Book Review: Glad You’re Not Here: A Solo Traveler’s Manifesto by Janice Leith Waugh

Ms Waugh created the blog “Solo Traveler”, “The Solo Travel Society” on FaceBook and posts on twitter and the author of “The Solo Traveler’s Handbook”, exhorting the joy and challenges of Solo Travel.

Her book “The Solo Traveler’s Handbook” is the how to part of the adventure while “Glad You’re Not Here” is more the why solo travel part of the equation. Janice said, “It (Glad you’re Not Here) is a prequel to The Solo Traveler’s Handbook.

If you have always had the desire to travel solo, have thought it would be wonderful to pick and choose how you spent your travel time this quick read will validate that desire and may light the spark that fires a solo’s heart. Her easy, direct style addresses the concerns of first time solo travelers and even veterans who still wonder “what am doing” when we arrive at a location where nothing is familiar. “Solo travel is not weird” the author explains.

She explores what she defines as the four age groups of solo travel: the gap year, 20’s and 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and seniors. Each stage offers benefits and introspection. Janice lists the top 7 reasons to travel solo and gives great, additional reasons to explore a place you have never been, both physically and mentally.

After going solo for years, Janice has given me some new insights and tips on how to overcome the challenges. A good read that could change your future travel plans! Now I need to read the entire handbook. Thank you Janice for proving we are all not weird.