A Woman's Guide to Solo Travel

Hello all!

I know everyone has an opinion and likes to become some sort of internet celebrity by sharing those opinions on the internet.  I have always been old at heart, and I feel a little ridiculous posting my opinion as if anyone needs to know it. However, in light of the recent and shocking atrocities against women (CORRECTION: the recent MEDIA COVERAGE of atrocities against women, as events like this have been occurring since the dawn of time), I would like to share my perspective on feminism, through the lens of travel.  

The stories of Jon Krakauer have always enthralled me.  They are filled with adventure, danger, infinite solitude, and the discovery of the self.  After reading them, particularly Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, I always have the urge to take that step into the unknown, packing up and leaving everything behind for a long adventure of traveling and working from place to place.  

But something always stops me.  

Being a woman.

 

Now trust me, I believe that any woman is strong enough, smart enough, and brave enough to travel the world and take it over.  However, at some point you have to be realistic and you have to be safe.  It may sound crazy, but THAT IS WHAT I HATE!  Men are able to be spontaneous and idealistic as they go off on their adventures.  However, women are told they must plan, travel in groups, don't drink too much, don't flirt, have a weapon, never walk alone (especially at night!), look down, wear pants, ETC! so as to avoid being kidnapped, raped, murdered.  

I understand that what I have just said is a generalization and there are exceptions.  I know some amazing girls who have traveled completely alone, had an amazing time, and were completely safe.  I guess I am lacking some courage.  But you can't blame me.  When such misogyny exists in the world to allow people to feel any sympathy for Elliot Rodgers, when a father is allowed to kill his pregnant daughter for marrying who she wants, when there are gang rapes every day in India, when men still shout and blatantly stare at any girl (first happened to me at nine) or woman on the street and make them feel unclean and unsafe, when colleges around the nation still practice victim blaming and shaming instead of prosecuting offenders, then I won't feel safe enough to travel alone.  

What I hope for my daughter is that she can one day travel and not fear that men won't "be able to help themselves."  I hope my children travel, no matter their gender, and I hope they can feel equally safe in their own skin.    

-Claire

Flying High

Hello all!

So I had a major life experience this past weekend...I went to Laughlin, Nevada.

Just kidding, that would be a depressing thing to be excited about.  But how I got there was pretty amazing.  I flew on my first private plane!  Mike's father is a pilot and is helping Mike to get certified as well.  Now this is a major accomplishment for me and I will tell you why...

(Can you see the terror in my eyes?)

Even though I love traveling with all my heart, flying is an interesting obstacle for me.  When I was younger, flying was actually enjoyable for me.  I would usually fly with my big brother and he absolutely loved planes.  He would point to the wing and explain everything that was happening with the mechanics, so as to distract me from the 30,000+ foot drop below me.  However, now I'm older.  I often fly alone or with Mike, who falls asleep as soon as we get into the air.  Over the past five or so years, my anxiety over flying has steadily been getting more and more intense.  I try every trick in the book.  I try to read, distract myself, fall asleep, talk, look out the window, don't look out the window, white-knuckle the seat, EVERYTHING!  But no matter what I do, I have this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I think I have pinpointed the source of the problem.  While I have never been a huge control freak (I have some OCD, but who doesn't, right?), I think my problem with flying is my complete lack of control over the fate of my life...or otherwise.  Not only does the pilot have my life in his hands, but elements do as well.  "One major gust of wind could sent us into a nosedive!"  These are the thoughts that continue to "fly" (get it?) through my head for however many hours (1, 3, 6, 9) that I am in the air.  And every minute seems like an eternity to me, so six hours mentally becomes twelve or eighteen to me.

(These are the results of overcoming my fear)

But, as an aspiring world traveler, I am trying to face this fear.  It is a little ridiculous to believe that I can find a way to sail or drive all the way around the world.  Sometimes, you have to fly.  The only thing to do is look at the beauty below you and try to enjoy the amazing fact that YOU ARE FLYING IN THE AIR LIKE A BIRD!  Sometimes, I don't think humans are meant to do that, but I know that's just my fear talking.

