Share your experience ... or strategy

[marginlized]

As a single person, don't you hate having to pay the 'single premium' every time you travel?
Most room rates are based on double occupancy and they ding you hard if you're not "double".

Anyone have an egregious experience in a restaurant when they see you're alone and then give you the table by the kitchen door?

Know any good work-arounds?

[marginlized]

1. Of course, I expect only crickets.

[Historic NY]

2. I would travel more if it wasn't the extra surcharge. ...it discriminates

I miss "singles world" it was Ny based & it was an open group of people from 18-80. We always had a fantastic time.

[limpyhobbler]

3. That's why I usually just eat Stouffers microwave meals.

which also made me think of this video:

[marginlized]

6. Oh, man, I have too much fun cooking for myself.

... with restaurant food, you don't know what you're getting.
... then they think you're going to be impressed if they lard it over a mountain of mashed potatoes.

... or they have this strange need to put heavy cream in all their sauces.

I like going to places where I can get something I wouldn't cook for myself. I had a gator burger the other day.

[shanti]

10. how was that?

the gator burger? just like chicken?

[marginlized]

12. somewhere between frog legs and fish

NOT like chicken at all.

It was not my first taste of alligator, but it was my first gator burger. Usually you see it heavily breaded and deep fried, so you don't get the full flavor.

[bemildred]

4. I avoid hotels/motels and restaurants, especiallly expensive ones.

Ideally I sleep with friends or in my vehicle, and have my own food and means to cook it.

[Iggo]

5. On the restaurant thing, I request a booth.

Every now and then the host/ess will look at me funny.

But most of the time it's a smile and a "Right this way, Sir."

I'm also a champion tipper, so maybe word gets around.

[marginlized]

7. One of my more assiduously loner friends ...

always makes sure to carry a bag of books, so he's got something to read in any restaurant or coffee shop.

[nadine_mn]

8. I have always done that -

it also keeps well meaning people who think I need social interaction from trying to engage me in conversation

[shanti]

11. exactly

i use my knitting for that

[Peregrine Took]

9. That's the one good time its nice to review your email and the like on your phone or Ipod Touch.

Although, being a librarian, I'm a physical book nut first - then electronic/wi fi.

[Odin2005]

14. That sounds like me, LMAO!!!

[LWolf]

13. I don't travel much.

I simply don't have the budget for it.

When I did, in years past, I never had any trouble traveling alone, or eating alone. I love having a hotel room all to myself. I've done quite a bit of traveling to conferences for work over the years; I often pay extra so I don't have to share a room with a colleague. We spend all day together in conferences, and then they plan nights out on the town in strange cities; I sometimes eat dinner with them, almost never go exploring, and am most often found alone in my room with room service...and bliss. No chores, nobody who has to have my attention, some good books...I'm content.