She travels

Katie 

For Katie, who is now 51, turning 50 prompted her to reflect on her life and question what most impassioned her, leading her to spontaneously embark on a solo travel adventure. Katie had been no stranger to travel; mainly through work, studies or family holidays. She’s in fact spent half of her life overseas, away from her native England. Thankfully for Katie, she wasn't alone in her love for travel, with her parents making travel a priority for the family whether they could afford to. And as they spent time living in Belgium, they had the chance to see much of Europe together. 

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Making travel a priority in one's own life

With this love and hunger for travel instilled in her from a young age, she took every opportunity to venture out and continue seeing the world as she got older. This started by tagging holiday days on work trips, which were mainly concentrated in Europe, which built her confidence and perpetuated her love for seeing new places.

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Katie then decided that the next step was to join group trips for the occasions when she felt more comfortable travelling with other people. It was on these group trips that she visited Kenya, Tanzania, and Cambodia and even spent two months going around Southern Africa on a truck trip. However, most of her travel at this point still consisted of long weekends away and it wasn't until last year that she set off on her first truly solo adventure around Japan and Korea as a fully-fledged backpacker.

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Though many of the designated Katie elected to visit were designated high risk, she was not going to be dissuaded but this did mean she took every precaution possible to be conscious of her safety. This meant being organised was a vital way to ensure that she felt comfortable on her trips. She carefully considered where she stayed, how to travel, what was acceptable locally for a single woman, and sticking to that as far as possible. While Katie acknowledges the frustration of women having to be so much more conscious of this than men, she emphasises the importance of being organised.

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 “I would love to go out in the evening and socialise, or go dancing, or even go to a football match (I play football so always try and follow local teams). Working out how to do this safely often means you end up not doing it. Sometimes I throw away the caution and have a great time, and then sometimes I think that it could really have gone wrong!”

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‍Embracing the challenges that come with solo travel‍

Being slightly on the shorter and more mature side, Katie mentions having found being on the top bunk in hostel dorms a little bit challenging at times. Despite this and all of the inconveniences of sharing dorms in hostels, such as different sleep times and habits, learning to cope with these things was one of the most beneficial and formative aspects of travel for her. 

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“It broke down all my self-imposed thoughts and habits about what I thought I needed to get a good night’s sleep. And even better, I met all sorts of really great people”

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Meals and food proved to be a particular challenge for Katie. For many, eating alone can seem daunting, particularly in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. And when you’re solo travelling, with some hostels having limited to no cooking facilities, you can be left with little other option than to buy ready meals from local shops which can be expensive and far from nutritious. Katie found that joining walking tours which included meals was a great way to meet people and share meals with them. While this was a good way to get around feeling lonely at meal times, Katie hopes to be braver on her next adventures and even learn to enjoy solo dinners.

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Adapting, learning and embracing the unknown

‍“My most recent trip to Korea and Japan started off as a 10-day holiday to Japan, which was all the time I could take off work. I then decided to take a longer break from work and travel properly. I wanted to really change up my perspectives on life, get some inspiration and new ways of thinking about what I could do in my life and career”

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Katie has also been in the process of researching and writing children’s books for a number of years and liked the idea of having more time to dedicate to this passion. This paired with the fact that she is a K-drama fan and had already learnt a bit of the language as a hobby meant that travelling around Korea seemed like an unmissable opportunity. Though taking this leap while already on her holiday in Japan meant changing flights and plans at the last minute, she is so grateful she did. Katie ended up spending and incredible 6 weeks in Korea, and 2 weeks in Japan.

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As a self-professed creature of habit, a great benefit of her travels is that Katie learnt to let go of the rules she had set herself and embrace life without a set routine. Katie was able to take some of this carefree mindset back to England with her and has tried to allow herself a little more room for spontaneity in her day-to-day life.

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Katie only found NomadHer near the end of her trip, but says that despite the fact that she is not travelling at the moment, she still uses the app as she finds the female focus to be a rarity when looking for information on solo travel. She is currently planning a trip to Korea in October and is already looking ahead to see what events she might attend and who she might meet.

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Solo travel as an older female solo traveller

The confidence she has gathered over her life and travels means that Katie felt comfortable engaging with people that she was meeting and because she is more mature, she felt that it made it much easier to engage with people without it feeling ‘strange’. When discussing her time in Korea, Katie said that people were always willing to help her and show her kindness as she navigated the country’s public transport systems and she believes this is in large part due to her being slightly older, warranting her a degree more of respect.

Lucy

Lucy was born in the UK but has spent the last 30 years of her life living in the US. Though she has always been impassioned by travel, to which she credits living in Hong Kong for a few years as a child, it is in recent years that she has been able to fully embrace travel. Aged 62, Lucy has spent the last few years challenging herself, going to places she never imagined she would and learnt a great deal about herself in the process. 

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Last year, Lucy made the incredible and brave decision to sell her house, quit her job and commit to a life of travel. With her children being at a stage of life where they are a lot more independent, this gave Lucy permission to pure her love of travel and with every trip she has gone on she has grown in confidence and felt inspired to push herself even more out of her comfort zone for her next adventure.

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The capacity of travel to transform 

For Lucy relinquishing certainty to make way for spontaneity was always going to be her greatest challenge when it came to travelling. She is a person who, as much as possible, liked to know where she would be, at what time and for how long, but she recognised that in order to take every opportunity that came her way she would have to learn to be more flexible and while she says that this is still a work in progress, she is proud of how adaptable she has proven herself to be.

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The experience of solo travel also gave her the opportunity to learn more about herself. When she initially embarked on her solo adventures she felt confident the reason it would suit her is because she saw herself as being more introverted, however, the more time she spent away she learnt that she is far more social than she’d ever thought. 

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“Joining free walking tours and day trips, taking classes and staying with an Airbnb host in their home are all ways I've found to meet people. I think it's led me to become friendlier and more open when meeting new people”

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Though Lucy would credit many aspects of her personal growth to solo travel, the most transformative element of her travel was facing her fear of heights in pursuit of her love for hiking. Lucy drew strength from and felt empowered by fellow hikers she’d only just met. Pushing herself out of her comfort zone has meant that she feels so much braver and can now notice herself getting considerably less overwhelmed when tackling challenges.

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Finding the right moment to travel

Having worked as a school librarian in Chicago, Lucy could never get enough time away to have the adventures and experiences she hoped for. This paired with the fact that she had seemingly reached her limit in terms of the 6 months of winter Chicago seems to face each year was all the incentive Lucy needed to take a leap and begin a life dedicated to travel.

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“Heading to South America at the beginning of a Chicago winter (and just in time to embrace spring in the southern hemisphere) seemed like an ideal plan!”

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The benefits of being an over 45 solo traveller

As a mature NomadHer and solo traveller, Lucy felt in no way deterred or excluded in her travels and says it is in fact one of the most beautiful aspects of travel, getting to meet people of all ages. Lucy also comments on the benefits of being an over 45 traveller, saying that she feels people are more respectful of her. 

“The advantage of being at the older end of the spectrum is that people tend to treat me with more respect, probably because they see something of their mother (or even grandmother) in me!”

