Do you have any advice for single travelers?

I often travel alone when I am setting up new tours. I do go through times when I get a bit lonely but in general I love to travel solo as there seems to be more of an opportunity to meet locals than if I am with one other person and appear as a unit.

To avoid getting lonely I'd stay at B&B and small inns rather than larger hotels. Front desk folks here generally will give you the inside scoop as to where to eat, listen to music, and etc. I'd stay for longer than usual (3-5 nights if possible) and use a base rather than moving. This way I get to know the people and the area and feel like a local!

Eat in local restaurants, smile, talk with the waiters and other diners if appropriate. Eat at the bar if there are other interesting people. Don't feel bad checking out the atmosphere of the restaurant along with the menu ... and walking away ... the last thing you want is to waste a nice meal feeling uncomfortable.

Generally people are very interested in both talking with you and sharing their recommendations and experiences. Make sure you feel comfortable at the place you are staying and that you are able to let them know what your plan for the day or evening is. Ask advice everywhere ... go out for coffee, wine, local shops and markets. I often get invited to have a meal in someone's home or join someone for dinner ... if not, ask someone if they would like to join you!

I do carry an iPod with both music and books, a digital camera so I can share photos instantly with folks I meet and capture, and a notebook/journal. However, if you always have a book in font of you or a pair of headphones on you may appear unapproachable. I go for a walk or run early (don't forget to take the card of your hotel with the address and your ID) to get the lay of the land in the neighborhood and check out restaurants, cafes, parks, places I might want to return to.

More and more hotels are offering women's floors or gatherings where women who might be traveling alone can meet for coffee and then possibly dine together.

As an aside: Small group tours are great for generally independent travelers as they offer quite a bit of flexibility and options throughout the day plus the opportunity to have great conversations with other group members over meals. If you take a trip focused on a passion of yours (walking, painting, birding, cooking) you'll find a new group of friends you might be interested in traveling with in the future. If you are alone, I'd suggest checking out what the make up of the group is as it might be more fun to have a diverse group of couples and solo travlers rather than all couples. The benefit of group travel is that you often have a more intimate experience with the local culture as the guide is from the region and can give you a back door experience a guide book never could.