The travel industry is no longer just for curious, single men taking on the world as bloggers or adventure seekers. The past ten years or so have seen a growing number of women traveling on their own with a fearless resolution to explore some of the best destinations for solo travelers. In my last blog post, I had talked about solo travel related anxiety. In this post, I am doing a complete U turn and featuring SEVEN fearless female travel bloggers who have taken “single women travel”to new lengths and frontiers. They love to explore, seek new countries and are always on the go! Best of all, they have fantastic stories to share on the topic of single women travel! So go get yourself a hot cup of tea or a glass of wine (pick your poison) and read their exciting travel stories on how it is to travel solo as a woman and their experiences while kicking ass at it. Furthermore, you can draw inspiration from this post on 27 easy ways to travel more responsibly or this 77 travel inspiring quotes or this one on best travel and adventure quotes.
Since this is going to be one long ride, simply click the link to your favorite female traveler’s section to read their solo travel tales and check out these fantastic six destinations for solo travelers as well or this post for 6 unique gift ideas for solo travelers or this post on travel camera bags for women travelers. Or better yet, read them all! All photos are their own and should not be used or reproduced in any form without their explicit consent.
Disclaimer: This blog post may contains some affiliate links. Clicking on them to make a purchase may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you for the product. Thank you!
Read Jennifer Ruiz’s interview here (FTB member)
Read Devasmita Chakraverty’s interview here
Read Candiss Koenitzer’s interview here (FTB member)
Read Nabamita Dutta’s interview here
Read Kathy James’s interview here (FTB member)
Read Megan Hamilton’s interview here (FTB member)
Read Sherianne Higgins’s interview here (FTB member)
“FTB”: Female Travel Bloggers
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- JENNIFER RUIZ , blogger at Jen on a Jet Plane (follow Jen on Instagram)
1) Tell us about yourself
My name is Devasmita. I am an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Washington State University. Traveling around the world and writing are two of my stronger interests. Stories fascinate me and I love telling stories through my work, writings, research and photos. I am a huge fan of solo-travel, and such travels have enriched my life not only in terms of the places I got to see, but also the friends I have made hence. I would love to live and work in every continent someday. So far, it has been Asia (India), Europe (Germany), and North America (USA). It thrills me to be constantly on the move, being open to new opportunities and living in different spaces and places.
2) When did you get bitten by the travel bug? How did this all begin?
It is hard to point to the exact moment, but I think it all started in 2009, when a close friend proposed that we visit Hawaii together, without a car (since none of us drove back then). I had never lived in a hostel before, and was only used to traveling with large group of Indians, men and women. Two girls enjoying Hawaii on foot and by bus and living in hostels had never really crossed my mind. A year later, in 2010, I traveled Europe for the first time, lived in hostels and loved that experience as well. Since then, there has been no looking back.
Photo courtesy Devasmita, shot using Nikon D5100. Lenses: 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm
You can rent Devasmita’s camera and numerous other photography gear on Borrow Lenses, a premier video and photography rental agency with easy pickups in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington State
3) What exactly propels you to travel, and that too, alone?
There are several reasons I love to travel, but I will give you the most practical reason. If there has been any ideal time to travel, it is now. Ten years ago, I was a poor student and had no money. Ten years from now, I might not be as fit or may be bogged down by other worldly responsibilities. That, and the fact that it thrills me to see new ways of being, meet people I would have never met otherwise. And alone? Why not? The ability to enjoy solitude is a blessing. I could write a book about all those hilarious episodes of traveling in large groups when things didn’t exactly pan out the way I might have wanted them to. I was not alone, but I was lonely. The larger a travel group, especially with people whose priorities in life do not align with yours, the greater the likelihood that you increase chaos and entropy in your life. Fellow travelers lost in their amorous worlds, taking hundreds of pictures of themselves and slowing you down, people who would rather cook while traveling than try out new cuisines, the endless calculation about money owed up to 2 decimal places (you owe me $2.65), he-said-she-said, people who are not excited to wake up at 3 am, drive for 2 hours and catch the first rays of the sun- we have all been there. What do I do if I want to watch the sun rise over the mountain but other people don’t. Or I might be tired and wanting to sleep in for a few hours while others are excited to hit the museum. Traveling alone or in small groups not only saves you from such misalignments, but also open your eyes to other things you would not have seen otherwise. I chat up with so many random strangers, that is usually not the case when you travel in groups.
4) What aspects of solo traveling as a woman do you enjoy the most?
I really enjoy the freedom and the solitude that comes with traveling solo. In quietness, I get my best and the most creative ideas. I see way more things that I might have missed otherwise. Having said that, I also love traveling in groups of two. I have many friends whose travel interests and priorities exactly match mine, and are easy going enough that they do not care about trivial things that slow down my enthusiasm to travel. Some of my recent favorite travel experiences have been those with my father, exploring the ruins of Cambodia and the temples of Thailand, and waking up at 4 am and hiking to see the first rays of the sun on the mountains of Nepal. My father and I have never traveled together before, just the two of us, and it gave us an opportunity to learn many things about each other.
