On Being A Woman Traveller
Ah! It’s Women’s Day again – Another year of blossoms, beauty and benevolence! When Pallavi of My Singapore Diary got in touch with me for a collaborative post, I jumped at the idea! I thought International Women’s Day was an ideal opportunity to exchange love and appreciate each other. I have been following Pallavi’s blog for about a year and a half, and I have to say that this girl simply rocks with her perky blog posts. She’s an Indian expat living in Singapore and making every bit of what life’s bringing on for her. Oh yes, she’s the perfect source for whatever you need to know about Singapore (I hope to see her when I embark on my Singaporean journey someday).
Well, a traveller is a traveller – men or women. I don’t intend to classify women as some different kind of travellers. All I want to convey is that I love being a woman who follows her heart. Travel just happens to be one of my passions in life and I am happy to be fulfilling it independently. Travel has ingrained in me a new level of confidence and wisdom, which I value like gold.
Love my solo space
I have been travelling alone for around five years now and I absolutely love it. I am a kind of person who likes to be with people, share anecdotes, laugh and have fun, but I am also someone who enjoys being alone. I don’t depend on people for fun and recreation. So when it comes to being on the road, I apply the same theory – if I find like-minded people, I am happy and if I don’t I am happier, because then I have more space to discover and experience my destination.
I amuse people as a solo traveller
Yes, people are often amused to find me travelling so intrepidly on my own. I tend to evoke humour wherever I go. Although I appear serious, I am a free-spirited soul. I can’t forget the remark I got from a senior BSF staff at the Rann of Kutch recently when I requested him to take my picture – “aap akele aise bada sa camera latkaye ghum rahin hain.” (How come are you travelling with this bulky camera on your own?)
I receive kindness on the road
No matter how media may project the situation of women in India, but there is definitely another side to the story. Being a woman traveller, I have received people’s kindness and favour in abundance. I believe the prevailing goodness should also be talked about as much as the wrong things are blown up.
I agree there are sordid things happening everywhere in the world, but there is so much of goodness as well. So why just talk about the unpleasant things and discourage women from following their dreams?
Being a woman and being a traveller is challenging, but not bad at all
Being a woman, I have to be extra cautious and choosy about things and situations. I have to be picky about where I stay while I am travelling, I have to take care how I dress, I need to be conscious about my surroundings – so yes, being a woman traveller is challenging, but it’s not so scary as it’s made out to be. If you look at it from a different perspective, it’s ‘rosy’ as well – people are there to carry my luggage (not everybody, though), offer me the best seat on a bus/train, walk an extra mile for me and help me out with little things.
Beauty is only skin deep
Ever since I have been travelling frequently, I have realized that a woman who travels is more beautiful from inside than outside. No matter how hard you try to take care of yourself, after a while you learn to just chill out and forget how you appear, because ‘how you feel’ and ‘what you experience’ is far more beautiful. (I’m sure some of you will nod in agreement.)
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What’s your favourite part about being a woman traveller?
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