Tips for women traveling alone: Stay safe and confident

Well, how do you make a carrot cake? 
250g of ground almonds, 4 grated carrots, sugar and eggs. Mix everything together, grease a mould and put it in the oven, bake it at 180°C for 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

... If only travelling alone as a woman was as simple as a good gourmet recipe. 

To have a list of ingredients to incorporate into a prefabricated mould finally leading to a perfectly made dessert that everyone is in total agreement with. 

But now, to travel alone as a woman, you will need much more than a simple grandmother's recipe. 
There's hardly any pre-established list of ingredients, because the ideal journey alone is entirely up to you. 

However, I can answer your questions in order to lighten your project from the weight of your (innumerable) worries. 

If I can't give you a unique method on a silver platter, I can prepare some "home-made" answers to try to reassure you.

I hope that in the end you will have only one desire: to become a solo traveller!

We are going to bring up together, point by point, your different questions concerning travelling alone when you are a woman. 

An article to be consumed without moderation, of course.

1. Travelling alone as a woman, I would like to, but... It's dangerous, isn't it?

"Life itself is dangerous, but that's no reason to stop breathing."

That's my father's line. 
As soon as I confided to him my concerns about the potential danger of a project, he would reply in this way, as if to tell me that risk was not a reason to give up.

Here's my first piece of advice: start small, to reassure yourself in stages. Travelling alone doesn't necessarily mean going to the other side of the world for six months (even if you can find the perfect destination where to go travelling alone according to your profile): you may well decide to stay in the neighbouring town for the weekend. 

This will allow you to take the first step, to throw yourself into the water and gradually learn to swim without starting with an ocean.

Another way to minimise the risks is to share the daily life of a local, who knows his destination, the neighbourhoods to avoid, the things not to do.

What could be better than to sleep in a local's home, to enjoy a familiar roof and a reassuring presence? 

There are various ways of finding homes ready to accommodate you: everyone can have their favorite couchsurfing platforms.

Among them, Nomadsister offers to put solo female travellers in touch with a local hostess ready to welcome them free of charge. A reassuring initiative to share a home between inspiring women. 

Be aware: it's better to determine first the type of adventurer you are to know if this tip will work for you.

You can decide to organise everything in advance in order to limit the unexpected as much as possible. 

Having a strict and orderly schedule avoids misadventures, chance encounters, last-minute changes: there's no room for improvisation. 

For some, it is indeed reassuring to have this predefined framework which structures the trip and ensures a smooth itinerary. No risk: if you follow the train, you have little chance of derailing. 

Travelling alone as a woman thus presents several dangers, it's a fact. But this is your chance to prove that the world is not as threatening as we are told and that women can travel proudly without fear. 

Why not offering a safe home to to one of these super solo travelers ?

So you could also empower women.

2. I'm afraid of the unknown, after all, I don't know what to expect...

Did you know what to expect before getting married, before moving or before changing companies?

I don't know what your life has been made of, but I am sure that at least once in your life you have faced a new situation for which you were not prepared. 
These everyday unforeseen events, the hazards of life that come at you unexpectedly and that you have to learn to manage?

What I am trying to make you understand here is that the unknown is not insurmountable.

There are 6 main unexpected events that we can easily anticipate when we travel the world.

You have at your disposal many very complete guides to introduce you to the destination, what there is to see, to do, to taste... Lonely Planet for instance provides travel books which are very complete and allow you to approach your future trip before you even start. 
A beautiful way to meet the unknown, to detail it and to make it progressively familiar.

In the age of the Internet, it is all the easier to access information about your destination.
Countless blog posts abound with testimonials and experiences of solo travellers, even from people who strated their journey with friends before their holiday turned in an unexpected way. Going on a solo trip or with travel buddies is totally different!

The vlogs are videos presenting different journeys, and also allow a first immersion in the chosen destination. 

So many resources to better visualize the journey that awaits you. 

You will no longer be able to say that you don't know what to expect... 

3. I'm afraid I'm not very resourceful and I'm too dependent on others

It is an apprehension that many of us share. In fact, that's what I thought for a long time too. 

But I will tell you: if you are able to think for yourself then at last you don't need anyone. 
This is what my travels have taught me.

Why would you need others to travel alone? 
When you look at a trip, even if you are a solo woman, you find that in reality, the daily activities are nothing extraordinary compared to your personal routine. 
It's also about taking the right bus in the morning, getting off at the right stop, taking the right street. 

Travel is indeed as simple as your daily routine: what makes it extraordinary is what you do with it.
Meet the locals, explore little-known alleys like an adventurer, taste tasty local specialities (and sometimes come across less tasty surprises, such as omelettes with Taiwanese oysters)...

But for all this, you don't need anyone else. If you are still not convinced, what about checking who is the best travel friend made for you ?

In any case, wherever you go, you will never be completely alone, even when travelling alone. 
The locals, restaurateurs and craftsmen are there too, and you can absolutely count on their help if you need it. 

