One or two.

This here is a think about whether or not it would be better for you to travel alone in the States or to hook up with someone before you arrive.  Let me spill.

The pros of traveling alone:

• You don't have to put up with anyone else.  Ever.
• You can change your mind whenever you feel like it.
• You don't need to check if whatever you're doing is say hurting anyone's feelings.
• You decide when you come and go, how you do it and for how long.  Bliss.
• A case can also be made to assert that it's easier meeting strangers when you're on your own than when you're traveling with say your boyfriend.  However, if you're two hot babes on the road I'm sure you won't have any trouble hooking up with the closest set of horny males in the vacinity.  Which has a pros and cons list all of its own.

The cons of traveling alone:

• No one to take the damn picture.
• No one to tap on the shoulder and say: "Wow!  Did you see that?  Was that for real?!"
• No one to cuddle up with when you need to.
• I figure blogging can satisfy most of these things though.  Except for taking the pic, cuddling and talking back. 

The pros of traveling with someone:

• You can get more for less: hire/buy a car, stay in nicer places, have a private room to share which means you won't need to deal with Russians or the Irish.  But it can be fun to deal with both.

The cons:

• You have a huge fight on day 3 of your 6 month odyssey and then hate each other for the rest of the trip.  Hey, it could happen.
• The person you're with meets the love of their life on day 5 and deserts you.  Heck, it didn't happen to me but apparently it does.  Speaking in general though, if you are planning on traveling around you can forget about having relationships.  You won't be around for long enough to have one.  If one night stands are your cup of tea, hold on baby cos your about to hit the jackpot.

Bottom line is I'm glad I came on my own.  It made me stronger, built some character and every time someone said:  "Really?  You're traveling alone??"  I felt like Crocodile Dundee or Spiderman. 

The favorite moment of my trip was when I got of at El Paso, decided it was a shit hole and could just turn around and get back on the train without any kind of scene.  I just changed my mind and didn't need to check it with anyone.  Life can be sweet people.

I needed this time by myself.  Everything was heightened because I wasn't in any kind of comfort zone ever and thusly I have slideshows in my head of where I've been and what I did and it will stay up there forever.

To me that's true value for money.