I've been to 50 countries solo as a female. Here's what I've learnt
Spontaneous decisions have shaped some of my most memorable travel adventures, but I never leave home without a bit of careful planning. In a new city, I scour the internet for information about different neighbourhoods and work out which places to avoid.
The comment sections on platforms like Booking.com are also helpful. When were the most recent comments posted? Does the hotelier respond quickly? Have many people left positive feedback? These are all good indications of a safe and reliable space.
Share your itinerary
Sharing my whereabouts not only allows my mum to live vicariously through my travels – it also keeps me safe. Apps like TripIt can amalgamate confirmation emails into a detailed plan to be shared with friends and family, while TrackMyTour creates an interactive map of waypoints.
If mobile roaming isn't an issue, switch on location services and share details with a select circle through the Life360 app or Find My on the iPhone. Where possible (and affordable), I always take an Uber rather than a taxi or local bus – largely because journeys are tracked and the trip status can easily be shared.
But don't overshare
Tempting as it might be to shout about adventures, avoid posting any geo-located material on social media in real time. Unless shared within a private group, never make public any information about travel plans and places where you intend to sleep. Either be vague about specific locations or post material a few days later.
Making new friends is one of the great joys of travel, but I'm always hesitant to reveal too much personal information with strangers.
If ever in doubt, it's fine to tell a few white lies and pretend you are travelling with somebody else or have plans to catch up with friends. When arranging to meet up with new acquaintances, always choose a busy place and share your plans with others at home.
Carefully timetable
Arriving anywhere after dark can be daunting – especially if you've never been there before. I always try to travel during daylight hours and avoid arriving at a hotel too late. If there's no other option – especially in the case of international flights – I pre-book transport through a reputable company or arrange to stay somewhere close to the airport.
Connect with other women
Sharing experiences with other female solo travellers can be both reassuring and helpful. Similar to a dating app, platforms like Tourlina, Bumble BFF and NomadHer can be used to find like-minded matches in different destinations. Users can create profiles, share ideas and even arrange meet-ups.
On several occasions, I've also requested a female guide – partly to support greater gender equality but also to get a female perspective and inside knowledge.
Another option is to join a specialist escorted tour. Companies like Intrepid, Trafalgar and The Adventure People arrange women-only tours – often providing access to activities that wouldn't be possible in a mixed gender group.
Come prepared
A lot of my travels are in developing countries so I'm always cognisant of the yawning inequality between (relatively) wealthy foreigners and local workers on a low wage. Unfortunately, I've occasionally had cash go missing – even in five-star hotels.
To avoid any issues, I carry a padlock to put on my suitcase and keep any valuables inside – although I tend to leave any jewellery at home and prefer to travel light.
I use a door latch, if there's one available, and stuff any visible peepholes with a piece of tissue. When entering a room, I check windows are lockable along with any interconnecting doors.
Pack appropriate clothing
I'm a big believer in clothes as a form of self-expression, but sometimes it's better not to shout about your presence too loudly. Preferring to blend into the background, I avoid wearing anything showy and opt for conservative clothing where culturally appropriate.
In Muslim countries like Oman, for example, I would never bathe in a wadi wearing a skimpy bikini and would always opt for long skirts, trousers and T-shirts rather than hot pants and crop tops.
Use your intuition
Loading
If a situation feels uncomfortable, there's no shame in walking away. Whether it's a guide, fellow traveller, bus driver or waiter – nobody has the right to invade your personal space. Either politely deflect any unwanted attention, or – in more serious cases – alert others to what is going on.
Even if you are travelling solo, having a network of friends nearby or connected online means you will never be alone.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
13-06-2025
- Herald Sun
Gen Z are cancelling hotel check outs, labelling it an 'old people's' act
Along with ankle socks, phone calls, skinny jeans, dancing with your hands above your head, and wearing a black top with blue jeans, Gen Z have cancelled checking out of a hotel. Lining up is an antiquated act, and moving forward we should be able to waltz out without saying a word. That's the logic. Why wait just to hand a card over? That's valuable doom-scrolling time. After a few days of hotel check-out rabbit-holing, allow me to explain what's going on (and the new rules of checking out of a hotel). The latest Millennial travel trend Gen Z has deemed uncool The hotel check out theory made waves on on Sunday, with popular Instagram account @iamthirtaf posting: "Boomers will literally wait in a hotel line to tell someone at the front desk that they are 'checking out' instead of just going home." The post cleaved people into two camps, with some agreeing it's time to phase out as much human interaction as possible from hotels, and others saying checking out is a habit worth maintaining. Over on Reddit, a thread on this same topic popped up on Monday, discussing whether checking out was actually "wasting the clerk's time" or indeed saving them time. Opinion was split, with some people saying it's polite to let staff know you're checking out, as they need to clean your room, and others saying it's unnecessary. "I always check out at the desk," one said. "It lets them know that I have left and they can clean the room." Another said: "If you can check out through an app, I'll do that. If there is no line, I'll let the clerk know. But I'm not going to stand in a line to let anyone know though." In another thread, a hotel worker ranted about how it slows housekeeping down if you don't check out, furious that "out of around 50 check outs each morning, I see maybe 15-20 of them at the front desk." She adds: "When did it become the norm to just walk out of the hotel without telling any of the front desk staff that you are leaving?" So, what's the right answer? Simone Mitchell, Escape's Associate Digital Editor, hopes the front desk check out eventually becomes a thing of the past (though she still does follow a hotel's check-out policy). "Oh my god yes," she said. "Flee the scene. Any opportunity to minimise small-talk with strangers, I am all for. I don't want to