My favorite solo travel opportunity adds the element of education to adventure.
Read this, and I’ll know you are the curious type for whom this solo travel opportunity will be just perfect. No one reads, who’s not curious!
What’s the Opportunity?
In Part 4 of this series on solo travel, you’ll discover, or rediscover, one of my favorite opportunities for travel. You can travel alone, but not BE alone on your travels. Instead, you’ll join up with, and meet people, new friends who share the same interests as you. Though their backgrounds may be far different.
As their website puts it:
(These) are no ordinary travelers. They are lifelong learners typically over the age of 50 from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. Students of the world, they are the guests you hope to sit next to at a dinner party. They’ve led interesting lives because they’re interested in everything. And they are exactly the kind of people you want to be learning with as you explore the globe.
Imagine, traveling on your own safely and affordably, and getting to meet other people from all over the world who are just like you, but different too.
Hold up, you said affordably?
Yes, this worldwide travel group, which has been in continuous operation for nearly 50 years, is a not-for-profit organization.
In their own words:
Unbeatable Value – As a not-for-profit organization, our focus is on what you learn, not what we earn. And thanks to donations from our supporters, we’re able to keep our prices low and our programs a great value.
But wait…there’s more…
They also offer opportunities for you to win $500 and your friends to win $2000 toward your travels!
“OK. OK. Bob, you’ve piqued our curiosity.
Who are we talking about?
You may have heard the name, Elderhostel. That’s what they were called back when my Aunt Betty used to travel. She was a retired school teacher then, and would tell us of her adventures when she returned.
I used to marvel at all the places she went, by herself, when she was 80!
Now known as Road Scholar, they were founded by two friends back in 1975. They are a not-for-profit education organization driven by a mission to serve. Committed to providing generations of lifelong learners with transformative learning adventures from Greenland to Cuba, and nearly everywhere in between.
At not-for-profit Road Scholar, our mission is to inspire adults to learn, discover and travel. Our learning adventures engage expert instructors, provide extraordinary access, and stimulate discourse and friendship among people for whom learning is the journey of a lifetime
-Road Scholar
Here are 10 reasons I love this travel opportunity:
- They do all the planning. You just show up and enjoy!
- All Inclusive – no stress over finding the best deals, you know your cost up front.
- Safety – You travel alone, but you’re not alone.
- Meet Quality People – those interested in learning, just like you.
- Not-For-Profit – avoid rip-off touristy hype
- Your not just sightseeing, you’re doing!
- You come home with more than just photos – you’re smarter too!
- Variety – thousands of learning adventures to choose from in all 50 states and 100 countries
- Professional – you know you will be getting a quality experience
- It’s a learning AND doing adventure for solo travelers, families, and groups
Our learning adventures engage expert instructors, provide extraordinary access, and stimulate discourse and friendship among people for whom learning is the journey of a lifetime.
-Road Scholar
I could go on and on in my praise of this travel opportunity. But their own website will do such a better job. Here’s the link to their website…and this is NOT an affiliate link! There’s nothing in this for me, but the satisfaction of steering you toward a solo travel opportunity that I believe is without parallel.
https://www.roadscholar.org/why-go-with-us/
Solo travel does not have to be scary, or lonely, or unsafe.
You can travel the world, meet new friends, learn new things at any age, with the knowledge provided on this page.
All your excuses are gone!
If you’d like to travel, if you’d like to meet quality new friends, if you’d like to learn something new to keep your brain active and alive, Road Scholar is just the ticket!
Your ticket to excitement, adventure, activity. And the path out of loneliness.
Be more. Do more. Have more.
What you’ve been lacking is opportunity. Knowledge. Motivation.
I hope in these past 4 articles on solo travel you’ve found a spark of excitement. And hope for the new possibilities which are now available to you.
Get up. Get out. Learn and Do.
There’s a whole big world out there that’s waiting for you!
I’ll close with my favorite quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off –
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
– Ferris Bueller
It’s Spring now in Buffalo, NY, and thoughts naturally turn to Spring Cleaning. An opportunity to refresh the house, inside and out.
But our minds need a good cleaning too once in a while.
Old, outdated habits, perceptions, activities need to change once in a while. Or we get stuck in a rut.
Bored. Discouraged. Lonely.
Travelling to new places, seeing and doing new things, mixing up our schedules, meeting new people, and learning new things is a great way to Spring Clean our brains. To jump start our zest for life.
Imagine you, a Road Scholar!
I can. Hope you’ll share your stories with me.
“Bene Vivere!”
Bob “Elderbob” Schwarztrauber
For convenient reference, here are the links to the previous Solo Travel Opportunities Parts 1, 2 and 3
