Do you need alone time? Introverted travelers say:
Thomas Berwick | Digital Vision | Getty Images
The idea of being “together” 24 hours a day with friends, family, or even strangers as a tour group can be overwhelming for putative people. 57% of people tend to be introverts.
Solo travel is suitable for introverts who tend to regain energy through time spent alone. However, despite its growing popularity, most trips are taken with other people.
However, most unpleasant moments can be avoided by following these basic rules provided by introverts.
The most popular recommendation by far is to book your own room.
“This eliminates downtime in the mornings and evenings, allowing you to regroup and rejuvenate,” says Jenny Olsen, a Los Angeles-based public relations consultant.
If you must share a room, try to sleep on the bed as much as possible. “Then order room service and eat breakfast alone in bed,” she said.
In fact, Olsen advises ordering room service once a day, whether it’s for “breakfast, dinner, or late-night dessert.”
Dori Nix, marketing and communications director for a Colorado-based women-led travel company The Adventures of Good Companywe recommend staying alone, even if it means paying an additional fee once.
“Having a space to relax at the end of the day is often the only way I can be active in a social environment throughout the day,” she said. “It’s a safe place to run to.”
in psychology todayauthor Sophia Dembling warns introverts to look into group travel.
“A tour bus full of first-timers to Europe may include a lot of very friendly people who love making friends,” she wrote. “I don’t mean that in a good way.”
Dori Nix said her itinerary is slow-paced and focuses on nature and cultural travel. “Personal space is extremely valuable to me, and I find it wears out quickly in crowded places when I travel.”
Source: Adventures of Good Company
Headphones are a good way to avoid unnecessary conversations, especially on a plane, said John Haxton, the airline’s head of thought leadership. myers briggs company.
Myers-Briggs type indicator evaluation This is a term popularized by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung over a century ago, and is a popular test for determining introverted and extroverted tendencies.
For introverts, talking to strangers can be uncomfortable, Haxton said. He suggests having an exit strategy.
“If you need to escape, be prepared to ‘go to the bathroom’ or ‘leave to make a phone call,’” he said.
What kind of travel should introverts avoid?
- Large travel groups (30+ travelers)
- A packed schedule
- Crowded places and party destinations
- Ongoing social interaction
- When a double room is the only option
- long driving time
Source: Kelly Kimple and Dori Nix, Adventures in Good Company
Travel writer Patti Chivarelli also said introverts shouldn’t be passive in these situations. Her advice: Don’t fall into the trap of people who talk endlessly.
“If you want to end a conversation, all you have to do is look over the person’s shoulder and say something like, ‘Wow, look over there. That looks interesting. Excuse me while I go do some research,'” she says in an email. I sent it. CNBC Travel during a group trip to Mazatlan, Mexico: “Or, ‘I saw a great photo or selfie. I’m going to catch it before it gets away.'”
Jonathan Feniak, general counsel at law firm LLC Attorney, said talk to your travel companions before you travel.
“When I was younger, I didn’t realize that I needed a little alone time to recharge my social batteries,” he says. “When you travel with people 24/7 for more than seven days, it’s hard to maintain that energy unless he stays for an hour here and there. So I now know that I don’t need it in advance. I am telling my companions.”
That way, he says, people know they are not the “problem.”
“If they don’t know about your introverted personality until mid-vacation, they may misinterpret your energy or take it personally,” he says.
Patty Civalleri (center) encourages introverts to keep an open mind about group activities. “I didn’t really want to do it…but it was a really fun experience,” she said of taking a mineral mud bath in the Dead Sea.
Source: Patti Chivarelli
While Western society has long rewarded extroverts with a “more is more,” Chivarelli says there’s nothing wrong with seeking space from a group.
“Don’t be ashamed to ask for alone time. We all need time away from other people, activities, and the world,” she told CNBC Travel. “Spending time relaxing by myself while reading a book by the pool is very soothing.”
Myers-Briggs Company’s Huxton said introverts need to set boundaries during the holidays, and sometimes that may mean doing their own thing.
“You don’t have to participate in every activity the group has planned,” he says. “Spending hours in a library or museum may be boring for some people, but if you like this, make time to explore at your own pace.”
Adventures in Good Company CEO Kelly Kimple has a rule: “No large tour buses.”
“As an introvert, I definitely need a small group,” she said. “You should also minimize your time in the car. For introverts, long drives that involve hours of conversation in close quarters can be tiring.”
Kimple, a field biologist from rural New Hampshire, said she prefers to travel with plenty of quiet time. Her company organizes outdoor trips for small groups of women that include activities such as hiking. Sketch in the Rocky Mountains.
“As an introvert, I definitely need small groups. I don’t need groups larger than 15 people.” [people]We don’t have big tour buses,” said Kelly Kimple, CEO of Adventures in Good Company.
Source: Adventures of Good Company
While some introverts prefer to travel alone, Los Angeles-based marketing expert Brooke Webber advises traveling in small groups.
“For a true introvert, having more people might sound like a nightmare, but for me, it’s made it easier to have ‘me time’ when I need it,” she says. said. “If you’re traveling in a group of three or more, you don’t have to leave your companion alone, even if she wants to spend a few hours or a whole day exploring and resting on her own.”
Having the option to break up immediately has energized Webber, who said, “Social time feels like an option rather than an obligation, so I feel less of a need to do it.”
David Ciccarelli, CEO of vacation rental website Lake, also said he likes to travel with a small group of friends and sometimes chooses to hang out later to “get back together.” Ta.
He advises packing a few items to help regulate the outside world.
“Earplugs and eye masks are a must,” he said. “This can help you relax at night and have some privacy on long train or plane rides, or when taking an afternoon nap in your hotel room.”