I’m a solo female traveler – here are the scariest realities of my nomadic lifestyle

A solo traveller has revealed the harsh realities of life as a lone female globetrotter.

Jenny, from Florida, has spent the past seven years working in HR at her 9-to-5 corporate job exploring the world.

She has ticked off places from her bucket list including Estonia and El Salvador, visited 48 countries and seen hundreds of breathtaking sights.

But the 37-year-old has made it clear that traveling alone is not for the faint of heart and comes with its own set of dangerous challenges.

Originally from Florida, Jenny has spent the past seven years working in HR alongside her 9-to-5 job to explore the world

She’s checked places off her bucket list including Estonia and El Salvador, visited 48 countries and seen hundreds of awe-inspiring sights

But the 37-year-old has revealed that traveling alone is not for the faint of heart and that it comes with some dangerous challenges

“I almost became a victim of a possible kidnapping or human trafficking in Budapest in 2019,” Jenny candidly shared.

‘It was one of the scariest moments of my life, but I made sure I made enough noise to attract attention and asked for help.’

To protect herself, Jenny has created a list of dos and don’ts.

She said: ‘My ultimate rules are: I don’t drink, and if I go out at night I’ll only have one drink and I won’t take my eyes off it.

‘I don’t tell people where I’m staying, or that I’m alone.

‘I try to memorize the map before I leave a place so I’m not glued to my phone and can look around.

“And I share my iPhone location with my family so they can track me in case of emergency.”

The travel enthusiast, who documents her experiences on her Instagram account @poorlittlenomad, says being self-sufficient is worth it, but it also comes with a price.

People online have been supporting Jenny and thanking her for sharing the harsh reality of solo travel, when it is so romanticized online

“I can be as selfish as I want. I don’t have to compromise or conform to anyone,” Jenny shared.

‘Travelling alone has also helped me become more independent and confident in new environments.

‘I’m normally an introvert. When I’m traveling, you wouldn’t think how antisocial I actually am.

‘But it’s expensive. Travel packages often assume double occupancy, causing individual travelers to miss out on discounts intended for couples or groups.

‘I was in Guatemala last weekend and wanted to sign up for a cooking class, but I couldn’t because it required two guests to sign me up.

‘I wanted to sign up for a volcano tour in Nicaragua and the cost was $45 per person. When I registered, it turned out that I had to pay $90 even though I was alone.

“There are so many things I would have liked to do, but I had to pass on.”

Jenny started traveling alone after she got into an argument with a close friend during a trip.

The travel enthusiast, who documents her experiences on her Instagram account @poorlittlenomad, says being self-sufficient is worth it, but it comes with a cost

Jenny started traveling solo after getting into a fight with a close friend while on a trip, and hasn’t looked back since

She said: ‘Seven years ago I took my first international trip as an adult with a good friend and it ended in disaster.

‘I found out the hard way that there are people you can’t travel with, no matter how close you are.

‘My boyfriend and I were no longer friends after that trip and since then I prefer to travel alone.

“I don’t have to worry about anyone but myself.”

Jenny says being the organizer can always be tiring, adding: ‘I love the planning part of traveling: booking the accommodations and activities.

But long-time solo travelers know that making all the decisions — big and small, from where to eat to how to handle unexpected situations — can be exhausting.

‘I’ve had hotels or Airbnbs cancel my reservation at the very last minute and then I had to come up with an alternative solution myself.

‘Sometimes it’s nice when someone else takes the lead every now and then.

‘It’s also nice to have friends with whom you can share your enthusiasm.’

Jenny shared: ‘It’s definitely not for everyone, but I would rather travel alone than not see the world at all.’

“Traveling solo has also helped me become more independent and confident as I navigate new environments,” she added

People online have rallied around Jenny, thanking her for sharing the harsh reality of solo travel, when it is so glamorous online.

“Loneliness is my biggest fear. And when I travel alone, I miss my husband so much,” Kristy said.

A fellow solo traveler said, “These are all exactly what I feel when I travel alone. I love it, but I can’t overlook some drawbacks.’

Another joked: ‘So true. And not being able to share the cost of a hotel room with anyone.”

‘Decision fatigue, I know it from everyday life… and then a nice trip quickly turns into something too tiring,’ someone else shared.

‘Hard truth girl! This is all clear! Thanks for sharing!’ added another traveler.

Jenny added, “I didn’t expect so many people to be receptive to my content and relate to the ugly truths about solo travel.

‘It seems we all share the same feelings. Although we love it, it also has its challenges.

‘It’s certainly not for everyone, but I’d rather travel alone than not see the world at all.’