Some women love traveling alone. My friend Samantha regularly goes to Africa by herself. My friend Desa takes last-minute trips to London and Jamaica. Debra heads off on solo hiking and biking adventures. Andrea travels alone through Europe.
“When you travel by yourself, you end up having all these fascinating conversations and happy accidents,” Samantha says.
“You’re not beholden to other people’s interests, tour groups or timetables,” Debra adds.
Many of us American women have a privilege that our grandmothers — and most women throughout history and across the globe — have never had. We can travel alone for pleasure. If we have saved some extra money, we can take off across the country at a moment’s notice. If we have a passport, we can take off around the world. We don’t need a spouse, a chaperone or a tour guide managing us.
Knowing how to travel solo is increasingly important as we get older, particularly if widowed or divorced. But for many of us, exploring the country or world alone can be scary. I’m a nervous nomad myself — and I’m a travel writer! Yet taking off alone never comes easily to me. I always panic: What am I going to do all by myself? Where am I going to eat dinner? What if I’m lonely?
Each time I do embark on a solo journey, I am surprised how exhilarating, empowering and fun it turns out to be. It’s easier to go at my own pace and explore whenever and wherever I’d like to go. And navigating foreign places on my own always boosts my confidence and endorphins.
Once, for example, I’d planned to travel to the Pushkar Camel Fair in India with two other women — who canceled at the last minute. India is not known as an easy place to navigate as a woman alone, but I’d heard the camel fair was a “once in a lifetime experience” and “not to be missed.” Plus, I’d already arrived in Delhi.