why is most comments about travelling solo about women. There must be lots of solo men travelling alone who have needs, and stories? colin
lilly said
07:28 PM Oct 22, 2010
think there is colin i seen a few on the road .. are you a solo traveler ????
Happywanderer said
08:41 PM Oct 22, 2010
Because it was women who started those thread qutas. Maybe we have more enquiring minds. Feel free to ask questions, we need the answers too. Always learning whether man or woman solos.
nswoutback said
12:28 PM Oct 23, 2010
Being a male, I guess "travelling solo" is not that much different - wether at home or on the road. There are very few physical challanges - at either place.
The mental issues are somewhat different. At home, you have familar contacts (family, friends or work collegues). When travelling, you can be somewhat isolated from that network. I see the isolation from close contacts being a significant issue
-- Edited by nswoutback on Saturday 23rd of October 2010 12:29:20 PM
Happywanderer said
01:23 PM Oct 23, 2010
That could very well be true nswoutback. I think because of that issue us women are more nervous about going it alone on the road even though we have been alone at home. hence why we ask more question.
Women can feel more at ease in a familiar environment, at home, than out on the road where we don't know what is ahead of us and what to expect.
Mind you, the ones who have already been and done that, you can see the confidence growing in their subsequent threads.
Cruising Granny said
07:23 PM Oct 23, 2010
Some of the issues concerning solo women travellers are also relevant to the blokes on their own.
Some has to do with security.
Some has to do with breaking down and not being able to fix it.
Not every bloke is equipped to do much more than change a tyre.
It's assumed women can't do this, but I'd bet most of us can do it.
Some has to do with towing.
I get many comments about towing a van with my "big" 4WD. Apparently I'm "brave".
What's comfortable for me would be overwhelming to others. What's too small to me is just right for others.
It's all about working within one's capabilities.
As for security - we're all at risk in one way or another every day, in the city, on the road in the bush, or at home. Even in caravan parks. I think the bush is safer.
I do worry about the women who depend entirely on their man to do everything around the van, and for towing.
What happens when something goes wrong? He falls down the van steps, breaks an ankle and can't drive. Who does the driving then? Who does the towing them?
I believe all the girls should have a go at towing. They don't have to do all the tricky stuff, nor the backing, but at least towing forward, until they're confident in their own skills.
Let me tell you girls, the blokes had to learn to do this sometime in their lives so they can do it for you now. What do you reckon guys?
I reckon it's the girl's turn.
Happywanderer said
08:12 PM Oct 23, 2010
Just had a thought. Maybe its for the same reason that women will stop and ask directions where men would rather go the wrong way than ask for help, haha.
Cruising Granny said
10:00 PM Oct 23, 2010
Ha ha ha ha. I get that Happy Wanderer.
Even my travelling companion Tom (Tom) doesn't ask me for directions, and gets it wrong. In doing so the dirty little bugger misleads me up a cul-de-sac.
What is that?
Today I cleaned all the contact points in all the lights on the van, as well as the plugs.
Then I crawled around the ground to get the stands out and clean up the legs after being parked for 2 years.
Then I pumped up the tyres with the compressor which clips on to the battery.
A neighbour bloke told me he would have checked the wiring and lights on the van weeks ago, if he knew he was hitching up. Yeah right!
The wisdom of hindsight in an ideal world. He reckons we girls think differently. He says we don't prioritise in the right order. He's a single sparky who works on the mines from time to time.
I told him he would have had a field day at my expense if I was blond as well as female.
He did smile at that comment.
Happywanderer said
10:58 PM Oct 23, 2010
CG, I was going to suggest the neighbour bloke should have offered to do it for you but after reading that last piece, maybe not.
milo said
01:10 AM Oct 24, 2010
Cruising Granny wrote:
Some of the issues concerning solo women travellers are also relevant to the blokes on their own. Some has to do with security. Some has to do with breaking down and not being able to fix it. Not every bloke is equipped to do much more than change a tyre.
i agree to those CG, I can change a tire but thats about it. although im brillaint at pulling things apart, just dont ask if you want them put back together and working as they did before!!
