“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea of what is in store for you, but you will, if you are wise and know the art of travel, let yourself go on the stream of the unknown and accept whatever comes.”
When Freya Stark penned these words, it was 1932. She was in her late 30s and had just finished a four-year adventure, exploring Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. Nearly 90 years later — with the internet, mobile technology, social networking and other ways to stay well informed and connected readily available to us — many female travellers are still too intimidated to follow in Freya’s solo travelista footsteps. Fears about wavering confidence, loneliness, and cultural barriers often stand in the way. Here are some of the practical tips that I’ve learned on my own solo adventures that can help even the most hesitant traveller take the leap.
--- Gaining the Confidence to Go Solo ---
1. Don’t let anyone get in your head
Eleven years ago, I’d just returned home from my first solo international trip and was recounting my adventures through Britain and Italy to my best friend and her family. When her aunt realized I’d been travelling alone, she asked with a sense of disbelief and a facial expression bordering disgust, “Why would anyone want to do that?” She literally could not fathom being alone on the road or the sanity of anyone who’d consider it. She explained why she’d never travel this way and walked away shaking her head at my apparent stupidity.
I’ll never forget that day, not because she shook my resolve to travel solo in any way, but because I felt an overwhelming sadness over her close-mindedness and the things she’s missing in life as a result. In a situation like this — where the objections are so strong and seemingly absurd — it’s easy to protect your dreams from naysayers. But, when the opposition is masquerading as a gentle warning from concerned parents or curious questions from friends, it has a way of getting into your head and feeding on your own fears. Promise yourself you won’t let that happen! Your dreams are too important and life-affirming to entertain anyone else’s doubts.
2. Get inspiration from other solo travellers
When you meet other women who are out there “doing the dang thing,” you’ll be fired up for your own adventure. This is part of the reason Crystal and I created the Travelling Brown interview series. We were looking to kick our travel game up to the next level and wanted to relish in the success stories of other travelistas. Here are a few ways you can surround yourself by inspiring stories.
• Find two to three blogs by solo women travellers that you like and read them regularly. If they’re based in or travelling through your town, invite them out for a bite to eat and pick their brains.
• Search for a Meetup group or a local chapter of Meet!Plan!Go, or the Go Girl Travel Network. Their travel-centred events are great ways to meet liked minded folks and get tips, ideas, and general inspiration.
Brown Girls Fly
