Debunking Solo Travel Misconceptions for Women

Have you ever looked at a solo traveler with a mix of curiosity, concern, or even pity? Those reactions reveal the powerful misconceptions surrounding solo travel, especially for women over 50. As a freedom traveler and coach who's ventured solo across continents, I'm pulling back the curtain on these limiting beliefs that might be keeping you from one of life's most empowering experiences.

Safety concerns top most people's list when discussing solo travel. While being informed is crucial—researching current conditions and avoiding regions experiencing unrest—countless destinations welcome solo women travelers with open arms. Resources like Safe Expat offer daily safety updates, and thorough preparation eliminates most risks. The world offers abundant safe havens for the solo adventurer.

Beyond safety myths lies the assumption that solo travelers are lonely souls without companions. This perspective misses the mark entirely. Many women, myself included, actively choose solo travel for its unparalleled freedom. There's a special kind of empowerment that comes from navigating foreign streets on your own terms, making spontaneous decisions, and discovering your own resilience. Paradoxically, solo travelers often find themselves more socially engaged than those in groups, striking up conversations and forming connections that might never happen otherwise.

I still experience fears during my travels—like my recent worry about breaking down in remote parts of Iceland without cell service. But courage isn't the absence of fear; it's moving forward despite it. With each journey, that courage muscle strengthens, building confidence that extends well beyond travel into everyday life. Solo travel becomes not just a vacation choice but a transformative practice in self-reliance and presence.

Ready to dispel these myths through your own experience? Whether you're considering your first solo adventure or seeking to expand your horizons, I'm here to help. Connect with me for personalized guidance on creating your perfect solo journey. Don't wait for the "right" companion or the "perfect" time—your adventure is calling now. What destination will be your first solo story?

BOOK A CALL: Get direction for your solo trip

https://calendly.com/solotraveladventures/book-a-call

Support the show

Instagram @solotraveladventures50

Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50

https://www.facebook.com/groups/860865768609200

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What do you think about?
When you see somebody solotraveling or you hear of someone
who's going on a solo trip.
What goes through your mind?
Do you think they're crazy?
Do you think, oh, it's not safe?
Or you wish you could do that?
Well, today's episode, we'regoing to talk about the
misconceptions or myths aboutsolo travel.

(00:23):
Misconceptions or myths aboutsolo travel.
Welcome to Solo TravelAdventures for women 50 and
older.
I'm Cheryl S, your host, solotravel advocate, freedom
traveler and coach.
This is your passport toadventure.
As a solo traveler, I hear allkinds of things some.

(00:44):
As a solo traveler, I hear allkinds of things, some
misconceptions, some judgmentfrom people when they hear that
I solo travel, and so that Ishare some of that with you and
also dispel all of that.
So, of course, the number onetop of list that old, old, I
would say it's not something tobe too concerned with now, but
it's still a concern for manywomen, especially women is the

(01:09):
misconception is that solotravel is not safe.
Well, I do always recommend youdo your research First of all.
It's not true, and if you doyour research, you're going to
feel prepared and safe for yourtravels.
And when I say research, forexample, you definitely want to
research what's happening in thecountry that you are planning

(01:32):
to go to.
For example, right now, at thetime of this recording, going to
places in the Middle East likeIran or Israel or even the
Jordan places in that vicinitywould not be recommended and, as
a matter of fact, many airlines, because they have to fly over

(01:52):
that airspace, are cancelingflights.
So even if you were consideringgoing somewhere in that
surrounding area, obviously ifyou did it before any of this
happened, because a lot of timescivil unrest and wars are just
unpredictable, of course.
So just making sure you'restaying on top of that, but
outside of that, doing yourresearch to find out you know

(02:15):
more about the country thatyou're going to.
What is the culture like?
Look on some country websites tosee if there's any current
threats happening.
I always recommend there's agreat.
It's called Safe Expat.
They're constantly.
If you follow my Instagram,every day they're going to post

(02:37):
kind of what is happening in theworld, who's at the yellow
level of threat, who's at orangeor red, or maybe they've
recounted, sort of changed theirmind because of what's
happening in that country.
So always do your research and,believe me, there are plenty of
countries that are safe.