I also wonder about security, i guess whenever I do get to travell on my own, i pretty much will keep to my self, i kind of try to stay out of other peoples stuff, unless im travelling with a group.. but thats not very often,
bill12 said
05:27 PM Oct 24, 2010
I have been traveling solo for a number of years, and regard breakdowns and fixing them myself a bit of a personal challenge, as I am definately learning more about my vehicle, an old 93 4wd hilux, which , by the way has done the big lap, been the cape York anumber of times, and to the bottom of Tassie , and to Steep point in WA.I must admit that there are place where I feel a bit unsafe, but if I camp with other travelers, it feel safer.I love to go to the places that are out of the way, and am always looking for a new spot, and the 4wd helps.I can , mostly,fix my vehicle, which help. I thought about a new vehicle, but like my old hilux, it has served me well.I have met people with new sophisticated vehicles broken down miles from recovery,and most times they have to leave their car in the middle of no where.A case in piont was an $80000 v8 land rover which decided to stop on the Telagraph track in Cape york, after crossing a creek, which I had just crossed in my old hilux. Sometimes, its better to have a low tech car.Bill
Galloping Gazza said
06:39 PM Oct 24, 2010
where we are at the moment there is a lovely gentleman and other campers keep telling to turn his music down when it is not even loud just picking on him i think...
Ma said
07:05 PM Oct 24, 2010
Where are you Gazza? I will come and join the gentleman and between us we can show them how music should be played. P.S. I make it a habit not to intrude on anyone's sensibilities but some people just love to nit pic no matter what you do.
Cruising Granny said
10:31 PM Oct 24, 2010
The grumpy old f..rts need to get a life of their own.
Some people insist on remaining miserable no matter how much other people try to cheer them up.
Music is the best cheerer-upper I know - even a little "doof doof" for a tiny little while.
As I travel I like to chat to other travel folk, even if it's to just pass the time of day.
"How are ya?" doesn't hurt a bit.
Sharing a chat is a great part of my travel experience. If someone appears a bit odd I avoid them.
I have not trouble judging the good from the not so good characters.
Commonsense vs foolishness.
I use commonsense all the time.
Couples have been known to get into trouble occasionally as well as singles.
Hind sight, wisdom on caution should see you right.
milo said
11:38 PM Oct 25, 2010
its like that **** that reckond i drove over some bit of grass that he was wattering, at a cp on the way home from SA , he was an a******* thought he owned the place, but apparently he didint.. Sometimes I realy hate people ..
Rolly said
06:05 PM Oct 26, 2010
milo wrote:Sometimes I realy hate people ..
Wait 'til you get a bit older, milo, and the "sometimes" will become "often"!
Cruising Granny said
10:20 PM Oct 26, 2010
Don't be too hard on them Milo. They can't help themselves.
You are still wise enough to choose who you communicate with and who you ignore.
The "lawn" bloke can be ignored.
It's all about "their little patch" in the cp when the live there all the time. It's their only space, their life, and the only world they know now, in spite of where they've come from, where they've lived and worked before.
They've usually deserted their friends, or they've been deserted because of their attitude.
Be gentle with them and just feel sorry for them in silence. They'll never know anything else.
You will. Lucky you!
Jazzin Around said
04:44 PM Oct 30, 2010
Some years ago 10% of the Campervan and Motorhome Club were solos and 60% of those were women so presumably there are more of us. In 1998 I travelled up to a motorhome National Rally at Lightning Ridge and was amazed to meet up with several (from memory 4) men who all stated they would not have made the trip from Newcastle alone! I was astounded that the men, probably following either the death of their partner or marriage breakup were feeling just as vulnerable as we gals. My vehicle recently did the clutch, thankfully back here in Tassie and also thankfully not on the Tasman Bridge which I had just crossed, but since I always travel with the mobile dialled 131111 for the RACT Roadside help and she was put on a truck and transported back to Hobart. What more could a bloke do? RACT Ultimate covered the entire cost of the removal of my 4-1/2 tonne vehicle best part of 20k's and that's all you need - no great knowledge of the workings of your vehicle.
