CultureTravel My Experiences of Solo Travelling: Why I Travel Solo And Why Should You Too

My Experiences of Solo Travelling: Why I Travel Solo And Why Should You Too

Personally, I find solo travelling very empowering. However, one should also be prepared for the low points.

They say the world is a book and those who do not travel only read a page. I had a very un-travel-ish childhood. Like every other middle-class Indian family, my parents did not believe in travelling or even holidaying for that matter. The only vacation we used to take as an annual trip was to visit my maternal grandparents who thankfully lived in Dehradun – away from the bad and polluted Delhi (my hometown).

I remember once complaining to my mother that I was sick and tired of going to Dehradun and Mussoorie year after year, at which my mother pointed out that my cousins didn’t even get to do that since their grandparents lived in Delhi itself. I was suddenly made aware of the immense luxury I had because of my mother’s hometown and the vast open lush green spaces it offered.

Trying to find my feet in romanticised Paris. The Louvre, January 2010

Trying to find my feet in romanticised Paris. The Louvre, January 2010

I therefore realised quite early that I have to take it upon myself if I want to ‘see’ the world. I started solo travelling at the age of 19 and haven’t stopped since then. I started travelling while on a study scholarship to Germany and visited most of the European cities with ease. Actually, it didn’t strike me that I was a female solo traveller and that’s somewhat a big deal until I made my first solo trip outside Europe – Istanbul. The usual ‘single woman in a Muslim country in the Middle East’ excuse that was used by my parents to ensure that I’m ‘careful and alert all the time’ didn’t deter me from embarking on my first true solo trip to a beautiful city – where the East meets the West. Apart from the usual flirting and tourist-harassing, I never felt unsafe in the city. I actually felt safer than I usually do in Delhi.

Embarking on my first true solo trip in Istanbul; nervous, excited, scared, exhilarated are some of the words that can describe what I felt at that time. At the Topkapi Palace with the Prince Islands in the background, September 2013

Embarking on my first true solo trip in Istanbul; nervous, excited, scared, exhilarated are some of the words that can describe what I felt at that time. At the Topkapi Palace with the Prince Islands in the background, September 2013

I’m also into adventure sports and had my first experience at the age of 19 in Berlin. I jumped from a 120 metre high building in the heart of the city. Later, I went on to do scuba diving and sky diving in Spain. I’m glad that when I approached these places and expressed my interest in jumping off from crazy heights, I was not met with the usual “You’re a small woman, can you do it?” scepticism, but was respected and encouraged for my decision.

‘Flying’ with my Argentinean instructor in Empuria Brava, Spain. August 2013

‘Flying’ with my Argentinean instructor in Empuria Brava, Spain. August 2013

I know there are a lot of clichés about how travelling ‘changes’ your life and how everyone should travel. I understand travel is a privilege and not many can undertake it. This privilege might not always be monetary but also in terms of one’s mental and physical health, supportive family and friends (my parents have made peace with the fact that I travel solo), passport privilege and ability to access places, among others.

After my foreign escapades, I decided to give my country a shot and embarked on my first solo trip in India to Goa. The pristine beaches at Palolem couldn’t have been a better place for starting on a journey which would change my perspective towards travelling and life in general.

Holiday Essentials. Goa, March, 2014

Holiday Essentials. Goa, March, 2014

Another interesting travel I undertook was when I lived in a nunnery for a month. Most people have a very fixed image of what a nunnery looks like: austere and minimalistic living, strict and silent environment, conservative and orthodox. But Dolma Ling Nunnery & Institute, which is situated in Sidhpur in lower Dharamshala was a pleasant surprise. Dolma Ling has been built and fully supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project, a project set out to provide facilities for education and to empower and improve the overall status of ordained Tibetan women. When I first arrived at the nunnery, I was sceptical. But as time passed, I started loving this place. The joy of living your life differently, something which you’d have never imagined before is ecstasy-inducing..

The Prayer Room, Dolma Ling Nunnery. June, 2014

The Prayer Room, Dolma Ling Nunnery. June, 2014

I don’t know if solo travelling has changed my life, but I can definitely say that it has altered my thought process for the better. Especially, solo travelling has given me a lot of courage and determination to do things I had thought I’d be unable to do. In 2015, I went on quite a few solo trips starting with Srinagar, Goa, Kuala Lumpur, Stockholm, and ending the year in Hampi. Early this year, I embarked on a three-week solo trip in the south of India and visited eight cities backpacking my way from one to the other. My experience till now has been more or less positive; people have welcomed me into their homes, fed me, clothed me and treated me as one of their own. I have travelled with locals in local transport while exploring the hill stations outside of Srinagar. I have taken lifts from unknown men and felt completely safe. I wp-post-image" alt="Featured Image" decoding="async" data-srcset="https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1.png 1920w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-300x169.png 300w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-768x432.png 768w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-150x84.png 150w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-600x338.png 600w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-696x392.png 696w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-1392x783.png 1392w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-1068x601.png 1068w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-747x420.png 747w, https://feminisminindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Logo_Drafting-Committee-Women-1-1493x840.png 1493w" data-sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />

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