Once I first began travelling solo, I didn’t know the place the highway would take me. What I did know was this: journey was by no means nearly locations on a map, it was about discovering myself within the quiet of recent mornings, within the chaos of unfamiliar streets, and within the stillness of moments the place I stood alone however by no means lonely.
Over time, I’ve wandered by means of the lanes of Nepal, soaked within the salty breeze alongside Sri Lanka’s seashores, and felt each small and alive within the wilderness of Kenya. Alongside the way in which, I’ve shared tea and laughter with strangers who became buddies, had heart-touching conversations that stayed with me lengthy after the journeys ended, and located surprising camaraderie in hostel dorms with folks from each nook of the world.
Solo journey has been my biggest instructor. It has proven me that the highway isn’t at all times about solitude; generally it’s concerning the connections you make whenever you least count on them.
Listed below are 10 issues I learnt as a solo feminine traveller and carried again from the highway.
Right here’s an outline:
10 Issues I Learnt as a Solo Feminine Traveller
1. The world is kinder than you suppose
There’s usually a whole lot of concern hooked up to being a lady travelling alone. However repeatedly, I’ve been reminded that kindness exists in all places.
A chai-seller in India as soon as observed how drained I regarded and insisted I take a cup of tea with out paying. In Cambodia, a tuk-tuk driver went out of his strategy to drop me at my Airbnb safely as a result of it was late and the streets had been quiet. In Kenya, I had the prospect to volunteer at a childcare centre with a bunch of strangers, and it was one of the best time of my life.
These gestures could appear small, however they left an imprint on me. I’ve realized that goodness usually arrives unannounced, and it’s these moments that make the highway really feel much less lonely.
2. Instinct is your compass
If you end up by yourself, you begin listening to your instincts extra fastidiously. In Nepal, I as soon as determined to take a distinct flip away from a busy market avenue just because one thing didn’t really feel proper. Later, I heard that there had been a scuffle there.
In Nagaland, India, I skipped a cab journey as a result of the motive force appeared too pushy and ended up taking a bus as a substitute, and it turned out to be safer and much more pleasurable. Instinct is without doubt one of the most dependable guides. Guidebooks and maps are helpful, however your intestine feeling usually does a greater job of preserving you protected.
3. Freedom is addictive
There’s a uncommon sort of pleasure in waking up and deciding what your day will appear to be with out having to compromise with anybody else. In Sri Lanka, some mornings I walked alongside the shore till my ft ached. In Thailand, I spent afternoons lingering in avenue markets tasting all the things from mango sticky rice to pad kra pao.
In Australia, I rented a automobile and drove alongside the Nice Ocean Highway at my very own tempo, stopping each time a view caught my consideration. Solo journey gave me the area to create my very own rhythm, to reside days that matched my temper and vitality. When you expertise that sort of freedom, it is vitally onerous to let go of it.
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4. Solitude isn’t the identical as loneliness
In Kenya, I keep in mind sitting quietly underneath an acacia tree, watching giraffes transfer gracefully throughout the horizon. I used to be alone, but I didn’t really feel lonely. In Singapore, I discovered the identical stillness sitting by Marina Bay lengthy after town lights had come on, simply watching the water ripple.
Solo journey teaches you that solitude will be nourishing. It isn’t about being remoted however about discovering consolation in your individual firm and studying to benefit from the stillness.
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5. Confidence comes from doing
Each little problem on the highway slowly builds your confidence. Determining prepare schedules in crowded Indian stations, navigating a brand new metropolis in Vietnam with out cellular information, or negotiating a tuk-tuk journey in Colombo could really feel overwhelming at first.
However when you handle, there’s a sense of accomplishment. I keep in mind exploring alone in Cambodia’s Angkor complicated earlier than daybreak and discovering my method again by means of unmarked trails. I additionally keep in mind catching the fitting bus in Thailand when nobody spoke English. You could not turn out to be fearless in a single day, however you do turn out to be resourceful and self-reliant. And that’s much more highly effective than fearlessness itself.
