Up & Away: Solo Traveler Finds Adventure at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

This year, 30% of all Road Scholar participants are going solo, and 85% these travelers are women.  Solo travel can be exhilarating — and intimidating at first — but it is popular. Whether you have different interests than your partners or friends or want to explore alone, solo travel lets you travel where and when you want while offering plenty of opportunities to make new friends.

Lolly traveled solo across the country for the first time with Road Scholar to attend Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Santa Fe Art and Culture in October 2018. “As a single senior, traveling across the country to Albuquerque for the first time, alone, was pretty exciting and daunting,” says Lolly.

Lolly’s friend had attended the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and told her, “If you ever do anything, go the Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. “I decided to go alone because my traveling partner was not well enough to travel anymore,” says Lolly. “Seeing the balloons in New Mexico was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was fabulous!”

“My first view of the vastness and beauty of the landscape of New Mexico was breathtaking,” she says.

But the icing on the cake for Lolly was waking up at 5 a.m. and getting on the bus to take her to the field before dawn. “We watched the balloons as they were inflated, then followed them as they rose gently and magically into the darkness and quiet as dawn cracked the sky,” says Lolly. “I will never forget that morning. It was spectacular as we watched over 400 balloons take flight,” she explains.

The rest of the day was equally fulfilling as she walked through the field with her Road Scholar companions and saw the enormous, colorfully festooned balloons. “There were so many colors, designs and themes — some whimsical, some serious — and I tried to see every single one,” she says. “It was a trip I will never forget, especially the people, friendships and the awe-inspiring beauty. I hope to return one day,” says Lolly.

During her seven-day adventure, Lolly and her group traveled from place to place, enjoying the music, dancing and the local folks. “We celebrated their cultural heritage — they prepared and shared their amazing food and handmade treasures with us,” she says. “I’m fascinated by all of it, the people, the Mexican food and the art.”  Lolly recalls dancing with a family of colorfully dressed children. “We held hands and circled, and I could not help but feel the oneness of us all,” she says.

Traveling solo was easy for Lolly as she describes herself as outgoing. “I introduced myself to the others in the group and we started chatting,” she says. During the program, Lolly and her group visited the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture in Santa Fe and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. They also enjoyed the Native American market during their free time.

“I felt safe with Road Scholar,” says Lolly. “I wasn’t alone, and we have group leaders who can address any challenges. Road Scholar is the way to do it if you’re traveling alone. They take care of everything.”

Lolly’s experience with Road Scholar in New Mexico inspired her to travel more solo. “If I want to travel, I know I can do it by myself now,” she says.  At 76, she is still teaching strength training and nutrition for seniors at the Penn State campus in Gettysburg. “The most important thing in life is staying active and exercising,” says Lolly. She volunteers as a docent with Road Scholar’s Gettysburg programs in her spare time.

Explore Road Scholar’s new solo program, Go Solo: Art and Architecture in Chicago, and plan your solo adventure today. Or see our entire collection of learning adventures that are popular with solo participants!