r/femaletravels

ORD is my nemisis, I used to say heathrow but it’s gotten a lot better

Hi, girls,

First of all, I want to tell you that I’ve traveled to different parts of the world, and I’ve never felt as unsafe as I did in Egypt.

I usually blend in with the locals and avoid resorts, so Egypt was no exception. I use the metro, public buses, and generally adopt the customs of the place I’m visiting. That’s why I can assure you that the majority of travelers who claim Egypt is safe are those who stay in hotels and book guided tours, which isolates them in their own little bubble.

I met some truly kind-hearted people, though they could be counted on one hand, since in my opinion, Egypt is generally a dangerous, unsafe, and greedy place and generally not recommended for a woman traveling alone unless she’s prepared to face some very, very tough situations.

It was in Luxor, after my bus arrived from Cairo, that as we got off the bus, a huge crowd of taxi drivers swarmed all the travelers, trying to get us to hire their services.

After repeatedly declining the service of one of them who was extremely persistent, another approached me and grabbed my arm forcefully to drag me into his car, which turned out to be an extremely terrifying situation.

After screaming and struggling with him, I managed to break free and walk to my hostel on my own, though not without a bitter taste in my mouth, since on top of the constant messages, stares, and scams, I now had to add physical assault to the list.

Okay so I just got back from a week in Greece and I did what I always do which is pack way too much and end up rotating between the same three outfits anyway. Thought it might be useful to share what worked vs what took up space for nothing since I see a lot of "what to pack" posts but not many "how to pack lightly but still cute" kind of posts.

Wore constantly: two floral midi dresses, one pair of linen trousers, my white sneakers and one pair of strappy sandals. That was basically my entire trip. The dresses covered beach, exploring, dinner, everything. The linen trousers got one outing.

Never touched: a structured blazer I convinced myself I'd need, two tops I thought I'd mix and match with the trousers, a "just in case" cocktail dress that stayed folded at the bottom of my bag the whole time.

The dresses were the whole trip. I'm never packing differently again. Anyone else had this realization or is it just me?

EDIT: I know this is the internet but please don’t leave rude comments, I’m simply sharing my opinion. You can respectfully disagree but you don’t have to attack me or rudely respond. I’m being respectful with my thoughts here so you can too.

***Let me preface this by saying that I still enjoyed my trip to Copenhagen and I think the city probably has a lot more to offer but as a solo visitor for 5 days, this is my opinion!

I spent 5 days in Copenhagen recently and I really wanted to go after seeing so much about it on social media over the years, particularly on YouTube and Instagram. Obviously, I did my own research and don’t base my travel plans solely on social media so even after doing online reading, I saw a lot of people talking about its unique vibe and how they preferred it over a lot of other Western European cities. I’ll start with the pros first:

- I liked how clean and available public bathrooms were. I had been in Amsterdam a few days before and it was harder to find a bathroom at times, with many of them being paid in busy areas

- The bakery culture is really cool and there was pretty much always public seating nearby to eat, this can be a big struggle in bigger cities like Tokyo and NYC

- The overall chill and relaxed vibe of people there. Nobody was in a rush really like they tend to be in more work driven cultures, I saw lots of people just out enjoying the sun during a day of nice weather despite it being a work day.

- My favourite parts were the Glyptotek museum (visited during the free day), Osterbro neighbourhood, and walking near the water

Cons:

- The prices are truly exorbitant for most people travelling who aren’t super high earners. Food market eats range from $20-$40 CAD, pasties cost $8-10 and I didn’t even step into a restaurant cause they’re even pricier. I got a keychain at the Lego store without doing the conversion by accident and it ended up being DOUBLE the price I could’ve paid for it back home, despite Denmark being where Lego was invented! I knew about the prices after researching but it was another level once I got there

- The supermarkets leave a lot to be desired if you want to buy your own food, not as many fresh options and the to go options are a little lacking compared to other European grocers

- I think the city overall is probably a nice place to live but as a visitor, there isn’t much to do after the third day, especially if you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg. There is way less to do in terms of exploring, art, culture, and parks compared to Paris, NYC, and London

- As someone who is into fashion, I had high expectations visiting Copenhagen from what I heard and seeing the way people dress there. Unfortunately, I found that a lot of the brands carried things with low quality/synthetic fabrics yet were marked up because they fit the style and Copenhagen aesthetic. Don’t get me wrong, this is a problem globally in the fast fashion cycle but I was disappointed for a city that prides itself in sustainability and design. The thrifting was nicer but also more expensive than your average thrift store in North America and the sizing is smaller too (generally clothes run smaller in Europe as with Asia to cater to the general population which makes sense)

Those are my main thoughts. I think the city is worth visiting if you live in Europe already and it’s not that far for you but otherwise, may not be worth it and even then, 3 days would be your sweet spot. I think Copenhagen has done a fantastic job PR wise and on social media so it gets a lot of visitors and again, as I mentioned, I still enjoyed my trip, but I was also let down quite a lot too. Given that most people outside of Europe have limited vacation time, I’d look into other cities before basing your decision on the good PR you see online!