Photo courtesy Devasmita, shot using Nikon D5100. Lenses: 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm
5) What are the dangers of traveling solo as a woman?
The one that I can think of is you get so used to the freedom that it becomes difficult after that getting used to traveling in masses. Sometimes, I go to a new city and I do not even have a plan. I walk aimlessly for hours, ask strangers for directions or good food recommendations, and just take what comes my way. Imagine doing that, compared to the hours of meticulous planning that goes in most trips. There are so many countries I have been to where I don’t even have a single picture of mine, just because I was too busy enjoying myself and forgot to ask someone to take a picture of me. Traveling solo has taught me to be easy-going in a certain way. Traveling solo as a woman also raises many an eyebrows. A man traveling solo might look cool, but I often get questions like when am I planning to settle down, why am I not spending my energy in more domesticated things (whatever that means), or if I am open to making out with strangers. Sometimes, there is a lot of curiosity and judgment about not only traveling solo, but doing that as a woman.
6) Can you share some highlights (negative/positive) of your travel experiences and how you dealt with them?
My love for traveling and writing gave me my first traveler friend, Mauktik Kulkarni. Mauktik is a dedicated globe-trotter and backpacker, and we met after I had written a review for his first book. It is a hilarious, interesting and layered story. Later, when he did his year-long trip to 36 countries in 2012-2013, I used to follow his travel experiences ardently. Eventually, I got my first book editing experience when he wrote a travel book out of that year spent on the road. We released the book earlier this summer, and it is called “Packing Up Without Looking Back.” You should check out the book, and especially, my editorial note where I talk about the hilarious experiences associated with meeting Mauktik, how I mistook him to be a fraud at first, and driving for hours on the evening before my PhD dissertation to meet him, etc.
CHECK OUT “PACKING UP WITHOUT LOOKING BACK”, DEVASMITA’S FIRST EDITORIAL VENTURE!
Photo courtesy Devasmita, shot using Nikon D5100. Lenses: 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm
7) How many countries have you visited? Any particular favorite country/city/town that you’d revisit in a heart beat?
34 so far. I have recently started exploring more of Asia, and I would really love to continue doing that. Seeing the Himalayan range in Nepal is a recent favorite, and so is hiking up Mt. Etna, an active volcano in Sicily.
8) Name one country/place on your wish list. Why would you want to travel there?
Bangladesh. And Pakistan. I have been too busy traveling far and wide, but failed to see what my immediate neighborhood looks like. I have only seen a sliver of one side of Bengal, but would love to see what the other side looks like, and understand why that other side had to happen. I share similar sentiments with Pakistan, and would love to walk the streets, try out the food, and talk to people someday, taking in with gratitude everything that Pakistan and Bangladesh have to offer.
Photo courtesy Devasmita, shot using Nikon D5100. Lenses: 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm
9) How do you plan for your travel/trip?
I spend a long time staring at Google maps when I am not working. I watch documentaries. I see what countries do not have visa restrictions for me. I look out for the pictures of interesting places people visit. And now that I am in academia, I also try to forge new collaborative relationships with people from other countries. After that, I mostly choose my travel destination based on gut feeling.
10) Finally, any advice to young women out there raring to see the world on their own?
Traveling is not for everybody. But if it is your thing, go do it. You don’t really need any validation, permission, some person to come along before you can go ahead and live your truest, most authentic life. Traveling gives me as much confidence and fulfillment as my education or career does. And I have learnt way more outside on the road than I have learnt through books or within the confines of classrooms.
Photo courtesy Devasmita, shot using Nikon D5100. Lenses: 18-55 mm and 55-300 mm
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- CANDISS KOENITZER, blogger at Lost not Found (follow Candiss on Instagram)
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- NABAMITA DUTTA (follow Nabamita on Instagram)
1) Tell us about yourself.
Hi, I am Nabamita ( all Bengali names have meanings – mine means ‘new friend’ ) – an Associate Professor of Economics at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, USA. I am originally from Calcutta (now Kolkata), India. I moved to the USA in 2004 for my Ph.D. and then eventually got my job. USA has now, of course, become a home too close to the heart, as my relationship with the country with all its idiosyncrasies, craziness, and stupidity has gotten deeper and deeper. Other than my partner, Tushar, I have no family in the USA but close friends, not so close ‘friends’, acquaintances (professional or non-professional), my work and non-work ties, the familiarity of nooks and corners of a neighborhood or a city or a state in this huge country has made USA too familiar and special over the years. India still remains a home as I visit every year to see my family and friends.
2) When did you get bitten by the travel bug? How did this all begin?
