HW FEATURE
their dreams, lives
and passions.”
Katrin, who hails
from Munich, adds: “I
met up with female travel
companions who were with
me for days and even weeks.
In Bangkok, I met up with
a Norwegian traveller to
celebrate New Year’s Eve
together! Sometimes, my
travel mates and I chose the
same accommodation, went
on tours together or just met
for coff ee. I now have friends
if I should ever visit their
home countries.”
The avid solo traveller
got to know the best tips for
food and hidden attractions
from the companions she
met. She is planning her
next trip to the United
States, where she intends to
explore Texas and Florida,
then run the New York City
Marathon, before heading
for Colombia and Panama.
“I used the Local Search
feature frequently while
travelling. I contacted the
girls who were closest to
where I was staying. I found
that female travellers on a
‘local tag’ always have great
travel advice,” she adds.••••
LOOKING OUT FOR
ONE ANOTHER
Alternatively, solo gals
can plan meet-ups for land
tours with travel website
The Solo Female Traveler
Network (SFTN). Founded
by Australian Amanda Black
in 2018, the network started
as a private group for her
travel-loving friends and
people whom she had met on
her travels.
Amanda says of her
vibrant Facebook group:
“This (group) will be an
encouragement to watch
out for each other online,
on the road... It’s a space for
female travellers to come
to for not just travel advice,
but to ask questions if they
encounter anything creepy
or cultural, get support for
homesickness, and show off
amazing travel pictures
and stories.”The network has
since grown into a
269,000-strong global
community of women
travellers, and now
organises Global Meetup
Tours for women only. These
trips range between eight
and 14 days, costing from
$3,800 a person, excluding
return fl ight tickets.
On its 2019/2020
itinerary: Egypt, Bali,
Morocco, Iran, Antarctica,
India and Jordan – and two
hugely popular cultural
events in India, the Pushkar
Camel Fair and the Holi
festival – to choose from.
With company and
tours come homestays via
http://www.sheswanderful.com to
complete the all-girl travel
experience. Founded by
entrepreneur Beth Santos
in Boston, the site has a
global community of 40,000
women travellers, and it
works just like Airbnb.
The diff erence:
Find, meet and stay only
with women.1.FINDA TRAVELBUD
What: Tourlina app. Free
to download, with in-app
purchases.
How it works: It displays a
global list of solo women
travellers looking to meet
up for tours and dinners- ahead of their planned
vacation. To find your herd,
fill in your age and travel
itinerary on your profile
page (for more accurate
matches). Next, contact
your potential travel kakis.
- AIRBNB-ESQUE FOR
WOMEN
What: http://www.sheswanderful.
com
How it works: Similar to
Airbnb.Typeinthecity
you’re heading for to throw
up a listing of homes. Next,
complete a five-minute
video verification before
you’re allowed to book. Join
the site’s Local Chapter
events, such as barbecue
outings and pub crawls.- WOMEN-ONLY TOURS
What: http://www.thesolofemale
travelernetwork.com
How it works: Choose
from an array of land tours
happening this year and
in 2020. Fill up an online
booking form and you’re all
set to travel with a small
group of women from
around the world.
CONNECT WITH OTHER
SOLO WOMEN TRAVELLERS(^) Katrin interacting with a
BurmesechildinMyanmar.
Mingling with the locals
is always on Katrin’s solo
travel bucket list.
118 HERWORLD SEPT 2019