There are so many places to visit across the globe. But if you’re single, you may miss out on the opportunity to see the world because you feel lonely or awkward traveling solo. Dinner can be especially disheartening as you witness the other travelers sharing the days experience with the other parties within their group. The following are some handy tips to make your dining experience less lonely when you take a trip alone.

Use Your Tablet or Smartphone

One of the greatest pleasures when you travel is the opportunity to dine out and try the many dishes from the various regions. But if you don’t have someone to dine with, you may feel like a pariah. Fortunately, the latest technological advances allow you to do so much with your smartphones and tablets. If you’re looking for the ultimate dinner companion after a day of sightseeing, you can catch up with friends and family members via phone call. Apps such as Facetime and Skype also allow you to video chat with your loved ones while you wait for your meal to arrive. If you’re not up for conversation, put in your earbuds and download your favorite movie or show. The excitement of your series will make you forget that you’re eating without the company of others.

Read a Book

As airlines ramp up their costs and scale down on service, traveling via private jet has so many advantages over commercial flying. If you enjoy traveling on a regular basis, you can hedge your flight and take control of your seat configuration, and the specific type of aircraft you’ll be flying within. While it sounds like it can be a costly venture, the fractional plane ownership proves to be a better value, especially when discounts are involved. If you find yourself in Italy for a trip by yourself, there’s no need to feel lonely as you dine alone. While you’re enjoying the pasta Bolognese, find a book that you can lose yourself in. Electronic readers can also be easily propped up while you eat, so you can read at the same time.

Visit with the Servers

You’ll probably meet a lot of interesting people when your travel. If you’re alone, you may be more inclined to start up a conversation with everyone from the front desk clerk of your hotel to your Uber driver. If you’re dining alone, you can forge new friendships by chatting up her wait staff. If they know that you’re from out of town, they may be able to offer some suggestions on places to visit and things to see and do. Your server may also have some interesting stories about what life is like in that particular city compared to where you live. If you enjoy the food, you can go back to the same eating establishment. If you return often enough, you’ll feel like you’re visiting friends.

Have Fun People Watching

The world is your oyster, and there are so many interesting places to travel alone. While you may think that everyone is staring at you because you’re eating alone, most of the time the other guests in the eatery are focused on themselves and what they’re doing. Others may even admire you for being an independent and confident person for being able to dine as a single. Instead of worrying what others think, take in your surroundings and have fun people watching.

Sit at the Bar

Safety is paramount when you’re traveling to other areas of the world, especially if you do so alone. While you still want to keep your wits about you, sitting at the bar at a restaurant can be more appealing than sitting singly at a table for dinner. It may also provide you with the opportunity to get to know other occupants of the eatery that may be in a similar situation.

If you’re uncomfortable traveling solo, you’re not alone. Most people find the situation to be awkward and uncomfortable. You can easily get over the discomfort of dining solo and make a bold statement by following the above tips. In addition to easing your loneliness, the time spent with yourself may make you realize how wonderful a companion you can really be.

*collaborative post