How do you explain a solo trip to an extrovert?

The wife used to ask me about my solo trips, proclaiming them as kind of sad, because I couldn't talk a friend into going with me.
Once I explained to her that, even when I go with buddies, we're usually on different flights out of different cities, we always each get our own room, we often play at different tables and even different games when we're gambling "together"...hell, we're often at different casinos, fer cryin' out loud!
About the only time you can bank on us consistently being together doing something is when we eat... and even that's not 100% of the time.
Once she understood that the "fun" was in being there, she's never asked me about it again.

Don't get me wrong - I like meeting friends out there. I like taking over a blackjack table with my buddies, or when all of us hit a crap table at the same time. Tons of silliness & fun & laughter.
But, I can go far more often than my friends can.
So I do!

 

This topic actually came up last night at work. It wasn't about me this time, but a woman I work with just returned from a solo trip.

Somebody asked her why she'd go to Vegas by herself and didn't she get bored. She replied by saying that when you first start talking about Vegas, everybody around is interested in going, but once it's time to book the trip, very few of those people will be willing to go. The ones that are willing to go will often still say no because they can't save up the money to go or they can't get time off work or whatever the case may be. So knowing that people most likely won't go, she just plans solo trips. She did say she invites other people to go and if they go, that's fine, but if not she's more than happy to go by herself.

Oh, she also pointed out that the only time she's ever bored out there is when she's at the airport waiting to come home.

 

I've never been solo but I actually think I'd love it.

 

I think you would love it and should definitely try it sometime. Especially if you ever have issues getting people to go. If you do it and decide solo trips aren't for you, nobody is going to force you to do it anymore. If you like it, you can go to Vegas anytime you want without having to worry about somebody else going. Also, as others have pointed out, you might just some great people while you're out there.

 

+1

Most of the people I work with go to Ocean City, MD every single summer during the same week in July, and they stay at the same condo, play miniature golf on Wednesday at the same course, eat at the same seafood buffet on Friday, etc. They have been doing this exact same vacation (and I use that word very loosely here) all of their lives as it is the exact same thing their parents did. OC is a rather junked-out dirty place IMO. Nothing there but T-shirt shops, tattoo shops, murky East Coast ocean, and belligerent sea gulls.

At first I was a bit defensive that they would judge my trips to Vegas as 'the same thing' but now it makes me happy that they aren't going to Vegas. There is more room at the Craps table for my husband & I.

 

Most of my 50+ trips to Vegas have been solo: wife hates Vegas. I tell people that the one place you can go on vacation alone is Vegas. I mainly play craps; hit a big hand at craps, and you feel like you have met friends for life. lol

 

I don't mention to many people when I have a solo trip planned. However, it will undoubtedly come up wither it be family, co workers, friends, etc. When it does, my responses are usually:

- I love traveling solo as it allows me to truly relax and enjoy what I want to do and experience

- For every one trip I take to Las Vegas, I take a vacation with my 10 year old daughter and having an adult vacation balances out the more kid friendly ones I go on with her.

Ultimately, I keep the conversation short, I don't hide what I enjoy and don't try to be defensive or talk my way through it. If they judge me in a negative way, that's too bad, but it's their issue, not mine.

 

Best Replies? Some quick random thoughts:

I may look harmless, but apparently that's not so!

I didn't start the trip alone. (Leave them to wonder and imagine.)

I'm celebrating my complete obsession with myself.

I don't want anybody I know to see what I'm going to do this weekend.

I wouldn't want to hang with anybody who would want to hang out with a guy like me.

I just waiting for a threesome......to golf with.

I just got out of prison and was in solitary for my own protection. I prefer to keep it that way.

Nobody laughs harder at my jokes than I do.

What are you talking about? Everybody loves me!

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I guess I'm a natural born smart ass - I relish those weird looks.

 

My friends are married or not really interested in Vegas. I, however, love it, and I'm not going to let something like having to go solo deter me. There are plenty of things to do. That "excuse" has never failed me.

 

Purely from a gaming point of view I like to be a lone wolf. I don't want to be tethered to the whims of anyone else when I'm in my gambling mode.

From the standpoint of personal freedom in LV, I like to go alone so I can stay up as late as I want, sleep in till I want to get up, eat & drink & see shows at my own discretion.

Also, I can schedule my trip when it perfectly suits my needs.

I'm not antisocial at all, and as other posters have noted I always find some pretty cool people to yuck it up with.

LV has something for everyone, no doubt. But in my experiences there I always enjoy my trips when I'm on my own timetable and not one of others.

 

I'm there and back before anyone knows it. I don't talk about it afterwards either. It's my personal time.

 

I think that most people who know me are used to the fact that I go to Vegas and often alone. I like having a friend there for dinners, going to a bar or shows. But I like being able to gamble when I want.

 

WINNER!!

I like doing stuff on my schedule, playing as long or little as I want or going where I want, when I want.

Yes, there are times I am selfish

My wife is going with me for NYE, and that trip will be more about her and making her week fun for her.

When I go alone, it's about me and doing and playing how I want.

Nothing wrong with "me time"

 

I say I can do whatever I want! Nobody is there to argue with haha. I like to go to bed at 10:00. I like to stay at Trump. I wanted to see Taylor Hicks, all things most of my friends or family wouldn't do.

But really, I don't feel the need to justify it. I wanna go!! Lately it's just been to escape. I'm extremely busy with work and everything and I just want to go have some fun and escape. Ultimately, I'm going solo, because I want to go, and my friends can't. I'm lucky to be in a position that I live close to Vegas, and that I have the money to take a weekend getaway.

 

Did my first solo trip this year. All my Vegas trips dating back to 1971 first alone with my wife, then with a boatload of kids, and now back to alone with the wife, my first "solo" was very enjoyable. The wife and I still take our one or two annual trips to Vegas together but now my solo feet have tested the waters, solo trips may be part of my itinerary for some of my Vegas trips. My winter golf getaways to Mesquite with my regular foursome may also be a part time solo Vegas trip because all my golfing buddies hate Vegas... daytime golf, nighttime Vegas!

 

Almost every trip I take to Vegas is solo . My wife watches the kids . Doesn't mind me going . Would rather be going with me but doesn't mind me getting my away time .

The person who DOES keep on at me about it is my mate since school . ANY chance he can bring it up he tries to get as big an audience as he can and get them on his side about me being weird going myself . MY retort to him is if none of his mates drank alchohol would that stop him from drinking ? Of course not . Same with me . My mates either cant afford to goto Vegas or don't like gambling . Im not going to NOT go just because of that .

 

Ive been asked this a fair amount of time and say something either similar to what dfalk said, or just something generic pointing out that if I'm going on vacation -- doesnt that cover it?

It is so amazing to think people need company to enjoy themselves... I love company, I just had people over twice so far this week! But does that mean I need company to be happy or feel comfortable or liked?

i dont care about being "popular" i care about being me and being a good person along the way

 

If they were so extroverted, why cant they go solo and meet people?

I am one of the shyest people that you have ever met, but over some 10+ solo trips over the years I have gained some "local" friends and also have a buddy from the UK that I have met up with 3 times so far in vegas. I love vegas. Its very easy to meet people. I have even got "lucky" in more ways then one and on multiple trips!

I once went with 5 other buddies. I have just as much fun solo if not more then I did with the buddies. if we ever all went again, I would tell them "Ill meet you there!".

My friends keep saying if I keep going solo Im going to get robbed or killed, deep down inside I know they just dont have balls to go solo

when I stop going to vegas solo, is when southwest stops giving me free flights!