Don’t Be A Lonely Loser This Valentine’s Day, Be An Adventurous One
February 14th. Otherwise known as Valentine’s Day.
A day where smiles are stained with recently scoffed chocolates and the sweet smell of roses hangs in the air — all while the one you love stares deep into your eyes across the table at an expensive restaurant.
Except it’s not them staring, it’s you. You’re glaring at the happy couple from the local Thai restaurant as you tuck into a boozy Pad Thai dinner at a table for one. And your teeth aren’t stained with expensive chocolates, but the cheap bottle of red you’ve just inhaled in a single sitting.
You’re single. And painfully aware of it.
More than any other time of year, Valentine’s Day is when most single folk achieve a newfound hatred for happiness. But instead of counting how many days or months it’s been since you’ve last had sex, get out of the country and treat yourself.
Last year 25% of people bucked the trend and travelled solo overseas. Travelling solo isn’t just good to escape the garish Valentine’s Day aisles in your local supermarket. It also affords you the opportunity to fully control your own experience of another country and culture.
It doesn’t matter if you travel with your significant other or your best mate, travel gets tense and is a lesson in compromise. When you’re alone, you don’t need to be dragged along to that boring museum your friend has been banging on about for the last week. You can just head straight to the nearest bar for a pint instead. Perfect.
Isolation is the kick up the bum you need to find new people, and break out of the stale social interactions you’re used to back home. Plus you can tear through as many ice creams as you want without even the slightest judgement.
We put together a few countries that are perfect for escaping the Valentine’s Day horror:
1) Auckland
Our closest neighbour is the easiest way to escape the continent and embrace a different country while testing the waters travelling alone. Auckland has got the lot — natural beauty contained in two stunning harbours, as well as hills and mountains that are taken straight from a desktop screensaver. Lord of the Rings was filmed here for a reason. Take inspiration from Frodo and undertake a hiking adventure, except without a bothersome army of Orcs.
2) Tokyo
If Auckland is a little too vanilla for your taste, consider aiming for Tokyo. Apparently nearly 40% of Japanese singles in their 20s and 30s are not interested in romance, so you can smash an Udon without awkwardly glancing at your watch and pretending you’re waiting for a date because you can bet there’ll be another dozen eating solo too. Tokyo is a bustling city doused in culture with rich gardens and palaces perfect for perusing at your own pace.
3) New York
Go big or go home. New York has the lot — museums, galleries, restaurants and enough bars to drown your single sorrows a hundred times over. Plus walking around a museum alone doesn’t make you look like a loser, it makes you look cultured. It’s the birthplace for hip-hop, and has some of the best retail strips in the world, plus the real Central Park (and Central Perk more importantly). However, don’t go recreating any ‘Friends’ scenes because that’s one thing you really can’t do solo without looking rather sad. Recruit first.
4) Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia will forever ruin your local Asian curry place back home but it’s a sacrifice worth making. Flights can be purchased last minute at a fraction of the cost of other overseas destinations, and once you’ve arrived you can scoot around on loose change if need be. The capital is filled with different cuisines and attractions including a bird park featuring a parrot riding a goddamn scooter. No boyfriend or girlfriend could ever give you that level of pleasure.
5) London
When exploring London, you’ll be more likely to have difficulty finding a local than a tourist, as the capital of England is packed with Aussie travellers eager to make friends over a drink or five. Chances are you would have seen most of the main sights in your favourite movies over the years, so you can play out your favourite moments including that epic scene in Harry Potter where they fly through the tunnels on broomsticks (although completely ridiculous as they would have been seen by thousands of Muggles, don’t think I haven’t forgotten). Be sure to visit the Natural History Museum and the London Eye.
There’s still a few days until the true terror of Valentine’s Day hits, so stop mindlessly swiping right on Tinder and start looking for flights.
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Originally published on The Vocal by Cameron Nicholls