Anna

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The urge to travel can sometimes come as an epiphany and for some people, it may have been an ambition of theirs for as long as they can remember. The latter is true for Anna, a 25-year-old NomadHer member from Poland. Travel has been a feature of Anna’s life for as long as she can remember, having been influenced from an early age by popular travel television programmes. Education proved to be a sort of passport to facilitate much of Anna’s adventures abroad, spending time in London language learning camps from as early as 13 years old, then going on to study in both the US and the Netherlands for a year as part of a university exchange. Anna’s appetite for travel was still not satisfied so she proceeded to undertake an Erasmus exchange in Sweden and Germany. Having spent all this time abroad in these various programmes, it, therefore, did not feel at all unnatural to Anna when she went to Turin, Italy, for a weekend which she views as her first proper solo travel experience. Though her weekend in Italy wasn’t exactly life-changing, it did give her the confidence and desire to go further afield and this is when she began to organise her solo adventure around Asia, little did she know it wouldn't end up being quite as solo as she’d expected after stumbling across the NomadHer app. Having decided to travel after graduating with her master’s in Biomedical Sciences, she is now back in Poland applying for PhD programmes in the field of Immunology with a newfound sense of self from her time spent abroad.

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Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

As a self-described natural introvert, Anna was almost completely unphased by the prospect of embarking on a 3-month solo adventure around Asia. This is not to say that anxiety had not been a feature of Anna’s life, she had in fact said that she spent most of her life feeling somewhat out of place regardless of whether it was at home or abroad. However, since Anna’s travels consisted of everchanging plans, sleepless nights in hostels and some situations that felt like close calls, she began to adapt. She learnt to not only survive in the unknown but to thrive in it. For Anna, it wasn’t simply the experience of being left by her bus on the Vietnam-Laos border or the brief encounter with the Malaysian mafia that made her grow as a person, it was the knowledge that she was capable of being in these situations while remaining calm and being comfortable with change. 

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A perfect pairing

One of the most transformative aspects of Anna’s travels around Asia was the friendship she formed with a NomadHer she met through the app within days of her arrival in Bangkok with whom she decided to spend the next 3 months travelling. Anna found confidence through her new friend being that she was more extroverted and this inspired Anna to be open to more possibilities than she might’ve been had she been travelling alone. They were a source of comfort to each other throughout the highs and lows of their trip and Anna credits a great deal of the confidence and maturity she gained as a result of her trip to the experiences she shared and lessons she learned from her fellow NomadHer. “Having so many experiences, meeting so many people, and experiencing so many new cultures gives you years worth of life experience, which is probably also why I feel so much more mature now.” 

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Anna’s decision to extend her trip by another 3 months, which meant accepting that she would once again be travelling completely alone, was much less daunting than her initial decision to embark on her adventure around Asia, as she was already a more confident person than she had been when she set off. “The collective experience of being in that unusual, exciting, and exhausting state of constant travelling, changed me a little giving me so much more confidence.”

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Why NomadHer?

Anna’s decision to join NomadHer was both impulsive and representative of a readiness to stray from the ‘conventional’ ways people meet when travelling. Before meeting the NomadHer she would subsequently travel with for 3 months, Anna was aware that her introverted nature may make it slightly more challenging for her to meet people in hostels. NomadHer allowed Anna to meet people in a way that felt safe and less socially intimidating. It is funny to think that the friendship she made through the NomadHer app in an attempt to sidestep some of the awkwardness that can come from introducing oneself to strangers in a hostel turned out to be the very thing to give her the confidence to make these sorts of connections.

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Daniela

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Two years ago, Daniela, who is from Slovakia, knew that she wanted to travel around Asia and knew it was the right time for her so when none of her friends or family could accompany her on this adventure she refused to be dissuaded and decided to go solo. Daniela, who is now 42, quit her job of eight years as a CIO Assistant and dedicated two months to traveling. Having attempted a shorter solo trip before this one where she had tried couch surfing and found it unsettling, to say the least, Daniela was encouraged when the NomadHer app was suggested to her on Instagram not long before she set off to explore Asia. The NomadHer app gave confidence to Daniela and her friends and family that she would not be totally alone for the duration of her trip. For Daniela, reassuring those who cared for her that she was going to be alright when undertaking such a big adventure alone was her greatest challenge before heading off. The line of questioning about whether or not it was safe and why she did not have any friends to go with her felt both overwhelming and beside the point; Daniela knew that there were so many aspects of solo travel that she loved and was not going to be put off the idea.

Living on your own schedule

Though there were moments when Daniela wished she could have company, particularly when she was turned away from certain restaurants that did not accept solo diners and so found herself having a convenience store dinner, she greatly appreciated that she could exist on her own time schedule. For Daniela, this is one of the greatest aspects of solo travel and it should not be underestimated.“They just didn’t understand that there are so many reasons to love solo travelling, like not being on anyone else’s timeline and having the freedom to do what I want.”

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The women who shaped her experience

The opportunity to meet through the NomadHer app suited Daniela’s ambitions for the trip, as a person who was excited at having the chance to explore some sights alone but still wanted to have the opportunity to see friendly faces, she immeasurably valued having the app. What started as a post on the NomadHer app to see if anyone wanted company visiting Namsam Tower, in the heart of Seoul, snowballed into a lasting friendship between Daniela and three other NomadHer members. These women defined each other’s travel experiences, as they altered plans to stay together, travelled around the country together, renting cars and sharing meals. Exploring a country's cuisine is an essential part of cultural immersion and in the early days of her trip, Daniela felt almost frustrated that there was only so much she could order as a solo diner. By meeting and forming the friendships that she did, Daniela allowed herself to have a sense of community and belonging even when so far from home, and on a very simple level, gave herself the opportunity to try more of each travel destination’s cuisines as they often shared their meals. 

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The ever-present possibility of new friendships

There are many types of travellers, such as those who float by day by day, seemingly unphased if they haven’t yet booked a place to spend that very night; this is certainly not the category Daniela would classify herself in. Daniela’s trip took months of planning and though she did leave herself with two weeks at the very end with nothing organised in an attempt to push her out of her comfort zone, knowing that she had an itinerary was of great importance to her as she embarked on her adventure. Knowing that the NomadHer community could be easily accessed during her travels provided Daniela with a real source of comfort and pre-arranged meetups helped give her a sense of structure. This sense of community was most hammered home to Daniela as she was crossing a road in Soeul and recognised the NomadHer “She Can Travel Anywhere” tote bag of a woman who was walking in the opposite direction and the two shared a brief but joyous exchange before continuing separately with their day’s. Daniela is someone who radiates positivity and it is no surprise that other members of the NomadHer community, even those she met in passing, felt so at ease striking up conversation with her.

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Words of wisdom from our experienced NomadHers

As seasoned travellers, Daniela and Anna collectively have a wealth of invaluable travel insights. They advise trusting that everything will work out in the end and emphasise that unless something in your gut tells you not to, always say yes to exciting opportunities, you never know who you’ll end up meeting or what experiences you may have. Some of their advice was also practical, such as stressing the importance of carrying a portable charger with you at all times and planning as far in advance as you are able. Some advice is simple yet so important.

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In a world that thrives on constant social interactions, where connections are just a 'follow' away, the idea of traveling alone might seem intimidating - especially to an introverted soul, like myself. For us introverts it offers a chance to escape the noise and be immersed in solitude, to find peace of mind in the subtle beauty of solo exploration. 

But embarking on a solo journey can be a double-edged sword for us. The very reason that ignites this fire presents a paradox. Solitude might become loneliness, escaping the noise might be the encounter with noise itself. The prospect of initiating conversations, making friends on the road, and immersing oneself in the mystery of unfamiliar cultures can be daunting and scary. 

Yet, a solo journey can be an incredible opportunity for self-discovery, personal growth, and meaningful experiences. With considerate planning and an open mind, embracing and respecting our personality, solo travel allows introverted individuals to discover and even challenge their own rhythm, and foster a deeper connection with oneself and the destinations they visit.

This article serves not as a guideline but as a guiding light for solo introverted adventurers, illuminating the path ahead with insights, ideas of strategies, and inspiration to embrace solo travel with a full heart. So, dear introverted NomadHer, pack your bags and let’s together embark on this journey of introspection and resilience.

