4/11/09 - Life after cinema

This artice orginally featured on Running In Heels - http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/life-after-cinema/

This is the unedited final draft I submitted. Spot the difference! :P

Imagine if you will the following scenario; your job enables you to travel all over the world, your pay packet is in multiple digits, and your face is recognised globally for your work. The perfect situation it would seem… Or is it?

Earlier this year Viggo Morteson gave an interview declaring that he was finished with the movie making business setting the internet abuzz with speculation about whether or not he had quit acting for good. In the past, actors like Greta Garbo and Gene Wilder have retired from acting after long and successful careers. However an actor at the top of his game like Viggo declaring his intention to stop producing movies is hard to believe because if they quit, the profession loses an actor in their prime. Plus in these recessionary times it’s hard for us regular citizens to understand the motives behind giving up what seems to be the perfect job. We take a look at actors who have declared their intention to throw in the towel and what happened next…

I just don’t believe it…

Joaquin Phoenix has to be my favourite quitting story. He announced last year that he was quitting acting to become, wait for it, a rapper. Yes Joaquin Phoenix wants to be a rapper. This is the man who was nominated for an Oscar for Walk the Line and has appeared in such great movies as Two Lovers, Gladiator, Signs, and my personal favourite – Parenthood. However despite the fact that he hasn’t worked as an actor since his announcement, it’s still difficult to believe. The most popular theory is that he is doing it as an (extraordinarily elaborate) prank for his as yet unnamed 2010 documentary directed by Casey (brother of Ben) Affleck which is supposedly about his transition from actor to rapper. IMBD lists the documentary, scheduled for release in 2010, as being in post production so only then will we see whether or not it’s all an elaborate hoax. Although I must admit that should he release an album I’d probably buy it just to see what it’s like. However if his debut performance is anything to go buy I’m not expecting much.

Viggo Morteson, in the now much quoted interview he gave whilst publicising Eastern Promises, painted a picture of the job that we don’t generally imagine when we think about the fabulous lifestyles of the rich and famous; ‘In the past week I've been from Los Angeles to Japan to Korea to Poland to the UK. It's ridiculous and it's not a healthy way to be. But, as it happens, I'm taking measures to change that. No more movies.’

He is best known for his role in Lord of the Rings as Aragorn but he has been working as an actor pretty much consistently since the mid eighties. However, acting is not his only talent and he also writes poems, paints, photographs and is a jazz singer. He also owns a publishing company and holds a degree in Government and Spanish. Phew! As a man with so many interests it is not entirely shocking that he would consider a break from movie making and the subsequent publicity trail given that he could follow so many other routes. Throw in the fact that he’s 51 (I know, I couldn’t believe it either) and a career change is no longer so surprising.

However it would seem that, as frequently happens with the internet, his comments were blown completely out of proportion as evidenced by the 20,400 results for the search term ‘Viggo Morteson quitting acting’ in Google. Viggo himself silenced the speculation during a press conference for the movie The Road saying "I was just honest with someone a little while back who asked me if I had a movie lined up. I said 'no' and they wrote 'Oh, he's quitting.' I never said it," Talk about a storm in a tea cup but at least he knows he’ll be missed if he ever leaves the acting profession for good!

It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later…

Of course actors taking a break are not uncommon. Daniel Day Lewis is arguably one of the most selective and talented actors of his generation. However he disappeared from the acting world following The Boxer (1997) and became an apprentice shoemaker (perhaps Joaquin’s rap career is not so strange after all!). He didn’t appear in another movie until his Oscar winning role in Gangs of New York in 2002. Since 2002 he has only appeared in two released movies, both of which have garnered him awards and award nominations. He has a mere two more movies in the works. Truly he exemplifies the phrase ‘quality over quantity.’

Sean Connery, on the other hand, has yet to emerge from his self imposed retirement. Following the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2006) he decided to retire from acting. Since he has been true to his word and the only acting role he has taken has been as the voice of the main character in an animated short about a vet working in a Scottish village. This role was surely taken for his love of Scotland rather than a desire to return to acting. In 2009 he co-wrote a book called ‘Being a Scot’ which deals with the subject of Scotland as well as his life.

