Fa, la, la, la, la...la, la, la, laaaaaa

This year for my Christmas gift to myself I decided to take a little jaunt to “The South”. I have a friend who recently moved to Charlotte, NC and after not much thought at all…I decided it was time to visit him.

So with the week of Christmas off, I decided it was time to treat myself. After the crumby year I’ve had it was time to do something fun. Something that makes me feel alive. It was time to grab my olive green suitcase and take to the skies!

I planned to join Matt in Charlotte for two days and then spend two days by myself in Charleston since I’ve never been there with a day of traveling to and from in my ratty rental.

After learning that I would be going on a vacation by myself, many of my friends were concerned. “What will you do?” “Who will you dine with?” “Won’t you be bored by yourself?”

Here is what I learned long ago about traveling by oneself…yes it is kind of sad to not have someone to share those memories with and reminisce at all the great things you saw and did. Yes it is much more difficult to get pictures with yourself in them when traveling alone. And yes…you sometimes feel a little out of place when dining alone. However, all these things aside…traveling solo can be one of the most gratifying and liberating experiences anyone can have.

There is no fighting over the radio station. No need to put aside your desire for crab cakes so your man (or travel companion) can have the BBQ he’s been waiting for all day. No need to suffer through yet one more tour of a Civil War battlefield when all you really wanted was a relaxing spa day.

I’ve also found that people are far more kind and enjoyable to ladies traveling alone. I doubt I would have gotten a behind-the-scenes pizza throwing lesson in Italy had I not been alone. And I certainly wouldn’t have gotten ALL the free drinks my new BFF, Bartender John, gave me in Charleston if I’d had a boy with me. People are generally more likely to engage you in conversation when you are alone. And how else are you to learn about the 50 cent hamburger and 25 cent beer place in New Orleans if you don’t go native?

I also learned on this trip that there is absolutely no better way to spend Christmas Eve than at a 5 star restaurant sipping champagne. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know all of you out there with little ankle bitters will disagree. You’ll say…”No True. There is nothing better than watching the joy of the holiday twinkle in the eyes of your child. To regain that sense of childlike wonder for the holidays is truly a unique gift!”

And to that I will say…Ahhh…but there is no staying up until 5am putting together a bike, or having your husband harass you one more time about the amount of money you are spending, or having eggnog spilled all over your crotch as a snotty nosed wee one climbs upon your lap.

I too enjoyed my own sense of childlike wonder whilst gazing out my hotel window at the beautifully lit Christmas trees in the park across from my hotel. And that undeniable twinkle in my eyes??? Well…let’s be honest… it could have been the champagne merriment I partook of, or the lovely swordfish steak I had for dinner…but really I think for me it was the opportunity to experience a worldwide phenomena with strangers I will never see again. How interesting to be in a totally different city where you are completely anonymous…and yet still enjoy a Christmas Eve candlelight communion.

Oh! I get it. You all thought my whole little mini-break was nothing but a study in holiday debauchery. O contraire! I did go to church Christmas Eve night. I went with a bit of a buzz and a totally full tummy…but I doubt anyone noticed that.

Yes…the childlike twinkle in my eye this Christmas Eve came from the joy of doing what I love to do the most, travel and see things and meet people in places I’ve never been before. I enjoyed a lovely adult meal, free of chicken nuggets, smushed Cheerios, babies screaming, poopy diapers, and irritable family members…and it was LOVELY! I highly recommend it to any and all singletons out there desirous of a different Christmas story.

Cheers!