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Embracing Introversion: Navigating a Solo Path in a Fast-Paced World

“Are you okay? You’re so quiet, you should talk more.”

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I'm not shy, I'm not stuck, I'm just introverted. It's a normal part of being introverted to keep explaining ourselves to the fast-paced extroverted society. Sometimes it can be bothersome, but I see it as a chance to help others understand how I "operate".

Introversion is a personality trait, we usually prefer solitary activities, tend to have a greater focus on internal thoughts and emotions, and have a constant need to recharge in solitary environments. Unlike extroverts, who thrive in social settings and gain energy from interactions, introverts feel most comfortable in quieter settings and often lose energy from interactions. This difference in how introverts and extroverts interact with the world significantly impacts how we approach and experience solo travel. While extroverts might be drawn to vibrant city centers and lively social scenes, introverts tend to seek calmer or even isolated places.

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Why is it important to be prepared when traveling?

Planning is our best friend as a solo female traveler! 

It is important for introverts to consider their feelings and needs when planning a solo trip. Our travel choices might be different if we’re feeling the urge to recharge and get away from the daily routine, in need of introspection and self-reflection, or if we're feeling lonely or stuck. This will help us to plan accordingly and decide whether we want to get lost in the forests or face some socialization challenges. Planning and setting our desires and wishes is essential. By organizing the itinerary (kind of meticulously sometimes), finding people with the same interests, and opting for flexible travel arrangements, it allows us to prepare our minds and adapt to our moods and energy levels during the trip. 

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In my truly first solo trip, I thought I could just 'let it be' and figure out what to do day by day. It wasn’t a good choice. Every day, I was exhausted from choosing where and what to eat, where to go, how to go, and so on. I had no energy to spend with people, to work, or eat properly. I got frustrated for not being able to fully enjoy it. So I really felt the need to plan better next time; it would save me a lot of time and headache during the trip

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So, if you’re thinking about embarking on a solo journey as an introvert, here are my tips:

Understand yourself and make plans for everything as much as possible. The more choices you make beforehand while you’re comfortable at home, drinking wine while watching Drama, the fewer choices you’ll need to make by the time you’re traveling. This will allow you to focus your energy on the fun parts—interacting and exploring peacefully.

Also, during the trip, if someone approaches you or you want to approach someone but you’re feeling too tired to interact, try not to deny it immediately. Mention that you are interested in what you're doing or the place you're at, but let them know you’re an introvert. Take it as an opportunity to open up. It might lead to meeting another introverted soul for a meaningful exchange of thoughts or even finding an extroverted friend who can help you out with the rest!

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The Introvert's Guide to Genuine Connections

Making new friends vs expending energy

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As we know already, one of the biggest challenges for introverts during solo travel is engaging in social interactions with strangers, since we mostly live inside our minds and can’t externalize our thoughts really well, we may feel too awkward by starting a conversation or even to just respond to someone. It's not about being shy, it's the struggle to find the “right” words to deal with these new people and surroundings.

Introverts usually can’t stand small talk - what for most people can be a good start, talking about the food, the weather, the drinks, the song and so on, for introverts it all unconsciously sounds somehow superficial and doesn’t seem to lead anywhere. But once we find a subject we can deeply discuss and express our thoughts, we might become the loudest person in the room. So, usually we invest our energy where we can build some kind of connection instead of just talking about anything. It’s not on purpose, but introverts measure where they’ll spend their energy: small talk is still talking, you see, so we much prefer spending energy on some interesting talking.

Something that has been helping me lately is to look for places with social activities that I’m interested in and that might make me more likely to interact with people, like fairs, sports events, one day courses and such, or even staying in a hostel for some days, that way I won't force the interaction, I just let myself flow and externalize my thoughts. By being in an environment I feel happy, comfortable and at ease, just saying “hello” to people, asking a silly question, complimenting or making a comment about something I found nice, asking for directions, anything simple, helps me approach people without feeling I’m being faced to. Even if we feel awkward later on - we may even be helping some other introvert to befriend us too! You will be surprised by what you can get from the simple things, like truly new friends for life or even a great network. 

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How to Overcome Loneliness in Solo Travel

"If I love being alone, why do I feel lonely?"

Until we find someone to engage in a conversation, we need to take action and test. This is the great challenge, and in most cases, we just assume we’re introverts and embrace solitude. It can be 'dangerous,' though; there's a fine line between enjoying moments of introspection and feeling isolated from the world. We, as humans, are social animals, which means at some point we need sociability. Since we take too long to interact and meet people, sometimes it may turn into loneliness, and when we get to this point, it’s harder to be motivated and energized to get out of it.

Understanding the distinction between these two experiences is crucial for maintaining emotional well-being and making the most of the solo journey. While solitude gives a feeling of fulfillment, loneliness can creep in during moments of disconnection. Loneliness is the feeling of being alone and disconnected from others or from ourselves, even in the middle of a crowd. It can emerge when we lack meaningful connections (or at least we think we do) or when social interactions become overwhelming. During solo travel, especially in unfamiliar places, we might encounter instances of loneliness that challenge our emotional resilience.

Solo travel is not lonely travel; you are not alone! If you feel you've reached a point of loneliness where it's becoming hard to even talk to the grocery store cashier, try the easiest way and reach out to your loved ones through calls, messages, or video chats. Look for groups such as the NomadHer community and share your thoughts; shared experiences can foster a sense of community and alleviate feelings of loneliness. Most importantly, we should foster self-care, understanding that moments of loneliness are natural and transient. Be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion during challenging times. It’s important to remember that these feelings will pass, and again, we are not alone.

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How to Make New Friends as an Introvert?

Don’t be scared! By planning and also following our hearts, we can find harmony. I know it's not our first thought to reach out to people right away, but we must learn how to balance it and be proactive for our own good. I usually start this interaction online, where I feel more comfortable. I believe that, as soon as we start to feel the interest or even the need for social interactions, we should go look for it. NomadHer is perfect for this; we might find companionship even before traveling or while we’re on our journey. Other apps, such as Bumble, offer a friendship version in which we can match with possible friends at the place we’re at, and Instagram also can be used for this purpose - explore the hashtags and location tags.

For me, hostels are somehow overwhelming; the amount of people and things happening makes me bothered. But I know it might be important because my goal is to meet new people. I do my things as if I am alone and eventually start talking to people slowly, asking for things, commenting during the meals, and also showing I’m open to be approached. Most of the time, starting small talk makes me uncomfortable and doesn't lead anywhere, but it's a way to start, and such simple things as 'hello, are you alone too?' might make you find a great friend!

Slowly, we get used to it, believe me. As I overcame these small challenges, I got excited for the next ones - it's kind of addictive! Taking our own time, not forcing, just naturally being ourselves. Embracing these situations with openness and authenticity allows introverts to fully immerse in solo travel—where the beauty of introspection, simple interactions, and moments of solitude converge to create unforgettable memories.

How to Manage a Solo Trip: Finding Balance and Recharging

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Finding a delicate balance between exploration and recharging is important to make the most of our solo journey. While exploration feeds our sense of curiosity and adventure, it can be exhaustive, and moments of solitude provide essential opportunities to recharge our emotional and mental energy. Again, respect your own time, don’t feel forced to do what you don’t feel like doing. Streams of social interactions and external stimuli can quickly deplete one's emotional reserves. Intentionally setting aside moments for relaxation or interaction can be a good strategy to enhance the enjoyment of solo travel experiences.

