Travelling alone on a day river cruise

The passenger line to the Danube River cruise boat appeared rather quickly, so I hustled to get near the front so that I could get ‘my’ seat.  Since I generally travel alone, I have specific places on various types of transport where I like to sit. On a plane - it is in a window seat just behind ´the wing’. But I must admit with the new jumbo planes, sitting upstairs is quite nice and a bit more intimate.  But now back to the boat.

If you have ever taken one of these cruises you will remember that most people want to sit on the upper deck as close to the front (bow) as possible. Of course, since much of the bow is not accessible to the public, you – and everyone else - often end up sitting mid-section with a totally unobstructed view of the boat’s radar system or  you might have a cornucopia of shots of the back of other tourists heads !!

I, however prefer to sit in the back of the boat. I select a chair which is closest to the stern (the back) … which of course is facing backwards.   Since no one else wants to sit there, I generally have the entire stern area to myself… as if I own it… waiters come and ask me - and only me - if I would like something to eat or drink. I can take interesting unobstructed photos of things as we pass by.   Since I can look both forward as well as backward, I can anticipate things which might look ‘photo-worthy’ and take a photo as we draw closer.

 

But, of course, that privacy also comes at a price. You become an object of curiosity. What is she looking at? What is she taking photos of? Why is she sitting alone in the back? Why is she receiving so much attention from the cruise staff? And being the object of curiosity, people – especially other people who are travelling alone (or people who want to be seen as if they are travelling alone) approach you. Regardless of sexual orientation, I have found that the back of the boat is the place to meet people… or get ‘picked up’. So if you are travelling alone and want someone (gay, straight, married, single ), to talk with, have a drink or dinner with even just to smoke a cigerette with  (you name it!!) ... head to the back of the boat, whip out your camera and just wait!