Here’s the conundrum: You want to travel, but as an introvert the idea of spending a week with a crowd of people you don’t know is exhausting. Truth is, traveling with people you DO know is exhausting!
As author Sophia Dembling says,“When introverts want to get away, they want to really get away. You’re unlikely to find them crammed on a bus with other tourists or playing drinking games by a cruise-ship pool. Good-time travel for introverts allows time and space for quiet contemplation of the world’s many wonders” (quietrev.com).
The good news is that introverts can explore the beauty of Cornwall or the majesty of the Scottish Highlands with As You Like It Tours and find the time and space they need to recharge. Because our groups are small (limited to 10-12 guests), we travel by private mini coach, happily avoiding the “crammed” buses Dembling describes. In addition, we book spacious, luxury homes that have beautiful community spaces as well as quiet window seats, reading rooms, and private gardens for the times you need to be alone. And our schedule allows time to re-center. Most days we have leisurely mornings before heading out for the day’s adventure, and we return home late afternoon so that guests can relax or retreat (as needed!).
Some experts assert that between one-third and one-half of Americans are introverts (Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, 2012), and that rings true with our AYLIT trips over the past decade. On our 2019 trip to Cornwall, one guest skipped the day’s excursion and spent the morning reading and soaking up sunshine while gazing at St Michael’s Mount from the deck of our home, and then strolled to the local pub for an afternoon pint. She was rested, refreshed, and ready to engage when the group returned for dinner. A perfect “As You Like It” day!
If you long for a small-group journey that allows you time to enjoy your own company, contact us for details about our 2023 trips.