Every time you book a flight on your own, you will be told how dangerous it is. Your friends will ask you if you’ve seen the movies “Hostel” and “Taken” (yes, and they’re called movies for a reason). Your parents will tell you they hope you have children who travel solo so you can experience the anxiety you put them through (I hope so, too!). There are certain risks you take traveling as a solo female — as there are with group travel, leaving your bedroom and being alive in general —traveling solo as a woman can be an empowering and life-changing experiences.
There Are Certain Dangers That Go Along With Traveling As A Solo Female…As Well As Certain Benefits
When traveling solo as a woman — or man for that matter — you need to lookout for yourself. You won’t have someone there to watch your stuff when you go to the bathroom or help you navigate unfamiliar terrain; it’s all up to you. Which is what also make traveling as a solo female so great. Everything is up to you: what cities you visit, where you stay, what the budget is, what you eat, what you do, when you go to bed, when you wake up, what transportation you take — all things you normally would have to compromise with a travel partner. Traveling as a solo female means you control the itinerary, which can be as pre-planned or spur of the moment as you like. It ensures your itinerary is never dictated by someone else, and that you can enjoy ultimate control and freedom of the journey.
You’re More Capable Than You Think
There are many skills you don’t believe you possess: managing money, reading maps, handling stress in unfamiliar places, asking strangers for help, navigating cities where I didn’t know the language; however, after traveling as a solo female you will see what you are capable of. The truth is, relying on others makes us lazy. You may think you can’t read a map, but maybe you have never had to. It is common to think “I would love to travel solo but I could never [insert fear here],” But you will be able to overcome any obstacle presented to you because when you’re traveling solo you’re forced to. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and improve your confidence.
While it isn’t difficult to make friends on the road when traveling solo, it is great to have the choice of when you want to spend the day on your own or explore with new hostel and CouchSurfing friends. If you are an introvert, you many end up spending much of my time exploring new cities and landscapes on you own. This will help you realize just how much you enjoy your own company and getting lost in your thoughts. When home you won’t think twice about spending a Friday night by yourself with a movie and a glass of wine or going to a restaurant you really want to try on my own. You will have found your own space.
How To Nourish Your Independence
If you’ve ever wished you could be more independent, partake in some solo female travel. You’ll realize exactly what you’re capable of and that you are worthy of spending time with your self . From this experience, you’re ability to do and enjoy things on your own will grow and you’ll discover new interests as your mind is more open to new experiences. Experiences learned on the road could lead to a new hobby, which only makes you more interesting. Bonus: If you’ve ever had trouble with dating, men love interesting and independent women
The Kindness Of Strangers On The Road
It will happen countless times on the road when you’ll be moved by the kindness of the strangers you meet along the way. Locals offering to show you around, other backpackers consoling you when you’ve heard bad news from home, hikers offering you food and water along the trail. Post on the CouchSurfing forum and telling people you are in the city and don’t want to be alone. You will be surprised at the response and it will introduce you to some new friends.
Gaining Strength
After traveling the globe as a solo female you will come to consider yourself a very strong woman – emotionally and mentally – strong enough to take the risk of traveling solo as a woman, strong enough to handle the challenges and hardships that come your way, things that are difficult enough to deal with at home but especially challenging when in unfamiliar territory – despite what society thinks about the practice. You will hone your street smarts as you navigate yourself around foreign places. It takes a brave woman to take the road on her own, but your bravery will be handsomely rewarded with life-changing experiences.
Very Few Problems Will Ruin A Trip
When traveling with others, you may notice you tend to complain more as well as deal with the complaints of others. But when traveling on your own there’s no one to whine to. This is a positive thing, as it helps you to realize that some of the issues you encounter when traveling that would normally upset you aren’t that big a deal at all. You may miss that important train, but tickets can always be switched and you can kill time by finding something interesting to do. You don’t need to consult with anyone else or listen to anyone else complain, but simply restrategize your plan to suit the new circumstance.