I don’t exactly know. I think it started as part of the job and getting interested in photography. My partner, who is an amazing photographer and has been exploring it since being a teenager, used to nudge me to take photographs as he realized that I have an eye to see things. With his constant nudging and encouragements, I got interested eventually. Around the same time, I started traveling more as my new job provided me opportunities of funded travels to present my research. As I started traveling more, I started taking more pictures and was soon bitten by the travel bug without even realizing it. I realized travel has started changing me as a person – I realized the immense power and beauty that nature has to offer, felt the healing powers of nature, started seeing things from different perspectives, became way less judgmental, started embracing all different kinds of food and culture and in general started getting educated beyond the world of books, degrees, colleges and Universities.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWbcNjEH30J/?hl=en
Photo courtesy Nabamita. Shot using Sony alpha 6000 or her iPhone
You can rent Nabamita’s camera and numerous other photography gear on Borrow Lenses, a premier video and photography rental agency with easy pickups in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington State
3) What exactly propels you to travel, and that too, alone?
Again, like getting bitten by the travel bug, I got bitten by the ‘solo travel’ bug at some point. I think I needed to take the first plunge – once I did that and came out victorious (in my definition; I can still be a failure to many as I am a constant learner), there was no looking back. I started traveling quite a bit from 2010/2011 or so – but always in the company of others. Going to conferences doesn’t count for me as traveling solo. At conferences, one is bound to meet people and professional acquaintances. Traveling solo literally has to be ‘solo’ from start to finish. Over the 2010 to 2014 period, I would tag a personal trip along with my work trip and then find a friend to travel with. Sanjukta Roy, one of my closest buddies, co-author and a travel partner, has been on many such trips with me. My partner and I are the best travel partners as well but we also have different travel philosophies. And, we are too independent by nature. So we end up traveling quite a bit on our own on top of traveling together.
In 2014, I somehow wanted to go to Lisbon, Portugal after my conference in Corsica, France. I couldn’t find anyone to travel with. My partner again nudged me that I should do it on my own, That was opening the door for solo traveling – I never had to look back since then.
4) What aspects of solo traveling as a woman do you enjoy the most?
For me the single most important and selfish aspect of solo traveling is not having to adjust with people and explore and imbibe the travel experience exactly the way I want it to be. One of the most important thing in this context is again photography – as am walking down familiar or unfamiliar lanes of known or unknown places, my eyes grab an image and then my camera tries to capture it. I can fail hundred times as trying to capture the breathless beauty of nature or the spectacular architecture of a city. So the shot needs to be repeated again and again. A lot of photography happens to me on the go – I have usually taken some of my best photos ( as voted by audience or sometimes even in my judgment) when I was not expecting to take any photo at all. Thus, traveling alone gives me millions of those opportunities when I can talk to my camera and my camera can talk to me without any interruptions. I get easily distracted if someone is waiting for me while am lost in taking pictures – a travel companion is bound to do that without any fault of his or her own. Two of my travel companions with whom I have taken the most trips so far – Tushar and Sanjukta – solve this problem since they are photographing on their own as well as we are traveling together. We can all get lost in our own worlds!
Traveling Solo To Me Is Liberating, Hugely Empowering as a Woman, Exciting, And Provides Me A Chance To Dig Out My Own Space And Explore Myself More.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOgaERIAWxC/?taken-by=nabamita_travelgram&hl=en
Photo courtesy Nabamita. Shot using Sony alpha 6000 or her iPhone
5) What are the dangers of traveling solo as a woman?
Huh! Where does the list begin and end! I haven’t as yet ran into any major troubles but it is always good to remain cautious. Venturing late at nights, for example, is a big no no. Though I have traveled extensively, I won’t call myself the backpacker type. I like hotels – I like my space and privacy at the end of the day when I go back to the hotel. In the case of work travels, there is less to worry about since the accommodations are usually in fancy hotels and one can ask for help, if needed, from work acquaintances. For my solo travels ( non-work), I usually choose hotels carefully reading through reviews making sure they are good, clean and safe. On a few occasions, I have ventured out into remote locations unknowingly and ended up having a whole beach to myself (yes, I know that later part sounds too tempting). Yet, getting to some of those places were challenging and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you develop some initial instincts about traveling solo. Knowing one’s surroundings, trying to get a sense of people around, acquainting oneself with how safe the place is – these are all important factors. I usually drink alcohol almost on a regular basis – for solo trips, I am careful as to how much I am drinking.
It’s difficult to have a list here – the important thing is to develop your own set of instincts and decide what works for you and what doesn’t. And, as you travel more and more, priorities keep changing, the mood for experimentation keeps on changing and accordingly planning out details will be changing. AT THE END, I WILL SAY EMBRACE TRAVEL WITH OPEN HEART AND DON’T BE SCARED TO TRAVEL ALONE – believe that the positives far outweigh any negatives.
6) Can you share some highlights (negative/positive) of your travel experiences and how you dealt with them?