My first solo trip was really important but messy. I didn't plan much and was just going with the flow, but found myself too many times lost and exhausted. Upon reflection, I realized a key aspect of better dealing with the whole solo travel experience is to schedule 'me time' and allocate moments of solitude in my itinerary. Prioritizing these moments ensured that I had the time to recharge, even if apparently I was not so tired, but I would know I was rested and ready for some new challenges. 

Gold tip: We, as women, are directly affected by our constant changes in our hormones. Introverts are more likely to isolate themselves, and the feeling of loneliness can be hard to cope with, especially during our PMS time. Take notes of your cycle and try to schedule your trips and activities accordingly, so when the PMS strikes, you rationally know everything is fine and it will pass. Also, during the period, we feel in pain and are less energized, so if you want you can schedule the "me time" during the period to rest and recharge in peace, and then come back energized after it.

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Celebrating the Power of Authentic Solo Travel

Dear fellow introverted NomadHer solo travelers, as we plan and dream about our solo trips, remember this: we have a unique gift to offer the world. It’s not a problem, it’s not a default, nor a flaw. We offer peace, comfort, tranquility, calm, and reflection to people around us. We slow down the hurry in the world. We must embrace and revel in our introversion, embrace our authentic selves, talk about it, explain to people, and accept it, so others will too.

Don’t put all the pressure on your shoulders. The world is more likely to celebrate extroversion, and introverts may feel pressured to change their natural inclinations. But here's the truth: YOUR travel is YOUR realm, and there's no need to conform to other people’s expectations. It's perfectly okay to seek moments of solitude, to relish the quiet corners of the cities, and to listen to your inner voice amidst the chatter.

As we embrace our authentic selves and talk openly about how we operate, we attract like-minded souls who appreciate the depth of our personalities. These connections become the heart of our genuine adventures. Resist the urge to change who you are. I believe once we understand how we function and respect it, things start flowing better.

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Embracing Solitude and Self-Discovery

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Solo travel doesn't have to be scary. In fact, it's a golden opportunity to uncover our hidden talents and realize that we're more capable of interacting with people than we think! No need to rush or feel pressured; let's respect our time and challenge ourselves little by little. It not only presents us with great people and opportunities, but by feeling capable and confident, we feel better about ourselves.

Sure, we love our moments of solitude, but to avoid the sense of loneliness and frustrations for not accomplishing everything we thought we would, the best alternative is to plan things beforehand—your future self will appreciate it! As much as extroverts need to learn how to calm down and quiet their minds and bodies from time to time, we need to learn how to find that perfect balance between the joy of being alone and the thrill of social life. Well, sometimes all we need is just to find one extroverted person to carry us around so we can sit back and enjoy the food!

Introverted travelers bring a distinct lens to the solo travel experience. The sensitivity and introspection may lead to profound cultural encounters and meaningful connections. Let your introversion be your strength during your solo journey; embrace this power, the beauty of authenticity, and the joy of meaningful connections. Don't let people's opinions on how life should or should not be enjoyed dictate the way you enjoy yours.

Cheers to the magic of introverted solo travel—may we discover our true selves, make new friends, and enjoy the world, one step at a time. Let the journey begin!

Solo traveling is arguably one of the greatest experiences you can have and one of the best ways to explore the world around you. There is a sense of freedom that comes from choosing a place to visit where you’ve never been before, deciding what to see and do, and being in a place where nobody knows your name.

That feeling of being alone and unknown can be liberating and empowering, allowing you to be whoever you want to be and live carefree. However, this experience can simultaneously leave you feeling lonely.

I think it is safe to say that every solo traveler has felt this way at some point or another, despite the carefully curated Instagram feeds that would lead you to think otherwise. No matter how stunning the landscapes or perfect the moments may be, we have all felt that pang of loneliness. It often sneaks up unexpectedly while enjoying a meal on your own or seeing something spectacular that you wish you had someone to share the moment with.

While this is something we have all experienced and may encounter again on our travels, it does not have to define your trip or your experience. If you find yourself feeling lonely or worried that you could be lonely, do not fret! You have several ways you can respond to and handle these feelings. Here are tips for traveling alone

Your first option is to meet new people on your travels

One of the best ways to prevent or avoid loneliness is to connect with people on your trips. This can be an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience, as you can meet locals and people from all over the globe. While this might seem like quite the challenge to overcome when you are in an unfamiliar place, there are actually quite a lot of ways to connect with other people on your solo travels.

✅ Staying at a hostel is one great option to meet other solo travelers like you

Hostels offer affordable accommodation, and many offer exclusively female dorm rooms, making hostels even safer for female solo travelers. An added bonus of staying in one of these dorm rooms is that you often meet other women like yourself who are on solo trips and just as open to meeting new people and forging new friendships. It’s easy to strike up a conversation, make new friends, and find a new travel companion to explore the city with!

In addition, a lot of hostels also organize events for guests staying at the hostel, such as pub nights. Events like these are another wonderful way to meet people from all over the world who love traveling just as much as you!

✅ Attend local events

If you want to meet new people, but would rather take the chance to explore the city you’re in, attending local events or going to places frequented by locals may be a better option for you. Not only can you find some pretty neat hidden gems less frequented by tourists, but you also have the ability to connect with locals and learn more about the people and the culture of the place you are visiting.

More often than not, you can utilize platforms like Facebook for events in the location you’re visiting, as well as the town or city’s website, which usually features special events going on in the area. Of course, apps like the NomadHer app are wonderful resources to find events going on and find a female travel buddy.

Talking to the staff at your place of accommodation, whether that be a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb, is another excellent option to find out about exciting places to try out that are off the beaten path or about events going on in the area. Many of them are travelers themselves that chose to stay because they love the city, particularly at hostels. They can be a great resource to utilize, and you should not hesitate to ask them for tips!

✅  Book a tour

If you do not make friends at your accommodation or do not have as much time to explore the local haunts as you would like, you can also book a tour. Whenever I visit a new place, one of the first things I do after arriving is book a walking tour of the city. Many cities offer group tours for a small fee, but you can also book a free walking tour, where you pay what you feel at the end. (This is a great option for travelers on a budget by the way!) Regardless of what type of tour you book, you will often meet other solo travelers in your group. Over the course of your tour, you can learn all about the place you are visiting while connecting with the members of the group.  

This advice applies to any type of tour as well! Depending on what the town or city you are visiting has to offer, you may be able to partake in a variety of tours catering to a wide spectrum of interests. This can include street art tours, food tours, and ghost tours. The list goes on and on, and these more specific tours will allow you to meet people with similar interests while uncovering another side of the city, country, and culture.

To find a tour, you can check out websites like TripAdvisor. Alternatively, you can search for “(walking) tour in…” + the city name in any search engine. You will likely find several options for free and paid tours, and you can find something that fits your interests, budget, and time frame. If there are multiple tours available, it is always good to look at the reviews!

💡 Extra Tip: Are you unsure of how to strike up a conversation with someone new? Fortunately, staying in a hostel or going on a tour often includes an introduction to the people around you. If they don’t mention it in their introduction, you can ask where they are from, why they are visiting the city, about their home country, or about other trips they may have taken. Before you know it, you will find yourself slipping into normal conversation with a new friend!

Your second option is to ease your way into solo travel

Another option to help prevent loneliness during your solo trips is to try traveling on a smaller scale first. If you have never traveled alone before or are not used to doing activities on your own, it might not be a bad idea to try traveling on a small scale first before going on a longer trip.

Even doing things on your own in your hometown that you would not normally do can help prepare you for this experience. Going to an art exhibition, going on a hike, or taking yourself to dinner are all ways you can prepare yourself for solo travel and get an idea of what it is like to do these core parts of traveling on your own. These smaller experiences will allow you to get comfortable spending time on your own, which also is not a bad thing!

