On Traveling Alone

I thought I would write briefly about my experiences traveling alone, because a lot of people have asked me what that has been like.  It hasn't been nearly as sad and lonely as I thought it might be because it seems like everywhere I go, I meet people -- randomly or whatever.  But I also enjoy my own company (probably too much!), so I don't really mind the occasional quiet night at home or whatever.  There are so many people traveling all the time, and while not all of them are doing it by themselves, they are still really open to meeting people.  There's completely a travel culture and when you are in it, it's really easy to see other foreigners and make a connection in the only way that you are (outwardly) alike. 

I thought it was going to be really hard for me, for numerous reasons, the key one being that... well, before I took this trip I had never done anything by myself (really).  I hadn't even ever eaten at a restaurant for dinner by myself! And I certainly had never gone on a trip by myself anywhere outside of the 5 boroughs (and even then... I need someone to come with me to Brooklyn!).  But it's actually been and continues to be really fun - and liberating too.  You can do whatever you want, go where ever you want and not have to ask anyone's permission or check schedules or whatever.  You are a free woman.  The downside of course is that little thing about good friends that would be nice to have here... people who have known you for longer than a week! But overall, I would definitely do it again and am now not scared of going anywhere by myself.  It helps that I have a decent grasp of the language, but not totally necessary.

Here's an idea for a good travel book series: Traveling Solo - which would really specify the best places to meet people and stay and go if you are on your own.  There could be a whole network of activities for these people, or whatever... anyway, I was thinking about that the other day and think someone should do it.  :)

Is it dangerous?  Everyone I have met in Buenos Aires has told me how dangerous it is here.  Watch your bag!  Don't get into cabs because if you are a pretty girl they could rape you!  Don't go to x,y,z because you could get abducted and robbed blind!   Hearing these things make me a little paranoid, but I feel like it's kind of like any other big city and you just have to be smart about things.  I won't walk around really late at night alone, and I call a cab company to come and pick me up sometimes when I go out... and I try to blend in as best as possible, but  I'm not totally sweating it.  As a woman, you have to be extra careful anyway, but the two bad things that have happened to friends of mine on this trip have both been men:

- In Ecuador, my friend Steve took a late-night bus one night, missed his stop and when the bus driver realized he was still there, kicked him off the bus into the middle of a deserted highway... forgetting to give him his  luggage from underneath the bus.  Everything was gone, except luckily he had his camera, wallet and passport.   

- When I went out with the American (Will) for dinner in Palermo Viejo last weekend, he was talking on his cell phone at the beginning of the night and by the end of dinner it was gone.  There are tons of kids here (12 years old, approx) who go around begging for money or asking you to buy whatever they are selling.  They were the only ones that I saw get close enough to him that night to pickpocket the phone, so you have to watch out for that. 

Anyway, classes are going well so far... the school is very different from the one in Ecuador but I am enjoying it.  Last night, I went for some wine with a girl I met from the school at a cute little place in our neighborhood and then I went to salsa lessons.  Salsa went much better than the whole horrendous tango experience, so I think I will probably just stick with what I know.

This morning, I walked to the Recoleta Cemetary, which is immense (like a little city with streets and a million and one -- ok, only about 4,000 -- mausoleums).  I saw Evita's grave - it wasn't that impressive, I have to say.  One of the interesting things I have sort of notices about BsAs is their focus on death.  Everything is so tragic and sad here -- the tango is really about sadness, and this cemetary, which is one of the biggest tourist draws, is its crowning glory, all of the songs are sad and... I don't know people just seem caught up in their own misery.  But I think they are happy to be sad, so it works for them.

Anyway, off to school in a bit! More to come.