So, as I try to face this fear, I will blast some inspiring music (Send Me On My Way, anyone?), look out at the world below me, try to imagine my destination, and try to ignore my stomach screaming "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"


-Claire Impecoven

Do You Have Your Travel Buddy?

Hello all!

Here is my tale of romance and travel.  Three and a half years and counting...

Now, I wasn't always sure about this boy.  Michael Williams was an interesting little guy when I first met him.  A nineteen year old, angsty boy and still very much a teenager, as most boys are at that age. When we first started dating he was perfectly content with staying in Mesa and not adventuring beyond maybe California or Colorado.  Now, this was a problem for me.  Travel is and always has been a certainty in my life.  So I knew that if he continued to insist on staying in Mesa, that we would eventually run into trouble.

Over these past years, however, Mike has found his passion and I couldn't be more proud of him. He is one of the most amazing photographers I have ever seen.  His work, especially his documentary work, is incredible.  And I am lucky enough to get to see him behind the scenes. Even though I can get really bored and bratty about constantly hearing about "aperture and lighting," it really is amazing how much he knows about photography.  He really should teach it.  Anyways, enough bragging, where this comes in handy for me is that it has sparked his interest in traveling.

Mike and I have been lucky enough to test our relationship in two ways.  First, when I went to Italy for a month, we found out that "absence truly does make the heart grow fonder."  Running into his arms at the airport when I landed was pure movie magic.  Then, we were lucky enough to leave three days later for the British Virgin Islands for his dad's 50th birthday.  Ten days of pure bliss with him and his wonderful family.  We have also taken countless trips to Cali, Utah, and even Hawaii.  During these trips, we have such deep and intimate conversations and these trips have helped us understand each other on a whole new level.  So, we also have learned how to travel with one another.  

Traveling can show you a whole new side of a person.  It can show you how they handle stress, fatigue, hunger (pretty much all the times when we are at our worst), but it can also allow you to see the more complex and romantic sides of them as well.  If your relationship can handle travel, it can handle just about anything.  In about two/three years, when Mike graduates and starts his successful photography career, we plan on getting married and backpacking through Europe for our honeymoon.  We want to travel as much as possible before we have children, so that we can offer them as many insights about the world possible.

I am so grateful that I found my travel buddy.  Please check out his photography and if anyone needs portraits done, let me know! http://www.mikesazphoto.com/

-Claire Impecoven

Late to the Blogging Party!

Hello all!

So I have never blogged before, which you can probably tell from my page layout (suggestions are welcome!). 

My hope for this blog is that it will tell the stories of the adventures I have been lucky enough to have, help me learn about others' adventures, and will allow me to help others become interested in global exchange.  Global exchange has been one of my passions for years.  I think learning about other people, their lives, trials, joys, and beliefs is one of the most powerful gifts we are given on earth.  While I have my own personal beliefs, I love seeing the differences in others and believe those differences are beautiful. I would never want to change another person's uniqueness. 

International relations is a subject that I feel is sorely overlooked.  While domestic issues are important, I feel that in a globalizing world, we must focus on foreign relations. 

I have been blessed with a supportive family and many loving friends who have helped me live out my dreams.  And although I've been to three continents and many exotic places, I feel like I've only just begun.  My travels include trips to Peru (2009-Spanish V Spring Break Trip), Kauai (2011-Summer Trip with Jenny Baum), Italy (I lived there for a month and taught English to children at the program "You Can Camp), British Virgin Islands (My boyfriend's father's 50th birthday trip), and Oahu (My boyfriend's 22 birthday trip).

I will probably be doing a blog on each individual trip, but that's for a later time...when I'm feeling nostalgic.  Right now I'm just feeling that old familiar wanderlust...

-Claire Impecoven