FEMALE SOLO IN ASIA

This was a phase in my life I decided to leave my well paid Social Worker job in Portugal to finally meet the incredible India. Of course everyone around me though I was crazy: a good job, a house, a car and I was just quiting. In fact, I was escaping from the old same routine.

Even thought some of you still think I'm crazy to travel by myself in Asia, I think that people who never experienced that before should do it, I had the time of my life!

First of all you are never alone. I guess people are more sensible when see people alone so they come to talk with you often and the same way around. I remember the first time I enter a indian kinda restaurant and sit down in the same table as an indian family. They talked with me very curious about my culture and gave me tons of food to try, all the different curries and how to eat rice with your hands (this was lot of fun, it's not so easy as it seems, you gotta make rice balls otherwise there will be rice all over you!!).

So you meet people in the bus, in the hostel, when you are eating, when you are in a line! Means, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! All depends on you though, one time I was in North Vietnam and decided to be alone for few days so I was literally running away from people lol If you have a negative attitude toward others you will be alone but if you are smiling and interested believe me, you will make tons of friends :D

Indian Wedding in Jaipur

 But travelling in India for a woman, alone or with company is always dangerous: Indian Man are crazy about werterns, they watch porno movies or know that we have sex before marriage so they think we are sluts or going to have sex with everyone!!!  They will star at you all the time, so you better get ready to cover all your body! Your face is fine but shoulders and legs covered please! By that time I had Orange hair and dyed my hair dark brown because I knew that blond girls had such an hard time. Another 2 important tips: Never walk alone at night in the streets and never accept a ride from a man, if it's a family or an indian woman is OK. In case a man hit on you just play ignore, if you don't look at them they will leave you in peace.

I always felt safe in India!! Indians will try to help you as much as they can. Anything you need they will be there for you, but as a different culture we have to respect the costumes, you don't have to wear a sari but you must avoid wearing tight jeans and tank tops and not smile too much to indian man.

About the other countries of Asia, is more chilled but still you have to watch out what you are wearing. Thailand is fine because they are so used to tourists that you mostly can be naked that no one is gonna look at you ;)

If you want to read more about the topic click here to see the Couchsurfing Thread "Safety of Women Travelling in India". I found this thread and discussion pretty interesting!