the world on your own.
asserted
you → do → own
It makes budding solo travellers think that maybe they can’t do it, like they don’t have what it takes.
asserted
it → make → what
But you don’t need any special skill to travel alone – just a few basic smarts, and enjoyment in your own company.
asserted
you → need → company
It’s not a case of can you do it, but more, will you like it when you do?
asserted
you → ’ → it
Because not everyone will, and that’s fine.
asserted
that → ’ → ?
But if you want to try it, you should.
asserted
you → want → it
You don’t need courage.
asserted
You → need → courage
You don’t need experience.
asserted
You → need → experience
You just need desire.
asserted
You → need → desire
Begin with something easy if you’re concerned this might not be for you.
uncertain
this → begin → you
See how you like it.
asserted
you → see → it
Look further afield if you want to push yourself, to the likes of New Zealand or Canada, or head to Japan or the UK.
asserted
you → look → Japan
Do day tours if that appeals, to have the safety net of company.
asserted
that → do → company
And understand that you already have what it takes.
asserted
it → understand → what
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
