How my on-board bestie saved my solo cruise holiday

As she travelled alone, Pearl Boshomane took her trip from lonely to lovely with the help of a stranger

Going on a cruise all alone can be rather daunting, especially if it's also your first time on a Persian Gulf cruise.

This past December, I found myself in the Persian Gulf, on a ship with a few thousand people - and no one to talk to. Initially, I was excited to be travelling solo: I took some books to read, my laptop and, of course, social media would always be at hand to keep me entertained when I wasn't busy sightseeing.

I'd envisioned a lot of free time on my hands but I certainly was not prepared for just how easily I would get lonely.

Being alone in a place full of people travelling in groups can be unnerving for even the most self-assured person. The most difficult time to be solo was during meal times, especially the dinners held in dining rooms that resemble five-star restaurants.

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For someone who's incredibly shy and not very good at talking to strangers (ironic, considering I'm a journalist), I found having to share dinner tables with people I didn't know incredibly awkward and I often found myself wishing I could eat alone in my cabin.

The books I had with me grew boring very quickly, and staring at my laptop was not as fun in the middle of the ocean as it is when I'm in my parents' living room.

On my third day, I was lucky enough to meet another solo traveller: a bubbly British woman in her 70s, who became my best friend for the duration of the trip.

It was perfect because she was a lot friendlier than I am, so sharing dinner tables with strangers was easier because she kept the conversation flowing (she usually was the conversation).

Had it not been for my new (and temporary) friend, I would not have enjoyed my time on the ship half as much as I did - and I also wouldn't have known about the delicious, free ice cream available on board. And what's the point of sunshine and the ocean if there's no ice cream?