Whenever I do a solo trip, something inevitably weird or rather amusing happens with respect to traveling by myself.  I was wondering whether any other females, or males, for that matter, have had their own “experiences” with solo travel–if you do, please feel free to comment below.

For example, on my latest solo trip (this time to TRS Yucatan), I had a male check-in staff make a comment about my choice of room in regards to my solo traveler status.  “And you booked a private plunge pool with only you”…Why shouldn’t I book a private plunge pool room when traveling solo?  Should I instead book the most basic room category and request that it be in the basement or a forgotten, musty corner of the hotel?  Obviously, resorts don’t have basements but I’m sure you get the idea here.  Would he have said the same thing to a male traveling solo?  Somehow I doubt it.

CHIC Dinner and Burlesque Show:  My waiter quickly dropped off most of my dinner dishes but forgot to serve the last course.  After a polite “no gracias” to one request whether I wanted any other liquor to drink (the dinner show comes with several shots served during the performances), I am assuming HE assumed I, being female and ordering no liquor, would not be tipping so why bother…I know I should not assume, especially since mistakes happen, but how can you repeatedly miss a table you serve when you are waiting on tables around the one you forgot?  He literally never approached my table again after the main course, but he was chatting up the inebriated party to my immediate left on numerous occasions.  Needless to say, that server got no tip.  Too bad, because I tend to tip well since I am aware that many people think women are crappy tippers.  It’s unfortunate I most likely reinforced his belief…too ironic but necessary in this case.

Here’s another story which was pretty funny at the time.  I went to a dinner a la carte restaurant at Secrets Akumal, was greeted by a male host who asked “how many” for dinner to which I replied “one”.  He appeared to be confused at my response and actually went and looked BEHIND me just to make sure I was somehow telling the truth and there was not another surprise dinner guest cowering there…I could barely contain my laughter at the time.

Or how about this one, and unfortunately it’s been pretty common in my own solo travel experiences.  I inevitably wind up getting a dinner table by the carts which hold the silverware, by kitchen areas, or other unwanted/undesirable dining areas.  Since my only dining companion during solo trips is FB on my phone, it’s typically not a big deal so I don’t make a fuss as long as I get what I ordered.  But it happens more often traveling solo vs. when I have a traveling companion.

Perhaps because I am female I am just more sensitive to this type of thing.  I have PLENTY of other stories of being treated differently in the business world and especially where car repairs are concerned, but those stories are for another setting…

Any funny or interesting solo travel stories to tell?  If you’d like to share one (or several), feel free to do so below in the comments section.  If you are a new poster, you will have to wait to see your post until I OK it since spammers are always a problem.

See you in Cancun!