Nicole

“The first few times I travelled and dined solo were for work trips in Scotland. I remember feeling awkward in the airport lounge as it was filled with people in suits reading broadsheets, on the phone or squirreling away on laptops. I felt so out of place. I made a cup of tea, grabbed some nibbles, and sat quietly.

 

The flight was fine and work was good but the thing I really remember was THE most awkward feeling about what to do for dinner.

 

The thought of eating out alone terrified me. So instead, I ate alone in my room. It made me feel better that I didn’t have to go and sit in a restaurant feeling like people would think I had no friends. I enjoyed the quiet after a busy day. I did what I needed to at the time to feel comfortable.

 

After several more trips to Scotland, I finally plucked up the courage to go out for dinner at a pub near the hotel. There were solo diners everywhere (because the hotel had no restaurant and like me, people needed to eat!) - and I didn't feel as self-conscious as I thought I might – I actually felt empowered.

 

I didn’t wake up one day with confidence to travel (and dine) solo all around the world for pleasure. It was developed through experiences like this, and I now love travelling and eating alone. If you have doubts about your abilities to solo travel (or to do anything), spend some time looking for evidence that you can from what you’ve already done.

 

You’re not alone if you find the idea of dining alone daunting. So, I’ve created a free guide based on my own personal experience with 10 simple ways to dine solo with confidence. Here’s the link to download your copy. I really hope you find it useful”