Traveling alone for the first time is both exciting and scary! But one thing you should be prepared for while planning a solo trip is all the naysayers. I’ve put together the top 5 things I hear from people when I say I am going to yet another country alone and how to respond to them.
A quick word of advice before we get into it:
If your bestie refuses to even go to the bathroom alone, then her opinion on solo female travel doesn’t really matter. The same goes for Aunt Sally who still believes a woman’s ultimate mission in life is to have a hearty meal on the table every night when her husband gets home from work. Just sayin’.
- The world isn’t safe for a young woman traveling alone!
Believe it or not, women have been traveling solo for decades now. Sure, there are places that are safer for solo female travelers than others, but if you are based in the US I would argue that most places are safer than you would be right here at home.
If someone you love is concerned about your safety I would do two things:
-Find blog posts from other women that have traveled to your destination solo and send it to them so they can see that you are not Christopher Colombus setting off to pillage and conquer formerly unexplored lands. It is 2020. Someone at some point in time has been to the exact same place you are going.
-Offer to give them your itinerary so they have a general idea of where you are at all times. If you’re not an over planner, at least give them the information for your flights, accommodation, and a general list of things you want to do when you get there. This normally puts people at ease because if you do go missing in action they have a place to start filming their own remake of Taken. - They don’t speak English there.
This one drives me insane…
If you are going to a major tourist destination, the likelihood of you finding at least one person that speaks English is pretty high. Your chances of this are increased if you’re staying either at a major hotel chain or at a hostel that caters to international travelers.
Even if you can’t find someone that speaks English, we are fortunate enough to live in a pretty advanced world, complete with smartphones that have apps like Google Translate which can always help you in a pinch.
Don’t want to rely on technology? Bring a pocket phrasebook! This is actually one way my great-grandfather learned how to speak English when he moved to America and something I find most helpful when I am hopping between multiple countries.
If you can’t find someone that speaks English, your phone was stolen by a monkey in Ubud, and you drunkenly dropped your phrasebook into the ocean when jumping off a yacht, makeshift sign language will always work. It is nearly impossible to be totally incapable of communicating with someone. - What if you get hurt or sick? No one will be there to take care of you and the hospitals aren’t as good as the ones here.
This should be done regardless of someone saying this or not, but always, always, always get travel insurance when planning a solo trip (or any trip for that matter). Depending on the plan you get, some will even pay for you to be transported back home in the state of emergency. - You’re going to be so bored by yourself…why not just wait for someone to go with you?
Yes, if you are not used to spending copious amounts of time with nothing but your own thoughts then there is a chance you will get bored. But this is one of the greatest parts of solo travel! Even if you are an introvert, it forces you to meet new people!
In regards to the whole waiting thing…if you waited for the timing to be right for someone else you would never go. There’s a great big world out there waiting for you to explore it, and we are given a finite amount of time on this earth. You’ll never even scratch the surface if you sit around waiting for someone else when now is the right time for you. So start planning that solo trip! - You’re not going to drink while you’re there, right? Because I saw a story on Fox News about this young girl that travelled by herself and was roofied and they found her body in a dumpster 25 miles away and Fox News told me that that kind of thing happens all the time so girls should never travel without a big strong man being there to protect them.
This goes back to the first statement about safety…
Yes, women have been attacked while traveling solo.
Women have been attacked while traveling with their husband.
Women have been attacked while at work.
Women have been attacked while getting into their car.
What happens to someone while traveling can also happen to them at home.
We are women.
We are strong.
We are fierce.
We do not need a man to protect us.
When you travel alone you become hyper aware of your surroundings at all times because you know that you only have yourself to rely on. So yes, things can happen when traveling alone, but those same things can happen when you travel with other people or even if you just stay home. Stay aware, know your limits, and never lose sight of your drink or food. If you do, order another one instead of taking the risk.