seville blackout: my solo trip surprise
I finally decided to take a solo trip—just me, no family, no friends, no tour group. I picked Seville, Spain, because I’d always heard about its beautiful orange trees and old winding streets. Honestly, I was a little nervous about traveling alone at my age. My kids kept texting to check if I’d gotten lost, and I did wonder if I’d be the only one eating dinner alone.
But here’s the kicker: the very first day, the whole city lost power. I’m talking about a total blackout—shops closed, traffic lights out, and everyone wandering around looking confused. I’d spent 20 minutes searching for a café that was supposed to have the best churros, only to find it shuttered in the dark. I was standing there, feeling pretty foolish, when a local man waved me over. He and his friends were sitting outside, playing cards by the last bit of daylight, and they invited me to join. My Spanish is rusty, but we managed with a mix of English and hand gestures. We ended up laughing, sharing a bottle of wine, and swapping stories until the stars came out.
It’s funny—here I was, worried about being lonely, and a citywide blackout turned into the best icebreaker. Has anyone else had a trip where something went totally wrong, but it ended up being the highlight? I’m starting to think the best memories come from the unexpected.
#solotravel #seville #travelstories #Travel