solo travel – Page 3 – Deborah Ives, Solo In Style

A day trip to Marathi Beach

July 3, 2018soloinstyle

Seeing more of Crete

After a few days exploring Chania, I decided that I needed to go further afield if I was to experience a little more of the authentic Crete that I was craving. I had my mind set on Marathi Beach – around 30 minutes by car from Chania and back over towards the airport. I’d heard that it was delightful and also had a great place for lunch. I was sold.

I asked one of the two young guys who manned the hotel rection desk how I could get there, not having a rental car. After much deliberation, we decided that I’d be best taking a taxi there as it might be a bit tricky to get there via public transport but I could most definitely get a bus back. I asked him to order a car to pick me up at 10.00am. This, he said, was far too early and I shouldn’t get there before noon at the earliest as it would be freezing on that side of the island first thing. I ignored his advice and arrived at Marathi Beach at 10.30am. It was a chilly 29 degrees C!

I shouldn’t get there before noon at the earliest as it would be freezing on that side of the island. I ignored his advice and arrived at 10.30am. It was a chilly 29 degrees C!

First time solo in Greece and it hit the spot

June 29, 2018soloinstyle

What did my first solo trip to Greece and Shirley Valentine have in common? Not much as it turns out!

Why is it that as soon as I mentioned I was travelling solo to Greece for a week the comments about Shirley Valentine started? For any of you who don’t know the story, (which was a film and play in the late 1980s) a fictional, mid-life Shirley heads off to Greece for a holiday and falls for the local tavern owner ending up in an, ‘unexpected discovery of herself, and the rekindling of her childhood dreams and youthful love of life‘. Actually, Shirley is 42, not 50-something, married and travels to Greece with a mate – so not many similarities to me really, except perhaps the thought that was present in the back of my mind that maybe a holiday romance wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen whilst I was there. Let me nip that in the bud right now and tell you that unfortunately, didn’t materialise, however, it didn’t stop me from having a very enjoyable week in Crete! Read more →

Wrapping things up

July 12, 2016April 3, 2021soloinstyle

It’s my final week in Rio as a Social Impact Consultant with _SocialStarters and time to wrap things up with my client, Horta Inteligente. Over the past six weeks we have worked together on a number of things – defining the product offerings, pricing, market research, website, business presentation – and this week we need to get everything finished, or at least into a state where I can be sure that Elisa can complete any outstanding elements when I’m gone.

Morro Dois Irmaos – The Two Brothers

July 9, 2016April 3, 2021soloinstyle

I have been looking at The Two Brothers from the comfort of Ipanema beach for the past six weeks. They’re impossible to miss, rising majestically from the sea with the favela, Vigigal, clinging to the slopes. But as I slogged up the last steep section, I did wonder at the wisdom of deciding to make this famous trek a) nursing a slight hangover from the samba party the night before and b) with two athletic young ladies half my age and with legs twice the length of mine. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s easy. It is definitely a tricky ascent, but when you make it to the top you are rewarded with a view of Rio that will stay with you for the rest of your life.