I Want to Be Alone… Really!
Did you ever want to go to the beach and no one wants to go with you because they don’t like the sand? Did you ever want to go a flower show and you can’t find a companion who loves the greenery as much as you? Did you ever want to take a trip near or far, but no one has the time to partner up with you? Or, how about visiting some historic sites and no one you know has any interest in the Civil War. Well, now you don’t have to keep wishing and hoping for that someone to make all of these adventures happen for you! Traveling solo on a Starr bus tour is the perfect answer for the traveler who is leery about traveling without a partner.
Travel websites suggest that the number one fear of traveling alone is feeling lonely. Nothing could be further from the truth when traveling on a Starr bus tour. As an experienced Tour Director, I have seen complete strangers board our tour bus in the morning, and by our lunch stop many acquaintances have been made. Dinnertime brings on new-found friends, and truly by the end of a one-day or multiple-day tour, passengers are exchanging contact information. Our Travel Advisers can attest to the fact that many of our solo travelers have buddied up with people they have met on previous tours and have been booking trips together for years! This phenomena gave rise to the Starr Reunion Cruises and Starr Birthday/Anniversary-themed tours where many of our passengers reconnect with their Starr friends.
Some hesitant solo travelers may be concerned about safety. Traveling in a group setting such as with our bus tours has a built-in safety feature all its own. Starr provides a great balance of being with the group for attractions and some meals, and then having free time to decide whether to pair up with someone on the tour or to go off on your own. It truly is the best of both worlds. With today’s technology, everyone is in touch— or not— all day long and wherever the road leads. A solo traveler on our Cross Country by bus trip, who was recently widowed, was encouraged by her daughter to take the 26-day journey by herself. Her daughter was truly surprised that her mom almost never called during the four weeks away because she was having such a good time! We have another solo traveler who had so much fun on last year’s Cross Country trip, that she’s going again this year!
Susan Barkowski, a frequent solo Starr traveler, recently shared these highlights about traveling alone. “During one Starr group meal, I sat next to a couple in their 90’s who told me that they still enjoy walking and jogging together and that they can’t wait until they get their new Christmas picture taken in their jogging gear. At another group meal, a fellow solo traveler was telling our whole table about his job at the Philadelphia International Airport and all of the rock stars and Hollywood celebrities he has met over the years. Each Starr trip has been more than just the places I have traveled. It has been the people I have met on the Starr bus that has made me think about what is truly important in life. It gives you the opportunity to meet people who you would never meet unless you traveled solo.”
The pluses of traveling “alone” with Starr simply outweigh sitting at home and wishing for a companion to go along. You choose the kind of tour you want to go on. You pick the time of year. You never have to negotiate your free time—you can rest when you want, eat what you want, and book something special. You are more open to your surroundings and the people you meet. Then, at the end of the day, you get to relax in the peace and quiet of your room with full control over the TV remote!
Rick Steves, world traveler, guidebook author and TV host, suggests that when struggling with the idea to travel alone remember, “Your trip is a gift from you to you!” I hope you plan to treat yourself this travel season with a Starr bus tour with or without a partner!
Happy travels,
Christine Durling
Starr Tour Director
Last week we celebrated a personal milestone at Starr: Kathy Dolly, Starr’s Director of Finance celebrated her 40th anniversary. This special anniversary made me think of not only Kathy, but all the wonderful people who have experienced long tenures at Starr.
Upon entering the festival, one of the first displays we encountered was that of the farming community. There were many farming tractors that spanned from the early days to the present. It was fascinating to see how time and innovation has changed the farming industry for the better. Many of the early farmers worked a tremendous amount of man hours to get their fields ready to plant their crops. While farming is still classified as hard work, it is not nearly as hard today because of the progression of the agricultural equipment that is available for use.
There are many hands-on activities that are available to participate in and many were quite different from what I have seen at other festivals. I loved observing the gentleman who had a booth set up for anyone who wanted to make their own silk scarf. You could choose your own colors and he would guide you through the process and then you would take your lovely new scarf home to wash and wear with pride. I also loved watching the man who makes straw brooms right before your eyes without any machine – just the use of his hands. My daughter had the opportunity to make her own tie-dye t-shirt that she is wearing a lot these days with the comeback of the ’70s “anything tie-dye” clothing. Furniture making, quilting, soap making, pottery, stained glass, pewter, tinning, blacksmith, and wood carving are a few more trades you will encounter throughout the day.
Besides the craft activities, some of the buildings you can visit are a 1-room schoolhouse from the 1800s, a 1-room church, antique building with hundreds of items from the past and a barn that is used to display over 2,500 hand-made quilts. An auction is held on the Saturday before the festival ends where 24 of the best quilts are put up for auction and one is raffled off. Also, each attendee can experience quilting and making their own square that is then assembled into the annual visitors quilt.