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The Introvert And the Joy Of Solo Travel
Traveling alone can be the best time for new discoveries.
Introverts are well-known for wanting their alone time and for me, travel is no exception. I know that not all introverts like to travel alone, and I do enjoy the trips I take with my family and friends, but planning and taking a trip, just a short one, by myself is one of the most soul-cleansing things I do.
Back in February, before COVID-19 reared its ugly head in my part of the country, I recently traveled to Salem, Massachusetts to work on some of my family history. I come from three generations that lived in Salem circa 1630–1715 and I’ve been researching them for quite a while. While they were not directly involved in the infamous witch trials, they lived there while it happened and it’s been a fascinating journey to learn about their lives.
I began planning my solo trip back in November, deciding to go in February during my mid-winter break from teaching, anticipating that the hotel rates would be cheaper then. As it turns out, they were, and I was able to book two nights in a beautiful, historic, centrally-located, hotel where I could easily walk to almost every place I wanted to go. I used a gift card to buy a round trip ticket, planned how I would get to and from the airport to Salem, and counted down the days until my…