Whenever I am at a family gathering and I reveal my plans for my next hike/travel, I am met with a mixture of concern, confusion, and disapproval. This is a pretty common reaction that women who travel by themselves get, and it is perpetuated by society as a whole. Women have been told what they can't do from the beginning of time, and they've been doing the things anyways. I, and a lot of other people, argue that female solo travel is not dangerous if done right. Anyone who travels by themselves is at a greater risk of danger, including men. The only obstacle that women face that men don't face nearly as often, is men. Of course men can get preyed on as well, but disproportionately so. If went about in the right way, women can not only solo-travel safely, but with so much freedom and joy. I have enjoyed solo travel for a number of years, and I can attest to the exhilaration one feels when truly on your own journey.
I remember the first solo hike I did at age 17, I was both exhilarated and terrified. I had done plenty of hiking before, but never alone. The mountain I hiked was only a 2 hour drive from my house and relatively small- just over 3,000 feet and taking me around 3-4 hours. Even so, as I packed for my modest hike I couldn't help but hear the echoes of what my family always tells me about female hikers getting attacked, falling off cliffs, and more. They warned me that this was a mistake, and demanded I text them every hour. All these warnings from my family, as well as what had been burnt into my head by society, left me feeling uneasy about my hike and unsure about if I could even do it. Years later and after much bigger hikes, my family eased up, partly because of my age, and partly because they saw that after each hike I returned safe, sound, and wildly liberated. This liberation came not only from solo-hikes, but solo trips such as to extremely desolate nooks of Kentucky, quaint woodsy forests in Belgium, and even romantic Paris. Traveling by myself gives me a great feeling of independence that only comes from when you truly put your life in your own hands. This kind of travel also frees you to shape your travel however you want. Do you want to spend 4 hours in the window of a coffee shop watching pedestrians walk by? You can. Do you want to check out that one really neat museum? You can! Solo travel enables you to delve into your own experience with a place whether that be on a mountain or in a city, and allows you to pave your own path.
I implore every woman I meet to step out into the world on her own. I feel sadness when I hear voices of fear and doubt from my fellow women when it comes to solo-travel, because I know that if they trusted themselves and quieted the warnings of society, they could do anything they wanted to. I have compiled key pieces of advice that I have learned during my travels. Remember that you are the only one that has control over your life, so you can do with it what you please.
Have some kind of plan
Okay this is one that I struggle with because when it comes to travel, I can get into the mindset of, "we'll see what happens when we get there." Things have always worked out, hence the reason I am sitting here writing this, but I do admit that they could have gone smoother. You don't have to have every single detail and activity meticulously planned out, but there are some basics that can make your journey a lot safer and less-stressful.
Lodging > It's really helpful to have an idea of where you are going to sleep each night before you get to a location. When I was traveling around in Appalachia, I often didn't know where I was going to sleep each night. I just figured that I'd look up campgrounds when I got close to my destination. However, when I drove deeper into the mountains, I lost cell-service so I couldn't look up any campgrounds. I eventually stumbled upon one and everything was fine, but if I hadn't, I probably would have had to park on the side of the road and sleep there which wouldn't have been as safe. I recommend finding a few possible places you could stay before making your journey.
Weather > Check out the weather before your journey, and make alternative plans if the weather makes a turn for the worst during your trip. When camping in Ohio, I did not check the weather before setting out. When I got to the campsite, I was thrilled when there was no one there. I had the whole place to myself! Then right as I got ready for bed, the thunder, lightning, and torrential downpour started. I could see the lightning flash across the sky over the lake, and the thunder shook my tent. All my belongings outside got soaked, and I was scared to death. If I had checked the weather, I would have been more prepared and not camped right by a clearing next to a body of water!
By all means if you don't want to plan, then do your thing. However, you can be both spontaneous and safe by creating the basic framework of your plan, then filling in the rest later.
Be like a squirrel and hoard food (and water)
These are basic survival instincts. When I am taking a long drive in my car, I always have at least a few water bottles filled in my backseat. I also always have a few emergency protein bars in my glovebox. You may not always find a place to stop and get food and water if you are driving in desolate areas, so you never know when having those bottles and bars might come in handy. Also, if you are driving through a dangerous area late at night, you probably don't want to be going into a store to buy anything. Better safe than sorry!
Do some basic research on the area before you get there
It's a good idea to know a little bit about a place before you get there. If you are going to a city in another country: Where is the US Embassy? Will you need adapters for your devices? Are there any big cultural differences you should be made aware of? If you are going for a hike: How long is the hike? What is the terrain like? Is there a water refill station somewhere?