Once you are comfortable, you can also choose to take a day trip or weekend trip somewhere within your country or close to your hometown. By taking these small steps, you have time to acclimate yourself to traveling on your own without the addition of a language barrier, culture shock, or any other unexpected hurdles that could come with traveling farther away for a longer period of time.

Finally, if you find yourself feeling lonely during your solo travels, you have another alternative: learn about your loneliness.

You can choose to accept and embrace your feelings of loneliness. Loneliness is a human emotion that we all experience, and there is nothing wrong with feeling it. You can choose to embrace your emotions and use them as an opportunity for reflection and growth.

You are lonely because you took a risk to travel on your own. You decided it was more important to travel the globe, encounter other cultures, and experience everything this world has to offer, even if it meant being lonely from time to time. This is brave in and of itself. So allow this moment of loneliness to be a point of change and growth for you. Allow it to serve as a reminder of all you are capable of and just how strong you truly are. You will overcome this one fleeting moment of loneliness and come out the better for it.

There is no right or wrong answer to how you choose to respond to your feelings of loneliness. Know, however, that there are ways to deal with it, and do not let it hold you back from experiencing the great wide world out there!

Do you want to go on a solo trip this year? You can read more travel tips and find travel buddies through the NomadHer. Download the NomadHer app now!

👩 Katie Bathgate, the NomadHer article contributor, is currently living in Germany to pursue her master's degree. Living in Europe means traveling is pretty easy, and it has only fueled her wanderlust! When she's not studying, she's dreaming about her next trip, reading, baking, or learning new languages. She's excited to engage with the NomadHer community in a new way and looks forward to connecting with more female solo travelers.

I love the version of myself when I'm traveling. I love being able to get to know the cities from a cafe sitting down watching locals and tourists come and go, and walking until my feet hurt because I don't want to miss any tourist spot.

Surely at this moment thousands of moments that we live when we travel come to our mind. There are moments that we hope that they last forever. Nevertheless, there are other moments that cost us a bit like being away from home, missing family, or the comfort of our room.

And in the midst of the adventures of the solo trips I love to maintain my connection rituals with myself:

1️⃣ 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲

I do small meditations of 8-10 minutes to be able to set an intention for my day and not start the day automatically.

Many people think that to meditate you need to be in a zen position and 100% focused all the time; however, even though that would be ideal, there are other ways of meditating called active meditations.

For example, concentrating on listening to the sound of nature for 5 minutes, or you can be in the present while you do your exercise routine, noticing every movement your body makes and how you feel. To begin with, it helped me a lot in my practice to concentrate on observing an object for a period of time, like seeing a flower and being able to delve into its shape, color, its characteristics, etc.

PRO TIP: Do not judge yourself if thoughts come to your mind because it is normal, the important thing is not to judge them but to recognize them and let them go.

2️⃣ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

I write in my own diary, I wrote, designed it myself and it is available for sale! Writing is a practice that has changed my life. I love it because it allows me to externalize my thoughts and feelings. I can also save all the stories I'm living on paper to keep them as memories and remember them over and over again when I read them. I love collecting the details of each place on paper and in photos.

3️⃣ 𝐆𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

I love going to coffee shops and reading, or just people-watching. I love trying to understand how different we are and how much in common we have with people even though we come from geographically different places.

I was in a coffee shop in Amsterdam and they were selling marihuana. During the time I was there, 3 people entered, and I could perceive the way they asked for it. For example, a person asked with great suspicion; while another person asked for it as something natural. But what is the point? That the same situation can be perceived differently depending on the perspective of each person. And it's so interesting to be able to see different points of view and realities because that expands ours.

On every trip I take, I really enjoy being able to see people's daily lives, and how they enter and leave restaurants or cafes. Some are passing through, others take their time, others go alone, others are accompanied, others are on the phone, some arrive and make noise, and others are very quiet. I love how we are surrounded by so many people so different and so alike at the same time.

✨ 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩

I really enjoy being able to write everything I experience in every place I go, I always learn something from someone, from some situation, and from someplace. I love sharing cultures because I feel that I feed my soul with new experiences. I love coming back from my travels and telling my family and friends about all my adventures, all the doors that have opened, all the places I've discovered, and the people I've met.

I have seen many benefits of writing as part of my daily routine and being able to write on a trip helps me to live in the present adventure and be grateful for it. As well as being inspired by perceiving the world I'm living in something I can preserve like a diary. I would like to be able to share more about this topic, surely many of us can connect with this topic.

❤️ 𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬!

Traveling is a privilege, and being able to do it with yourself seems to me to be one of the most rewarding experiences of this life. So, enjoy those little moments, the cities will be there whenever you want to come back but the version of you that is experiencing all those places never comes back, so enjoy every minute you are in each place, be thankful for the privilege of being present and share your adventures to inspire others.

And as I always say: Believe, let go and trust. Everything comes and everything is as it should be, live in the present, dream as big as you can, never hold on to anything, and experience each day to the fullest.

I would like to tell you in other articles about my top coffee shops in various cities, my plans for a date with myself, rituals, books, and my journaling tips.

👩Vale Loaiza is from Ecuador and loves solo trips. She is a digital marketing strategist and human design reader. So She considers herself a spiritual person. She loves to create digital content, meet people and connect. She dreams to live in Bali someday.

On June 26th, 2021, one week before the start of my first solo trip, I received an email in my inbox that I had written one year earlier and sent to the future through FutureMe.com. The message was written in 2020 during a time when I, like the rest of the world, was in the middle of a global pandemic and could only dream of traveling. And I had been dreaming of traveling long before the pandemic started.

“Dear FutureMe, …” I had written to my future self. “You might already be in Montpellier or getting ready to go in a few days or weeks. I am so excited for you. Make the best of it!”

It was more than a coincidence that when I received the letter on June 26th, 2021, I was set to be taking off in just one week to travel to France for one month and visit Montpellier to study French! When I wrote the letter to my future self, I did not write it as a question. I wrote about my goal of traveling as a statement. I wrote it as if I already knew it would happen. And in a way, I did know. I knew that I would do everything in my power to make this trip a possibility.

During the year between June 2020 and June 2021, I spent countless hours studying French, working two part-time jobs, and saving my money to be able to take that trip. Here are three lessons I learned in each city I visited in France during my first solo trip at age 17:

1️⃣Challenge Yourself to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Phalempin, Hauts-de-France

Despite having learned French in school for about 3 years before my trip, adjusting to a new linguistic environment was a bit of a challenge in the beginning. I still remember my first real interaction in French at the post office of a small town near Lille called Phalempin. I am sure I stood outside of the post office pacing for at least five minutes before mustering up the courage to go in and ask the woman behind the desk about the possibility of getting service for my phone while I was in France.

While neither the conversation nor my French was perfect, at that moment, I pushed myself out of my area of comfort. I was determined to reduce, or even eliminate, my use of English while I was in France, and this would mean stumbling over my words and sometimes feeling lost in conversation.

But as I continued, I found that my comfort zone expanded. Slowly but surely, speaking French with strangers was no longer outside of my comfort zone. By no means was my French perfect, but I began to be comfortable expressing myself in the language and learning to accept the things that I was unable to express and see it simply as room for improvement.

I believe the same thing applies to solo traveling in general. The first time you head to the airport alone and land in a new country alone, you may be met with anxiety, uncertainty, and hesitation. You may literally be out of your comfort zone, but the more you are willing to step into the unknown, the further you will be to go and the more your comfort zone will expand.

