Not all who wander are lost, writer J R R Tolkien once said. The independent, brave and youthful women of Kerala are now embarking more on solo trips and more than being lost, they are taking each of their trips as valuable experiences.
An increased awareness of places and culture, internet guides and the trait of being highly sociable at alien lands have been helpful for the women to travel without the help of a companion. Though there are plenty of socio-cultural deterrents for women to face on a solo trip, the sense of freedom has been a major driving force for them to set off on adventurous trips.
Forty eight-year-old Babita M has been backpacking all over the world for the past 30 years on her own. Babita, who had been working in Kozhikode and now settled in Mangalore has visited 33 countries, including Pakistan, as a lone traveller. She was born with the instincts of a traveller with an added tint of being an adventurist. “It is more than sight-seeing. I like to mingle with local people, understand their culture and be on my own. I am a person who does not belong to any system and I think the group travels are a drab affair,” she says.
She believes society has put lots of don’ts on women. “I have started travelling since I was 18. I have travelled all over the country and several foreign countries. Everyone asks me about safety. My philosophy is that if you don’t do anything foolish, you won’t land in trouble. I won’t say foreign countries are safer as men will be men always when night falls. If you avoid such circumstances, every woman can start going on solo.” Her latest solo trip was to the Kumbh Mela in 2013.
Anjana Vijayadas, an engineer at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, decided to travel to London solo to escape from her monotonous schedules. “It was a life-changing experience. I was dependent on several things before the travel. Now I am more confident. I had a bucket list before I got married and this was one of it. I was also able to sky dive. That was one of the inexplicable moments during my journey. Solo trips are very flexible; there is no time schedule and you have ample freedom,” she says.
Anjana also believes that no place in the world is safe for women. “I had carried pepper spray along with all the time. Many men approached me at London streets at night. As a solo traveller, what you must have the most is the ability to say no,” she explains.
Wilderness has attracted Jis Sebastian to travel. The researcher on orchids who is working at Sacred Heart College in Thevara, has travelled extensively to the lonely terrains of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Kashmir and most of the Northeast. “My trip lasts months and I like to stay at a place and understand the culture there. I have been travelling alone for the past 14 years. Arunachal Pradesh is the most women-friendly place in the country. They respect women,” she says.
“I think our society is hugely biased against women travellers. I had plenty of bad experiences during my trips, especially on trains. But the urge to travel and be independent help me to embark on these trips,” she says. Liz Mathew, a techie from Kochi, thinks women should take extra precaution to be safe. “I have travelled extensively in North India solo. I plan my trip and book safe places to stay. But the lack of safety is not a major problem if you have a no-nonsense approach. Even guys are not safe at some parts. So plan accordingly,” she says.
