So glad you've got something to look forward to. You'll have a great time - when are you off?
Sweetheart some of the most amazingly strong people I've ever known are without partners for some amazingly good reasons. My little sister was married and her husband passed away 9 years ago, she was then with an abusive alcoholic and in the last few months she's met the most lovely man who worships her (and rightly so, she's f*ing awesome) so it can and does happen. She used online dating if that's something that interests you?