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Guide to solo female travel  I’m free... to do what I want... any old time Jodun Dunseath writes... 'So where did you go on your travels?' '[Enter some exotic place, e.g. India]' 'Wow, you’re brave, who did you go with?' 'Oh, I went on my own' 'But you obviously went with a tour or you knew people there... right?' 'No, I went on my own, by myself, with no one else, just me, myself and I!' 'You’re crazy - insane - have you lost your mind? Do your parents not love you?' This is a conversation I have had many times before, after and in-between travelling! I have managed to confuse my conventional friends and mystify foreign men by travelling alone.  I’m here to make the case for solo travel - the most fun, rewarding, exhilarating way to go! Who wants to travel with their best friend / boyfriend / the entire rugby team, exploring the clubs and bars of Australia, Fiji or Thailand, emailing home about drunken nights out for 50p and the lads getting into mischief with a local lady-boy? I want to add that there is nothing wrong with this and that I applaud anyone with a thirst for adventure, culture and seeing the world, but why not try something a bit different?To travel on your own there are only a few things you need... - Common sense - Motivation - A love of adventure - Confidence to talk to new people - A tiny bit of maturity - Enough money and a rucksack with some stuff If you can tick everything on that list, you’re ready for the adventure of a lifetime...  Meeting peopleTravelling no longer conjures up images of unwashed, dreadlocked, peace-loving, soul-searching types, living out of a rucksack the size of your left shoe (though I confess I have been most of these things at one time or other whilst travelling!). Whoever you are, you will meet like-minded people on the road. So the answer to the number one question - 'Don’t you get lonely?' - is a resounding 'No!' The local people I have met on my travels have been friendly, unbelievably generous and genuinely happy to meet a foreigner. Before you realise it you’ve been invited to someone’s house for dinner or their sister’s, daughter’s or neighbour’s wedding. They will inevitably name David Beckham and the Queen and show you stacks of photos of people they know who live in England! And as for fellow travellers, you’ll find that you’re connected - like Trekkies meeting at a Star Trek conference - by the fact that you’re on the same journey... excuse the pun! In no time you’ll be sharing anything from a beer to a month-long road trip with your new friends.  Still worried about getting by on your own? Arm yourself with a good travel guide like the trusty Lonely Planet. Then, if you’re ever lonely, pick somewhere with a good write-up and you’re bound to meet other travellers there. Just make sure you don’t treat your guidebook like a bible, using it hourly to plan your entire trip down to where you will be eating lunch next Wednesday!Staying safe To stay safe whist travelling you need three things: common sense, common sense, and finally common sense. Avoid anything that makes you look like an easy target. Here are some suggestions... - Never carry more money than you need. If you wear a money belt make sure it’s under your clothes. The leather belts, with a hidden zip compartment inside, look like a normal belt and are very effective. - If you carry a bag make sure it’s across your body. - Carrying an ID card with you is safer than losing your passport when out and about, but only do this if you know your passport is somewhere safe. - When buying a backpack, check it is lockable. Use a good combination lock - no need for keys! - Riding on buses or trains: when your bag is out of sight, lock it up. Take all valuables on the bus with you including your passport. - If you are to arrive in a place late at night ring a hotel in advance to book a room. There’s nothing worse than feeling vulnerable wandering the streets in the dark with your backpack. - Try to have only one bag on your back so your hands are free at all times.  - If you are lost and feel a little unsafe, wander into a restaurant or café to look at your map or ask directions. Always walk with confidence... like you own the streets!- Always zip it shut! A bag with a little inside pocket is great for wallets as they are harder find by unwanted fingers. Keep your bag in your sight, i.e. on your front. When taking photos you can be an easy target. - Travellers’ cheques are a great way to take your money but take a bank card and a back-up card as well. It’s safer than carrying lots of cash with you. - Try to dress a bit modestly. Cleavage, thighs and shoulders can attract a lot of attention. If you think you look hot, it is more than likely men will be thinking the same! - Don’t wander around late at night on your own. It’s logical but I have to warn you! Reassuring Mum and Dad I have been blessed with very understanding parents who let me travel for the first time at 18 to India on my own! So, how to tell your parents that you want to go travelling on your own? Approach them when they are in a good mood... preferably one caused by you! Don’t burst it out in the midst of a row whilst slamming the door to your bedroom... not a great sign of maturity! Parents love research, planning and itineraries. Know where you want to go, what you plan to do there, how you are going to fund it and when you will be home. Remember you are and always will be their baby however much you hate it! Promising to email or phone once a week is a good idea to let them know where you will be going next. Just don’t plan a specific time when you will ring or email, just in case you are caught away from a phone or internet café... unless you want your ‘rents to phone the embassy saying 'My baby is lost in the jungles of Mexico with malaria!' when really you’re in a bar in Mexico City chilling with some new-found friends and just forgot the time! What to take This is a tricky question, and the answer depends on where you’re going. I’ve made a list of roughly what I pack as a guideline...  1 pair of socks 5 pairs of cheap, dark underwear... they’ll always look clean! 2 skirts 1 pair of three-quarter-length shorts 2 T-shirts 2 vests 1 hoody... always a comfort 1 shirt 1 pair jeans / heavier trousers 2 bikinis / boardies 1 pair of trainers / light walking boots / walking shoes 1 pair of comfortable, good-quality sandals or flip-flops 1 waterproof 1 sarong - to use as a beach towel, scarf, skirt, bed sheet etc! 1 towel 1 torch First aid kit Sleeping bag liner A book... swap with other travellers along the way Music Pen knife Plastic toothbrush container- hygienic! Suncream and sunblock Guidebook. Lonely Planet comes with suggestions, route tips and maps  In regards to clothes... and I know I sound like a total girl... try and make sure everything goes together. Don’t take anything white unless you’re keen on the colour grey too! Convinced? Hopefully this has convinced you that there’s nothing scary or dull about travelling on your own. It’s an amazing experience and you will return older, wiser, more mature, confident and independent... all the makings of a great person! All photos by Jodun  Click here >> for more female travel advice Click here >> for more advice on dealing with parents Click here >> to browse and buy travel kit Not sure you want to go alone? Click here >> to find a travelmate on gapyear.com |
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