Look at me…

As evidenced by Viggo Morteson any suggestion that you are planning to stop acting will bring you a lot of attention, unwanted or otherwise. As a publicity or work hungry actor this could be exactly what you need. Although I may be slightly cynical, I can’t help but notice that some stars seem to discuss quitting acting at the most appropriate times.

Let’s take the example of Mischa Barton. This week she was quoted as saying that she was planning to quit TV to concentrate on more serious roles following the cancellation of her most recent TV series ‘The Beautiful Life.’ While this may well be her intention it does seem to be a way of her asking for more roles in the most public way possible. Let’s face it, ‘I’m quitting television’ is a lot more dramatic then ‘Can I have a movie role please? My TV show just got cancelled’

So Mischa, learn from the experts above, take a break and go do something different for a while. Be a rapper, train to be a shoe maker, write a book or alternately go completely crazy and design a leggings line and head up a fashion house. Well if Lindsay Lohan can do it….

3/11/09 - Life After Cinema

A succession of actors have recently threatened retirement or actually done it – we unravel the myths and motivations…

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/life-after-cinema/

Imagine, if you will, the following scenario: your job enables you to travel all over the world, your pay packet is in multiple digits, and your face is recognised globally for your work. The perfect situation it would seem… Or is it?

Earlier this year Viggo Mortensen gave an interview declaring that he was finished with the movie-making business, and in the process set the internet abuzz about whether or not he had quit acting for good. In the past, actors like Greta Garbo and Gene Wilder have retired from acting after long and successful careers. However, for an actor at the top of his game like Viggo to declare his intention to stop producing movies, is harder to believe because it threatens to deprive the profession of an actor in his prime. Furthermore, in these recessionary times, it’s hard for us regular citizens to understand the motives behind giving up what seems to be a dream job. We take a look at actors who have declared their intention to throw in the towel and what happened next…

Hard to believe?

Joaquin puts what's on his mind onto his knuckles

Joaquin Phoenix unexpectedly announced last year that he was quitting acting for a new career – in rapping. Phoenix was of course nominated for an Oscar for Walk the Line and has appeared in a host of highly successful movies including Two Lovers, Gladiator and Signs. Yet despite the fact that he hasn’t worked as an actor since his announcement, it’s still difficult to believe. The most popular theory is that he is doing it as an (extraordinarily elaborate) prank for his as yet unnamed 2010 documentary directed by Casey (brother of Ben) Affleck which is supposedly about his transition from actor to rapper. IMBD lists the documentary, scheduled for release in 2010, as being in post production so only then will we see whether or not it’s all an elaborate hoax. Whilst his debut performance might not blow anyone’s socks off, I for one might be forced to purchase any prospective album out of sheer curiosity.

Viggo Mortensen, in the oft-quoted interview he gave whilst publicising Eastern Promises, painted a picture of the acting profession that we don’t generally think about; ‘In the past week I’ve been from Los Angeles to Japan to Korea to Poland to the UK. It’s ridiculous and it’s not a healthy way to be. But, as it happens, I’m taking measures to change that. No more movies.’

He is best known for his role in Lord of the Rings as Aragorn but he has been working as an actor fairly consistently since the 1980s. Aside from acting, Mortensen also writes poems, paints, photographs and sings jazz. Furthermore, he owns a publishing company and holds a degree in Government and Spanish. It’s not unsurpring that a man with so many interests might want to take a break from the business of movie making (since acting is indeed such a small part of an actor’s commitment to a movie). We may be worrying for nothing, however, as Viggo attempted to silence the speculation about his career during a press conference for upcoming movie The Road, when he said “I was just honest with someone a little while back who asked me if I had a movie lined up. I said ‘no’ and they wrote ‘Oh, he’s quitting.’ I never said it,”. So we may see him again sooner than we expected.

It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later…

Of course actors taking a break are not uncommon. Daniel Day Lewis is arguably one of the most selective and talented actors of his generation. However he disappeared from the acting world following The Boxer (1997) and became an apprentice shoemaker. He didn’t appear in another movie until his Oscar-winning role in Gangs of New York in 2002. Since 2002 he has only appeared in two released movies, both of which have garnered him awards and award nominations. A true exemplar of ‘quality over quantity.’

Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York

Sean Connery, meanwhile, has yet to emerge from his self-imposed retirement. Following the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2006) he professed to call time on his acting career. Since then, he has been true to his word and has only performed as the voice of the main character in animated short Sir Billi the Vet, a role which perhaps seduced him in through its Scottish theme and setting. Indeed in 2009 he co-wrote a book called Being a Scot which deals with the subject of Scotland as well as his life.

Look at me…

As the threat to abandon acting has proved itself an excellent attention-generator, it is hard not to wonder how often it is part of a carefully crafted PR strategy. On the other hand, it also makes an excellent story, and so we may have our fellow journalists to blame for whipping up a frenzy.

However, whatever one’s profession, to quit while one’s ahead, or at least before one ‘gets behind’ and enters a professional drought where perhaps the jobs aren’t forthcoming, somewhat insures an actor against accusations of being ‘over the hill’ or undesirable. Perhaps this – more than fatigue, other creative interests, or the demands of one’s family – might be a factor worth considering in the context of the ego, pride and sensitivity that are often associated with actors…

3/11/09 - Plane Alternatives

Heading for a bigfoot-sized carbon footprint? What are the alternatives if you want to travel around Europe?

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/plane-alternatives/

The other day after reading a report about carbon footprints I decided to calculate my own, solely in relation to flights for the last 12 months. It makes for guilty reading. The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by my air travel in the past year was 2.33 tonnes of CO2. Seriously it’s just like a MasterCard advert… travelling around America with my mate $, Hogmany in Edinburgh €, Snowboarding €, flying home to spend time in Ireland €, Oktoberfest €, damage to the environment – priceless.

Making for a bigfoot-sized carbon footprint

But what do you do if, like me, you are a complete travel junkie? In preparation for my next, hopefully guilt-free, trip I’ve researched some alternative methods of travelling.

Although planes may the quickest way of travelling, they are certainly not the best nor the most environmentally friendly. By travelling through, rather than above, a country you get to experience a lot more of what it has to offer. Plus, as some wise person once said, ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination.’ When I think of the (horrible) nights I’ve spent kipping on the floor in London’s Stansted airport for the sake of a cheap connecting flight I would beg to disagree but hopefully I’ll embrace this phrase once I leave behind plane travel. Adios Ryanair, Hello Eurostar…!

I hear the train a comin’ …It’s rollin’ ’round the bend…

The ultimate in luxury train travel: The Orient Express

Travelling long distances by train has an air of mystique about it. You only have to think of the Orient Express to imagine long luxurious journeys through winding countryside all the while quaffing champagne and nibbling on caviar. Whilst the Orient Express is aimed at the luxury market and may perhaps be slightly out of your budget, the romanticism and adventure of a train journey is not lost with regular train travel. Sometimes there truly is nothing better than gazing out of a train window watching the world go by…

Mainland Europe is extremely well connected by railway. The advantages of travelling by train are clear. It’s comfortable, affordable (especially if you book in advance) and you can bring a lot more luggage. Once you’re onboard you’re free to read, sleep, chat, eat, head to the bar and even hop off the train to explore along the way (if timetables allow for it).

If you travel by overnight train you can use your travelling time to your advantage to wake up refreshed in a completely different part of the world. One suggested trip is to travel through Switzerland by rail. Switzerland has some spectacular scenery with breathtaking views of lakes, forests and mountains from every window.

Interrailing, i.e. travelling by train through Europe, is where the European rail network really comes into its own. It’s an incredibly popular holiday among young Europeans, especially during the summer months. It’s definitely not something that appeals to everyone as it can involve a certain amount of roughing it – especially if funds are limited. However, in return you get to see and experience as much of Europe as you can possibly cram into one holiday.

You can choose between a One Country Pass (self explanatory) or a Global Pass (enabling you to travel in up to 30 participating countries). The One Country pass limits your travelling days to a maximum of eight. The global pass is a little more complex. The choice is between either the flexi or continuous options. Flexi options consist of either five days’ travel in a ten-day period or ten days’ travel in a 22-day period. This option is good if you plan to spend a night or two in each location and have a clear itinerary planned. The continuous options are more open and allow you to travel whenever you want over either a 22-day or 1 month period. Find out more about interrailing on the Rail Europe website.

