If like me, you enjoy flying solo to exotic places, not just to Southend on Sea, but other places outside of East Anglia and heck, even abroad, then this is the article for you. I'm gong to list 7 places that are front of mind for you to travel to, some of which I've experienced myself, whilst being a single pringle, others I'm just researching in case I ever become a single pringle ever again. Whilst things are going great with Tuula now, it's always healthy to have a contingency plan so you don't lapse into bad eating habits, chronic depression and phoning up ex-girlfriends after 4 pints of Timothy Taylor's, to see if they're still up for a quickie.

So let's crack on.

VIVA MAYR (Austria)

Back in 2021 my good friend Peter Brooker Co-Author of From Tailors With Love: An Evolution of Menswear Through the Bond Films (available on Amazon), penned an article about the Austrian health retreat Viva Mayr.

I have to say I was riveted. With the exception of giving up coffee, which would reek untold havoc with my system. The only time I attempted that once before was in my teens when I literally mistaken buying gravy granules for ground coffee in my local Asda. Being a completist I finished the packet over the course of several weeks but it was not much fun I can tell you. Especially as I only found out it actually was gravy when I offered a cup to a girl I managed to bring back from college who spat it across the room ruining my M People poster. Don't judge. They were great nineties.

It won't be cheap. To be fair I'm still not sure how my friend Pete afforded it, his book did sell in the 1000s but he told me only 2057 copies shifted. Still, in the thousands sounds better than the actual figure.

But going alone to Viva Mayr will really help you find your balance, re-centre your kindred spirit, and if nothing else, give you a whole new appreciation for coffee.

BALI (Indonesia)

Back in 2019 I embarked on a journey of self discovery around Indonesia. Bali was the place I set up camp for a number of months and really got into my health and mental well-being. It was cut short after I passed out one day in a boxing gym, and decided to head back to Blighty for a check up. That, and I also really missed the F1 coverage and I really struggled to get decent 4G anywhere outside of the hotel.

Uploading instagram stories was literally a feat of acrobatics. But the food is good, the prices are even better and you really do feel off the grid. (Again, that was in large parts down to the poor 4G coverage). Do DM me if you need any help or advice on any planned trips to Bali, or this Rough Guide to Bali & Lombok will also come in handy.

NORFOLK BROADS (England)

Yes the Norfolk Broads is one of the U.K's 7th Wonder of the World. (Not a real wonder of the world hence I said "U.K's 7th Wonder of the World. That is my own personal list of wonders/magical places in the U.K. In no discernible order the list includes, Matthew Street in Liverpool (home of The Beatles), The River Cam, Cambridgeshire (home of Nick Drake AKA The River Man), Chiswick House and Gardens, Kew Gardens, Chichester (but only when Good Revival is on) and Basingstoke. They don't call it "Amazingstoke" for nothing.)

You can really lose yourself up the Norfolk Broads. Just a hire a boat from Oulton Broads and head north to Beccles and it's about as an action packed adventure as you'll ever have. Pack some cheese sandwiches, some quavers, and perhaps something else non-cheesy as you'll get fatigued quite easily. Carry a hip flask but don't get carried away. The broads is not the place for drunkards and disorderly despite my friend Dan telling me he is still barred from the Norfolk Broads for sinking a day boat on a stag do. I didn't get the full story, but I can't confidently say he lost his deposit.

This book on the Norfolk Broads and surrounding canals will certainly whet your appetite, or in Dan's case, plot a decent route to escape the river police.

CUBA (Anywhere)

One of the most important things to have when travelling alone, is knowing you are safe at all times. No place is safer than Cuba, despite it looking like a 3rd world country. One of the benefits of communism is that people literally can't be bothered to commit to a life of criminality.

Outside of the capital of Havana you can also enjoy incredible road trips to the cigar farms, and places along the coast, Varadero is beautiful, but don't visit between Christmas and New Year as a smack of Portuguese Man of War jellyfish wash up on the beach.

This book on Rough Guides to Cuba will come in handy on your trip.

SWITZERLAND (Lucerne, Zug, Zurich)

Following the theme of safest places to travel alone, (and perhaps I should have dedicated a listicle to this but it's too late now) Switzerland is one of the safest countries to visit for solo travellers. I gleaned this from an article by Tracey Cheung on SafeWise. Tracey wrote,

"Bounce ranked Switzerland number five in its study of the best female travel safety destinations. The study also considered it to be the safest country for all genders."

I can certainly recommend the romantic city of Lucerne. The famous long wooden bridge that straddles the lake hasn't burnt down in at least 100 or so years. (Actually have just Googled it and 2/3rds of the bridge were completely incinerated in 1993. Fortunately, the fire was soon contained and prevented from spreading any further and despite the locals calling it 'like a death in the family' no actual lives were lost).

Zurich and Zug are beautiful in their own unique ways. One has more graffiti than the other, but that's to be expected of capital cities. These 3 places, Zug, Lucerne and Zurich are all quite easily accessible by train and are more or less neighbouring each other.

As a complete aside, the clocks on the Swiss train platforms are by Mondaine. When travelling I always wear my Mondaine watch because of the easiness of looking at the watch and instantly knowing the time. You can pick one up on Amazon here.

SINGAPORE

Last but not leastly is Singapore. Enjoy the splendours of this beautiful and serene city. It's very safe and immaculate. They have banned chewing gum which is something I've been lobbying for in London for years. Come on Sadiq Khan, instead of spending all Summer watching Tennis at Wimbledon and Cricket at Lords, how about pulling your finger out and putting an end to this heinous past time.

The Sands Marina Bay is quite breath-taking. At 66.5 meters length, the observatio is the longest occupiable cantilevered structure in the world. It cost a small fortune to build but all the money was soon recouped in the casino in the basement of the hotel. Again come on Sadiq, how about we open more casinos on Grosvenor Square and get the gambling addicts to fund the TFL.

I really should run for mayor.

This pocket book guide to Singapore should come in handy.