Being a Woman and setting out to explore the world alone is a challenge in itself . well it so, even when one has company of a few girlfriends travelling with you .
Most women who travel alone are probably pretty street astute and independent and they prefer to be identified just as a “Traveler”, not as a woman traveler. However , the truth is that solo girl travelers do face diverse travel challenges from time to time .
Therefore here are a few tips for first-time women travelers that will help them move around a lot more safely and yes some of the tips is for just about everyone !
1. Travel Light :-
More often than never , Girls seem to pack as if they are shifting home to some other place and they end up packing more than what is actually required and so most of the times they seem to struggle to carry their load and at times turn out to seek help by requesting strangers to play the role of a porter .
So ‘ packing light ‘ is a lesson that some women learn after doing a few solo trips , well it is much better to pack just what is required . so medicines & those related to women’s health need not be optional along with those things that require one to be in touch with their near dear ones back home .
All other things need to be packed moderately .
2. Pack what you need & keep what you want optional :-
Not carrying too many clothes is wise but making those things optional which are quintessentially a part of feminine clothing & accessories would be foolish. Also depends on where one is travelling.
so certain medicines are easily available in some countries but may not be available in developing countries .So depending on where one would be staying for the longest period as part of one’s travel plan allows one to prioritize as to what to carry & what not to carry.
3 Dress like a local:-
“ When you are in Rome ..Do as the Romans” is the one adage which applies to women when they travel solo. I wonder why some backpackers belonging to another country and a different culture wear local stuff like burkas or Sarees – may be it is to be part of the local culture that makes women wear Bhurkhas etc and that it is a good way to ensure security for non-native women travellers . Again one need not fully embrace the clothing style of the locals but at least one should avoid clothes which exposes too much skin or is very transparent .
As some countries have strict dress code for women and any deviation in adhering to the dress code can attract unwanted attention and even if one does not go by the local rules compelling women to cover up, one would probably learn that eventually it pays to follow the local dress code .
4. Invent a husband or Boyfriend :-
Don’t be surprised how well a married person is treated in some countries than the one who is not married . So once people realize that a woman has a husband or a boyfriend back home then the whole attitude changes towards the supposedly married women and usually it favours the women .
So if one is unmarried then one can make up a story as to how one met her spouse &it can be proved by putting up a non-costly ring and also one can even have a random photo handy just to make it all the more believing so that it shows that you always have your partner in mind although you are so far away . For added Appreciation , let the kids come in as well .!
5. Befriend some one whom you can trust during your stay:-
When one is in a new place it’s always better to make someone your friend , either it can be another fellow traveller or a localite and this needs a lot of gut feeling to make the person on whom you can trust for long as you are going to stay in that place.
And as far as possible look for a safe & women friendly accommodation . Plus make sure you do not venture out into places which is considered dangerous however interesting the place may be. And so one should stay informed & one should use one’s judgment wisely and things will turn out to be just fine . Thus the above travel tips for solo women traveler will makes one’s travel escapes not only safe but enjoyable too .