The wheels on the bus…

If you’re like me, the idea of travelling by bus is not something you would gladly substitute for a quick and painless plane journey. I’ve travelled by Greyhound Bus in America and bussed my way through Spain and it’s not something I’ve ever enjoyed. In my opinion, the one and only advantage of a bus journey is that it’s cheap.

However, I’m coming around to the idea that there are circumstances where bus tours could be fun – especially when they combine two of my favourite things: travelling and partying. Contiki are one of a number of companies who are renowned for their bus tours and what’s more they support responsible and sustainable travel, which isn’t surprising since travelling by coach is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to get around. But aside from the warm glowy feeling you’ll get from helping the environment, their tours look incredibly fun. They only allow people between the ages of 18 – 35 to travel with them, you can choose between over 40 countries to travel to, and everything is organised for you.

One example of an interesting European tour that they do is the 16-day European Encounter tour. This tour takes you through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, Vatican City, France, Monaco with many stops along the way. I could bear a few hours in a bus if I got to see that many places! Other companies offering similar packages are Topdeck and Busabout.

I’m onboard…

Although boats are the last method of travel I’d consider if I was in a hurry, there are a lot of fun holidays out there that take place on boats.

You could spend a week travelling through the waterways of Ireland, the UK or France on a cruiser or a canal boat. By taking it slow and stopping along the way to spend the night in the villages and waterside bars you’ll get to meet some unforgettable people and learn about unfamiliar places that you never would have seen otherwise.

The Tall Ships Race - an unforgettable experience

Another option for an unforgettable holiday is to volunteer as a crew member for next year’s Tall Ships Race. I was a member of the crew on the now defunct Asgard 2 in 2003 and I can easily say that it was one of the best holidays of my life. Sail Training International organise the Tall Ships Race every year. The idea behind the race is to encourage friendship and sailing among young people. As such, half each ship’s crew must consist of people under the age of 25. Most countries enter a vessel and you apply directly to the vessel for a berth onboard. For a list of the participating vessels visit Sail Training International. This year’s race starts in Belgium and ends in the UK via Denmark and Norway, so if you’re lucky enough to get a berth it will be an amazing adventure.

So as you can see, it turns out there are lots of alternative options to damaging the environment by flying, which let you have an amazing time too. I’ll let you know what my carbon footprint is in a year’s time… !

3/11/09 - The Running In Heels Autumn Playlist

Autumn is upon us and Running in Heels has found the best tunes for curling up on the couch, kicking through leaves and dancing like a zombie to…

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/autumn-playlist/

We finally get to buy the scarves and mittens that were too warm to contemplate a month ago, tights and boots become a wardrobe staple, leaves start to change colour, early nights mean curling up on the couch to relax. As summer turns to autumn we reflect over what has gone before and what’s to come: relationships ending, new beginnings, reminiscing over what happened during those long summer nights, making plans, and kicking your way through piles of leaves. Could there be a better season than autumn? To celebrate this season of transition this month we offer you a playlist of two halves – enjoy! The playlist is available to listen to on Spotify or watch the videos on Youtube.

Kicking through the leaves…

California Dreamin’ – The Mamas and the Papas

This is the quintessential autumn song even though it’s actually about winter! Who knew?

Sometime Around Midnight – The Airborne Toxic Event

This is a total post summer romance song if only for the line ‘and that white dress she’s wearing, you haven’t seen her for a while.’ It’s a mini narrative about seeing someone who you loved carry on living their life without you. While it’s clear that the relationship ended badly, the song is incredibly beautiful and intense. Anyone who’s had to say goodbye to someone once autumn hit will empathise with and love this song.

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead – Stars

The most hauntingly beautiful song I’ve heard in a long time. Could any song sum up the end of a relationship more perfectly? ‘There’s one thing I have to say so I’ll be brave, You were what I wanted, I gave what I gave, I’m not sorry I met you, I’m not sorry it’s over, I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save.’

Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) – Edith Piaf

A song that has been covered countless times by everyone from Nat King Cole to Eva Cassidy, each with their own unique take on the song. Listen to Edith Piaf for the original and one of the best versions.

