@Sarlyn , well done. A cruise is a great option, i am lucky that i have a friend to go with next year. She used to live in Majorca so we always met up for a winter holiday and i visited her. So i have had holidays without my lovely Pete but never alone. Sending love. X
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It will be just 4 months since I unexpectedly lost my beloved husband and soul mate to pancreatic cancer, and on what would have been our 34th wedding anniversary,
Iād only retired last February and we had so many exciting travel plans for the year ahead. I didnāt think I would be going anywhere this year after he died in February, but Iāve recently decided Iām biting the bullet and going on a trip we planned for our 30th but Covid stopped.
I couldnāt face anywhere weāve been before but feel I just want to be far away on my own, lost in some epic scenery and space - and do it his for my Richard.
So Iām flying solo and going on a tour and the glass domed train across the Canadian Rockies and then cruising up to Alaska.
Brave/stupid/crazy I donāt know, but just feel itās the only place I can be for my first wedding anniversary without him.
I went to Devon and Cornwall to see friends and family last month - and it was the first long drive Iāve done on my own in over 40 years - and it was ok. I was ok. It would never be the same without him but I managed even though it was almost a rerun of a trip we did last Sept just before his diagnosis.
I know I did my absolute best for him whilst we were together over 40 years and caring for him 24/7 over the last 5 months of his life, and I have to now just try my best to carry on and be able to live without him physically here. I know heās right beside me in spirit and this oneās for him, doing what we loved best - being together and travel. Who knows what will happen - but Iām hoping itās the next step on my grief journey that will strengthen my hope and courage to carry on without my soul mate and darling husband, and make him proud of me 
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@Alison61
That is amazing and Iām proud of you let alone your partner, Hr must be so proud of you and Iām sure as they say, he will be with you all the way. Well done!
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@Alison61 that is amazing, well done you. Like you i didnāt do much of the driving, we have a holiday home with our daughters in Devon and i know i have to bite the bullet and do the drive. The problem is that i find my mind wanders when i drive, to Pete and i get upset. Good luck on your fabulous trip. I am off to Majorca wirh a friend soon.
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Hi Alison and all, In the future, if ever you hear of anyone organising a holiday/ break away for a group of us please let me know because I am in the same quandary regarding travel and would be very interested. Thank you
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@Alison61
Wow! That is inspiring and well done for having the courage to do all that by yourself, Iām sure you will have an amazing time and yes he will be with you in spirit.
We can all tell our stories of how awful we feel, etc, etc but itās posts like these that give me strength, hope and a determination to make the most of this life as it is a blessing to still be here. Life can never be taken for granted, that is one thing my partner would say to me if he were here and we owe it to them to live it for them
Lyn
X
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@Tiffany
I notice from your profile you live in the West Midlands, there is a future possibility because I do as well 
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If anything comes up or one day Iām brave enough to sort it, Iāll let you know. My problem is I work in a school so can only do term times and a lot of people wonāt want to do that as too expensive .
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Hi id be interested but im in north Yorkshire so how can it work .There is so many of us that is pretty much alone and just need something to look forward to .xxc
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I cant go on holiday by myself ā¦ personally I just donāt think i be able to handle it at moment. I think its better to try go with someone xx
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Hi Dottie,
I think you have to follow your heart and do what you feel is right. If youāre apprehensive about travelling alone why donāt you try a short break first? Maybe just a city break with a short flight time?
It will be 6 weeks tomorrow that I lost my lovely Graham, us two would always love to travel together and make so many precious memories. We were due to travel the week he passed and I still have his suitcase packed in the spare room upstairsā¦
We also had just been to Lanzarote in November and March, so very grateful we created more memories prior to his unexpected death. I also donāt think I could go back there again, however I know he wonāt want me to put my life on hold and not explore the world.
