Bruna Fairas:
To go backpacking as a female can be daunting, but it should not be! Traveling on your own can be an amazing experience. After all, you are your own boss, and the only person you need to worry about is yourself. In order to help keep you calm and encourage you, I going to give some tips and answers to some possible questions you may have before deciding to go on the road!
The advantages to go backpacking are a way worth! You will feel more self-confident, independent, and self-reliant. You will learn to challenge yourself and have a go at things, where before you would have been scared of failing and not even tried. You will increase your self-esteem, through knowing what you will have achieved – which should give every girl a sense of pride!
So, first of all, don’t be nervous. Plan properly and stay informed. There are millions of women who have backpacked around the world, who have done it safely, successfully and had fun.
The secret is to plan effectively, you need to know exactly where you are going. Ask yourself, Is it a safe place, do they respect women and do women have rights there, can a woman walk alone, have other backpackers gone there before and what do they say about it? Does the location have internet, good roads and easy means of communication?
If you start to have that odd nervous moment, which is natural, don’t worry! You can backpack alone but you don’t have to be alone. There are tour agencies that offer backpacking experiences so this way, you will know where to go and you will have someone responsible for you.
You can also meet other backpackers on the way but be careful to not reveal too much personal information or follow anyone you meet to strange places for safety precautions. Follow your gut feeling and if you feel something isn’t right, just stay away. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are in a tight situation. Blend in with your environment and plan your routes beforehand.
Most important of all, have travel insurance, have enough money in the currency of where you are travelling too, always keep a dry snack with you whether you will need it or not, and have someone check up on you every time you reach a new destination to make sure you got where you’re going. It all comes down to planning ahead.
On you trip, follow these four super tips:
Taken from: If A Girl campaign in 2015 organized by SAFIGI Outreach Foundation Ltd, a not for profit organization based in Zambia with a vision to raise a generation where girls are empowered, equipped and fulfilled in every aspect of their life, for the development of the entire world. To know more about SAFIGI’s goals and activities, visit: http://www.safetyfirstforgirls.org