Something’s Missing – John Mayer

The line ‘when autumn comes, it doesn’t ask, It just walks in where it left you last’ is genius because to me it’s a reflection on how for him nothing changes year after year. Something is missing in his life but he doesn’t know what it is. Given that autumn is a season of renewal and starting again this song is a good one to reflect on at this time of year.

Could anything celebrate autumn better than the craziest party of the year? Hallowe’en!

The Party – Justice (feat. Uffie)

Gather your mates, turn up the sound and start getting ready to party! There’s truly no better song to get you in the mood for fun. This song is refreshing in its delivery and the brash confidence of Uffie means that you’ll be ready to face the crowds after this track – whether it is as a sexy cat, a pirate, a Rubix Cube or a tribute to Michael Jackson!

Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

A great one to get a party started with its persistent back beat and catchy lyrics. Scream it out ´Psycho Killer Qu’est-ce que c’est?’.

Thriller – Michael Jackson

Does this song even need an explanation? The late, great, unforgettable Michael Jackson. If you do nothing else watch the video, which lasts a whopping 13 minutes and showcases some inimitable dance moves and impressive costumes.

The Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack

Get everybody dancing in sync or better still dancing in sync in full costume to this ridiculously fun song. For those party guests who have lived under a stone since 1975; ‘It’s just a jump to the left, And then a step to the right, With your hands on your hips, You bring your knees in tight, But it’s the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane, Let’s do the Time Warp again!’

The Monster Mash – Bobby Pickett

Another cheesy fun song to get the party moving. Nothing says Hallowe’en like monsters, ghosts, vampires and zombies dancing en masse!

Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify here.

30/09/09: Oktoberfest!

The one and only Oktoberfest in Munich – Germany’s annual beerathon.

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/oktoberfest/

Oktoberfest!

When in Munich...

‘What a genius idea!’ declared the Aussies I was travelling with. I was little more apprehensive. Beer? No lovely cocktails? Well when in Munich… Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival that takes place every year in Munich. Last weekend I braved the opening weekend and I can confirm that whether or not you are a beer lover this is one festival you shouldn’t miss. The action has already begun but continues till October 4th so you still have time to join in the fun!

Where to stay

I joined some Aussie friends on Friday evening after a never-ending journey from Madrid to Munich. The campsite we stayed at, Thalkirchen, is a 15 minute walk from the nearest metro stop and really cheap if you‘re travelling on a budget. For those who don’t enjoy roughing it there are plenty of hostels and hotels in the Munich area, although they get pretty booked up this time of year.

A good tip is to book through a tour group. This cut out a lot of effort for us and we arrived to ready-erected tents complete with air mattresses. The showers were hot and there were even electrical sockets in the bathrooms. For someone who is wedded to her hair straighteners this campsite gets definite thumbs up from me! Unfortunately my happiness was slightly marred by the fact that I didn’t get a tent near my mates due to my late arrival on Friday evening. Instead I ended up rooming with an English guy who was part of a stag party surrounded by tents containing his friends. Truly, it could only happen to me!

What to wear

Dirndl and lederhosen may sound funny but they are a must! We went for the more traditional costume of full skirt, puffy sleeves and low neckline whilst the guys opted for anything from braces and a hat to the full lederhosen ensemble. But there were a lot of variations on the traditional German dress from the tourists – anything from hot pants to über short skirted versions that could only have come from a sex shop. A word of warning to those ladies who go for the ‘updated’ German dress though – don’t stand on the tables. Please.

Beer wench!

What to do

The central activity of the festival is, predictably, drinking. The tents are open from 10am on weekdays and 9am on weekends. Be aware that purchasing beer can be a major challenge, especially at busy times. You have to be seated before you can be served although if the waitress (beer wench) has served everyone at her tables she may serve people standing in the area. The waitresses (beer wenches) work voluntarily so you must tip them if you want to get served again. A good rule of thumb is to give them €10 per stein and let them keep the change.