Pros and cons?

i spend like weeks making spreadsheets, researching hidden spots, putting together day by day itineraries, and honestly it feels so satisfying. then when i’m actually there i feel weirdly unmotivated to follow the plan and just end up winging it most days. i’m planning my next solo trip to portugal and already i’m more excited about the google sheets than the actual flights. is this crazy or do other solo female travelers feel this way too? what’s it like for you, the planning or the trip itself?

To all the women in their 30s (especially moms) - which sandals are you bringing to Europe this summer to stay comfortable while still looking good? Help! I have a pair of Teva’s but they’re starting to look beat up and this model doesn’t exist anymore. The rest look a bit too sporty from what I’ve seen! I’m open to specific Teva model recommendations though that I haven’t seen

For me London and Edinburgh. No language barrier for me, safe, easy to figure out transportation and so much to do and see.

Thailand puts me off as I’ve heard lots of stories of it being fullll of groups on lads holidays.

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im going to portugal this week and saw youre meant to carry photo id with you... im not taking my passport out and about i will lose it. would a full uk drivers license do? for bars too i know most dont ask but i do look young. if they did ask would drivers license be ok too? first solo trip so over thinking

i just got back from 2 weeks solo in portugal and i thought i'd be happy to be home but instead i feel hollow. everything was perfect, lisbon was beautiful, i met amazing people on the train to porto, ate the best pastel de nata of my life, felt completely safe walking around alone at night. but now i'm back in my apartment and i can't shake this sadness. like my brain is still in those cafes watching people walk by instead of here doing laundry and checking emails. i know it's called post travel blues but does anyone else feel it this strong? or am i just extra dramatic about it?

Last month I went to Japan by myself for the whole month. It was my first time traveling completely alone. I was scared because I suffer from debilitating anxiety and take meds for it, but I decided to take the chance and just do it. After coming back, all I can say is: I highly recommend it! Now that I traveled solo, I kind of don’t want to travel with anyone else anymore. It was amazing and I can’t wait to do it again.

What country would you recommend for my second solo trip? I live in the USA.

My travel partner is unable to go on our cruise (flights leave in a week) should I cancel or go solo? Feeling anxious about solo cruising.. convince me ? 😅

I was supposed to go on NCL Viva cruise that departs in like 10 days out of Istanbul. Was going with someone who has unfortunately just broke her foot and can’t go. I can try to pursue cancelling with credit card insurance cause my companion can’t go…. But should I?

I’ve never travelled outside of the country by myself. On one hand, I’m fully competent/ capable (I’m the one who has planned every international trip and cruise I’ve taken. I do the work everyone else enjoys the trip lol). I’ve done countless international trips fully planned by me. So I’m not worried about logistics.

But doing it alone seems….scary?

But also lonely? 😔

I’ve solo travelled domestically in Canada and while I’m fine and end up having good time, I do end up getting a bit lonely after a while. Nice to share experiences with others you know?

But on other hand I’ve heard solo cruising is a thing. Especially on NCL. I know they have meet ups and stuff. But are they all seniors? lol I’m in 30s and I don’t drink or party etc.

I was planning on doing my own excursions not paying for them. Will it be lonely and sad? :(

I really reallyyyyy need a vacation. My docs tell me I need a vacation 😅 but feeling unsure.

Please convince me to go. I’ve got the regular “single woman travelling internationally” anxiety. But also the solo aspect.

But a part of me feels….OMG THIS COULD BE SO FREEING TO GO ON VACATION AND ONLY WORRY ABOUT MYSELF?!?!! 😅😅😅 ONLY WHAT I WANT TO DO, WHEN I WANT TO DO IT???

You know, the classic advice: pack less, learn the language, eat only local... what rule do you always ignore and what’s your secret for enjoying the trip anyway? I’d love to hear your experiences!

Any suggestions for a solo long weekend in the US? Looking for somewhere that is somewhat relaxing (I.e. not NYC) where I can stroll around to some cute bookshops and stores, maybe hit up a museum or historical site, sit at a cafe and just read and relax. Weather isn’t a consideration as I can go any time this year. Someplace walkable would be a major plus. I’ve already been to Boston, Key West, Charleston and Asheville. Initial ideas were Savannah or Newport, RI. Any other suggestions?

I turn 40 in March 2027 and I decided to plan a trip to London for my first solo trip out of the country. I want to spend 2 nights in the countryside, then the rest of my time in the city. Has anyone ever been? I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on where to go and how to travel to the countryside without renting a car. Thank you! 😊

I do both, what about you?

I usually keep a small crossbody purse it in front of me with my hand on it at all times. I feel like there's a better option that would free up my hands tho.