My travels are filled with numerous small incidents and it is hard to pinpoint one. The positives of solo traveling are mentioned throughout the answers – exploring new places, imbibing new cultures, getting to know people from different parts of the world, trying out yummy foods, getting to see things from multiple perspectives rather than just black or white, getting less judgmental, realizing that what you don’t have actually matters so little, realizing that you are among the lucky few to see this amazing world, realizing how empowering traveling can be especially being a female and the list is endless.
I will describe one incident here. My first Airbnb stay was at Lisbon, Portugal, my first solo trip. I stayed on the fourth floor of an amazing house in the Alfama neighborhood – the house had steep staircases, dim lightings along the staircases, big entrance doors – everything that will take one back at least 100 years. I initially didn’t know what to expect – it was late in the evening and raining when I arrived. The mystic atmosphere triggered uncertainties – then my host, Cristina gave me the warmest welcome I could ever imagine. We were engrossed in our conversations over wine in no time and it felt like I knew her forever. Cristina and I remain close friends till date.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BN6FH_ZAZ1D/?taken-by=nabamita_travelgram&hl=en
Photo courtesy Nabamita. Shot using Sony alpha 6000 or her iPhone
7) How many countries have you visited? Any particular favorite country/city/town that you’d revisit in a heart beat?
So far, I have visited 24 countries. In fact as I am jotting down all these answers, I am in Jogja (Yogyakarta) Indonesia and this is the 24th country visit. I would revisit many if I can but will mention two here. One of them is New Zealand. I was in Wellington for 5 days and I am dying to see the rest of the country. I fell in love with New Zealand because of its people, the amazing sceneries it has to offer, the vibe of the cities, the progressive culture and, of course, the ocean. I took a ferry along with a friend from Wellington to Picton and the breathtaking views and just stuck in my images. I have seen beautiful images in other parts of the world too but the combined package of people, food, culture, climate and nature that New Zealand offers is hard to beat. The other country for many similar reasons is Portugal. I stayed in Lisbon for barely 72 hours but the city touched a chord of my heart somehow. The oldest district of Alfama woven by narrow alleys, sometimes so narrow that it is difficult for a person to pass, the houses on the alleys, the maze formed by the streets where a person can get lost in less than a minute, drinking the local liqueur Ginjinha while the distant voice of someone singing Fado makes you sad, the warmth of the people-the list definitely continues.
8) Name one country/place on your wish list. Why would you want to travel there?
Another difficult question….. I don’t know. The list is too big and it is almost impossible to choose one. The world is too big to have one country on a wish list. If you asked me to name 10, I could have tried:-)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMbxn09gKUv/?taken-by=nabamita_travelgram&hl=en
Photo courtesy Nabamita. Shot using Sony alpha 6000 or her iPhone
9) How do you plan for your travel/trip?
I book my tickets ( air/train/shuttle), book my hotels ( check reviews carefully) and book any packaged if I need to. I usually don’t like packaged trips – I find them to be very restrictive especially for a photographer. I chalk out my itineraries well if I am moving from one city to another, one country to another or once continent to another or a mix of all of these. It is very advisable to chalk all these out in an organized manner. But, I don’t chart out a travel plan when am traveling in a particular region or a city. Again, I find that restrictive and feel like it diminishes the excitement for me. I will give you an example – I grew up hearing stories about the Niagara Falls, Eiffel Tower, leaning tower of Pisa etc. Funnily enough, these places were of least interest to me when I actually saw them. So I don’t know, I like the unexpected, I like to imbibe a place as am exploring without getting to know about it too much from ahead of time. Another thing to note, and not a pleasant one is that an Indian passport is one of the worst passports to have for travel addicts like me. So make sure to apply for visa well ahead of time if you possess one. Applying for visa is a time consuming process and involves the most annoying part while preparing for a trip.
10) Finally, any advice to young women out there raring to see the world on their own?
DROP THE FEAR, TAKE THE PLUNGE AND GET OUT AND EXPLORE – believe me, traveling alone, especially as a woman, is so empowering and liberating that you won’t need a support anymore. You can be liberated from your parents, siblings, boyfriends, partners, husbands, wives , friends or any other support system that you might have, and that independence is absolutely necessary for everyone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVeC_fvni1A/?taken-by=nabamita_travelgram&hl=en
Photo courtesy Nabamita. Shot using Sony alpha 6000 or her iPhone
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- KATHY JAMES, blogger at Walkabout Wanderer (follow Kathy on Instagram)
1) Tell us about yourself
I’m Kathy. and I’m from the North of England. I am a nurse, however I have taken a career break for an unknown amount of time to follow my dreams of traveling full time. I am a massive animal lover and have two cats at home which my housemate is looking after. I enjoy growing my own vegetables when I am home.For the next three months I am traveling around Europe in my Nissan X-trail with a blow up mattress in the back calling in on people I have met traveling and exploring new places.
2) When did you get bitten by the travel bug? How did this all begin?
I started traveling solo in 2008 when I volunteered in Guatemala building houses for a charity call ‘From Houses to Homes‘. When I found the project online, I didn’t actually know where Guatemala was (it’s in central America for those who do not know). After my time there, I decided to backpack solo in Belize and I realized I could do it alone. The traveling bug had bitten me!
