Women traveling alone, is it difficult?

UNDERSTAND YOURSELF THROUGH TRAVEL

Travel Blogger Ha La La (Bui Viet Ha) shared that after experiencing many ups and downs in her life, she needed to start a trip to refresh herself. Ha decided to go to Korea alone in 2017. Difficulties such as language barriers and cultural differences at that time could not stop the 32-year-old woman.

"If I hadn't gone to Korea that spring day in 2017, I probably wouldn't be Viet Ha today." This turning point in her life helped her overcome her fears to start a new journey. Ha thinks that she will only learn new things through her travels. In particular, through exploring new lands, she understands herself and her desires better.

The female travel blogger affirmed that she does not travel to count the number of countries, to check-in at sought-after destinations. The most important thing Viet Ha always keeps in mind with each trip: "I come to different lands, live in different environments, meet different people, to learn and explore the culture, architecture, and landscape of that place."

IS IT SCARY FOR WOMEN TO TRAVEL ALONE?

When asked if she was ever afraid of traveling alone, Ha La La simply replied: "I'm often afraid before a trip. But once I've decided, I'm no longer afraid."

Many people think that traveling alone is extremely difficult for women because of the many risks involved. She shares ways to "minimize" the risks when traveling alone with Travellive Magazine readers.

1. Don't put yourself in a difficult position.Aside from the unexpected, you have complete choice about where you go, who you meet, and when you go. For example, Ha will not go to a place after dark or go to a place alone if she feels unsafe. When staying in a hostel or homestay, she takes the opportunity to connect with the people she is staying with.
2. You should proactively learn about the culture and lifestyle of the local people where you visit.When going to "sensitive" areas, you should not dress too prominently, or too differently from the locals. "Be as normal as possible so as not to attract too much attention from people around you." In some cases, that is the way to "not make things difficult for yourself."
3. Take things as they come with grace.If we see problems as a way to learn new lessons, we will know how flexible and skillful we are in handling situations. You will "test" your agility when in a difficult and unexpected situation.

Viet Ha cited that she lost her phone during a trip to Laos. Instead of being sad, she chose to accept the truth and find a solution. She contacted Vietnam to lock her accounts and secure her personal information. Next, she bought a new phone to continue her journey. She believes that we should not miss the beautiful moments of the journey ahead because of the difficulties that arise during the trip.

So what advice is there for a solo trip? Ha La La shares: "Choose the level from easy - difficult, near - far, domestic - international, ... You can start to experience in places with similar culture, favorable language and then challenge yourself by upgrading and gradually expanding the scope. The best way to improve your ability to handle situations is to be willing to accept risks but at an acceptable level. Sometimes to learn big lessons, we also have to trade off with something big."

HOW TO BE "ALONE BUT NOT-ALONE"

Finding people who share the same interests and travel “style” is something that Viet Ha feels very lucky about on the journey. Chance encounters can also give Ha the opportunity to get to know and make friends with them. Below are three more ways that Viet Ha has applied to find travel companions.

1. Always be mindful of your fellow passengers on the road. tourist transport: Coach, bus, subway, plane,... because they will have the same destination or the same purpose of the trip.
2. Dress style, walking and talking style, language:It is one of the "signs" to help you recognize a true backpacker. For example, Ha started a conversation with a guy who was struggling with a heavy backpack on his shoulder.
3. Choose to stay in a hostel or homestay instead of a hotel:When choosing these two models, solo travelers can easily meet other friends who share the same travel style and may also be looking for a travel companion.

With long trips, Viet Ha still has a way to find companions. Although they may not accompany her for the entire journey, they can be with her on a short journey. Thanks to that, Ha has met many travel friends, including local people, and has many special experiences and stories that she often shares on her blog.

For Viet Ha, the dream trip is always having a companion by her side. She gives an example: "When arriving at the airport, two people can help each other carry and take turns guarding their luggage so that the other person can have time to rest." More clearly, the cost of travel expenses can be shared with the person traveling with them. At the end of the day, I will also have someone by my side to confide in and share my personal feelings.

PUT YOUR PREJUDICES DOWN, PICK UP YOUR BACKPACK AND GO

Viet Ha said she has been to India three times, each time lasting 1 month. The first time was in 2019, the next two times in May and August 2022. When asked why she decided to continue going to India after only 3 months, Viet Ha shared: "I have been to India 3 times, to different regions in this large country nearly 10 times larger than Vietnam, but I have not yet fully explored and understood this 'subcontinent'."

Ha La La said that many people have quite negative prejudices about India in terms of hygiene, security, and people here. They think that traveling in the country of more than one billion people is not safe for women. Ha does not consider those views to be correct but often asks the opposite question, then starts going out into the world to "verify" the truth with her own personal experiences.

If she had not been determined to go out there, she would never have known that prejudices were distorting her worldview. She said that educated men in India also understood that there was some prejudice being imposed on the majority, so they always tried to help many women when they came to this country. "When I was sick in the mountains, two men escorted me back to the capital. Once we arrived in the capital, they continued to go a little further to take care of me and take me to the place," Viet Ha said emotionally when recalling the story.

For Viet Ha, she will have the most objective view when experiencing specific situations herself. She forms relationships through her personal contact and feelings, without being influenced or influenced by anyone else. "I will not miss any opportunity to contact a person and understand them just because people are prejudiced against them," Ha shared.

"If you look at someone and feel afraid, you will never see the good in them." Ha confided that she received the care and help of two Indian men because from the beginning she did not have any prejudices. Thanks to meeting such good people, those prejudices were gradually removed.

Perhaps because of that way of thinking, Viet Ha has met kind and lovely people in her journeys of discovery. Confiding in reporters, Ha La La said that in the future, she always hopes to be able to share more useful things and positive values ​​to the community through her own activities and stories.

Bileo