If you have the heart of an explorer, traveling alone is an excellent way to see the world on your own terms. But it can also be scary, particularly if you're a woman concerned about her safety on a solo trip to far-flung corners of the globe.
HuffPost Live's Nancy Redd hosted a panel discussion Wednesday with a group of travel experts about why a solo trip is the perfect getaway for any woman, whether she's a mom in need of a break or a single lady looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
"A lot of people just assume that solo travel is something they can't do, because maybe they're more introverted or they just feel like it's so overwhelming, and they see the media basically saying, 'Oh, it's so dangerous,'" said Amanda Williams, who blogs about travel on A Dangerous Business. "But the truth is, when you go out there you realize the world is a lot less scary than movies and TV and news outlets would lead us to believe."
But even in the safest locations, there's still the social anxiety of being completely by yourself in a place you don't know. That, too, is easy to overcome, Williams said.
"Even if you feel like you're not really an outgoing person, you'll find that ... people want to talk to you," she said. "They want to know why you're by yourself. They want to know why you came to their country. And basically, they want to start conversations."
So how do you plan your own solo trip? What's the best lodging setup without a companion? What are the safest destinations for a woman alone, and how can you do it all on a realistic budget? Get the answers in the video above, and bon voyage!
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