Take photographs/his possessions or anything sentimental with you and keep talking to him! You can still enjoy travelling together, although he may not be physically there, he will be with you in spirit. He will always be with you and will gently push you to overcome these hurdles x
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Good advice there ā¦ xx
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There are a few specialist travel companies for solo travellers covering short and long distance. They have escorted tours so some safety in numbers if you need support. I have travelled alone on cruise ships before I met Richard (over 40 years ago). Iām just going to try a couple of options and see how it goes although Iām quite happy at being alone with my memories whilst continuing to explore whatever my ānew normā as a solo traveller will be. I just do to want to leave it too long and lose my confidence to travel, but everyone will need to do what feels right and comfortable for them after such lossā¦. 
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Hi Dottie
I have only just seen your post as been out all day.
I went to Grenada on 8th April for 2 wks to celebrate my 70th birthday, something we had planned just before John died on 17th Oct 22.
I was going to cancel it but when my daughter left me on my own at Christmas and had no thought of me, It made me more determined to go ahead on my own in April. She was also going away again,so I would have been on my own for Easter and my birthday.
The travelling was fine and was ok until I got to the hotel and got to the room and realised it was just me.
The loneliness for the first week was overwhelming and never thought it would be as bad as it was. I naively thought I could do all the things we used to do on my own but you cant and with no-one to share the days and evenings with, most of the time I was very sadā¦
However, I met a lovely couple from Toronto who I spent a few evenings with and I had a few meals with them tooā¦I even went out to the capital for the day with them which was ok.
Towards the end of the holiday, most of the staff knew me and I became more relaxed and guests began to get used to me and stopped to speak most days.
The day I came home, I felt I could have stayed longer and was beginning to enjoy the holiday .I think I had got used to being there .
The island was beautiful, the locals were friendly , beaches were amazing and the sea was warm and blue. I missed all that when I first got there because of my grief.
I chose a small hotel , different to our normal ones which were adult only and that did help.
I hope you have booked a break today as I am dreading Christmas too and now I have done it once, I know what to expect.
Be prepared to be upset, tearful and lonely but after a while it will pass and you will see what a beautiful place you have chosen to be.
Our husbands would be so proud as I am now of myself and the confidence it gave me.
Let me know how you get on
Love to you and we will recover from this awful grief but will always remember our loved ones. xx
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Well youāve asked the right person. We had been asked many times by my cousin in Australia to visit but as John didnāt do long haul very well we never accepted. However when my cousin visited the year after John had did he asked again and I accepted. I went all alone even stopping in Singapore on the way. So if I can do it anyone can. We had an apartment in Lanzarote where we holidayed for 20+ years. Not been back since he died though I just want to remember the good times and not spoil those memories with my sadness. So my advice give it a go. Whatās the worst that can happen ? Youāll hate it so donāt go again at least you would have given it a go.
Much love
Georgina
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Well done. Iām seriously thinking of a Caribbean cruise at Christmas. We loved Grenada and the Caribbean and the big ships are very safe for single travellers. The thought of being the Christmas organiser and cook this year without my darling husband by my side is scary. And web said our Christmas cruises were are guilty pleasure where we could just be ourselves. Well done for going solo and I hope you do many more in living memory of your partner. Iām sure he would be so proud of you! 
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Iām sure there is a huge market for solo travellers whoāve lost a loved one and grief is a common thread. Iām going to see how my trip is then think about reaching out to the company Iām going with as my old boss is now the CEO there and who knows, this could be a good opportunity and win win for all!
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Yea you go girl 
!!! Holidays will never be the same without our partners but what do we do ? Stay at home forever. Itās a very different type of holiday but I felt John was with me all the way. He loved our holidays so I know would want me to carry on.
Love
Georgina
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Yeh i agree we should go on holiday ā¦ i just dunno about going by ourselves especially at such an early point of grief ? Guess if u feel strong enough to do it - just personally at stage im at i think i would feel even more lonely by myself. I would either have to go with someone or go visit someone xx
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Agree it was easy in that respect because I stayed with my cousin and his family. Not sure I would on my own with myself but Iām off this year shortly to Tenerife with my daughter-in-lawās sister as she had no one to holiday with so weāre going together. A bit weird as Iām eleven years older than her mum but were both happy just to be going away.! Let me know what you decide either way.
Good luck
Georgina
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