I’ve been on several solo trips, and in almost every instance it’s been an incredible opportunity to clear my head, indulge in introspection, and regain confidence and personal autonomy.

However, I would be lying if I suggested there haven’t been issues. Two that standout in my mind both happened when I was in my 20s.

• In 2005 I traveled solo to Venice, Italy, for a few days prior to meeting up with friends in Florence for spring break. One day as I was navigating the canals, a guy started talking to me and asking why I was alone. I tried to be friendly and politely excuse myself, but he started to follow me at a distance. I was starting to get uncomfortable when an older woman and kid walked by. I followed them very closely to a busy area, and along the way the guy left, never to be seen again.
• In 2013 I flew into Geneva, Switzerland, to meet my husband who was visiting several places in Europe for work. I was waiting for my bag at the luggage carousel when a guy started chatting with me, asking where I was going, if I was meeting anyone, etc. I once again attempted to be polite but off-putting, but his questions got more intense and he started to imply that he didn’t believe I was meeting anyone. He went so far as to follow me once I grabbed my bag and headed for the door to the arrivals area, but happily Brian was there waiting and the guy disappeared.

Given the number of times and places I’ve traveled solo during the past 20 years, those two incidents have certainly been the exception and not the rule, and they were pricelessly informative.

Having those experiences early in my travels gave me a healthy dose of reality and helped me understand and manage my level of risk. When I travel alone, I remain very aware of my surroundings, try not to put myself in compromising situations, and mitigate uncertainty through careful planning. Each time I’ve returned successful, I’ve experienced an incomparable sense of empowerment, pride, and accomplishment.

Still, the unfortunate truth is that there are absolutely places I will not travel on my own, and I find that upsetting and angering. It is not fair that I should feel that way simply because I’m a woman. And I do not take for granted that I’m also a straight, white, cisgender, middle class woman from the U.S. I’m privileged to be able to travel at all, let alone to the places where I’ve been welcomed (and others have not).

With my own experiences close at hand, I find it fascinating to read and learn about other women who have traveled solo throughout history. Regardless of how exotic the locale or how much of their journey was truly solo, their stories always inspire me and bolster my initiative to explore new places on my own.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, or simply interested in some armchair travel featuring inspiring women, I recommend adding the following books to your reading list:

• Travels in a Thin Country: A Journey Through Chile by Sara Wheeler
• Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh
• Tracks: One Woman’s Journey Across 1,700 Miles of Australian Outback by Robyn Davidson
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed
• Wild Girls: How the Outdoors Shaped the Women Who Challenged a Nation by Tiya Miles
• The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free by Pauline Bren
• Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Fly Solo: The 50 Best Places on Earth for a Girl to Travel Alone by Teresa Rodriguez Williamson
• A Year in the World by Frances Mayes

I still have quite a few on my ‘to be read’ pile as well:

• My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
• Gloria: A Lifetime Motorcyclist by Gloria Tramontin Struck
• Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell by Janet Wallach
• Vagabondess: A Guide to Solo Female Travel by Toby Israel
• What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman
• A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
• Imagine Wanting Only This by Kristen Radtke
• Sola: One Woman’s Journey Alone in South America by Amy Field
• Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria by Noo Saro-Wiwa
• A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent
• Revolutionary Ride: On the Road in Search of the Real Iran by Lois Pryce
• Four Corners: A Journey into the Heart of Papua New Guinea by Kira Salak
• Bleaker House: Chasing My Novel to the End of the World by Nell Stevens
• America the Beautiful? by Blythe Robertson
• Braver Than You Think: Around the World on the Trip of My (Mother’s) Lifetime by Maggie Downs
• Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North by Blair Braverman

I’d love to hear about your solo travels as well as any books that have inspired you!