Travelling is one of those things that can mould you as a person. You can gain real perspective by seeing some of the most remote and eye-opening places this world has to offer, like my recent Dead Sea trip.. You can learn new and exciting things from different cultures, ways of life and even sample some of the most amazing food cuisines and experiences like nothing else. However, nothing can come close to the fantastic memories you can make while doing it. Sadly, not everyone get’s to travel as much as they would like. With work commitments, education journeys to embark on, we can often remain trapped daydreaming of our bucket lists instead of actually doing it. A big way people travel is to backpack and take career breaks or gap years from study and more and more females are taking up the travelling bug and even going solo on their adventures. How amazing is that? It can be an exciting journey to embark on, that is for sure, but it can also be very overwhelming to go it alone, or to even travel in a small group to a place you have never been before. However, there are a few things I think every female traveller should be aware of before travelling. Which is why I thought I would share with you some of the essential tips for the female traveller.
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Try and plan the first night
Travelling is exciting. Part of the enjoyment is not knowing where you are going and planning as you go. Many backpackers decide on a destination, book their tickets and they rely solely on other travellers, their recommendations, the internet and social media advice. It can certainly make for an adventure. But, at least try and plan ahead for the first nights accommodation. Travelling on a plane or via local transport links can make you tired and weary, which does leave you vulnerable. So it’s worth making sure that you have at least that one night sorted. It will be much clearer to plan your journey from there and enable you to start thinking ahead and making those all-important plans. Also it can give peace of mind to you and your family. I’m sure you will be happy with your advance preparation when you get there and you can relax and enjoy the moment, or perhaps ride the fear of the journey you are about to embark on.
Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash
Be conscious of how you dress in some countries
Some countries have strict guidelines on how you should dress. While this can seem like something from the dark ages for you, especially if you are travelling from a Westernised country, it is so important for you to respect other cultures and country rules and regulations. So make sure you adhere to those guidelines out of respect. If in doubt head online and do a quick google search to see what might be or might not be acceptable in the country you are about to travel to. Some countries don’t like women to have too much skin on show. However, this might only be ruling after dark, or during daylight hours. Other’s are not keen on public displays of affection that can be seen as too intimate. Or even in some cases we have seen in recent news that even brushing past someone can get you into deep trouble with authorities. Rather than getting yourself into hot water. It’s worth sticking to those guidelines and respecting another countries culture. Besides, it certainly presents you with the opportunity to learn.
Consider your female essentials
As women there are certain things that we can’t plan for, especially when travelling. Things like your period will turn up each month and more often than not on the day you would rather mother nature left you alone. Sometimes being away and travelling can make this a rather uncomfortable thing to experience, especially in hot and humid countries. So it’s worth considering things like period delay tablets. These days you can request period delay pills online and they can be a real convenient way of handling a sensitive subject. This will delay the symptoms of your period allowing you to enjoy your travelling experience. Or even at least helping you wait until you are in better surroundings or feel more comfortable to look after yourself. The last thing you want to do is be enjoying a trek in the jungle and mother nature calls. Imagine that?
Use social media to keep in touch with people
Finally, a great tip is to keep everyone updated on your travels via social media. This is a wonderful way to communicate with friends and family, without you feeling like you are constantly checking in via phone calls or text messages, and it certainly can be a lot cheaper. Updating your status to share with friends and family where you are and what you are doing can also help to allow them to keep track of your whereabouts. To make another valid point, if something was to happen to you, social media can be a great indication of where you might be to gain some help. I appreciate it can feel a little pessimistic to think about the worst thing that could happen. But it sometimes does and your social media will be the first place people look if they haven’t heard from you in a while. Do yourself a favour, as well as your family, and make sure you are in regular contact. Another great way to keep everyone in the loop of your adventures is to start your own travel blog. You can share your tips along the way, while also writing heartfelt notes home to your loved ones. It could also serve as the perfect keepsake and reminder in years to come. Other than that you can enjoy the experience and make everyone jealous about how much fun you are having.
I hope that taking into account some of these top tips will help any female traveller planning their next adventure!