When people hear that I travel alone in my Airstream, the first response I usually get is, “You’re so brave!” The truth is, around when I hit 25 (so only a couple years ago), something seriously weird started happening where I started pondering my own mortality 🙃Basically, this means that I’m a lot less brave than people think, and I take some serious precautions when I’m traveling just because I’m scared of dying.
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Here are three things I don’t do as a solo female traveler:
#1: Remote boondocking
You know those awesome pictures of RVers camping in the middle of nowhere, on the edge of a cliff, with no hookups (i.e. boondocking), and no one else in sight? Yeah, I don’t really do that. I’ll camp in remote yet established campgrounds, but I haven’t really worked up the courage to staying alone, in the middle of nowhere— mostly for fear of something happening without anyone nearby to help. Also because I’ve watched a lot of true crime documentaries.
#2: Remote hiking
I love to hike, and, in the past, I’ve loved to hike remotely. When I was 19, I went on a two week solo trek through the Swiss Alps. Now that I’ve gotten older though, I’m more aware of all the things that can go wrong when you’re hiking by yourself, so I generally try to stick to moderately trafficked hikes. The key is finding the sweet-spot between desolate and Disney-land.
#3: Always tell the truth
Any woman knows that, sometimes, when you meet someone, you just get a kind of creepy feeling… almost like a spidey-sense. It’s probably wrong half the time and you have nothing to worry about, but whenever I get that feeling about someone, I always lie and tell them that I’m traveling with another person, like a boyfriend. (“They’re just running some errands right now.” or “They’re back at the Airstream.”) Even when someone isn’t creepy, I never offer up the information that I’m alone. This just makes me feel like less of a target and helps me sleep better at night.
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Here are three things I do as a solo female traveler:
#1: Have a satellite phone
My father is the best and, when I announced that I’d be Airstreaming alone, decided that I’d need a satellite phone. He gifted one to me so that I can call for help even when no cell service is available. It makes me feel better when I’m hiking alone and on those long stretches of unserviced highways.
#2: Have a safety flashlight
People often ask me if I carry a gun or knife for personal protection. It might sound funny, but I instead have a safety flashlight in case someone accosts me while I’m walking my dog at night. (I also carry a knife, but that’s for mundane reasons.) The best flashlights have sharp ridges on the front so you can jab someone with it and are bright enough to stun them if you shine it directly in their eyes. Guns and knives can escalate a situation, while a flashlight is usually used for the sole purpose of getting away from trouble.
#3: Let my parents track me
I have an iPhone, so I let my parents track me through the Find Friends app. Not only does it make me feel better knowing that my location is available, but it makes them feel better knowing that they can find me as long as I’m with my phone. It’s a small comfort, but those make all the difference when you’re alone.
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Hopefully I’ve convinced you that you don’t have to be too brave to be a solo female traveler—there’s still plenty of room to be a scaredy-cat 😉