2️⃣Trust Your Intuition

Montpellier, Occitanie

Initially, I was not going to travel to Montpellier but instead had planned to stay with family friends in the North of France for three weeks before traveling to Paris for a final week. But about a month before the trip, I got the feeling that I should take the extra leap, and sign up for two weeks of French classes in Montpellier. And, as it turns out, that was one of the best decisions I could have made.

When traveling, whether it is regarding where you will go, what you will do, or who you meet, trust your intuition about what you will do while you are abroad. I followed the feeling of wanting to go to Montpellier in the South of France to take French classes, and ended up learning so much more French than I would have otherwise, and coming out of the experience with friends I am still in contact with today!

When solo traveling, especially as a woman, it is important to follow your intuition not only before your trip but also while you are traveling. If something doesn't feel right to you, even if you can’t quite explain why it is worth considering that feeling and acting accordingly.

3️⃣Spending Time Alone will Help you Gain Independence

Paris, Île de France

When I think back to the week that I spent in Paris, the most freeing thing about the experience was not the city I was in, the beautiful scenery that I saw, or the culture around me (although all of those factors were very impactful). It was the chance to be completely on my own and not have anyone to rely on or accompany me throughout the city. Any challenges, changes, or joys that arrived along the way were completely my own to overcome and experience.

And oh, did I experience a lot! When I was about to leave France, already at the gate, ready to board my flight back to New York City, an airline employee came by to give me an attestation form that I was to turn in with confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test from the past 72 hours. This would have been fine, except that I had not known I would need a negative COVID test to board the flight and had not gotten tested before checking in! The mistake of not having checked before heading to the airport was all mine; after all, there was no one else who would have done it for me. And, along with the independence of traveling on my own, I was placed in a situation where I had to solve the challenge that I was facing on my own as well.

Thankfully, after an hour spent rushing through the airport, back through costumes, and to the pharmacy to take a COVID test, I was able to successfully get a negative COVID-19 test, and reach my flight in time to board at the very end of the line.

When you are traveling alone, things will go wrong; you might miss a flight or forget to check something important, but through each mistake you make and challenge you to face, you learn how to advocate for yourself and to trust yourself. Through solo traveling, you learn to push yourself out of your comfort zone, listen to your intuition, gain independence and trust yourself to handle anything and everything that comes your way. There is nothing quite like it!

👩 Gloria Kuzmenko-Latimer(IG: @global__gloria) lives in the U.S. She recently graduated from high school. She is an avid language learner so now she can speak English, Russian, French, Ukrainian, and Korean.  Learning a new language and Traveling is her passion. She is excited now about what’s coming on in a new life in Paris during her gap year.

My first trip ended up traveling for 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries. I spent Halloween in Transylvania (home of Dracula), camped in the desert in Egypt, rode horses and camels through the mountains of Turkey, and more.

Try to avoid fear at first

In 2020, like many others, I was faced with the isolation that COVID-19 brought us. I spent eighteen months building my wanderlust for the world. I began to find curiosity in looking into new places and dreaming of being able to see them on my own.

As much as I dreamed, I never thought I would be able to do it. I was too scared to overcome fear, scared of the idea of getting up and leaving everything I knew to travel the world alone. Wanting to experience new cultures without having to leave my room, I began studying Mandarin and teaching English to Chinese students online. I thought this would satisfy my urge to see the world, but it only made it greater.

Find a way to travel and study both

As those eighteen long months of isolation drew to a close and I finished my final year of high school, I looked for what I would be doing next. I had always seen myself continuing my education and was not ready to give up on that. My wanderlust continued to grow as I began to figure out what university I would attend. One day I had the relaxation, why can't I just do both?

With lots of research, I finally landed on a way to do it. Through a local college, I was able to take classes that would allow me to travel through different time zones and be able to make my own schedule around them. Finally, I had figured out the perfect way to do school and travel, but now I had to face my fear of leaving everything I knew to do it.

Decide to begin my first solo trip starting from Turkey

Where to go? Where to go on your own when you have no clue what you are doing? I had no one around me that had solo traveled before and said to me to try a solo trip once in my life. So I had to rely on myself and my research to do it.

After months of research and studying places, I finally found the perfect one, Turkey. Now you may wonder why Turkey? I was asked this many times and even asked myself that same question. Many people told me it was unsafe for women, or that it was a dangerous place overall. Though these questions alarmed me I stuck to my instincts and bought my ticket leaving less than a month later.

After some very hard goodbyes and a lot of questioning if I could travel on my own, I packed up one giant backpack and a duffle bag and was on my way. I had a day-long layover in Lisbon, Portugal which was where I would stay in my first ever hostel. Not knowing anyone that had been to a hostel before I had no clue what to expect. When I arrived, I was shocked to find the helpfulness and community that it held, and I knew that through the worry, it was all worth it.

Turkey becomes my love

When I arrived in Turkey, I instantly fell in love. The people, the food, the nature, it was just the most beautiful place. I spent a month there (and would return six months later to see it again), before heading off to see more places. I had no clue what my adventure would bring, but I can now safely say that buying that ticket was the best choice I could have made.

I ended up traveling for 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries. I spent Halloween in Transylvania (home of Dracula), camped in the desert in Egypt, rode horses and camels through the mountains of Turkey, and so much more. I have made countless new friends that I still speak to all the time.

Being a solo female traveler, especially for the first time, can be scary, but it is one of the most worthwhile things in the world. Not to mention that while I traveled the world I was able to achieve my goal of continuing my education at the same time. Travel is such a beautiful thing, and I truly believe anyone can do it.

👩 Delaney Brewer(IG: @whereevenisdelaney) lives in the U.S. Traveling and learning about new cultures is her passion. After her first solo trip of 229 days, through three continents and 24 different countries, She falls in love with traveling even more. This is just the beginning of her travel life.

First surfing at 34, starting with a hesitation

As always, a new challenge needs braveness. It is the same for surfing. Hello! I’m Soyeon from South Korea. I’m calm and closed to being an introvert. so It is not easy at all to open my mind to the thing that I’m not familiar with. The only deviation I have made in my life was to go hiking as my hobby. Whenever I said to people like “ I loved mountains” then all people replied back “Oh, I expected that you would say flower arranging like that, the things sitting on the desk”

No matter what people said to me, as a hiking lover, I went climbing every weekend and season of the year for various reasons: To see flowers in spring, feel the breeze under the trees in summer, see colorfulness covered all over the mountain, and enjoy snow wonderland in winter.

Then everything stopped of a sudden. The time came at the moment that my passion for hiking burned like a flame and only ashes were left. It was a sign to take a deep breath. Then a new deviation came to me.

Go to enroll in the Busan surfing camp on Aug

How about you try surfing this time?

While preparing for this Busan surfing camp for several weeks, I interviewed female surfers and heard a lot about how it was. so thought I had gotten used to surfing, but when I got a question to try surfing. I had to hesitate to answer for a moment.

As I studied surfing, I got to know several things about what surfing would be like :

1. You can stand on the surfing board with just the first lesson but will fall into the sea a lot until you can make it.
2. Your hair will be like seaweed sticking to your face while surfing. not that pretty.
3. A series of annoying things in the process can be followed. For example, soaking in the salty sea water and sand all the time and then you have to go wash them in the shower.

These went through my mind quickly. It's normal for all sports to sweat, but It is too much for me because It needs more than that.

If It is a deviation that can expand your world

When I say “Yes” to something I have never thought about before, It is because the influence of the people around me plays a bigger role than my will. When this happens, deliberately let the situation go, stay away from it and see how it is going on.

