Solo travel with Renee
As we hunker down for another long blast of winter, we wonder when we will freely travel again. Like the arrival of spring, traversing the world seems a far-off miracle, especially as a second wave of pandemic encompasses us.
Having to cancel one fabulous trip and put another on hold, I decided to soothe my raging wanderlust by exploring solo travel via film. I compiled a list of promising titles and settled in with a bowl of popcorn.
Who doesn’t love a good movie? In travel movies, whether in Paris, Italy, Greece, the Arctic or India, the setting becomes an alluring lead character that inspires and enchants us, sometimes to the point where we start thinking of it as a destination. Sites in both movies and TV series have become major tourist destinations (think of Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame) as viewers want to experience the settings that brought them so much entertainment and pleasure. If you are interested then check out https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/.
Golden oldies or cutting edge, my favourite travel movies are those heart warmers where the main character is ultimately redeemed or transformed by travelling solo. Experiencing new cultures, seeing the wonders of this magnificent, impossible world, getting by on a shoestring or just plain luck, having plans go totally awry, improvising on a hopeless situation: these leave a mark and initiates inner change. Travelling many miles, these characters come full circle as they discover their authentic selves.
Currently, we can’t indulge in commercial cinemas, resplendent with overstuffed reclining chairs and hot, buttery popcorn that no microwave can reproduce. Our home TV or mobile screens have replaced the sweeping vistas and stereo sounds of a cinematic escape. But travel movies will continue to draw us in, tantalize and keep our wanderlust juices flowing until we can one day board that plane, ship or train and find ourselves immersed in an adventure worthy of the big screen.
Google ‘Solo Travel Movies’ and you will find several sites with lists of movies for viewing. I watched almost all of the recommended movies, and here are my top picks.
SHIRLEY VALENTINE
Outstanding! Back in the 80’s, I was a married working mum. Travel meant pilgrimages to Winnipeg for family occasions. At the movies, I fell in love with Shirley Valentine. Her transformation from drab housewife to confident, bold and sexy independent woman ignited something inside me. Yearning for my own travelling adventure, Shirley became my alter ego and I believe that the seed of wanderlust was planted during that time. (Photo from Traveldrinkdine.com)
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
This movie really evoked the transformative spirit of solo travel. It urges you to get out into the world and grab a slice of life – or just a piece of delicious cake. Through a wild series of travel events, Walter becomes the super hero he only fantasized about in his previously mundane life, and you find yourself cheering him on every mile of the way. (Photo from behance.net)
THE BEST MARIGOLD HOTEL
I am fascinated by India, and it is on my Fabulous Trips list. This movie is unique in that the main characters are mostly seniors, and each of them travels their own paths as they uproot themselves for a completely different cultural experience. The scenes of India are colourful and compelling and Judi Dench’s performance is outstanding as a widowed woman who blossoms on her own as she repurposes her life. Maggie Smith also plays a cardinal role as a bitter woman who reaches out to a lonely lower-caste servant. Totally life-affirming. (Photo from comedy.co.uk)
THE WAY
Martin Sheen stars as an old curmudgeon who suddenly loses his estranged son in this movie about a trek across the 540 mile Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. Determined to take up the quest and complete the journey armed only with the backpack his son left behind, he discovers more about himself and their relationship through the trials, joys, setbacks and a rag-tag group of fellow travelers he accumulates along The Way. (Photo from Arc Entertainment)
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
Diane Lane’s character, newly divorced, finds herself on a Gay and Away tour of Tuscany and impulsively hops off the bus to purchase a crumbling villa. Through the trials of renovation and by immersing herself in local life, she eventually finds true love and a home full of heart. Gorgeous Tuscan settings and sumptuous Italian spreads that you can practically savour. Catch Sandra Oh in one of her earlier roles as the quirky best friend. (Photo from newyorker.com)