text and photo by: Prime Sarmiento

he Joy of Traveling Solo: Being on my own gives me more time and the space to explore, meditate, and write

So you finally decided that you want to travel on your own. The thing is, while you’re excited discovering and exploring a new city by yourself, you’re also afraid that things might go wrong and there’s no one to help you. You’re asking yourself: What if I got sick? Is it safe for a woman to travel alone? Can I afford this? What if I get sad/bored/depressed, who can I talk to?

It’s natural to have such concerns. In fact, while I enjoy traveling on my own, there are times that I regret not having a travel companion. This was especially true whenever I fell ill, running low on funds or missing friends and family. And yet, at the end of the day, I preferred to go solo if only because it gives me more time and the space to explore, meditate, and write – my life’s greatest passion.

I have compiled here 9  sites that inspired and helped me as an independent woman traveler.  I hope that these sites will also help you craft your own personal journeys in 2011.

Happy new year!

1. Journeywoman – the ultimate site for women travelers (whether traveling solo or in groups), Evelyn Hannon’s site offers practical travel tips (my favorite is Evelyn’s article on the many uses of a bandana), inspiring stories from other women travelers and mini-guides to girl-friendly cities. The site has a specific section on solo travel. Read this if you like to know more how to deal with loneliness on the road, keeping safe and why you need to listen to your heart and travel on your own . Sign up for the newsletter to receive site updates, more tips, and information on women-only tour groups.

2. Bootsnall – The go-to site for any indie traveler, from thr backpacker to the business traveler. The Bootsnall’s community of travelers and writers has been publishing travel stories and tips from stretching your travel budget to keeping safe looooong before anyone and her mother has a travel blog. The Boostnall has since grown into a network of sites and blogs and now includes a specific section for women travelers where you can read advice on how to deal with your period while on the road , some hairstyle tips and debunking the myths on solo female travel (it’s not as scary as you think!)

3. Solo  Traveler– although not specifically targeted to women travelers, Janice Waugh’s blog posts are useful to any solo traveler. The site has advice on keeping safe while couchsurfing; packing tips; and features on cities which are great for solo travelers.

4. The Professional Hobo – Nora Dunn is a freelance writer who has been traveling around the world for the past three years. Leaving everything behind to travel full time may not be your cup of tea, but the tales of her travels ate inspiring nonetheless, especially if you’re into train travel. Nora, a former financial planner, also writes regularly about creative ways of sustaining your wanderlust even on a tight budget.

5. The Art of Solo Travel -the official website of the e-book The Art of Solo Travel: A Girl’s Guide. Aside from the synopsis and reviews of the book, the site also has mini guides to several European cities such as Budapest and Amsterdam written by the book’s author Stephanie Lee. ( disclosure: I’m an affiliate of The Art of Solo Travel)

If you have a serious case of wanderlust and will like to travel and make a living out of it, you might also want to visit:

6. Business Backpacker – location independfent entrepreneur Brooke Ferguson gives advice on how to develop multiple streams of income, how having a coach can change your life and getting over your fears.

7. Almost Fearless – Christine Gilbert’s blog is more suitable for those who want to build a location-independent business while traveling with their families. But even if you travel on your own, you’ll learn much from Christine’s site, as it serves as guide on how to maintain a career /business while on the road.

8. Nomadic Matt –  If you want to go into travel blogging as a profession or travel the world by being an english teacher, you may want to check out Matt Kepnes’ blog which is among the world’s  most popular travel blogs.

This is not really a travel blog but…:

9. The Art of Non-Conformity – My favorite blog (and blogger) is not exactly a travel blog. While Chris Guillebeau’s The Art of Non-Conformity (more known as AONC)  serves as a journal of his travel adventures in over 100 countries, the site offers more than tips or travel stories. The site’s name says it all, it’s about non-conformity. Chris writes about how to live a remarkable life, being happy with your choices even if they go against conventional beliefs.  (If you want to live a non-conformist life, you may want to download this free manifesto. Reading it changed my life – it’s cliche but it’s true).

Reading AONC encouraged me start blogging and traveling solo again after a five year hiatus). After all, traveling solo is about living my life on my own terms and I will do it over and over again despite the occasional bouts of diarrhea, penury or loneliness. There’s just no other way of life for me.