Each tent is dedicated to a specific beer but, as you’ll realise pretty quickly, they’re also dedicated to a specific crowd. We spent most of our time in the Hofbräu tent which is (without a doubt) the tourist tent. A sea of tour company t-shirts greet you when you walk in and the majority of accents are British or Australian. Unsurprisingly, this tent gets pretty rowdy in the evenings. In the centre there’s an area called the ‘pig pen’ which is a standing room only. Be wary if you’re a lone female in this area; aside from being grope central, you’ll notice the overhead angel steadily accumulates clothes and underwear thrown up from the crowd as the day wears on.

Bands play all day long and random outbreaks of singing in the tents add to the rowdy atmosphere. We spent a lot of time jumping up from our seats onto the benches to sing along to quality (?) tunes such as Mambo Number Five. Every ten minutes or so the band plays the Oktoberfest toast song which is your cue to get up on your seats and start clinking glasses left, right and centre. Having no clue to what the German in the song meant I was perfectly content singing my own gibberish version especially as the hours passed by… Just remember to say ‘prost’ at the end of each song!

What to eat

Food is served in the tents and festival grounds all day. Two typical snacks you must try are pretzels and gingerbread cookies. You can buy absolutely gigantic pretzels at the festival which go perfectly with beer. Unfortunately once you start you just can’t stop, resulting in a vicious circle of drink – eat salty pretzel – get thirsty – eat another salty pretzel – drink and so on and so forth. Another typical snack is the giant gingerbread cookie, which will often have a phrase iced onto them. My mate went for the ‘Ich Liiiiiebe dich’ iced message and I, unable as always to avoid the tacky, went for ‘Mein superstar’. These can be hung around your neck so you can take bites when hunger strikes. What a genius idea!

Beats a currywurst we say...

No more beer

There’s no doubt about it that two days of non-stop beer drinking requires stamina. As someone who rarely drinks beer, after a couple of steins I was well on my way to drunkenness: so remember to take breaks! Don’t be that person who vomits all over the table.

Within the festival grounds there are lots of fairground rides to take advantage of although some – including the rollercoaster – may be better on an empty stomach! There’s also a huge statue of Bavaria on a hill at one end of the festival grounds where people go to relax or, in some cases, sleep off the alcohol.

Do try as well at some point to leave the festival and see Munich itself. The beautiful English gardens are a lovely escape from the madness and contain everything from nudist sunbathers to surfers on the river! Munich’s Marienplatz is one of the city’s central squares and a great place to grab a coffee and people watch. At 11.00am, 12.00am and 5.00pm you can see the famous Glockenspiel in action as the carved figures move about accompanied by taped music.

So go and enjoy Oktoberfest while you still can. It’s definitely worth it. I’ll finish with one invaluable lesson I learned this weekend at Oktoberfest: Don’t take a camera on a rollercoaster when you’re drunk. It will fall out of your hands… But at least I’m now the proud owner of a dirndl!

Find out more about Oktoberfest from Munich’s Tourist Board.

28/09/09: Contributor to Running In Heels Feelgood Playlist

The tracks that uplift you when you're down and give you a shot of motivation to take hold of life once again!

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/feelgood-playlist/

Drops of Jupiter – Train

This is ‘my coming home from travelling song’ that I always put on my iPod as I walk through the arrivals door in the airport. For me it perfectly encapsulates how you feel when you arrive home after experiencing new things and I absolutely love the opening line ‘Guess who’s back in the atmosphere, Drops of Jupiter in her hair hey hey hey hey.’ The song is written from the perspective of the guy who was left behind and though he’s kind of cynical about what she experienced ‘when she was looking for herself out there’ he’s still there waiting for her nevertheless. A beautiful song.

28/09/09: Travelling Solo?

Holidaying on your own: the pros, the cons and the best ideas for travelling solo

http://runninginheels.co.uk/articles/travelling-solo/

Travelling Solo?

Lonesome?

‘Table for one?’

If that phrase strikes dread in your heart it’s time to think again. Nowadays travelling alone has never been so easy… or fun! So why isn’t everyone doing it you ask?

You might find the answer hidden in the words of the not-so-great Akon: ‘lonely, I’m so lonely’. Oh dear. The fear that you’ll spend your days alone is one of the main reasons people don’t like to travel alone. But, unless you’re planning to spend your time in a remote hermitage far off the mainland, I can almost guarantee this won’t happen.

