female travel
The girl's guide to all things travel; optimal itineraries, recommendations and more for solo female travel and group trips alike.
How I Ease the Creepiness of Hiking Solo
I received a message this week from an Instagram follower, who enjoys hiking alone, but admits it can feel a little “creepy.” She was looking for recommendations on what to bring on a solo hike that could put her more at ease. I can relate to her reference to creepy, since it took me some time to become more comfortable with being in the woods alone.
By Jill Roberts5 years ago in Wander
Future Memories
I have happened upon a town, separated from the world by trees and valleys. In awe of the magic here that is woven into the fabric of its existence. I feel at peace here. I parked the bus and before exploring, I was determined to fix the rocky seat I have been sitting on for many days now. As I crouch down to replace the bolt that has stripped I notice a small, leatherbound black book wedged there. I put it aside, vowing to read it after my exploration. I exit the bus and see a man sitting in a parking lot on a beach chair. I feel compelled to meet him. He has an air about him. A knowing that radiates from his person. And he looks like Jesus. He greets me as if he has been waiting for me to arrive. He tells me I must walk down Honeysuckle Ln. There is something for me there. And so I go.
By Acorn Elephante5 years ago in Wander
Oahu
It was a Wednesday, and it was my first real date in almost two years. I was fantastically anxious, and quite unsure of if this experience was even something I was truly ready for. But he seemed kind, and interesting, and though the date quickly turned absurd and hilariously horrific—as was the rest of our short lived relationship—it did leave me with a memorable story to tell and lessons to reflect upon for the months to come.
By Rose Hutson5 years ago in Wander
Second Helpings of Turkish Delight
It’s hard to believe that this is the second time I’ve sat at this very coffee bar, in Turkey. I never thought I’d go to Turkey once, let alone twice, let alone twice within about 6 months. This time a few years before now I was probably…somewhere very different. Still looking at the world through the lens of a National Geographic magazine. Turkey was something you ate at Christmas, and only vaguely registered as somewhere you could actually go.
By Emily Hunt5 years ago in Wander
The Freshest of Starts
On a whim, I took a solo trip to Scotland in March of 2018. My decision was born out of a mix of frustration with the state of my life and an equally strong desire to shake things up. I needed a new perspective, a fresh start for my 40th year of life. I decided that it was time to start waiting for someone to be my travel buddy and embark on an adventure all my own.
By Tara James5 years ago in Wander
My Escape From Marriage to Mountain Views
When most married women think of their honeymoons, their eyes light up with memories of young love. What I remember brings no smile to my face. My husband, feeling secure that he now had the puss in the bag, lay in bed, and shared all the lies he remembered telling throughout our relationship. Now that we were married, he said, he could trust me with the truth. He then told me he loved me, rolled over, cuddled the dog, and slept like a baby.
By Alexis Chateau5 years ago in Wander
Swish
A long time ago, when I was quite a different person, well before I was anything like any of you know now. Before I became a professional anything, when I still had short hair that was in the slightly ragged stage where it was trying to be long while still being short, when I was still under (likely well under) 5 feet tall, and the only thing I was remotely aggressive about or proud of was my voice. A long time ago, I was good at something else.
By Emily Hunt5 years ago in Wander
Drawing Back the Curtain
Tours to the Valley of the Kings always start early, it’s a long drive from Safaga out to Luxor. A lot of us make the trek, despite being exhausted and gritty eyed from the crew party and BBQ the night before. I am the first one on the bus, prepared this time, with an oversized bottle of water next to me and an extra container of SPF 30 sunscreen in my purse (I’m already wearing SPF 60, but in places like this you can never be too careful), next to a pocket umbrella. I am trying to avoid a repetition of last year’s sun-stroke. For a half hour I’m the only one on the bus, soaking up the silence that is all too soon broken by the excited babble of voices in Indonesian and Phillipino as well as English. Without looking up from my book I reach into my purse and pull out my I-pod; even here, perhaps especially here, I remain solitary, preferring the company of my own daydreams to conversation. These are not guests, and, as such, I’m not required to speak.
By Emily Hunt5 years ago in Wander
The Blue Atlas Project Brings Aid to Devastated Abaco Island
Kali Kirkendall walks to the stove in her underwear, spins the knob on and brings a blue flame to life beneath the kettle. The sailboat sways with the rhythm of the ocean as she hangs onto the counter and props the Aero Coffee Press between various heavy items stacked together in the sink so it doesn’t tip over. She pours the boiling water through the press then steps back to her bunk and layers on clothing to stave off the 4 a.m. chill.
By Michelle McAfee5 years ago in Wander
