Comments on: What’s So Revolutionary About Women Traveling Alone?

By: Jo (The Blond)

Jo (The Blond) — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:13:04 +0000

I’m just writing a similar post and doing some research.
I’m also going for a trip without my husband. I’m leaving in january with my sister for a 3 months trip around South East Asia. I feel guilty, but I also dream about travel and this is what I need to do. He doesn’t mind me going. He decided not to go because of his work, and I’m not going to give up on a dream.
I really like your post. I’m glad I’m not along

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:36:45 +0000

The friend was probably jealous because she didn’t have the courage to travel on her own. Thing is, it’s not just married women who catch flack for traveling alone. I’ve been unmarried for more than 20 years and people are always shocked when they find out I travel by myself. Shoot, if I had to wait for a travel companion, I’d be stuck at home all the time!

By: appy

appy — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:49:38 +0000

i love travelling and having said that, i have no problem in travelling alone. Infact i don’t see any problem in not travelling with my partner. If he doesn’t want to go or if he has some work schedule and I have the chance, why not. I am not married now , hence I can and do travel alone for fun but I wonder what will happen once I get married. Will my partner have a problem with this attitude of mine. Will he think I am ready to have fun without him. I don’t know. But I surely love travelling and does not let any chance passby.

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:44:33 +0000

For those interested in stories of solo traveling as a woman, I highly recommend some of the stuff that Laurie from the Crazy Aunt Purl blog has written – http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2008/12/london_calling.php

By: AmandaS

AmandaS — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:58:51 +0000

Wow. I had no idea that this was a thing! When I read the title I thought it would be about foreign women in foreign countries, like how Egyptian law used to deny a woman the right to travel outside the county without the permission of her husband. Maybe it’s the family and community I grew up in, or maybe it’s the fact that I never travel because I can’t afford to. Thanks for writing this up and bringing it to my attention!

By: waxghost

waxghost — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:02:45 +0000

Wow, I would never have even thought of the idea that going on vacation alone was a sign that a woman was trying to or going to cheat. I agree that you’re better off without that “friend”.

My husband and I spend a LOT of time together, but it’s because we work together AND really enjoy each other’s company. I was just telling him last night about who flirts with me all the time at the grocery store, and I even went on a roadtrip with a male friend who every stranger along the way assumed was my boyfriend. But it’s all just kind of amusing, not threatening to our marriage in any way.

By: Ms. M

Ms. M — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:37:49 +0000

How odd. I know SO many women who vacation separately from spouses. Usually it is a lack of similar interests thing.

Even when the spouse and I travel with the kids, we end up splitting up on the vacation. We simply have different interests and stamina. We take turns taking care of the kids while the other does their thing.

I can’t imagine someone thinking to travel without one’s S.O. is somehow outrageous.

By: PetiteXL

PetiteXL — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:34:38 +0000

Several years ago, I took a trip to Europe on my own (wasn’t married/in an LTR so that didn’t play into it) and I was absolutely stunned by the number of people who just couldn’t get the concept through their heads. “Alone? Do you know anyone there? Well, aren’t you brave!” Brave was one I heard a LOT. I was staying in Paris for a week. It’s not like I was going spelunking in a remote Peruvian cave or something.

This is a subject that presses near and dear to my heart, because I would love to travel a bit more than I do, and for me it’s fun to go with a friend, but so many women just can’t conceive of traveling alone or with only other women. Certainly there are some dangers to be aware of, but it’s more than that, too. I think that some women just feel (still! ugh!) that they need a man there, “In case something goes wrong,” and that makes me so sad. Another issue that I think factors in is that most people can only afford a few (if any!) big trips in their life, and they want to “save it” for a romantic partner.

By: Marie Anelle

Marie Anelle — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:39:45 +0000

My husband pretty much expects me to travel by myself if it involves a plane. He is so scared of flying that we haven’t been able to go on a vacation together because the place we really want to go requires a couple of days driving and would max out any vacation time I had at work. It’s either just me or with a friend.

By: annajcook

annajcook — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:05:59 +0000

@oldfeminist writes: not taking separate vacations is not the same as spending every single moment together out of fear and mistrustAgree with you there, as my partner and I really love to spend our leisure time doing stuff in tandem, and get lonely for eachother when we travel solo without the other. I think the distinction is if the idea of traveling solo causes extreme anxiety or triggers distrust in your partner/spouse. Or if you’re limiting your activities to a major degree (that is, not doing something that really brings you pleasure) because the other person isn’t interested or can’t come at a given moment.

For example, I took a 10-day research trip alone last spring. Did I miss Hanna? Hell, yeah. Did I cancel my research and design my thesis around a topic that could be researched locally so I didn’t have to leave? No. And she didn’t ask or expect me to (and probably would have been upset if I’d tried).