Traveling alone as a woman

The sun has just set and it is slowly getting dark. Small waves hit the rocky beach, the lights of rovinj are reflected in the sea. I slowly stroll back to the campground. The first night of vacation is ahead of me. I just can't really look forward to this vacation right now. Something in me is wondering what the hell I'm doing there. What was I thinking? Travel alone. Hmm. It feels weird to go on this evening walk alone. Back to the campground alone. Alone to the wash house, past families and couples. Fall asleep alone. Wake up alone. Cook alone, eat, rinse, set up, dismantle, chill out, hike, discover. All alone. Yes, I think so. What the hell am I doing here anyway?

And then I remember that this was exactly what I had in mind. I hadn't considered sharing that first caddy trip with anyone at all. I wanted my camper Hedwig all by myself and was so inspired by other girls with Bullis and campers who travel alone. If they can do that, so can I, I thought. It was an experiment, and it was clear to me from the start that it could also backfire. But I didn't expect these thoughts to catch up with me on the first evening.

It wasn't my first trip alone, but it was the longest and longest so far.

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FAQ

The next morning, I had just had breakfast, a German woman came over to me. I've already known this type of conversation from a few short trips: “Are you traveling all alone? ”, “Wow, I couldn't do that.”, “Aren't you afraid? ”, “And did you upgrade your camper yourself? ”, “It's crazy, in such a small space! ”, “And don't you get bored all alone? ”, “Oh man, it's really great that you just do that.” It goes something like that every time. Always the same questions and always the same answers: “Yes, I'm traveling all alone. No I'm not afraid. I removed the caddy with my father. Yes, such a small camper is super handy. No, I'm not bored. ”

I'm always happy to have people to talk to, because you don't have too many of them when you're traveling alone, but I'm also fascinated by how fascinating many people find what I'm doing there.

A lot of people really say they couldn't do that. But have they ever tried it? I think you often tend to think and say that you couldn't do something just because you might not trust yourself to do it. But sometimes it's worth taking a step into the unknown.

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The thing about anxiety

Basically, I'm not a particularly anxious person and that of course benefits me when traveling alone. However, there are situations that you simply approach differently alone than in society. A spot for wild camping is selected even more carefully and examined in detail. For example, I wouldn't necessarily just stand alone somewhere on the side of the road. You don't have to challenge your luck too much. Although no one knows that I am alone in the car. I must have been observed before that someone would notice this. And even if it kind of creeps around my car in the middle of the night, I could still get in the driver's seat and just drive off. Sometimes I share my location with my sister when wild camping, for example, just in case something should happen. And I actually have pepper spray in my car, but it's never been used before.

Just as I choose my places to sleep, I approach my hikes alone a bit more carefully than as a couple. Although the routes are often relatively daring, I always make sure, for example, that my mobile phone battery is fully charged when I set off, that I have enough to drink with me and that I have taken a photo of the hiking map. You never know... But basically I decide based on my gut feeling and as soon as something seems funny to me, I simply decide against it.

Over the years, I've noticed how much traveling alone strengthens your self-confidence. With many things I now know: I can do it!

What is boredom anyway?!

I can certainly understand the question of fear. But boredom is actually a foreign word for me and I always think of something to do when traveling. And when you just lie in a hammock and don't do anything, it's not boring, it's very relaxing. If I don't feel like reading, taking pictures, hiking, hanging out, driving on, writing postcards, strolling, cooking, washing up, or what do I know, I can always clean up Hedwig! ;-) Because let's be honest: what is always hailed as #Vanlife on Instagram doesn't necessarily have anything to do with reality. I, too, occasionally have chaos in the camper, which has to be cleaned up from time to time.

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Being alone vs. loneliness

What I really like about traveling alone is being alone. Of course, it takes getting used to at first, but once you get used to it, it can be very liberating and enriching at the same time. As a result, you get to know yourself even better, because you are forced to focus on yourself. Something you like to flee from in everyday life and distract yourself with a thousand other things instead. In many things I am faster alone (e.g. sightseeing & city strolls), for others I have to plan more time (e.g. car trips, assembly and dismantling). I'm also really good at letting my mind wander alone. Let the job be a job and simply hide my entire everyday life. It's really relaxing.

But this loneliness should not be confused with loneliness: because I don't really feel lonely on my travels alone. Admittedly, I was a bit lonely that first evening in Croatia. Because I suddenly had doubts as to whether it was all a good idea. But after I had adjusted to it and really grooved in with Hedwig, there was actually no longer any sign of loneliness. After just two days, I was able to really enjoy being alone. This complete independence and flexibility is really worth a lot. You just do what you really want to do. And if you sleep until noon, it doesn't matter at all because you can decide everything yourself. No one is waiting for you and you just have to do what you really want to do.

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What is sometimes a bit stupid is when you arrive at a campsite and are watched. Just talk to me, folks! There are often furtive looks as I set up. But now I know that most people only watch because they're curious and maybe even admire the fact that you're alone. Yet I somehow prefer those who ask me the same questions for the 100th time.

Overall, traveling alone is an experience that I don't want to miss anymore and can only recommend to everyone. It doesn't always have to be a long journey. A short weekend trip is enough to test the whole thing out.

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