Thursday, 21 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Various factors such as feeling of independence and easy access to information and booking options are motivating urban girls to venture out of their comfort zones and embark on solo travel. However, most of the parents this correspondent spoke to on solo travel by girls said that they are concerned about the safety of the girls going out on solo trips. Though it is good that the girls are increasingly inclined to live life on their own terms free from parental and societal constrictions, venturing out on solo trips might spell problems for them in terms of their safety-this is the common refrain among the parents spoken to.
A college girl Seema Malhotra said that solo travel is becoming a popular trend among women, particularly the young ones. “This is because such trips give them some alone time which they hardly get when they travel with parents and others. Besides, during such trips we experience a sense of freedom which not just bolsters our confidence but also helps us think that we are individuals entitled to living our own life. This trend should be encouraged. I strongly feel that the girls should be allowed to go on solo trips once or twice a year,” she said.
Another college girl, Sonali Bijnoi, when asked to speak on the matter, said that she embarked on solo trips twice a year. “The sense of freedom I feel while on such trips is exhilarating. Not just this, such trips enhance my confidence. Travelling with family can sometimes be constraining, as we are hardly left to ourselves. Solo trips help their growth as individuals,” she added.
However, most of the parents sounded concerned over solo trips catching the fancy of girls and young women. “We admit that the girls need some alone time, but allowing them to go out alone for days is what parents like us cannot be expected to agree to. And if they cannot be stopped, they must understand the anxiety their parents suffer when they are out on solitary trips. They must make it a point to not mix up with strangers and they should keep sharing live locations with their families,” she said.
She said at the same time that things are currently not as risky as earlier. “In line with the progress of society, girls’ safety is being prioritised and even on solo trips they are not as vulnerable as they were a few years ago,” she added.
This is nice.