“To truly understand and appreciate the gift of life we have, we need to travel. We need to open our eyes and our souls to be able to really ‘see.’ Travel is always about the ‘soul,’ never about the body- the body can exercise and stretch even in a gym but the soul needs to experience the world. And if a journey is always about the soul- and the ‘soul’ as we all understand has no gender- I then wonder why there is such brouhaha over women travelling.” – Shefali Arora
Travelling is not a luxury. It’s a need. The desire to explore our beautiful planet is what keeps us in good spirits. Travel is a form of self-care. In a world where women are shattering all the stereotypical barriers and letting go of their inhibitions, why is there still hesitation for solo travel?
One of the major reasons women should travel solo is that every time they venture alone, they will discover something new about themselves. They will discover how capable they are while tackling difficult situations and negotiating in unknown places. Travelling solo can be the best therapeutic treatment you will need.
‘Dare. Dream. Travel’ is a collection of stories by women travelers who relate their adventurous experiences while travelling solo. It is compiled by Shefali Arora, who works as an assistant professor and has a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering. She has multiple books to her credit including Bittersweet coffee (check out the review here). This compilation was endorsed by The CEO Magazine and launched by the literary club of IIT Mandi and was featured by Mid-Day, a leading daily. Shefali Arora was featured among top ten celebrated women authors by Financial Express.
The book features sixteen women from all walks of life and all age groups who narrate their wonderful and sometimes challenging experiences while travelling across the globe. A major concern shared by all of them is a concern for safety. Since there are less women friendly spaces, they had to be extra careful while enjoying their own company.
On top of that, there are societal pressures that don’t allow women to step outside their limited confines. For these women who relate their experiences, it was about those moments of self-discovery while travelling that rejuvenated them and transformed their outlook towards life. They have also opened up about some of the harrowing experiences they faced on their journeys. However, they never let anything crush their daring spirits and their desire for more adventures always remained high.
‘Dare. Dream. Travel’ is a travelogue that inspires and boosts the confidence of those who wish to pursue the same path and set out on a journey of self-exploration. The compiler herself is an avid traveller. She has maintained her adventurous spirit in her book. Although she says she herself has never travelled solo, she acknowledges the need for promoting solo travel among women.
She mentions that a lot of women travel groups have been formed specifically to encourage women to follow their dreams without being troubled about their well-being and safety.
What is special about this compilation is that the experiences the women travellers shared are not only limited to women. They are just as relevant to men and all the people from varying age groups and professions.
I, particularly found the travelogue of Lieutenant Sandhya Suri quite fascinating. She is a navy veteran and TEDx speaker. She is the ‘Queen of Road Trips.’ When she is on the road, it is only her and Phoenix (her car) and no one else. She shares her experiences on the journeys she’s been, what safety measures she takes, the need to keep cool and find humour in every situation and a terrifying experience she had while travelling form Delhi to Visakhapatnam.
Even though the trend of solo travelling is increasing, it still remains a daunting task, especially for women. Shefali Arora has done a fabulous job in compiling these travelogues of these fabulous women.
The issue is not that every woman has to travel solo to be independent rather she should have the choice and freedom if she wishes to do so. Solo travel is not for everyone but everyone should feel safe while travelling solo.
Go check out the book at Amazon and tell us how you liked it.
Have you ever travelled solo? Do you wish to? Share your travel experiences with us in the comment section.
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