Guest blog By Megan Claire – her Blog is Where in the World is Megan Claire?

 

While I now travel with my husband, I have spent the last 7 years travelling alone, and as a woman I am a huge advocate for travelling solo.  I was never willing to forgo a trip just because friends didn’t want to come along, and the experiences I gained from travelling solo have done wonders for my confidence and really shaped who I am today.  Not only does travelling alone completely push you out of your comfort zone, it forces you to interact with those who you wouldn’t normally interact with.   You’re free to wander at your own will, and don’t have to compromise your bucket list or itinerary to suit the needs of others!

While travelling alone as a single woman may have been a strange concept in the past, today it is very normal and quite common – everybody’s doing it!  I have honestly never really found myself in a position where my gender made it harder or more inconvenient for me to travel; however challenges do still exist in some countries despite the world generally being more open to women who choose to travel alone.  One such country is the The United Arab Emirates. Read more

Traveling alone to a country, you ain’t had the chance of visiting before sounds thrilling and mystique yet if not careful enough it can end up in a disaster. When alone you have no responsibility whatsoever towards others coz simply there aren’t any, you are free to come up with a schedule and change it according to your mood not having anyone to accuse you of being selfish, you can go to sleep and wake up late…or not wake up at all, take a break once in a while and enjoy some peace and quiet.

There is no one around to blame so you start enjoying the mess in your room, the hangover a morning after,  and the new gang  you befriended accidentally on purpose yet the next day you decide to ditch them and move on to the next upcoming eventuality served on your plate. Read more

Guest Blog by Shaska

Although most travel packages are designed for couples or larger groups, it is a fact that there are a large number of single women who also like to travel. Travel for single women is usually an expensive and not so pleasant experience because of the fact that they have to book double rooms during their stay, not to mention the odd feeling and facing many unpleasant situations. Single women have to find their own resources too. Depending on the companions they travel with, they can choose to share costs of large rooms with other single women. Read more

Guest post by Danielle Mcann

Free Spirited Cruise?

You can talk the talk about being an independent, free spirited woman, but until you’ve overcome the fear that’s instilled in women regarding the perils of solo travel, it’s little more than talk. That’s right. If you want claim your rightful place in the line up of strong, fearless, accomplished women, you’d better get some independent travel under you belt, quick smart.

My own experiences of travelling solo have led me to some interesting conclusions. Most pertinently, that you are, generally speaking, no more vulnerable when alone than when accompanied – and no more vulnerable than you would be in your own home town, provided you pay attention.

The same rules apply to travelling as to everyday life. If your instincts say there’s trouble around the corner, stay away. Don’t walk alone at night in poorly lit areas. Be alert at all times to your surrounds. Walk with confidence.

Fact: predatory men are more likely to prey on women with a weak gait. Act like you’re not to be messed with, and chances are, nobody will mess with you.

Of course, there are some options that make keeping safe easier than others. Cruise ships may occasionally get a bad rap as an unsafe choice for women travelling on their own, but the reality is they’re one of the safest holidays you can embark on as a solo female. Security cameras abound, staff are around every corner, and there’s generally not much in the way of a ‘seedy underbelly’ to look out for. Also – it’s a pretty magnificent way to see the world.

For more information about travel choices, visit www.cruiseoffers.com.au

 

Janice Waugh is publisher of Solo Traveler, the blog for those who travel alone. She has been quoted in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Toronto Star and many other media outlets. Her blog offers solo travel stories, tips, safety advice and destination ideas as well as a couple of free ebooks including ‘Glad You’re Not Here: a solo traveler’s manifesto’ This article was published in The Travel Word – click here to read it all

Should you travel solo?
Should you go to another country, or even travel within your own, alone?
Is it fun? Is it safe? Is it a holiday?
Janice answers a definitive  Yes, on all counts! Read more

If I was feeling the wanderlust and didn’t know where to start,
this book would surely answer more than a few questions:
Wanderlust and Lipstick:
The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo

Beth Whitman enthuses about the joys of independent travel for women, of being open to new people and places and of finding yourself along the way. Her book is laced with enticing stories of women who have taken off into great adventures , experiencing ‘the sheer joy of these heightened experiences’.Travel is marvellous and energising, as well as sometimes scary and confusing. For the novice traveller, Beth Whitman offers everything from packing lists, to itinerary suggestions and handy healthy tips.Even for an experienced traveller there are some ideas, like uploading your photos to flickr as you go, creating and managing a blog to save those endless individual emails home and pre-printing a list of address labels to send home beautiful postcards.I enjoyed the section on love, romance and sex while travelling. Recently we hosted a German woman who was having a glorious holiday romance with a local – great for both of them! However Beth gives sage advice about letting coffee be the drink of seduction rather than alcohol. One of her comments about New Zealand was inaccurate- she asserts that you can just pitch your tent on someone’s farmland- not a good idea at all. So maybe follow her other advice with caution. A great book to read, to make you start giving up café lunches and luxury goods, to open that travel account, then begin reading other more country-specific books. Bon Voyage.

Ceridwyn Parr

 

Wanderlust and Lipstick:
The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo

published by Dispatch Travels www.dispatchtravels.com Dispatch Travels is devoted to publishing travel books for women with the express purpose of encouraging them to stretch their travel boundaries and to pursue their dream journeys.

I have just added a whole lot more tours for women to India onto the Women Travel the World Tour Calendar. There is so much choice from some wonderful companies, you can do a tour, and add some extra stays to explore by yourself once you have gained some confidence.  As a woman travelling on my own, I find this a great way to travel.  Join a small tour where I can get the feel of a country and then branch out confidently to explore on my own.  There is now a choice of 17 tours in India on the Tour Calendar on Women Travel.

Read more

Traveling through the colourful Indian state of  Rajasthan you might find your eyes watering:  women saunter through the streets in vivid saris, farmers sport large bright turbans, elephants are painted in rainbow colours, and even the cities are known for their different shades – Jaipur the pink city, Jodhpur the blue city and Jaiselmer the golden city. Read more

The latest from Venus Adventures Tours for Women – Ethiopia

I am just back from a quick trip to Germany where I went to meet up with Firew Ayele, our Ethiopian guide. Firew is an intelligent, interesting man, who is passionate about his country and people – it is a privilege to have him on a trip, and anyone who meets and spends time with him is usually deeply impressed.
Read more

www.flickr.com

It’s not easy travelling alone – negotiating driving in a strange country and trying to navigate as well has had me going round in circles more than once. Sitting alone in a restaurant, wondering where to go next – all these things are the challenge of travelling alone.

But it is also a time to reflect and take stock – no other ‘noise’ keeping you from harsh reality.

I have a new mantra – “I am open to love and life and what the future offers”.

So doorways, windows, passage ways are what my eye is drawn to along the way. It’s giving me a great focus for exploring the country and reflecting on this staging point in my life. There are so many openings – some sealed up, some often used, some which offer promise and possibility – it is a fantastic metaphor. So I have started a series of pictures of windows and doors, it seems an apt thing for this transitional time in my life.

I will add more to this collection of photos over time – click on them and view them as a slidesow.