Photo courtesy Kathy. Shot using either Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 or Xiaomi Mi 5S phone camera
You can rent Kathy’s camera and numerous other photography gear on Borrow Lenses, a premier video and photography rental agency with easy pickups in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington State
3) What exactly propels you to travel, and that too, alone?
I love seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. I find that when you travel alone, you have more opportunities open to you. More people speak to you, more people invite you to stay in their homes and you can sometimes pass through an area unnoticed meaning you get to see the true every day lives of the local. People are more aware of your presence when you are talking in your native tongue to your friends therefore it is harder to be unnoticed. In addition other solo travelers find it easier to approach you than if you are in a pair/couple.
4) What aspects of solo traveling as a woman do you enjoy the most?
I think it is seeing that the world isn’t as dangerous as we are led to believe by the media.
Photo courtesy Kathy. Shot using either Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 or Xiaomi Mi 5S phone camera
5) What are the dangers of traveling solo as a woman?
I wrote a post about how to stay safe as a female traveler while in India which can be used all over the world. I think being viewed as vulnerable is one of the most dangerous things since you can be targeted as your a female or worse, seen as a sexual object or someone who can be easily robbed/mugged. However, I find that whenever I do have a problem, people are always happy to help and I am not afraid to highlight that I need assistance. People have come and sat with me when I am being hassled by men, I’ve been taken back to my friends home in Taiwan when I got hopelessly lost by a little old lady and I even was helped out by the Army when hitch hiking in South Korea.
6) Can you share some highlights (negative/positive) of your travel experiences and how you dealt with them?
I got completely lost in Mandalay in Myanmar and it was going dark. A 19 year old boy pulled up on his motorbike and asked if he could help me. He kindly took me back to my hostel and asked if I would have lunch with him the next day as his dad had taught him English and he had no one to practice with.I agreed and we had the most amazing day. He took me all over the city on his bike and when it came to lunch he refused to let me pay. Later, I met his friends who he introduced me as sister to. The next day we went outside the city to the most amazing waterfall and that evening I met his parents. His dad got to practice his English with me and I drank tea and ate with his mum and sister. Three years on and I am still in touch with my ‘little brother’.
A negative experience I had recently was in Berlin where my brand new phone was stolen by a man. I ignored my female intuition which told me to be careful of him and continued to use it at the train station. He grabbed it out of my hand and ran off. I chased him for 10 mins before a man stepped in and the thief handed my phone over. Whilst chasing him, the thought of what I would do as I caught up with him did occur. I decided that as a female, rather than tackle him, I would run along side him and ask for my phone back. Whether it would work. . . who knows.This is the first time I have ever been robbed.
Photo courtesy Kathy. Shot using either Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 or Xiaomi Mi 5S phone camera
7) How many countries have you visited? Any particular favorite country/city/town that you’d revisit in a heart beat?
64 countries. My favorite are Taiwan and Myanmar. The people are so lovely and both are great for hiking. I also love how they are not on the tourist map as many countries are such as Thailand. I also loved Cuzco in Peru. What a beautiful city!
8) Name one country/place on your wish list. Why would you want to travel there?
It has to be Tibet. I have been fascinated by it ever since speaking to a lady at a Tibetan market in India. I love hiking and it is great for that and also it is a place which is off the tourist trail.
Photo courtesy Kathy. Shot using either Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 or Xiaomi Mi 5S phone camera
9) How do you plan for your travel/trip?
I don’t. I hate making plans as I always want to change them. So now I always arrived with the first nights accommodation booked and then take it from there.I do however read other bloggers posts about the country to make sure I do not miss must see areas. I also download the area on Google maps so I can use it offline and make sure I am aware of cultural need to knows.
10) Finally, any advice to young women out there raring to see the world on their own?
You can do it. It can be scary taking that first step so perhaps take an organized tour volunteering or trekking somewhere. At the end of this spend a few days extra, solo. Or perhaps go on a city break with a friend and spend a day separate to each other.And most importantly, stay safe. I drop the location of where I am staying every night to my parents on WhatsApp. If I am going on a long distance journey or flight, I always tell them the details. I make them aware if I am unlikely to have WiFi for a few days and let them know my plans. Always tell someone where you are going.
Photo courtesy Kathy. Shot using either Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ70 or Xiaomi Mi 5S phone camera
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- MEGAN HAMILTON, blogger at Wandertoes (follow Megan on Instagram)
1) Tell us about yourself
Greetings! I am Megan, and am a 45 year old wife and homeschooling mom. I’ve been married, mostly happily, for 21 years, and raised two teen girls, with the usual and not-so-usual ups and downs that come with that. As a family, we have traveled quite a bit, but recently I embarked on my first solo travel – leaving the girls at home with Dad for a whole week! I’ve been blogging for several years now, but initially it was just so the grandmas and family could follow us as we went on family travels. Just recently I’ve been purposely pursuing the travel I love to a greater extent, and upgrading my blogging along with this transition. I’ve also struck out on my own for solo travel, which is entirely different when you are leaving a husband and two teen girls at home to do so! (Check out Megan’s post here on solo travel as a mom). I married a wonderful man who supports love for this, and I’m so very thankful!
