Because Waiting for Someone to Come With You Is So 2016
Solo Female Travel
Solo female travel is a daunting concept for anyone with an ounce of sanity. Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t wake up one day oozing confidence and whispering “I shall now travel the world… alone.” I booked my first solo trip because none of my friends could commit to my confusing schedule of workable dates, flights, or anything that required a calendar and an ounce of decisiveness. So I thought, fine, I’ll go alone. What could possibly go wrong?
(Hint: everything. And also nothing)
I’m flying solo
Solo female travel sounds very Eat Pray Love on paper. But let me tell you- it’s less sipping wine in Italy and more trying to communicate with your Airbnb host through Google Translate at midnight because the lockbox is jammed and your phone’s on 3%. But honestly? That chaos becomes part of the charm.
Here’s what no one tells you about travelling solo as a woman: it’s kind of addictive. Once you survive your first awkward dinner-for-one (and maybe cry in the toilet of a train station just once… it builds character), you realise just how powerful it is to not rely on anyone else for your happiness, safety, or sense of direction. Especially the last one, because wow, Google Maps and I have been through it.
In Lagos, I wandered around pastel-tiled streets with nothing but a tote bag, a half-charged phone, and a playlist that made me feel like the main character. I got lost at least five times. I also found a rooftop bar that wasn’t on any blog and had a cocktail the size of my head. Would I have found it if I’d been following someone else’s itinerary? Doubt it.
Mixing the highs and the lows
Solo female travel isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it’s you, a bunk bed in a hostel, and a snoring stranger named Federico. But it’s also eating pastries by the sea while journaling about your feelings like you’re the main character in an early 2000s romcom. It’s the freedom to change your plans at 2pm just because the energy isn’t vibing. It’s learning how to read maps, trust your gut, and occasionally, how to politely reject that man on the corner who says he’s a “professional photographer”.
And yes, safety is a real concern, but it’s manageable. I have a few rules (that maybe I learnt the hard way): I never walk alone super late, I keep my accommodation details to myself, and I always- always- look like I know where I’m going, even if I’m just confidently striding into a dead end. Fake it ‘til you make it, baby.
Here’s the thing: travelling solo as a woman teaches you that you are capable of more than you think. You become your own hype woman, your own tour guide, and occasionally your own emergency contact (it’s called multitasking).
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to book that trip- this is it. Don’t wait for your friends to be “ready.” Don’t let fear win. Pack your bag, romanticise your airport coffee, and go find out what happens when you are the plan.
Because solo female travel isn’t just a trend; it’s a full-blown lifestyle. And once you start? Trust me, there’s no going back.
