A Wandering Widow

Kevin passed away in August of 2019. I ended up taking four months off of work. As a victim advocate, I felt that I could not be of service to others until I dealt with my own trauma. So in January of 2020 I went back to the office. Well we all know what happened shortly after that. COVID. And then I got moved to another office within six months. It was a lot of change in a very short amount of time. New home in a new town, no husband, a global pandemic and a new position at work. I needed so badly to get away and couldn’t. I did do a couple of trips with friends but I needed my own get away. So I chose a place on the map and I started making plans.

I have always been drawn to Oregon but had never been. As a Cancer, I am all about the water. I chose Newport because it was on the water, had good restaurants and was close to the lighthouses and some very beautiful beaches. I had no idea how much I would love it there.

Thankfully I have always enjoyed my own company. You really have to if you are going to travel alone. You have a lot of time in your own head. But I also meet people very easily (I get that from my mother). The very first people I met were from Bakersfield. He went to North High and graduated in 1964! We had a laugh about our high school rivalries. Go Drillers!

I meandered over to a local restaurant, grabbed some chowder and then did a little wine tasting. There was a picnic area in the back and I chose the best table with the most amazing view. I saw two couples and invited them to join me at my table. They were from Spokane, Washington and we had a nice visit. I took pictures for them and they took some for me. The rest of the day I explored the coast.

Eating alone can be very daunting for some people. I just make sure I have my phone or a book. I also talk to the waiter/waitress and get some good tips about the area. My biggest complaint is that some restaurants give you a bad table if you are alone or ask if you want to sit at the bar. Heck no, I want that ocean view!

I met two other female solo travelers. One in the hotel lobby and one on a whale watching tour. She and I had a great conversation about the benefits of traveling alone. You can wake up when you want, go to bed when you want, choose the restaurant you go to, etc etc. No compromises.

My three days flew by and before I knew it it was time to come home. I drove into Portland and had lunch on the Columbia River right by the airport. I was very leery of Portland but it was really beautiful and I would definitely go back.

I’m looking forward to my next solo trip. Maybe somewhere on the East Coast? Stay tuned.