2) When did you get bitten by the travel bug? How did this all begin?
When I was in 6th grade, my father earned a trip to Hawaii through his work. When we went, I was amazing by it. It was so beautiful. The water was crystal clear like I hadn’t seen before, the birds and fish seemed exotic. The smell and feel of the air, the different sounds of the language. I loved it. I loved the differences. When we got on the plane to go home, I teared up! It really surprised me, because I have never been a girl who gets weepy and emotional. But I knew I’d miss this, and didn’t want to go home. I wanted to travel again as soon as possible.
Photo courtesy Megan. Shot using Sony Alpha 6000
You can rent Megan’s camera and numerous other photography gear on Borrow Lenses, a premier video and photography rental agency with easy pickups in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington State
3) What exactly propels you to travel, and that too, alone?
I want to see it all, taste it all, hear all the languages. I get a kind of high from going in to an airport, and can’t wait to see the new place when I step out of the airport on the other side. I’m especially drawn to the culture, food & history of a place. I don’t remember specifically what or who put the idea of solo travel in my mind, but when I started thinking about it, I got really excited. Like, I felt a little guilty about how much I was looking forward traveling by myself. I have traveled with the whole family, and also with just my husband, regularly. But, that always means compromise. The kids aren’t going to want to stand in line that long, husband doesn’t enjoy art museums… etc. So, as my mind started turning the idea over, that’s the part that I fixated on. I could do what I wanted.
4) What aspects of solo traveling as a woman do you enjoy the most?
I think as women, and for me as a mom and wife, I don’t get to spend a lot of time inside my own head. It’s a joke between my husband and I, how many interruptions I have during the day. It’s just expected that because I’m an “at home” (what a funny term, I’m almost never at home) mom, I’m just there and ready to engage with whoever, whenever, about whatever.
I don’t have many opportunities to soak in an experience, or turn something over in my mind. Being on my own for a whole week meant I could take that time. I wrote in my journal, I spent a long time in the art museum and on a food tour – both things my family could have cared less about. I went out when I was ready to go out, with no one asking when I was going to be ready, and not having to check to see if anyone else was even out of bed yet. It was freeing.
Photo courtesy Megan. Shot using Sony Alpha 6000
5) What are the dangers of traveling solo as a woman?
Well, this is the part people get worried about, right? I’m not going to dismiss that either. It would be unwise and terrible advice to act like traveling alone as a woman is no different than traveling with others, or alone as a man. It is more likely you will be hit on. It would be easier for someone to corner you by yourself. But, as with most things, some basic safety measures and caution will mitigate most of this. There are some places in the world I wouldn’t travel alone. There are parts of my own local city I wouldn’t visit at certain times (think bad neighborhoods at night) alone. But if you are smart about when, how, and where you are going to travel, it’s not extremely dangerous.
6) Can you share some highlights (negative/positive) of your travel experiences and how you dealt with them?
Let’s see… a recent negative was being stuck on a plane at JFK airport for 5 hours waiting to take off, which threw off a whole series of things as our arrival in Frankfurt was pushed later and later. There’s nothing that can be done about things like that that go wrong. Make your peace right now with the fact that stuff like that can happen, and there’s no sense losing your cool over it. See if you can get an adult beverage, pull out a good book, and pass the time the best you can. Fix whatever you can fix once you get to the other end of your travel, and let go of the rest. It’s part of the experience.
Positives? I was recently in Germany with my husband, who had to work for about half of the trip. The independence I’ve grown because of my solo-travel meant that when he had to go to an area office and work for three days, I literally hit Google each evening to pick a city to go the next day. Then I just left after breakfast, to the train station, to a new town or city, and explored on my own. Then I caught a train back to him in the evening for dinner. Traveling solo is hugely confidence building, and because of that, I’m not at all timid about spur of the moment decisions to strike out on my own.
Photo courtesy Megan. Shot using Sony Alpha 6000
7) How many countries have you visited? Any particular favorite country/city/town that you’d revisit in a heart beat?
I have visited 8 countries so far, which makes me a mere babe compared to many of the digital nomads out there. But as far as a favorite I would return to in a heartbeat? Italy calls me back again and again. We have a running joke in my house that if I ever leave my husband, the first place he will check is Italy. I love Florence and hope to explore more of Tuscany and the Italian Riviera.
8) Name one country/place on your wish list. Why would you want to travel there?
Wiggling its way up my wish list right now is Poland, because that is my family heritage, and I have never been to an eastern European country. I’d also like to visit Denmark and Portugal, for no specific reason except I want to.