I remember my trip to Vietnam where I fell ill enough to have a small hypoglycemic attack in the middle of the street. 
I was with my family, but even though I was well surrounded, a young Vietnamese girl rushed up to me and asked me how I was doing and if I needed her help. 

Everything worked out for me: I ate a delicious slice of pineapple with a lot of sugar and I was back on my feet. I'm sure that for you too, everything will eventually go well. 
You may not have fresh pineapple (or oyster omelettes, what a shame!), but you will at least find someone kind to help you if you need it. 

Too much emphasis is often placed on the dangers posed by certain individuals, but this fails to remind you that most people are generously caring. 

Travelling on your own allows you to meet beautiful people along the way: even if you are not very resourceful, you will be able to find a helping hand.

Finally, being independent is a quality that can be learned. You can completely challenge yourself on a daily basis to gradually learn to manage on your own. 
For example, you can plan a day trip to a city you don't know: you will develop useful reflexes for your future solo trips.

Travelling alone when you are a woman is finally proving that you are capable of anything and anyone.

4. The judgements of others discourage me

Hell is other people, isn't it?

Your family, friends and colleagues may be reluctant to let you travel alone. 

Have you ever noticed that, on the other hand, such apprehensions are less common among solo male travellers? 

When a man decides to travel alone, he is encouraged, but when you talk about your desire to become a solo traveller, a little more reservations are expressed.

Of course, we've already touched on this: as women, we run a little more risks. 
But as long as you're determined, as long as you want to go, as long as you feel ready, there's no reason why other people's opinions should be a fundamental obstacle. 
On the contrary: prove them wrong, and prove that we are all capable of doing so.

Reassure those around you.
Tell them which reason push you to go on solo trips.
Show them that you have thought carefully about your idea, that you have already planned part of your trip, that you are aware of the risks. 
You will certainly not convince them in just a few sentences, but presenting an already pre-constructed project allows you to make your dream come true and to show your motivation. 

No, this is not a crisis of madness - you are perfectly conscientious and you know what travelling alone as a woman entails. 

To reassure them even more, you can also offer them to participate with you in the construction of your itinerary. They can help you to find accommodation, an activity to do, a good restaurant to try out... They will see that you have thought it all through, and will even play the game of designing the best possible trip for you. 

The fear of those close to you is often to let you go towards the unknown; if they see that it is not so uncertain, they will be able to let go of their anguish more easily.

During your trip, you may also want to consider sending some photos to your loved ones. They may still be worried about you being alone, but they will take comfort in knowing that you are happy. 
And if you can take advantage of this to make them a little envious... After all, you are sending them proof that you are having a great time despite their criticism!

At the end of the day, we are always exposed to the judgements of others, but it's up to us to make the final decision. What will be yours?

5. What if...?

... We put Paris in a bottle?

That's quite a problem.

More seriously, I'm sure that at this stage of your reading, many other questions arise: "But if this happens to me, and if I have to come up against this...". And this is completely normal.

I don't know of a single solo female traveller who has never been afraid before.

Travelling alone, especially when you're a woman, is a particularly exciting adventure, especially if it's your first solo trip; and you'll find some practical advice here on how to organise your first solo travel.

I'm going to ask you a question in turn: what if you were to desecrate your trip?

It's by picturing a mountain that you become afraid to climb it. 

Instead, think of this opportunity as a pleasant holiday, within your reach, which will bring you beautiful memories. 

And that's it. 

It is not always necessary to imagine a miraculous epic: travelling alone, even when you are a woman, is still a journey. 
Pleasures, rest and calm. 

You will be alone: so what? 
You are also alone when you read a good book on your sofa, when you go shopping, when you cook your favourite dish. 
Yet you don't ask yourself countless questions about what might happen to you when you grab the knife to cut your carrots...

So why go through all the worst-case scenarios?

While it is important to be well prepared for travelling alone, it is not necessary to always consider the worst.
As we mentioned earlier, not everyone is bad, there are some beautiful people out there. In the same way, not all travel is dangerous: there are wonderful roads.
Overall if you are aware of some travel advice for a solo trip.

Once again, I am not neglecting the risks inherent in travelling alone as a woman. I am well aware that the risks are increased for us and that our questions, fears and doubts are perfectly legitimate. 

You are right to ask yourself questions, especially for a project that is close to your heart. 
But your fears must remain realistic: anxiety has this unfortunate tendency to focus us on the bad, where in reality, many beautiful things can blossom on your path.

So I have only one last answer to give you, the tastiest, sweetest and mellowest of my advice kitchen.

To travel alone as a woman, it is essential to take the plunge, and you will find here 7 good reasons to go on a solo holiday. 

Only by grabbing the bull by the horns can you master it, so let's roll up our sleeves and throw ourselves into the ring to show everyone that a woman can tame the beast too.