Social media might make it look like it’s all coconut cocktails on the beach and catching sunsets, but things can still go wrong as a solo female traveler, no matter how idyllic the location. Knowing how to handle a solo female travel disaster and preparing for all eventualities before you set off might just help you to salvage your trip should the worst occur.
“How do these things happen to you?” a friend shrieked in disbelief, when I regaled her with yet another story of a travel disaster – this time, a visit to the hospital in Chengdu, China, after tripping whilst getting out of a taxi, landing flat on my face, splitting my chin wide open and almost breaking my jaw.
It’s not just medical emergencies that I seem to have attracted over the last 10 years of solo female travelling around the world solo. From being mugged on the metro in Milan, to run-ins with the police in Far West China, having my drink spiked and purse stolen in Bali, to being stranded on one of Sardinia’s (albeit, most beautiful) beaches after a boat crash, my list of travel disasters seems to grow with each and every trip.
So am I, as many of my friends seem to believe, just an attracter of disaster? Do I really have worse-than-average travel luck? I’m not so sure. My theory is that, given a traveller’s propensity for trying new things, meeting new people and venturing outside of regular routines and comfort zones, the likelihood of things going wrong just naturally increases.
Does this mean that you shouldn’t travel solo as a woman? Absolutely not! But you should be prepared for travel to go unexpectedly.
These are the lessons I’ve learned over the years about how to handle a solo female travel disaster and salvage a trip when the unexpected happens. Read on to find out my top tips for surviving (almost!) anything on the road…
Minimizing the impact of theft when traveling solo as a woman
Losing or having your money stolen is one of the most common travel disasters. Whether you’ve been targeted by a sneaky pickpocket, had your hotel room broken into or simply misplaced your bag somewhere along the way, not being able to access your finances can cause some serious stress on the road. Luckily, there are few things you can do to minimise the effect this will have on your trip.
Travel with two credit/debit cards, and split up their locations. Keep one on you at all times. Always leave a credit card, some cash and, where possible, your passport in the safe at your accommodation.
Take pictures of your passports and important traveler information. Keep these digital copies saved on DropBox/Gdrive, to access while you are traveling instead of keeping your passport on your person.
Write down the numbers for your credit card company(s) – this way, even if your phone is also lost or stolen – you’ll have the information you need to cancel your cards straight away.
Handling sickness on the road as a solo female traveler
Getting sick is never fun, but falling ill while solo travelling can feel like a disaster. Maybe it’s a cold or flu, or perhaps something a little more exotic (memories of a week-long stint with Bali Belly spring to mind!). Handle whatever is thrown at you by preparing in advance.
Pack an emergency medicine kit before you go, with essentials like pain killers, antidiarrheal medicines, cold/cough remedies and also local remedies from a pharmacy – these often do the trick. Remember to check the rules on drugs before flying into another country – you don’t want to kick off your trip with a misunderstanding at airport security!
Get yourself somewhere comfortable where you can rest for a few days. Let’s face it – no one wants to be sick in a hostel or any type of shared accommodation! Even if it stretches your budget a little, booking into a nice hotel (preferably one with room service and movies on demand) can work wonders at making you feel better.
Reducing the impact of medical Travel emergencies
If, like me, you end up with an unfortunate trip to the Emergency ward on your travels, you might be left feeling stressed, scared, and worried that the entire trip has been ruined. But (unless it’s a life-altering accident) you’ll likely be able to salvage at least some of your adventure. This is especially true if you don’t have to worry about covering the cost of medical bills. Here’s how.
Make sure you have the right travel insurance before you leave home. Whether you’re going on a two-week holiday or a year-long trip around the world, specialist insurers like World Nomads and SafetyWing have coverage for all types of travellers to minimize the financial impact of a solo female travel disaster. Here’s everything you need to know about solo female travel insurance. Because, let’s face it, accidents can happen whether you are hiking up a mountain, chilling by the pool or, ahem, simply getting out of a taxi!
Save local emergency numbers in a note to yourself, and keep this on your person or on your cellphone. With that in mind…
Make sure you have local cellphone network connection. Always get a local sim card, download an e-sim, or connect to international roaming when you travel to a new destination incase you need to make an emergency call.
Avoiding sketchy situations when traveling solo
There’s another type of travel disaster that happens a lot, especially to solo travellers, and that’s finding yourself somewhere you absolutely do not want to be. From accidentally checking-in to a hotel in the dodgy part of town to getting bad vibes from your hostel roomies, feeling uncomfortable as you travel alone on a bus, train, or ferry to being harassed and even followed, there’s one piece of advice I stick to now above – after travelling solo for almost 10 years – above all the others.
Trust your gut.
If you’ve got a feeling that something is seriously not right… go with it. Find a new hotel, get a private room at the hostel, switch carriages on the train, find somewhere crowded where you feel safe to lose whoever is harassing you. Some people have this notion that to be a real “traveller” you have to put up with whatever unpleasant situations you come across on the road. Not only is that not true, but it’s also potentially dangerous. We have instincts for a reason. Learning to trust them doesn’t make you any less of a traveller – in fact, it makes you a smarter one.
What should you do when something goes wrong in your solo female travels?
When something has gone wrong, it is hard to switch back into fun travel mode straight away. These tips will get you back on track.
Base yourself somewhere safe and comfortable to give yourself time to sort out any life admin – like cancelling bank and credit cards or calling your travel insurance to cover medical bills – as well as a few days just to process what’s happened, or heal up. Read these tips on caring for the mind and body while solo female traveling.
Reach out to solo female travel communities for support. The Solo Female Traveler Network has a support system of over 490 000 women globally, all sharing their honest travel experiences. You’re bound to find someone who has been in the exact same situation that you are in now who can give advice, and countless women will reach out with their emotional support.
Try to remember that a solo female travel disaster can happen to anyone, but few are life altering or unfixable. Years from now, when you look back on your trip, chances are you’ll only recall the adventures and fun…rather than remembering the things that went wrong.
As for the travel disasters that are big enough to remember? Well, they usually make for a pretty good story…
About the author
Fiona McNicol
Fiona is a freelance travel writer, blogger and copywriter from Scotland. She’s spent almost 10 years living, working, and travelling solo, all over the world. From print articles to audio travel guides, e-books to digital magazines, Fiona is best known for sharing her favourite off-the-beaten-track destinations and underrated travel gems. Follow her solo travel adventures on www.travellintale.com as well as travel photography on Instagram @travellintale .
