Travelogue of a single woman traveller

I wanted to travel. I did not want to travel alone though. As always, I tried connecting with almost all close friends from my phone book and inquired if they were also interested. Everyone had different things and tie ups. Somehow, when I need people to come along, everyone is busy. Maybe I just feel like that and it is not entirely true. Well, what so ever! I had realized that if I have to go, I have to go alone. It is not that I have not traveled alone before and I have some interesting stories from those travels. The previous travel experience was mixed. I had gone alone to a popular honeymoon destination of India, i.e., Munnar, Kerela. Its beautiful weather, mountains, peaks, clouds, tea estates, would make you feel as if you are high up somewhere, not literally, but like high in life. My experience was good apart from the fact that a cab driver, while dropping  me at my hotel, at about 9 in the night, asked me if he can stay in my room for the night. The hotel belonged to his cousin. I told him, "No, that is not how it works. You get paid for showing me around and nothing more". Well, this was not what I told him though. I said no, and went inside. I told his brother about the incident and went to my room. That was a difficult night. The hotel was in the middle of a tea estate, on the top of a hill, and my room had multiple big glass windows. Somehow, I got the idea, that he might try to break in or something. I informed a couple of friends about the incident, gave my address, kept my pepper spray near my pillow, locked everything properly, and using the powers vested in me by the gods of sleep, slept like a child.

Maybe, that is why I was a bit skeptical going alone. Then, I stumbled upon a series of blogs by solo woman travelers. I realized that it is not just me who do not find travelling companions easily and it is a well known problem. The difference in me and others were, they had accepted this and I still needed to. I shook off all the hesitations I had from before and decided to go for it.

I decided to go to Goa. I spent quite some time to finalize the place as I had a few peaks in my mind that I wanted to climb. But, it was almost monsoon, and after much contemplation I decided against the trekking trips. Someone once told me, that if you are going to a new place, you just need to plan two things beforehand, a ticket and a hotel/place to go once you reach there. To this day, I follow that advice. I booked a room in Panjim, Goa and boarded the night bus. What followed was a couple of days of amazing fun and a life time experience. I regained my faith in travelling alone. 

Here are some pictures from the trip for your entertainment. 

In some colorful market. Wow, colors make my day. 

 

From the top of Altinho Hill

The greenery  and the hidden hut in the middle :)

No leaves, only flowers.

Custard Apple. I get excited whenever I find it somewhere as I have its plant at home. It does not bear any fruits though.

Entry to Reis Magos Fort.

View from the fort. 

Yup, that is me. Inside the solitary confinement cell.

Blue. 

Yellow.

An interesting temple I visited.

Port Wine @ The Upper House

Prawn Samarachi Kodi @ The Upper House

Lights and Mandovi, together at night.

Ferry time.

I do not now what I like about this pic. 

I don't know what am I trying to capture here.

Cycled up to the Reis Magos Fort. Trying a pic while cycling.

Fish Thali @ The Ritz. The restaurant closes at 3 PM . I got a place to sit on my second visit. They gave me a place on a table where a family of 3 was eating. Nice family from Mumbai. :)

Sunset @ Miramar Beach. Sunsets make me romantic and thoughtful.

      Wine @ The Black Sheep Bistro. This is a very nice restaurant opened 

                up recently by a brother and sister pair. Cuisine is Goan  - Western Fusion. 

   I had such an amazing dinner there. I was alone and had planned to 

         write but there were these sweet retired people sitting on the next table 

and I talked to them the whole time. 

Kosher in Orange Beurre Blanc sauce @ The Black Sheep Bistro. It was amazing.

  I forgot the name of this fruit but it was very yummy. The hotel owner took me and another
guest at the hotel, to his house in the village which he had recently bought. 

Jackfruits @ his house :)

Travelling alone was a lot of fun. Actually, it also depends on the kind of place you are in. I had completely different experiences in Goa and Munnar. In Munnar, people were surprised to see me alone and were curious to know why was I travelling alone. They asked if I had fought with friends and family. Walking alone in the streets around, I noticed that people were looking at me differently. Generally, I did not care but I cared when the cab driver asked me that question. Just because I was alone, he thought he could sleep with me. I had been very kind to him the whole day and maybe that was something he interpreted incorrectly. 

To travel alone, you just need to be a bit more realistic, prepared and cautious. Obviously, you should love travelling. Travelling alone is not a good concept for people who like to visit a new place and complete the standard itinerary with friends and family. Because then you will get bored alone and you will feel uncomfortable. Travelling alone is good for people who want to meet new people, understand new culture, new cuisine, immerse in that culture for a while, be accepting towards what ever that place is offering, and explore new untrodden paths. It is for people whose aim is not to tick mark places out of a list. It is for people who are ready to stay in a particular place for a while and give it the time it deserve before moving onto another one.

Look far off.

There are both pros and cons of travelling alone as there are for every other thing. First of all, you need to be that kind of a person and a travel enthusiast. Secondly, you can not avoid the fear of being alone and running into some danger. The fears are more if you are a woman. Believe me, just understand that those fears are natural and accept them. Prepare yourself in case you have to face any one of them. Smartly choose the city or the country you are planning to visit. I would have gone to some other place instead of Munnar, given it was my first travel experience alone (within India).  Goa is the best place in those terms. People do not care much even if you are alone. There are lots of things that you will have fun doing alone and there will be other single travelers as well. As per safety is concerned, I found it to be quite safe. Once, I was going back to the hotel after having my dinner and it was quite late, maybe around 11 PM or so. I was worried and I was wondering if I would reach the hotel safely. Clearly, I had not planned it well and I had just enjoyed a great meal at a very nice place along with some very good people whom I had met at the hotel. They had left before me as they finished their meal earlier. I was walking down the road and few bikes approached me. One of them asked if I wanted a drop. He said I am a pilot biker. First I got a bit awkward but then it struck me. One of my Goan friend had informed me about this concept. There are pilot bikes within Goa which operate after say 10 PM till morning. They drop you to your place and you pay them. The guy was so nice and we searched for the hotel in the night as I took him on a wrong turn but he did not crib about it. So be cautious, informed, and take advantage of what the place offers you.

      OMG! Look at the chilly. We had ordered Dal Tadka, Baingan Bharta and rice. We wanted to eat simple 

but got scared when the food came. 

Make sure that when you are travelling alone, you book a nice place in the center of the city or close to the area where you wish to roam around or explore. Then you would not have to depend upon any kind of transport as such. You would not worry even if you get late while coming back in the night or you would not worry about catching that morning bus. Keep a pepper spray/small knife in your bag. Believe me, it is all worth it. You get so many opportunities to connect with so many new and different kind of people. They will tell you their life stories over a cup of coffee or a meal as if they know you for years. You will do the same. I made friends with a Brazilian girl who was staying in the same hotel as mine. I have lost her email id though. Sighs. I had multiple conversations with random people here and there. I might not be in touch with all of them but it added up to my life experience. While travelling alone, you would not have to worry about anybody else or adjust as per anybody else's schedule. Sometimes on trips I get irritated because people are not ready to leave their rooms. You have to push them to wake up, get ready and what not. Now, you are alone, get up when ever, eat what ever, and do what ever. I had never imagined that I can have such a blast travelling alone.

I realized that you hesitate or get scared of the unknown. You go to a new place, you do not know anybody, you might not speak their language, you do not understand the routes, you do not understand the culture and type of people, and this is all that scares you off.

Shed all those fears and get going. Take it step by step and believe me things do work out. Book a ticket to the place you have been wanting to go for a while now. It is now or never.