If there's one thing I've learned in 34 years, It's that I'm finally starting to admit that my decisions may not always be right. Sometimes, rather than arguing with people, I really listen to the opinions of others. As long as It doesn't cause irreparable harm to me, I can always come back even if I deviate for a while from the way I know.

A sea brings magic to make people turn into a child

Crossing Songjeong Beach holding a surfboard that was more than twice my height, finally met a beautiful sea of Busan. I still vividly remember the moment I entered the Songjeong sea through this surfing camp in April. The atmosphere, which had been awkward since the participants had just met before that, was quickly reversed into a fun playground for adults.

"Wow! See? I'm in the sea!"

"The water is so good than I thought!"

"Wow, Busan beach is just as good as I heard!"

Even though they just went into the sea, they all seemed to have the same mind. So, as soon as they saw each other in the water, the pretty smiles that they had hidden began to burst at the same time. Some of them were already on their surfboards and enjoying the waves of the sea.

It's natural to feel embarrassed at first. But It's a shame to stop now

If you go surfing, you can see that the surfing skills of the participants are very different from first-time surfers to those who have already mastered waves through multiple surfing experiences in famous surf destinations abroad. So, in general, surfing camps teach people at the beginner's level.

In fact, for first-time surfers like me, surfing time is a series of shame. I failed dozens of times in front of everyone. During the class, I fell off the surfboard so much that I drank too much seawater through my nose. The hair became rolled up like seaweed, stuck to the hair, and the sunscreen written to be waterproof was washed away already because I spend more time under the sea than on the surfboard.

In the meantime, people who had chatted with me a minute ago succeeded to stand up on the board. They were getting ahead of me one by one. This is the point that people start to doubt themselves thinking “It is allowed only to people who have a special talent?”

But in the sea, you can't just stand blankly like that and be envious. You can get hypothermia if you stay still. So you have to keep moving anyway. If you are weak-willed, it is a good idea to set the environment around you that makes push to move. For me, this time, that is a sea that makes me not give up. So I stood in front of the waves again. I chose to fail.

Don't take your eyes off where you are going!

I was moved by the word that my surf teacher said,  “Soyeon, Lift your head and see straightly where you are going rather than bending down to see the surfing board under your leg.

The reason I failed so far was that I paid too much attention to the anxiety in front of me that was shaking the moment. If you focus on your current anxiety like that, you will never trust yourself.

So, for the first time, I threw myself into the waves, counted 1,2,3, in my mind, and jumped off the surfboard without hesitation for a second. I focused on only one direction I had to go. Then the surfboard moved lightly like a feather and arrived at the beach smoothly.

2 things I learned from my first surfing experience at 34

What I realized while surfing at this Busan surf camp was that I looked back on my life and stopped saying "I'm not interested in those things!"

Actually, life is a series of unexpected events, and it doesn't make sense to try to find only a stable path. It is undeniable that the world I perceive has expanded thanks to trying surfing, which I was not familiar with before, now part of my world.

I learned two things from the first surfing of my life:

1. Give me a chance to try a new area even though I have never thought about it before.
2. A person's world can be expanded through experience. The world is really big, but if the world I understand is small, you will miss out on the joys of life. It's a good idea to start with questions like "Oh, Is there such a thing?" instead of "I'm not interested in it at all."
3. No matter what I do, keep my eyes in the direction of where I'm going.
4. That way, you will be able to move forward without fear when the waves come. If you look at what you are doing right now from a distant perspective, the difficulties and anxiety you are worry will seem small. Sometimes, when I have a hard time, I read books or documentaries about space. Looking at my worries reflected in the universe, I realized how small they are. If you look at it from such a distant point of view, even if you meet the big waves again, you gain the strength to move forward.

If you can't do it alone, you can do it together. There is a saying, “The world has been developed when 100 people  take one step forward together than when one person goes 100 steps ahead.” If you find it difficult to go surfing alone, why not try to go surf camp with women travelers this summer?

🏄NomadHer Surf Camp for women will be held from August 22-24 in Busan, South Korea. You will get more than I felt and learned through this camp.

Go to enroll in the Busan surfing camp on Aug

We had the pleasure to interview Catherine, a Canadian woman living in Paris, France. She traveled in around 100 different countries.

She shared her thoughts about solo traveling and safety.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself? What is your current status?

Hi! My name is Catherine, I am originally from Canada but I am now living in Paris, France.

I recently retired. Now I can travel all I want!

When did you start travelling alone?

When I was 18 years old.

Why did you decide to travel alone?

From the time I could read National Geographic I wanted to see all the places I read about. At 18, I got on my first international flight to visit a couple of countries in Europe. I loved it so much that I determined just to keep on and see the world, taking short-term jobs in some places in order to get enough to travel to the next few countries. I returned to Canada 2.5 years later having gone all around Europe, across Asia down to Australia and New Zealand and back up through the Orient from Indonesia to Japan.

Which countries did you visit?

I have been to close to 100 countries so I will just say the only continent I do not know well is Africa.

Which is/are your favorite and why?

Every country has something special. But I loved Peru for the absolute breadth of scenery, Amazonian jungles to deserts, Andean peaks to beautiful beaches, and Costa Rica for its spectacular and easily accessible diversity of flora and fauna.

Can you tell us about your very first travel alone?

My first trip was when I set off from Canada to Germany by myself to meet up with some friends and see Europe. But my pronunciation of German cities was so bad that when I bought my first train ticket I ended up hundreds of miles away from where my friends were waiting for me!

Which country or travel experience really surprised you?

I went to Tibet in the first year after China allowed in foreign tourists. Tibet had never really experienced modern tourism and just my presence in small towns could bring flocks of people to stare at me. That was really traveling back in time in many ways but the countryside was incredible. I can not say I developed much of a taste though for the ubiquitous yak butter tea, often served in cups that had never seen dishwater!

A meeting, a person that you will never forget?

On my first world trip, I was hitchhiking in New Zealand & all the drivers were so friendly that they would all take me on side trips to show me the local scenery and so I ended up not actually knowing the names of all the places I had visited. Somewhere during the day, I left behind my handbag with all my money and ID. I did not notice that it missing from my knapsack until later that night when I landed in Wellington. What was I to do? I stopped a girl on the street to ask her to help me find a police station. She ended up taking me home to her family. I stayed with them for a week until I finally got my handbag back. They were fabulous and so much fun!

What does travelling alone bring you?

I have collected a lot of friends all around the world and a plethora of unforgettable experiences. But most of all it has shown me that no matter anyone's background, education, race or religion, people are similar the world over. Our shared humanity counts much more than any differences and kindness and love can be found everywhere.

Did traveling change something in your life ? or in the perception of yourself?

Traveling taught me many things. It certainly increased my self-confidence and my ability to tackle challenges.

What would you say to people who say that traveling alone as a woman is dangerous?

I have been very lucky but that is not the case for all the female travelers I have known. You need to be vigilant and not tolerate bad behavior from men and always trust your intuition about a situation. You need to be willing to defend yourself and sometimes this attitude is all that is needed, bullies prefer weak victims. Use NomadHer and find a fellow traveler when going through unsafe or lonely areas.

What is your worst experience? How did you handle it? Did it have an impact on you, your behavior, or your life?

I did have a few very scary incidents. Luckily I always escaped and lived to tell the stories! These incidents just reinforced the fact that I needed to always watch out and stand up for myself.

What were the difficulties you had to overcome while travelling?

Always something - having money or phones stolen, illness (so many bad tummy bugs ! ), bed bugs! mosquitoes! running low on funds, language difficulties, getting lost, getting ripped off, etc. But the good times always put everything into perspective.

Best souvenir while travelling?

Really too many to name. Overall, there are kind, generous, and lovely people all around the world.