Photo courtesy Megan. Shot using Sony Alpha 6000
9) How do you plan for your travel/trip?
I’m a planning nerd. I actually make a chart with a column for each day I will be there, and then broken down by morning, afternoon, evening. Then I start reading travel blogs and articles about the area I’m going to, and finding the places I really want to make sure to visit and eat at, and plug them into my chart based on what is near each other. I make sure to leave blank spots throughout to leave room for wandering and resting. Then I work on making sure I have all the logistics like advanced tickets for anything that might need it, or knowing where to catch the train and roughly when it departs if that’s part of it. Once I’m on the actual trip, I’ve been known to scrap an entire planned day because something else has grabbed my attention, so I’m more loose about the plan once I get there. But I like to go into the trip with a pretty good plan.
10) Finally, any advice to young women out there raring to see the world on their own?
Do it. Earn the cash to make it possible, pick a place you want to see and are comfortable going, and take the time to make it happen. If you can strike out long term from the get go, great! But I know we can’t all be digital nomads full time. I can’t right now. But I can take long weekends regularly, and a week away several times a year. There are tons of blogs out there telling you about wherever it is you want to go. Many, many of them telling you how to travel on a budget. If travel is really a passion, you can make it happen.
Photo courtesy Megan. Shot using Sony Alpha 6000
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SINGLE WOMEN TRAVEL- SHERIANNE HIGGINS, blogger at Out of Office (follow Sherianne on Instagram)
1) Tell us about yourself
I work a full-time job to fund my passion for travel (and pay my mortgage). I am a proud mommy to a Ragdoll kitty named Tucker who I adore. I live a minimalist lifestyle. This creates an automatic travel account and makes it easy to travel at a moment’s notice.
2) When did you get bitten by the travel bug? How did this all begin?
My mom loves to travel so I have always been exposed to ‘vacations’. My first trip abroad was to Israel. It was amazing and shocking; I was hooked. I will never forget the armed military escorting school children on a field trip… or the rum balls.
Photo courtesy Sherianne, shot with Nikon D5300 and standard lens 18-55mm
You can rent Sherianne’s camera and numerous other photography gear on Borrow Lenses, a premier video and photography rental agency with easy pickups in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Washington State
3) What exactly propels you to travel, and that too, alone?
Escape… escape… escape. And of course, to see the World. I don’t want to just watch the Travel Channel, I want to live the Travel Channel. My friends aren’t very adventurous and always claim they are broke so I go it alone often.
4) What aspects of solo traveling as a woman do you enjoy the most?
That’s easy, not having to appease others. When I travel solo I only have to argue with myself about the itinerary.
Photo courtesy Sherianne, shot with Nikon D5300 and standard lens 18-55mm
5) What are the dangers of traveling solo as a woman?
Sexual Assault. I work in the field of violence against women, this is always on my mind. It is important to not be in a constant state of fear but to always be aware of our surroundings.
6) Can you share some highlights (negative/positive) of your travel experiences and how you dealt with them?
Paris. Ugh. Hit a red light driving into Paris and some gypsies surrounded the car, washed the windows and insisted on payment. They ignored my horn and ‘no, no, no’. It was raining, who pays someone to wash their windows in the rain? Anyway, they began yelling, pounding on the window, rocking the car and acted as if they were going to break off the side mirror. I wasn’t going to roll down the window so I looked at them and shrugged. The light changed and I started to drive; they were smart enough to move. On the positive side, I always rent the smallest car possible in Europe because the parking spaces are small and sometimes funky. I ended up in a funky parking situation that I could not get out of. Not going to lie, I started to panic for a minute. I decided the best plan was to just sit and wait. So, I sat behind the car drinking a soda until someone came to my rescue. Eventually an older gentleman and his wife came by. Pointing, saying ‘help’ with prayer hands and handing a stranger the keys worked out this time, but I wouldn’t try it with someone who looks shady!
Photo courtesy Sherianne, shot with Nikon D5300 and standard lens 18-55mm
7) How many countries have you visited? Any particular favorite country/city/town that you’d revisit in a heartbeat?
I have been to 18 Countries. I keep going back to London. I love London! It’s an easy city and there’s always a new experience to have.
8) Name one country/place on your wish list. Why would you want to travel there?
Africa! I am an animal lover and would be in heaven observing them. I would add on Madagascar because THOSE TREES! And Zanzibar because THAT WATER!
Photo courtesy Sherianne, shot with Nikon D5300 and standard lens 18-55mm
9) How do you plan for your travel/trip?
I start with a yearly calendar and map out holidays. Then I plug in US trips on long weekends and use my leave to go abroad. I have a huge bucket list that continues to grow thanks to Instagram and Pinterest is my best friend when developing my itinerary.
10) Finally, any advice to young women out there raring to see the world on their own?
Just Go!!! Read a few blog posts about being safe when traveling solo and do research on the culture you are visiting. Pick an accommodation close to the attractions you want to see and/or public transportation. I find I am most nervous getting off the plane so have a solid plan to get to your accommodation. Then take a deep breath and go explore!