bill12 said
07:27 PM Oct 30, 2010
My sister has racq ultra care and they broke down on the other side of "Big Red " near Birdsville, and they sent a truck and mechanic to get them back. they paid for accom. and sent the vehicle back to Noosa, QLD.And all for another $70 on top of your yearly sub. Good value, in my opinion.Bill
ChiChi1 said
08:04 PM Oct 30, 2010
How interesting. I belong to NRMA. Their number is 131111. Do all the roadside assistance companies use the same people? Good to hear that they will go as remote as Birdsville. Will be heading that way next year. I also have the premium cover with NRMA.
brickies said
08:30 PM Oct 30, 2010
131111 is the number Australia wide for roadside assist
captainpeacock said
06:14 PM Nov 8, 2010
Think men seem to stick to them selves
william the third said
07:59 PM Nov 8, 2010
Not this single bloke. I'm a very social person .Of course there are a few couples that don't want to know you if you are single.
Cruising Granny said
09:15 PM Nov 8, 2010
Gee you've got that right. I don't know if they think we singles are weird because we're doing it on our own, or if they'll catch some awful antisocial disease, or if we're a threat and we'll pinch their partner.
Too bad! There are a lot of social people out there too, so I choose to chat to them.
I've met 2 young families doing the miles with the caravan. One has 3 young children, the other couple have just the one, and he's a handful with attitude.
It's still all about choices. Don't ya just love it?!
bill12 said
05:30 PM Nov 9, 2010
Don,t get me wrong- I love women, but putting up with them for any extended period , is too much hard work and the majority are high maintenance. I was even married to one , once!I love talking to them and socializing, but it always come to the " Bill, can you fix this for me..........."Once is not too bad , but it always seems to lead to "Bill will you fix................................,STREWTH
-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 9th of November 2010 05:32:36 PM
straycat said
08:11 PM Nov 9, 2010
I think the thred says ,, Men traveling solo,, Who,s doing most of the talking ,, Perhaps we just like our own space a bit,, (quiet space ) that is ,,
jimricho said
08:12 PM Nov 9, 2010
bill12 wrote:
Don,t get me wrong- I love women, but putting up with them for any extended period , is too much hard work and the majority are high maintenance. I was even married to one , once!I love talking to them and socializing, but it always come to the " Bill, can you fix this for me..........."Once is not too bad , but it always seems to lead to "Bill will you fix................................,STREWTH
-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 9th of November 2010 05:32:36 PM
If it's got tyres or t1ts it'll give you trouble..
(just joking girls!)
Cruising Granny said
10:23 PM Nov 9, 2010
And if it's got tyres or bAlls it causes trouble.
Now that's not fair. Not everyone is trouble. Surely we can be friends, acquaintances and buddies without the tangles.
I pay my own way unless I've been invited out and the other person has offered to pay up front.
The highest maintenance about me is my van.
I just enjoy meeting people of both genders, without any idea of anything more than a friendship, sharing stories and laughs over a beer or wine, or even coffee or tea.
I also like my own space, and I choose who I wish to share it with. This is a good life.
Sheba said
01:39 AM Nov 10, 2010
Thanks Granny. I wasn't game to reply in case I really went to town.
Just remember guys, that's not a one-way street.
Cheers, Sheba.
jimricho said
06:24 PM Nov 10, 2010
Happywanderer wrote:
Just had a thought. Maybe its for the same reason that women will stop and ask directions where men would rather go the wrong way than ask for help, haha.
men asking for directions???? that's like reading the instruction book! It's an admission of defeat!
Have you noticed women who ask for directions are smart enough to always ask a man?????
colin
The mental issues are somewhat different. At home, you have familar contacts (family, friends or work collegues). When travelling, you can be somewhat isolated from that network. I see the isolation from close contacts being a significant issue
-- Edited by nswoutback on Saturday 23rd of October 2010 12:29:20 PM
-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 9th of November 2010 05:32:36 PM
(just joking girls!)
Just remember guys, that's not a one-way street.
Cheers,
Sheba.
men asking for directions???? that's like reading the instruction book! It's an admission of defeat!
Have you noticed women who ask for directions are smart enough to always ask a man?????
(that'll stir 'em up!)