have to wax lyrical about how much I enjoyed my stay when I have an impatient Uber driver waiting." "And increasingly - especially in south east Asia - they put the hard word on you to give a five-star rating on Google/Trip Advisor as soon as you concur that you had an enjoyable stay. Nope, a key drop box at reception is my hotel love language." Escape Social Media Editor Edwina Hart is another fan of the Irish exit: "I'm all for a quick, fuss-free check out," she says. "Especially if it saves time when you're rushing to catch a flight!" Escape Editorial Production Manager Alessandra Allegretti, however, says "it's basic manners to say bye and thank the the staff before going." John Hannan, Escape Digital Director, says it's rude to leave without saying anything and that - for him - checking out of a nice hotel is all part of the experience (though he concedes that when travelling for business he's be happy with a drop off box). Rowena Ryan, Escape Digital Editor says talking to hotel staff is how you can score upgrades, get local advice and see a friendly face - all things which add up to making your experience feel like a holiday. As for me, a 30-year-old still confused about whether I identify more as a Millennial or Gen Z, I think checking out is an old people act that I would happily see abolished. So long as I don't have to download an app instead (no memory on my phone). The verdict Is it time for checking out of a hotel to go the way of MySpace, Jason Derulo, Good Charlotte, Green Day and Fedoras? For the time being - the polite thing to do is to follow your hotel's policy. Some hotels will have drop boxes for your room key. Others won't. So be guided by the place you're in. What's the future of checking out? Some hotels have a digital self service option (which allows you to check out on your own) and a growing number of guests are using it (currently around 30 per cent of guests at A by Adina Sydney are using this system). TFE Hotels' Global Marketing Officer, Katia Giurtalis explains that they are also testing people's check out preferences at a micro hotel lab called MM:NT, in Berlin. "Our theory is that there's a cohort of Gen Z and Millennial travellers in particular that are open to new ways of interacting with hotel services," she told Escape. "We're using the lab to explore various hotel interfaces to see how we can adapt to changing behaviours and demands." In other words: watch this space. Checking out is still a thing - for now. But not checking out is becoming more of a thing. So - like self service check outs at supermarkets there's probably going to be both options moving forward. Put that in your ankle socks and scratch it. And now excuse me while I go cry into the nearest IPA. Originally published as Apparently, checking out of a hotel is an 'old people's' act
Canberra Times
12-06-2025
- Canberra Times
Sleep under stars, swim with crocs - welcome to the wild Kimberley
Getting there: Qantas and Virgin fly direct to Broome from Melbourne and Sydney. Touring there: Intrepid's 11-day Wild Kimberley Overland tour runs from May to September. From $4220 per person. Camping upgrades available some nights. Explore more:
The Advertiser
12-06-2025
- The Advertiser
A puppy, exotic fish and a meat tray... surprising items left in Ubers
A puppy, exotic fish and a vibrator are some of the unique items that top ridesharing company Uber's Lost and Found Index in 2025. The annual index gives a glimpse into the most commonly abandoned items in Uber, which is used by over 3.8 million Australians each year. The most forgotten items were clothing, backpacks/luggage, phones, jewellery and headphones. Sydney had the ignominious title of being crowned the world's most forgetful city, followed by Melbourne and then Perth. The Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Geelong, Wollongong and Ballarat featured in the top 15 most forgetful cities. Uber's director of consumer operations, Mathieu Maire, said the index offered a "quintessentially Aussie look at life on the move". "Behind every lost item, there's often a little story," he said. Mr Maire said it was important to note that it is easy to contact your Uber driver to try and get your item back. A puppy, exotic fish and a vibrator are some of the unique items that top ridesharing company Uber's Lost and Found Index in 2025. The annual index gives a glimpse into the most commonly abandoned items in Uber, which is used by over 3.8 million Australians each year. The most forgotten items were clothing, backpacks/luggage, phones, jewellery and headphones. Sydney had the ignominious title of being crowned the world's most forgetful city, followed by Melbourne and then Perth. The Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Geelong, Wollongong and Ballarat featured in the top 15 most forgetful cities. Uber's director of consumer operations, Mathieu Maire, said the index offered a "quintessentially Aussie look at life on the move". "Behind every lost item, there's often a little story," he said. Mr Maire said it was important to note that it is easy to contact your Uber driver to try and get your item back. A puppy, exotic fish and a vibrator are some of the unique items that top ridesharing company Uber's Lost and Found Index in 2025. The annual index gives a glimpse into the most commonly abandoned items in Uber, which is used by over 3.8 million Australians each year. The most forgotten items were clothing, backpacks/luggage, phones, jewellery and headphones. Sydney had the ignominious title of being crowned the world's most forgetful city, followed by Melbourne and then Perth. The Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Geelong, Wollongong and Ballarat featured in the top 15 most forgetful cities. Uber's director of consumer operations, Mathieu Maire, said the index offered a "quintessentially Aussie look at life on the move". "Behind every lost item, there's often a little story," he said. Mr Maire said it was important to note that it is easy to contact your Uber driver to try and get your item back. A puppy, exotic fish and a vibrator are some of the unique items that top ridesharing company Uber's Lost and Found Index in 2025. The annual index gives a glimpse into the most commonly abandoned items in Uber, which is used by over 3.8 million Australians each year. The most forgotten items were clothing, backpacks/luggage, phones, jewellery and headphones. Sydney had the ignominious title of being crowned the world's most forgetful city, followed by Melbourne and then Perth. The Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Geelong, Wollongong and Ballarat featured in the top 15 most forgetful cities. Uber's director of consumer operations, Mathieu Maire, said the index offered a "quintessentially Aussie look at life on the move". "Behind every lost item, there's often a little story," he said. Mr Maire said it was important to note that it is easy to contact your Uber driver to try and get your item back.
