If single people plan it right, they can take vacations most couples and families only dream about.
Think of it: no spouse to make compromises with, no children to referee. Just a private, lazy frolic in the south of France. Or a small ruckus with a few good friends in Puerto Vallerta.For the bold, there is the exhilarating possibility of traveling with a group of people they haven't met before. To the Caribbean. Through Europe.
The vacation possibilities for singles are limitless, and this is the time of year to plan them. A few options:
-Combine vacations with humanitarian endeavors. Teacher Sherry Sohm and five friends traveled to Peru with CHOICE - a non-profit organization that combines touring with service in foreign countries.
Sohm and 39 others spent one week touring Peru and a second week living in huts on Lake Titicaca at the top of the Andes, building a school for the children who lived on the island.
It was a tough week. They built the school from 2-foot-long blocks of hewn rock.
"They weighed a ton," Sohm said. "We lugged those things over and put them on top of each other. Then we mixed cement and threw it at the wall, hoping it would go in the cracks. We wanted to pour the cement in the cracks, but they wanted us to build the school the way they build there, and throwing cement at the wall is how they build them there."
That week on the island changed life for Sohm. "I don't look at the sky the same way. We were 13,000 feet up with no pollution gazing at a completely different set of stars. They just glowed. And it was wonderful to live with those lovely people and see how happy and gracious they were even though they are poor."
CHOICE will be traveling to Africa, Egypt and back to South America shortly. For information call Tim Evans, 355-5657.
-Put a trip together with friends. Accountant Barbara Perschon traveled in Europe for three weeks with 15 friends. Teacher Jolene Benson spent 12 days on a cruise with a dozen pals.
Jan Hunsaker is putting together a one-week cruise with 20 friends and acquaintances this summer.
The trips were wonderful, the travelers reported, but the planning can be stressful. "I learned to get commitment and money from friends well in advance," Benson said. People who made verbal commitments to go changed their minds shortly before the trip, forcing Benson to find replacements. But those who put their money down stuck with their plans.
Friends traveling in close quarters or for long periods should be particularly compatible. "If you get the wrong combination of people, it can be pretty disastrous," Benson said.
She drove across the United States with two friends. It worked because "the three of us got along perfectly," she said.
Friends should discuss the trip and make certain they have similar expectations from the trip and each other.
-Consider traveling in very large groups of friends or acquaintances. Large groups adapt well to a variety of activities, Hunsaker said. There's always someone who wants to do what you want to do, Benson concurred. The flexibility of a group lessens the stress of finding activities everyone will enjoy.
-Be daring and hook up with a group of strangers on a trip. "You get to know such interesting people," said Julie Witzel, economic development specialist for Utah Power & Light Co. "You are out of your comfort zone so you are more willing to reach out to people. I made friends with people I still write to."
Witzel signed up for a 2 1/2-week trip to Korea. She knew a husband and wife on the trip, but essentially traveled alone.
"I just kind of went off by myself and got to know other people on the trip."
She loved it and would willingly do it again. "Be friendly and open to the experience," she advised. "There are generally other people in your situation, too. Barriers are down because everybody needs to depend on each other. Be aware of what's going on around you so you can reach out to others."
-Consider one of the tours offered especially for singles. Single-World is a 33-year-old cruise and tour organization out of New York with an excellent reputation, according to two local travel agencies. Those interested must pay a $25 membership, which pays for brochures, newsletters and the opportunity to go on any of the trips.
The trips are often broken into two groups: "all ages" and "under 35."
The company offers cruises all over the world and several trips to Europe.
Contiki is a vacation company that specializes in tours for people between 18 and 35 years old. The company specializes in affordable European tours for younger people. According to the company's brochure, half of the passengers travel on their own.