6. You carry house inside you
There have been many moments once I missed house intensely, whether or not it was the consolation of household meals or the acquainted sound of my mom tongue. However I quickly realised that house isn’t at all times a hard and fast place. Generally it’s discovered within the heat of strangers who share their meals with you, and generally it’s found in your individual resilience.
In Vietnam, a café proprietor as soon as served me pho after which sat down beside me, asking about India. In Australia, I used to be invited for dinner by an Indian household I had simply met. Wherever you go, you carry small items of house inside you, they usually make unfamiliar locations really feel much less distant.
7. Saying sure can change all the things
One of the vital memorable moments of my travels got here from saying sure to one thing unplanned. In Nepal, I agreed to affix a bunch of fellow travellers on an impromptu hike. That morning, we stood collectively, watching the solar rise over the mountains, portray them in shades of gold.
In Thailand, I mentioned sure to becoming a member of an area cooking class and left with not simply recipes but in addition buddies from completely different corners of the world. Solo journey has taught me to be extra open to alternatives and to embrace the unknown with curiosity.
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8. Saying no is equally essential
Whereas saying sure can result in great experiences, studying to say no is simply as essential. There will probably be occasions when you must decline undesirable consideration, refuse an invite that doesn’t really feel protected, or step away from plans that don’t align along with your well-being.
In Singapore, I as soon as turned down a late-night invitation to a bar that didn’t really feel proper and as a substitute loved a quiet night stroll alongside the river. Solo journey teaches you that it’s okay to set boundaries. In truth, it makes you stronger whenever you stand agency in your decisions.
9. The journey is as essential because the vacation spot
A few of my most vivid reminiscences usually are not tied to the precise locations however to the journeys themselves. I keep in mind rattling bus rides by means of the Indian countryside, hours of ready at a border crossing in Cambodia, and lengthy prepare journeys throughout Vietnam, the place conversations with strangers crammed the time.
These in-between moments usually carry their very own magic. The folks you meet, the tales you change, and even the silences you share turn out to be as beneficial because the locations you are attempting to achieve.
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10. You come back modified each time
No journey leaves you precisely as you had been. With each journey, I’ve returned a bit of completely different. Generally I got here again stronger and extra assured, different occasions softer and extra conscious.
After travelling alone throughout international locations as diversified as India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia, I do know now that solo journey is not only about seeing the world. It’s about seeing your self with recent eyes. Each journey is a quiet transformation, and that’s what makes travelling alone so highly effective.
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Travelling solo throughout India and overseas has been extra than simply ticking locations off an inventory. It has been about rising into somebody I didn’t know I may very well be – somebody who’s braver, freer, and extra open to the unknown.
If there’s one factor these journeys have taught me, it’s this: the world could also be huge, however so is your capacity to navigate it, by yourself phrases.
And I’m not alone on this. Solo feminine journey is now not a distinct segment pursuit; it’s a worldwide motion. In truth, ladies now make up 64% of travellers worldwide, outnumbering males by a major margin, in keeping with Condor Ferries. Inside this group, solo feminine travellers are main the cost. Research present that 84% of solo travellers establish as feminine, and 54% of ladies expressed plans to journey alone in 2024.
This surge is not only about numbers; it’s a couple of shift in mindset. Girls are searching for freedom, self-discovery, and private progress by means of journey. Whether or not it’s exploring the bustling streets of Vietnam, climbing the serene landscapes of Nepal, or having fun with the laid-back seashores of Sri Lanka, solo journey affords a novel alternative to attach with oneself and the world.
Furthermore, the journey business is responding to this rising demand. Firms are providing extra solo-friendly lodging, tailor-made experiences, and security measures to cater to the wants of feminine travellers. This evolution is making solo journey extra accessible and pleasurable than ever earlier than.
So, to each lady on the market considering her first solo journey — know that you just’re a part of a vibrant, supportive, and ever-growing group. The highway is ready, and it’s yours to discover. Embrace the journey, belief in your self, and let the world unfold earlier than you.
