When you see me rolling up to a camp spot in my trusty van with my chocolate rescue lab Roger (the goodest boy that ever lived), you might get the impression that I’m a carefree woman, embracing the freedom of the open road and living my best life. And you’d be right…to a degree. You see, unlike my male counterparts who can quite confidently sleep out in the open under the canopy of stars or leave their doors open on their van to make the most of a cross breeze on a warm night, travel for me is quite significantly less ‘carefree.’ The reality is that whilst solo travel for women is on the rise in Australia, to stay safe, it requires us to develop certain habits and perhaps most importantly, to trust our gut when something feels ‘off.’
For example, just last week I pulled up to the perfect camping spot with the most stunning view, just as the previous camper was preparing to leave. Perfect timing, right? Wrong. As I pulled up alongside him, he slowed down so that he could take a good look into my Ridgerunner off road camper van, possibly checking if I had a travel companion or was alone. He eventually drove away, but my intuition was telling me to keep my wits about me. Instead of getting out and setting up camp straight away, I decided to just wait and watch for a while. Sure enough, before too long I saw his car behind a thicket of trees not too far away, where he obviously thought I wouldn’t see him. Perfect beach view or not, I was out of there!
As children we are often taught to be polite to others, but there is no room for people pleasing when it comes to staying safe on the road. If something doesn’t seem right, DO NOT worry about seeming rude or offending someone. Just get in that driving seat (which you should keep clear at all times) and drive, baby, drive!
Safety Habits I’ve Developed for Staying Safe as a Solo Female Traveller
Arrive Before Dark
I always make sure that I arrive at a camp spot before dark but try to aim for before 3pm if I can. This gives me a couple of hours of light so I can scope out the area properly, get my bearings before nightfall and suss out any other campers who might be in the area. This also gives me sufficient time to collect water and cook outside so that I can be locked up safely in my van when the sun goes down.
Allow for a Hasty Exit
As far as I’m concerned, the best parking spot is the one that you can drive straight out of without the need for complex manoeuvres or reversing if the need arises. Make sure you know where the entry and exit points are and that you have sufficient fuel.
Give the Impression You are Not Alone
I leave a pair of men’s work boots (that I picked up at an op shop) outside my door to give the impression that there is a big burly man inside. They are huge and heavy and take up valuable floor space, but it’s a simple deterrent that seems to work.
Another simple trick is to set your Wi-Fi password to something that gives the impression you are in a couple, such as ‘Mr&MrsB.’
I highly recommend taking your furry friend on your travels with you if you can. Sure, it does mean you won’t be able to set up camp in some national parks or beach areas, but they are an extra pair of eyes and ears. Even a soft and cuddly doofus like Roger can ward off potential creeps with his loud, deep barking. He certainly can make himself much more ferocious than he really is, and I love him for that! But, even with him by my side, I only ever venture out of my van at night if I am 100% sure I’m alone.
Keep Friends and Family Updated on Where You Are
I use an app that tracks my location that I share with my family, so they know where I am at all times, and so they can raise the alarm in case I don’t arrive at my planned destination.
I also only stay in camping spots where I have a phone signal. This does limit where I can travel in some areas, but I’m reluctant to get Starlink and give Mr Musk even more money than he already has, so that’s the trade off!
Pack Protection
It sounds like a cliché, but I do sleep with a baseball bat beside my bed. Thankfully, I’ve never had call to use it, but it does help me sleep a little sounder knowing it is there. Roger, although he does tend to hog the bed, he’s a light sleeper and is always on alert to any unusual sounds outside. So, he’s well worth surrendering some bed real estate to!
Other safety items I keep on hand is a personal safety alarm that blasts a very loud siren when activated, perfect as a deterrent and to attract attention, a high-powered head lamp, whistle, air tags, portable power bank (so I can always use my phone even if the battery dies), and a first aid kit.
My van windows are also fitted with locks and a shatterproof film.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media
Do join Facebook groups for solo women travellers. It’s a great way keep tabs on each other, gain valuable insights into safe camping areas and share details of dodgy fellows on the road and places to avoid.
Don’t share details of where you are to the public on social media. The same thing we try to drum into kids and teens applies to us too. You just never know who might be watching.
The Trade Offs of Travelling Alone as a Woman
Don’t get me wrong, I am immensely grateful for the opportunity and good health that allows me, as a woman in my 50’s, to do the big loop around Australia. So far, it has been truly incredible! But, travelling alone as a woman, sometimes I do miss out on sleeping beneath the stars, spotting nocturnal wildlife, and soaking in spectacular nighttime views. Whilst my goal is to spend as much time as possible outside of my van, exploring our vast and beautiful country, that is generally limited to daylight hours and sometimes even then a solo hike can be ruined by some random bloke behaving in a way that sets your ‘Spidey senses’ off.
It means that I always have to keep my wits about me and keep my safety top of mind. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I worry about some of the young girls I’ve met on the road living their best, ‘hashtag vanlife’, in a flimsy converted work van. Life experience has taught me to be ever on guard, and the invincibility mindset of youth has long since left me!
What I’d Love to Tell Male Travellers as a Solo Female Traveller
Park where I can see your van, but not right next to me!
Most women like me, are friendly and will say hi and have a chat, but don’t force conversations on a solo woman traveller.
No matter how cute you think one of the young van life women are, don’t try to hit on her. Like seriously, just don’t. Even if you are a nice guy, you can come across as creepy or threatening. What you consider as a bit of fun might scare the life out of her. If she likes you, she’ll let you know!
If I indicate to you that another traveller is making me feel uncomfortable, please keep an eye on him. I’m capable of taking care of myself, I’ve been doing this a long time, so if I reach out to you, I have genuine concerns and would like backup if I need it.
Men can be privy to conversations that I am not. If another guy on your travels gives you the “creepy guy vibes” with something he says or does, please warn me. I need to know if there’s someone dodgy in the vicinity.
No, I don’t need help setting my van up. I don’t need advice and for a man to explain stuff to me. If I need physical help – if I am bogged off-road or have a problem that requires two sets of hands, I’ll reach out.
Abide by standard camping etiquette. If you and the boys plan to have a few drinks and have a late one, do it away from where I’m parked. It’s irritating for any vanner to have to deal with a bunch of noisy blokes, and as a solo woman it’s doubly risky for me to approach you and ask you to turn it down.
I cannot stress this enough, leave the younger solo travelling women alone. They have the right to visit off road locations and enjoy roads less travelled, if they wanted blokes around, they’d travel with a bloke. In most cases there’s only one road, so don’t leave at the same time as her, let her be on her way, give her the space to have the open road without feeling like she has to watch you in her rearview mirror the whole time.