Is there a difference between how you used to travel and how you travel now?

When I started traveling there were no credit and cash cards, no mobile phones and GPS mapping, no cheap travel guidebooks, no internet, no Google, no language apps, and no light suitcases with wheels. China was a closed nation at that time...the list goes on. So you can imagine how different it is from today!

How do you think travelling can empower women?

Travel teaches us more than books and universities and podcasts ever will. Because you experience the world firsthand.

What advice and tips would you give women who hesitate to travel alone?

If you are hesitating from fear then use NomadHer to find travel companions. If you are hesitating because you think you can not do it - you can!

A message you want to give to the women who will read you?

If you are reading this, then you have found NomadHer and have instant access to a sisterhood of fellow travellers, a community of like-minded individuals. Take full advantage of this and go get your tickets to a whole world of adventure!

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<FRENCH>

Peux-tu nous parler un peu de toi, quand as-tu commencé à voyager seule ? Pourquoi ? Quelle est ta situation actuelle ?

Dès que j'ai pu lire le National Geographic, j'ai voulu voir tous les endroits dont ce magazine parlait. À 18 ans, j'ai pris mon premier vol international pour visiter quelques pays d'Europe. J'ai tellement aimé ça que j'ai décidé de continuer et de découvrir le monde, en prenant des emplois à court terme dans certains endroits afin d'avoir assez d'argent pour voyager dans les pays suivants. Je suis revenue au Canada deux ans et demi plus tard, après avoir fait le tour de l'Europe, traversé l'Asie jusqu'en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande et remonté l'Orient de l'Indonésie au Japon.

J'ai récemment pris ma retraite. Maintenant, je peux voyager autant que je veux !

Quels sont les pays que tu as visité ? Lequel ou lesquels sont tes préférés et pourquoi ?

J'ai visité près de 100 pays, alors je dirai simplement que le seul continent que je ne connais pas bien est l'Afrique.

Chaque pays a quelque chose de spécial. Mais j'ai adoré le Pérou pour la diversité absolue de ses paysages, des jungles amazoniennes aux déserts, des sommets andins aux belles plages, et le Costa Rica pour la richesse spectaculaire et facilement accessible de sa flore et de sa faune.

Peux-tu nous parler de ton tout premier voyage en solo ?

Mon premier voyage, c'était quand j'ai quitté le Canada pour l'Allemagne, toute seule, pour retrouver des amis et voir l'Europe. Mais ma prononciation des villes allemandes était si mauvaise que lorsque j'ai acheté mon premier billet de train, je me suis retrouvée à des centaines de kilomètres de l'endroit où mes amis m'attendaient !

Est ce qu’un pays ou une expérience t’as surpris lors de tes voyages ?

Je suis allé au Tibet la première année où la Chine a autorisé les touristes étrangers. Le Tibet n'avait jamais vraiment connu le tourisme moderne et ma simple présence dans les petites villes pouvait attirer des foules de gens qui me fixaient. C'était vraiment un voyage dans le temps à bien des égards, mais les zones plus rurales était incroyables. Je n’ai cependant pas développé un grand goût pour le fameux thé au beurre de yak, souvent servi dans des tasses qui n'avaient pas souvent  dû voir le liquide vaisselle !

Une rencontre, une personne que tu n'oublieras jamais ?

Lors de mon premier tour du monde, j'ai fait de l'auto-stop en Nouvelle-Zélande & tous les chauffeurs étaient si gentils qu'ils m'emmenaient tous faire des excursions pour me montrer le paysage local et j'ai fini par ne même plus connaître le nom de tous les endroits que je visitais. Au cours d’une journée, j'ai oublié mon sac à main avec mon argent et mes papiers d'identité. Je n'ai remarqué que plus tard dans la nuit son absence dans mon sac à dos, lorsque j'ai atterri à Wellington. Que devais-je faire ? J'ai arrêté une fille dans la rue pour lui demander de m'aider à trouver un poste de police. Elle a fini par m'emmener chez elle, dans sa famille. Je suis restée chez eux pendant une semaine jusqu'à ce que je récupère enfin mon sac à main. Ils étaient fabuleux et tellement amusants !

Que t’apporte le fait de voyager seule ?

J'ai recueilli beaucoup d'amis dans le monde entier et une pléthore d'expériences inoubliables. Mais surtout, cela m'a montré que, quels que soient le milieu, l'éducation, l’origine ou la religion, les gens se ressemblent partout dans le monde. Notre humanité commune compte bien plus que toutes les différences et la gentillesse et l'amour peuvent être trouvés partout.

Les voyages ont-ils changé quelque chose dans ta vie ? Dans la perception que tu as de de toi-même ?

Voyager m'a appris beaucoup de choses. Les voyages ont certainement renforcé ma confiance en moi et ma capacité à relever des défis.

Que dirais-tu aux personnes qui disent que voyager seule en tant que femme est dangereux ?

J'ai eu beaucoup de chance, mais ce n'est pas le cas de toutes les voyageuses que j'ai connues. Vous devez être vigilante et ne pas tolérer le mauvais comportement des hommes, et faites toujours confiance à votre intuition concernant une situation. Vous devez être prête à vous défendre et parfois cette attitude est tout ce qui est nécessaire, les brutes préfèrent les victimes faibles. Utilisez NomadHer et trouvez une partenaire de voyage lorsque vous traversez des zones dangereuses ou isolées.

Quelle est ta pire expérience ? Comment l'as-tu gérée ? A-t-elle eu un impact sur toi, sur ta vie ?

J'ai eu quelques incidents très effrayants. Heureusement, je m'en suis toujours sortie et je peux maintenant raconter ces histoires ! Ces incidents n'ont fait que renforcer le fait que je devais toujours faire attention et me défendre.

Quelles ont été les difficultés que tu as dû surmonter pendant tes voyages ?

Il y a toujours quelque chose - se faire voler de l'argent ou un téléphone, tomber malade (tant d'infections intestinales ! ), des punaises de lit, des moustiques ! Être à court d'argent, avoir des difficultés linguistiques, se perdre, se faire arnaquer, etc. Mais les bons moments relativisent toujours tout.

Ton meilleur souvenir de voyage ?

Il y en a vraiment trop pour les nommer. Dans l'ensemble, il existe des personnes gentilles, généreuses et adorables dans le monde entier.

Y a-t-il une différence entre ta façon de voyager d'autrefois et ta façon de voyager aujourd'hui ?

Lorsque j'ai commencé à voyager, il n'y avait pas de cartes de crédit ou d'argent liquide, pas de téléphones portables et de GPS, pas de guides de voyage bon marché, pas d'internet, pas de Google, pas d'applications linguistiques, pas de valises légères à roulettes. La Chine était une nation fermée... et la liste est longue. Vous pouvez donc imaginer à quel point la situation était différente de celle d'aujourd'hui !

Selon toi , comment les voyages peuvent-ils donner du pouvoir, de la confiance aux femmes ?

Les voyages nous apprennent plus que les livres, les universités et les podcasts ne le feront jamais. Parce que vous découvrez le monde de près.

Quels conseils et astuces donnerais-tu aux femmes qui hésitent à voyager seules ?

Si vous hésitez par peur, utilisez NomadHer pour trouver des partenaires de voyage. Si vous hésitez parce que vous pensez que vous ne pouvez pas le faire - vous pouvez !

Un message que tu veux transmettre aux femmes qui te liront ?

Si vous lisez ceci, c'est que vous avez trouvé NomadHer et que vous avez un accès direct à une communauté de voyageuses, une communauté d'individus partageant les mêmes idées. Profitez-en pleinement et allez chercher vos billets pour un monde d'aventures !

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