If you want a break from the world, travelling alone is the perfect way to find time for yourself. Or, if you’re simply travelling alone because you can’t find someone to travel with, don’t worry! There are a million ways to find friends and fun along the way. Here are some hot tips to get you started:

Accommodation

The key to travelling alone (and I may be stating the obvious here) is to be sociable. Hostels are a great way to meet people and make friends. Try sites like hostelworld.com and hostelbookers.com and check the reviews to see what people say about the atmosphere of the place. Hostels that organise nights out are ideal if you want to get to know people quickly. Even just hanging out in the kitchen or lounge area gives you the chance to meet and make friends with fellow travellers from all over the world.

Extreme couchsurfing

If you want to get to know a place and its people a little better you could consider couchsurfing. This is a great (and free!) way to travel. All you have to do is fill out a profile on the website and then search for couches in the area you’re planning to travel to. Then, pick your favourite person in the area and send them an email asking to stay. Most people have a limit set on how many nights a guest can stay so don’t outstay your welcome! Keep in mind as well that you may not be sleeping on a couch. In the world of couchsurfing anything goes: from the floor, a blow up bed, or (as in one of my more memorable experiences) a prison bus! Most hosts are eager to hang out with their guests so don’t treat this as just a place to stay. Think of it as opportunity to make new friends and to get to know the real life of wherever you’re staying.

If the idea of turning up to a complete stranger’s house to spend the night scares you, try looking at the events happening within the couchsurfing community you’re travelling to. Lots of cities have active communities who meet up regularly so invite yourself along.

‘What do travellers do all day?’

This quote comes from one of my favourite books about a young English guy who is doing a gap year. He poses this question after spending all day lounging about his hostel. Don’t be this guy! Get out there and discover what there is to do…

Sightseeing

Sightseeing alone can be a depressing business especially if there’s no one beside you to discuss just how small the Mona Lisa really is or whether Spanish or French guys have sexier accents. For this reason a bike tour is a great alternative to the traditional bus tour (where you’d have no one to sit next to) or walking around alone. People tend to be a lot chattier on bikes, not least because battling against the traffic tends to break the ice! One excellent company is Fat Tire Bike Tours who do tours in Paris, Barcelona, London and Berlin.

Become a wwoofer!

Volunteering

If you fancy getting involved in something and meeting people while travelling, volunteering is another option. There are thousands of different ways to volunteer, depending on what you like doing. Here are a few suggestions:

• Teach English: A couple of companies run immersion camps in Spain that look for volunteers to work as English teachers for them in an informal capacity. You don’t need any qualifications apart from being a native English speaker. You will get your food and accommodation for free in exchange for spending all day chatting to people who want to improve their English. Two companies who run immersion programmes are VaughnTown and Pueblo Inglés.

• Go wwoofing: If switching heels for work boots doesn’t turn you off, wwoofing is another option to consider. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and is an organisation that assists those interested in working as a volunteer on an organic farm. Almost every European country has a wwoofing organisation. You pay a membership fee and once you are registered you can browse the list of farms available and email the farms to ask for a few days/weeks work. It’s voluntary and generally you receive food and accommodation as payment.

• Work at a festival: Another good idea if you’re travelling alone if to volunteer to work at a festival. For example, the Great British Beer Festival is staffed completely by unpaid volunteers and you get benefits like free accommodation, entrance to parties, etc. But that’s only one festival, many more look for volunteers. Try websites such as Festival Volunteer. Who knows who you might meet? I’m thinking music festivals and Kings of Leon personally, mmm…

Skiing in a group means there'll always be someone to pick up you up...

Go in a group

You could also plan your trip within an organised group so you have a readymade group of people to hang out with. Companies like First Festival Travel and Top Deck Tours organise group trips to festivals, sports events, skiing and snowboarding holidays and lots more. Given that the prerequisite of these trips is that you are able have a good time you can’t go wrong!

Or alternatively, consider signing up to a boot camp or for group lessons in whatever activity you’re interested in – snowboarding, windsurfing, or horse riding to name just a few options. Like bike tours, learning something together means that you break the ice straight away and can lead to having brilliant fun and making great friends!

So there you go, being a lone traveller doesn’t mean being a lonely traveller so get out there and start your adventures!