(02:57):
We have so many to choose from.
So don't just think, oh, I'm solimited because these countries
are not safe.
There are plenty that are safefor solo travelers and for women
.
So make sure you're doing yourresearch.
And it's not true.
There's plenty of beautifulplaces in the world to travel

(03:18):
for women.
Number two oh, we get the pityparty.
We get the judgment of oh well,they must not have anyone to go
with.
While this may or may not betrue, it may be that they were
traveling with a friend, orplanned to travel with a friend,
and that friend backed out atthe last minute and they're

(03:39):
still going anyways, which kudosto them, I definitely say.
Do it if that happens to you.
But there are many women thatchoose to solo travel for
whatever reason, and so do notpity them to solo travel for
whatever reason, and so do notpity them, do not look on them
as though.
Well, it's because they didn'thave any friends or they didn't

(04:03):
have a spouse to go with, andthat's why they're solo
traveling.
That is not always the case.
Matter of fact, many women whohave solo traveled in the past
actually revel in the fact thatthey get to solo travel again,
and there's some empowerment.
That happens when you solotravel.
So if you've never experiencedthat, I of course always
encourage you to have thatexperience so you can understand

(04:24):
why many of us prefer solotravel.
And so there's many benefits tosolo travel.
But do not feel bad for them.
Do not have a pity party, andit could be either way, so it's
not always true.
Number three oh, it must be solonely to solo travel.

(04:46):
Well, not necessarily, andmaybe their intention for the
solo trip is because they dowant to be alone or have some
self-reflection time, or maybethey are an introvert and so
solo travel just sort of fitstheir personality a little
better.
It doesn't have to be that way.

(05:06):
There are times when it can belonely, but you have plenty of
opportunities to join thingslike a day tour, a walking tour,
anything that might have youencounter or be in a group
setting or be around otherpeople.
Maybe it's a festival, thereare plenty of things to do where

(05:28):
you will not be alone, andthere are some studies out there
on solo travel that when youare traveling solo you are more
likely to strike up aconversation and even meet
others than if you were on analready built-in sort of group.
It's almost like you're forcedto have to talk to somebody,

(05:49):
you're forced to have to asksomebody for directions, you're
forced to, you know, strike up aconversation and see what that
person has done or have arecommendation for a restaurant,
whatever it may be, it doesn't.
You do not have to be lonely,and that's just a misconception
about solo travel.
Number four you won't have funbecause you don't have anyone to

(06:13):
share the moment with.
I hear that a lot People saywell, wouldn't you want to share
that highlighted moment withsomebody?
Yeah, in a way, but it's amemory I also can keep to myself
and you can always have funagain without having being in a
group or maybe being withsomebody.

(06:34):
So that's not always true.
And, yes, there are times whenI might say, oh, so, and so
would really love this.
And, as we know, unless you area professional photographer,
when we try to capture a moment,whether it's in nature, but
it's hard to also capture amoment when it's maybe an
experiential, cultural thing,where you're, you know, immersed

(06:58):
in the culture, and so that'snot something you can photograph
and it's something that can beshared.
Yes, that is can be a lovelything, but you can also look at
it as this is a precious momentin my memory and my memory alone
, so it doesn't have to belooked on like that.

(07:19):
And number five people often say, oh my gosh, you're going solo
travel.
You are so brave, I mean, Icould never do that.
You must be fearless.
You have to be fearless inorder to travel solo.
That is not the case, and mostpeople say, oh, I'm just not
courageous enough to do it,enough to do it.

(07:45):
Well, I like to look at courage.
Courage is not the lack of fear.
Obviously, we know that courageis taking a step forward
despite the fear.
And often, when we keep gettingout of our comfort zone and we
keep challenging this fear thatwe might have, we get stronger,
stronger in our courage.
And courage is like a muscle,so it does need to be, you know,

(08:06):
exercised and practiced to geta little stronger.
And I'm not saying that fearcompletely goes away as you
become, you know, more, moregifted in your solo travel, or
you have more opportunities todo it, um, but rather you build
a little more confidence eachtime.
And so you know there's stillcertain, you know, fears that

(08:29):
might pop up.
For me, actually, my mostrecent one in Iceland, I had a
really strange, just a gnawingfear that when I was driving in
some of these desolate parts ofthe country where there may or
may not have been cell service,my fear was oh my gosh, what if

(08:51):
I break down?
There's nobody out here to helpme and I have no way to get a
hold of anybody, and my familydoesn't even know where I'm at.
So I'm not saying that thefears go away just because I've
been doing solo travel for yearsnow.
But you get more courageous, asI like to say, and in kind of

(09:14):
just moving forward in this, inyour travel, in your trip.
So I want to dispel any kind ofmyths that you have about solo
travel because I want toencourage you to get out there
and do it yourself, especiallyif you have never gone on a solo
trip, and I would also love tohelp you with that.

(09:39):
Notes and there should be alink for you to book a call with
me if there's.
You know not sure where tostart on trying to figure out
where to go, how to approach thesolo travel adventure that you
know in your heart and in yourgut that you need to experience.
Well, sister travelers.
As I always say get out thereand have that adventure, do not

(10:01):
not wait for somebody that's.
The other thing is we think wegot to wait to do a trip, and
this is why solo travel doeshappen for some people.
But don't wait, just get outthere and do it.