Dealing with privacy on the road

One of the hardest parts about being a constant traveler is the lack of privacy that tends to naturally entail.  Especially if you enjoy homestays, hostels, couchsurfing, communal living (as in WWOOFing) or anything similar — all popular money-saving devices amongst long-term travelers — your times alone may be few and far between.

Dealing with constant interaction on the road, particularly of the “How are you?  Where are you from?” repetitive nature, can be grueling.  It can be tempting to get grumpy and snappish, or even start thinking longingly of having your own house, with a bedroom door you can shut, where nobody snores except you.

Here are some ways to snatch a little me-time in your day:

1.  Go for long walks.  This can let you explore the city, look around the countryside, or just set one plodding and yet oh-so-deliciously-silent foot in front of the other.  Walking meditation is all about clearing the mind and just being; sometimes walking aimlessly can help you refocus.

2.  Obviously: splurge on a hotel room for a night or two.  This is particularly fun in third world countries where the hotel might not cost more than a few dollars, and every precious dollar of not sleeping in a dorm is worth it.

3.  If you’re traveling with a companion, suggest splitting up for a day and each of you traveling a separate path, then meeting up to share stories later.

4.  Run away.  Pretend you’re off to the supermarket, and actually grab a book or your journal, and find a patch of grass or convivial cafe to sit in, while forsaking human company.  Warning: make sure the cafe isn’t TOO convivial, or you’ll end up with a lot of new friends.

5.  Avoiding locals who want to be friendly: this is a lot harder to do.  Especially if you look physically different from the locals, you might be surrounded every time you go outside, leaving you very little chance to have some alone time.  In this case, I’d suggest taking a short excursion to the countryside (by bus, for example) away from the majority of people.  You can also go to a museum or other large drafty building: people tend to be automatically quiet and non-interactive in museums.  If all else feels, and you want to be somewhere you can scratch in quiet, that hotel room idea is starting to look good.

6.  Go the opposite way: pitch out a bedroll on a local beach or campground.  Check camping rules first, but this can be a good way to get away from other folks.  Make sure you are not in a high crime region, obviously.

7.  Meditate.  Yeah, sounds silly.  But really, finding a quiet corner, clearing your mind, and just sitting with your eyes closed can be refreshing.  Unless you fall asleep.  Although that can be refreshing too.

What are some other ways you have found to get some privacy on the road?