Speaking of Lone Female Travelers....

I’m not a stranger to solo travel. Here’s a snippet from a speech I’d been preparing to give to my Toastmasters club after returning from my first trip to DC. For some reason I never gave the speech, but at least part of it will see the light of day....



A lone female traveller always attracts attention, for better or worse. Some people look at me with pity. Sometimes I get curious glances as though people can’t quite figure out what a young woman is doing travelling by herself. Where’s the boyfriend or fiancé?

Eating alone in a restaurant is, without a doubt, one of the most disconcerting experiences for a woman travelling alone. But I’ve realized that it’s only uncomfortable if you let other people’s awkwardness bother you. I used to feel vaguely embarrassed about eating alone. With every bite, I’d feel self-conscious, as though everyone was staring at me. That all changed this past summer during a trip to Washington, DC. I decided to embrace the experience of eating alone. On several occasions, I actually made the decision to eat alone at nice restaurants. At first I engrossed myself in a book, but that was just validating those who think it’s unnatural for a woman to dine alone. So I ditched the book, and began to savour not only the food, but also the empowerment that flows from holding one’s own. I won’t turn this into a rant about not needing a man. The truth is that I didn’t need anyone in those moments – man, woman or child. I was free to be alone.