Wherever you are traveling to, knowing a bit about that area can be a huge game changer. When I traveled to the town of Érezée in Belgium, I didn't do too much research regarding the location of my AirBnB relation to everywhere else I wanted to go. Thankfully, my extremely generous host provided me with a bicycle to get around the town, as well as giving me a lift in his car, but it easily could have been a very different trip if I didn't get this lucky.
Have at least 1 person you divulge your travels to
It is such a thrilling idea to quietly slip out of sights for a while, escaping to wherever your heart calls. Chris McCandless is an example of a young man who did exactly that. The book Into the Wild is a wonderful account of his life and journey. McCandless left his home in Virginia to explore westwards in pursuit of living what he thought was his best life. He left without telling any friends and family where he was going, and later died in the Alaska bush. Many explorers, admittedly including myself, admire his leap into the world with no strings attached, but many also know that it is not the safest course of action.
When I go on an extended travel/hike, I almost always let a friend or family member know where I'm going before I go. I even have a friend or two tracking my whereabouts. I honestly don't care if they know where I am, and it can be comforting to know if something happened, someone might be able to track me down. So I say, why not tell a friend where you're off to? You can still live your own life and have as much alone time as you want on your trip, but at least you have a safety net in case something happens.
Be confident that you can defend yourself
By using your head and being safe, hopefully you will never have to defend yourself from attack, but if it does come down to it, make sure you can put up a fight. If you are hiking and your attacker is an animal, you should be carrying bear spray with you. Bear spray would also work on a person if it ever came to that. I always carry a pocketknife with me wherever I go, which I have never had to defend myself with thankfully, but it is there if needed. I use my pocketknives as handy tools, and they also give me a feeling of safety and confidence. Sometimes I bring an expandable baton on hikes as well, but those can be bulky. Some may think these things will be ineffective against an attacker, especially a larger male, but again the key here is first-handedly to prevent finding yourself in dangerous situations to begin with. These self-defense weapons are for backup, because you can't predict every situation. It's all about being confident that you can protect yourself, because you won't be able to fully enjoy yourself otherwise. Don't think of this as a false sense of security either, since you have the ability to train yourself to know how to use what you are carrying. It can be beneficial to take a local class in self-defense, or watch videos if you can't take the class. There are many resources out there if you want to learn how to defend yourself.
Be aware of your surroundings
This is a biggie. It is so incredibly important to have awareness when you are traveling by yourself, because no one else is going to be looking out for you. Awareness could look like:
Scanning a gas station for potential threats/dodgy looking people
Monitoring the weather during a hike
Noticing if any cars are following you while driving
Paying attention to any wildlife warning signs posted by park rangers
Being aware is being present, and that is an idea that is a major theme of this blog. Being present in every moment helps your mind, body, and soul - And it also might save your life. When being aware of your surroundings, you are often looking at people. Many say don't judge a book by its cover, and in typical circumstances this is true. However, when you are a female traveling by yourself, you are allowed to make judgements to ensure your own safety. Judgments don't have to be a negative thing at all, it is simply survival and safety. Stay open minded, but at the same time don't feel bad about trusting your instincts, which brings me to my next point...
Trust your gut/intuition
It may seem pretty basic and easy, but many people forget to do this, or actually mask their gut instincts with other feelings. Women's intuition is talked about so much, and for good reason. It is said that women have an enhanced ability to read and interpret other people's emotions and thoughts. I'm not too sure what the extent of women's powers are, but one thing I know for sure is that when solo-traveling, you need to trust your gut. If the situation does not feel quite right, either leave, or be on guard. Even if you can't quite put your finger on what is wrong, trust yourself and your ability to sense danger. This applies to people you meet on your travels, as well as places.
Spontaneity is fun, especially when it works out. However, there is a difference between spontaneity and carelessness. Carelessness can lead to dangerous situations, but it should not dissuade someone from travel. It is more than possible to be spontaneous and still be safe. At the end of the day, when traveling solo, you must always remember that you are totally and completely responsible for yourself. No one is looking out for you, and I think that's a big draw for female solo-travelers. It's a way to break free from your everyday life that can be so heavily impacted by others. Setting out on your own is a way to prove to yourself that you are perfectly capable of and thrive at taking care of yourself. It's all about finding and building joy while on your own. Have trust in yourself, do your research, and you will set yourself up for a life-changing adventure, however big or small it is. Empathize with and educate your loved ones, and don't let society tell you that you can't venture out on your own.
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