I prefer going with friends or family, but I get six weeks of vacation a year, and I use it all on vacations.

I've been to Europe several times by myself. I don't mind striking up conversations with strangers, so I am usually not very lonely. I also mix in theme parks when there are some nearby. I went on a French-speaking mission, so between French and English, and the few words I know in Spanish, German and Italian, I get by fine in Europe.

I did get lonely when I went to Japan by myself, because people were very reluctant to speak English. I had studied about 8 tapes (several years ago) and could say a few basic things, and when they heard me struggling with Japanese, they would often start speaking English to me even if they had responded no (or by crossing their arms) when I asked if they understood English. My hotel was one stop from the Shinjuku station and it didn't have anybody that spoke English and I think I went three days in a row before speaking to anybody in English.