Women travelling solo: Breathe, smile and go

Gurnaaz Kaur

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James Brown sang ‘It’s a man’s world’. Well, not anymore! We girls are venturing into the unknown, alone. I’ve been a solo traveller since the age of 16. And I have countless reasons to believe it is probably the best thing women can do for themselves. There is so much more freedom, all your time is your own, you decide what you want to do and where you want to go, you meet people, make friends, do random activities… It’s a whole new world out there for you when you travel alone. And trust me, you are never alone! In my recent travel to North East, I had some unique experiences like going on treks with strangers, staying at a camp, hitchhiking from one state to another. I was my own boss! And the only person I had to worry about was me.

Guess what? I am not the only one who believes in the magic of travelling solo. A growing number of women are ditching their partners and friends for a chance to explore unchartered territory, alone. Why? A recent survey revealed that about 46 per cent of women do it for a sense of freedom, independence and the chance to do whatever they feel like doing; 22 per cent say they aren’t willing to wait around for others and another 15 per cent say to challenge themselves and gain confidence.

Footloose

Hila, hailing from Brazil, left her 9-5 job to travel to India in search of new horizons. And she describes the experience as a breath of fresh air. “I worked so hard in the past; I couldn’t free myself in the way I wanted, always had to compromise,” says Hila. “But when I travel alone, it’s my time. I can travel how I want to, what I want to see, experience what I want to experience and feel the way I want to feel.” Hila has spent close to six months in India, learnt yoga, some cooking, a few sentences in Hindi, made new friends and plans to explore some more. Another solo traveller, Dominika, describes her excursions as invigorating — she feels it helps her to reconnect with parts of herself that she had long forgotten or that had been dulled by the stress and pressure of the modern city life. “Solo travelling can give a boost to your self-esteem; it does that to me. It means I have to deal with everything alone — from booking my trip to some last-minute changes. Doing it all by myself is a high in itself.” Dominika is from Poland and has been in India for close to a year.

Walking into the unknown

When we first dip our toes into the unknown, some troubling questions pop up. It was no different for Isha Aurora. “Would it be safe? What will I do alone? How would I eat alone in a café? How would I deal with that awkwardness? With these questions swirling in my head, I went for my first solo trip last year to Dharamkot,” recalls Isha. “And, believe me, that week-long trip changed something in me. Sitting in cafes for hours, trying new food, interacting with strangers, jamming with musicians, going for hikes and, most importantly, enjoying my own company… all this took me out of my comfort zone and made me more confident, responsible and intuitive.” Since then, Isha has already done two more solo trips and shares her experiences on YouTube.

Apart from the questions that Isha asked herself, there are questions that others ask: ‘Aren’t you afraid? Do you think it’s safe? Well, be informed, always be on your guard, follow your intuition and, in all likelihood, things won’t go wrong. “For a woman travelling alone, there is always that element of safety. You have to be on your guard and know when to remove yourself from an uncomfortable situation,” says Soniya. Of the many things that a solo traveller  should follow is to not go out by yourself and get drunk. In such situations, you need to have someone to look out for you.”

Most solo travellers feel some measures are required to minimise risks. The most obvious is to not flirt with danger or attract unwanted attention through your attire or behaviour. “It’s important to realise you aren’t in your home country. If you act or dress in a certain way, it might encourage people to misbehave. What is socially acceptable in Brazil is not necessarily acceptable in India. Some minor changes and basic awareness can keep things easy for everyone,” says Hila.

Despite the element of risk involved, the vast majority of local and foreign female travellers have had wonderful life-enriching journeys, and encounters with wonderful people. Dominika feels like a princess here. “Everyone is so caring and concerned. I feel so loved. All my trips eliminate the negative perceptions about travelling solo. Of course, you’ll always meet a small percentage of not-so-nice people,” says Dominika. She has a word of advice too. “Always try to pick a guesthouse that is run by families or have other female travellers. Avoid lesser-known, dingy accommodations.”

As long as a woman does her research, keeps her wits about her, there shouldn’t be any problem. If there is anything you’ll miss in travelling alone, it would probably be not having someone to complain about missing a bus, ordering an unfamiliar dish or maybe sleeping for too long. But believe me, you’ll wake up a new you!

Tips for solo travel

1. Don’t invite unwanted attention: Be careful to dress appropriately and have ready plans to deal with unwanted attention.

2. Choose your accommodation wisely:  Stay away from seedy areas and cheaper, less secure hostels and hotels. Look for places that have lots of reviews online, especially by female travellers.

3. Don’t tell people where you’re staying: People may appear friendly but they may not have the best of intentions. So, reduce your risk of encountering a problem by not telling them where you are staying.

4. Always carry a flashlight, pepper-spray:  In case the area you are visiting has unreliable electricity source, you won’t be caught out. Flashlight can also double as a handy weapon, just like pepper-spray.

5. Carry a doorstop: This will prevent unwanted visitors from entering your room when you’re sleeping.