Taking the plunge on your first solo trip? Here's how to ensure the adventure of a lifetime...





Standing outside the closed door of the bar, I could hear a din inside. I took a deep breath and walked in, battling through the crush of tanned, tousled yacht crews of various nationalities. Hearing a British voice, I tried to talk to the young woman it belonged to but she gave me the cold shoulder. So I pushed my way to the bar to order a drink.

Sailor after sailor started chatting to me; by the end of the evening I’d been ‘adopted’ by several crews. Drink after drink had been bought for me (well, it would have been churlish to turn them down…) and I’d been offered a place on the next leg of a couple of the yachts.

It would have been all too easy to stay in my room with a good book rather than venturing alone into the legendary Café Sport in the Azores. But then I’d have missed out on one of the most memorable and enjoyable evenings of my life. And I reckon that if I’d been with a partner or a friend, I wouldn’t have had nearly such a momentous time.