Photo courtesy Sherianne, shot with Nikon D5300 and standard lens 18-55mm
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I loved reading about my fellow female travelers! It’s incredible the commonalities that can be seen, like the belief that the world isn’t as scary as people would have us think. It’s so great to see women chase adventure. Boldly go, ladies!
Oh this is wonderful and EMPOWERING! It’s been nearly 10 years since I’ve done the Solo Female Traveling bit, but found the life wasn’t really for me, as I prefer to have at one one close friend or sibling (or husband!) to travel with. I wholeheartedly admire the female travelers – resourceful and fearless and independently unique! Loved reading your list of inspiring females here – it’s truly a remarkable bunch!
These are some amazing interviews and it’s nice to see so many members of the community share their experiences in one place. I didn’t even know $15 flights existed… I’ll have to keep an eye out for those 😉
I love all this travel inspiration!! Pinning for later!
I love this idea! What a fabulous way to showcase strong female travellers!
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Love this post! Very inspiring and makes me want to travel even more. I haven’t traveled alone very often, but this has empowered me to give it a try.
Awesome photos & really great interviews. I have solo travelled for over 10 years, so I really identify with this post! Xx
Very inspiring post. You even interviewed a couple of bloggers I follow:-). Happy travels.
U absolutely love this concept and idea. The articles were interesting and inspiring.
We need to showcase and help each other in todays competitive and judgemental society.
Spent a happy hour or so reading will the interviews, some really interesting stories and insights, great idea for a post!
It’s always comforting to see you’re not alone and many others have been beaten by the travel bug too!
Wow! What an inspiring post and inspiring women 🙂 Traveling solo is something that I’ve come to love only recently, but now want to go all of the time! It does wonders on your self-confidence and resourcefulness.
This turned out great, thank you so much for including me with such awesome women! I love the others you interviewed, and a couple are even new to me. Always good to find new women out there I identify with. <3
I love that you collected all of these stories and tidbits from solo female travelers. My favorite answers were about how they planned their trips… There are as many “planning” styles as there are “holiday” styles, so that was really interesting to read! 🙂
Oh love this! Some really lovely ladies here sharing their advie
What a great idea! Love these photos and all 7 of their stories. This is so inspiring. I have a friend who has traveled to several destinations by herself and she would agree with many of their views.
What an inspiring post. I love these ladies and getting to know them a little better. As a fellow, solo female traveller I so identify and love their adventurous spirit. Great job ladies and look forward to the following all of your journies!!
What an incredible compilation of inspiration! Great job! There are so many young (and older) women out there that need these encouraging real-life stories.
You go girls!! <3
Inspiring read – loved it! Awesome girls 😀 <3
Awesome empowering post! Loved reading this. Girl Power!!
Thank you for sharing my story. I loved reading the other females stories too. It is a great post to be a part of!
Wow these women are really inspirational and I really enjoyed reading their stories. Solo female travel is not easy, I have been there.
Wow, this was inspiring. Loved the article 🙂
Wow such a cool idea of featuring those woman. Really like that more and more woman staring to travel by them selves as well.
Yesssss!!! What great role models! Very inspiring.
Indeed, take the plunge, go, take the dive, just do it! If travel is your dream, make sure the world is at your feet. Lovely and inspirational post.
Lots of inspiring women there. I haven’t traveled solo internationally in a very long time. It seems like if I’m traveling from my home solo, I’m always meeting someone at the other end. I imagine being solo provides a lot time to not do something you don’t really want to do. These ladies are amazing!
I love hearing these stories and love your clever title. I just started solo travel a year ago and I think it’s the best thing ever.
Loved reading about the solo travel experiences, especially from someone, who has family and children. I’m not a very experienced solo traveller, and when I travel alone, I have very mixed feelings of freedom and loneliness at the same time. 🙂
Thank you for this post! It was so great to learn more about some bloggers I know and love!
What a Great inspiring post. It is so great to read about other solo female travellers like me that travel the world.
Very inspiring, I’m glad you did these interviews! I’ve traveled solo a few times, but not as much as these wonderful girls. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
What a collection of inspiration! I love reading how other people plan their travels and what’s on their wish list.
I keep postponing my solo getaway for a few months now. Your article might give me the little push I need. Great collection and thanks to all the ladies sharing their stories!
This is so inspiring! I love seeing how people make their travel dreams happen!
It’s good to know how it is to travel as a solo women. I am wanting to do lots of solo travels for similar reasons these ladies have mentioned – can’t find someone with same interest to enjoy travel with, to enjoy solitude, explore the world and be resourceful. Travelling is a amazing life(: and experiencing it as a solo traveller, we just do what it takes to explore the world and learn and live and write tales about it. We just become more interesting along with our life’s that get’s more interesting.
Wonderful and inspiring stories. It’s very interesting to read about other solo female travelers. Thanks for sharing this.