Solo traveling has now become a
trend. While there are some serious solo women sharing their travel experiences, there is also a lot of frivolity.

I started solo traveling over 5 years back and now hardly see it as such a big challenge. It is like in the 1980s “working women” were a trend, now it’s commonplace and passé. Yes there are still challenges as women globally get lower pay than their men counterparts, but that is a different thing. At least it is not something new, where a girl would go like, “ooh you know what? I am a woman and I work”. At least not in the reasonably urban areas. I know of conventional households that still don’t allow it but they are a rarity and not with the times.

I understand that solo travel is not so easy for people… But I have traveled a lot and I think it is time for the women to stop being silly. Be serious, do some solo travel and get out of the phase of ” Ooh I am a woman and I travel alone”.

Yes, there are challenges for women solo travelling, let’s understand them, discuss them and explore ways to address them.

I am currently seeing girls, who are either in a teenager rebel zone or they are wannabes or just being frivolous and keep on going on about how solo travel is awesome – BUT they have NO solo travel experience at all.

A lot of people also don’t seem to understand the meaning of “solo travel”.  Solo travel = traveling on your own. While you may hook up with other folks on the road, you are fundamentally on your own. There are also women (and men) who consider traveling in a group of ” new” people like a trekking group or so on as solo travel – but it isn’t. Good to see someone else who also has written on a similar matter – what is solo travel

I understand that some of these women may be serious about solo travel – but aren’t getting band width. Also sometimes just doing a very small portion of the trip on their own can be a pre-cursor to a proper solo travel.  But then just do a weekend trip. And if it simply isn’t happening then it is probably not important for them.

So, yes I hope that the scenario improves and solo travel for women in India becomes passé. Like every other woman is solo traveling. So then we can talk about some of the real experiences and difficulties of solo travel.

I am currently in Berlin, Germany and now pushing my solo travel adventures to a different level.

One of the first things I thought of as a Europe trip seemed on cards – let’s push the limits on solo experience.  This was the first world and at least here *hopefully* I wouldn’t have to all the time plan on the basis of basic safety.

Follow my solo adventure in Europe via twitter updates at #maproute or http://facebook.com/maproute.

What do you think about solo travel for women in India?