I'm a female travelling alone to South America - tell me it can be done!!

Hey,

I'm a first time, lone female traveller, travelling to Venezuela on August 24th, spending some time up in Venezuela with a friend then making my way down through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina to catch a flight to Oz on 10th November.

Anyone want to get my email address to hook up at somepoint or chat with me before hand as it seems everyone else is crapping themselves as much as I am and maybe we can make life a little easier/safer for ourselves?!?!?

Anyway... get in touch if you want to 😊 Reply to this

Hey, I'm also planning on travelling there alone and clearly by the above posts it can be done yay! Is pepper spray legal there?? Reply to this

There are some astounding women in this forum/blogosphere. You are really incredible and a total inspiration to me. I'm embarking on my first backpacking trip all alone at 21 and although my mother has been trying to scare me by mentioning what happened in Taken (the movie, yeah its crap, watch it just to knock it, or better yet, dont watch it, its crap!), i still feel pretty confident about it. Nonetheless, I am only going to europe and not in s.america, but i think soon enough i'll do a backpacking trip to asia probably all alone.
Nonetheless, this was after seriously consulting every website with tips on pickpockets and european catcallers. I've lived on my own for 3 years now in Toronto, and I wouldnt say that here in our own countries we do not run into any less danger than elsewhere (a few of my bus rides have involved people pulling a knife on somebody). You just gotta be the smart woman that you always are and watch your back.
Keep on rocking ladies! Reply to this

Denise.

You have totally hit the nail on the head there. I can't see how Europe is any more dangerous than America or Canada. For example, through my whole life in the UK I have never been on a bus where somewhere has pulled a knife!

We have lived in SE Asia for nearly two years now and can honestly say that we feel safer here than in the city we lived in in the UK.

Everywhere has crime. Every tourist area has people who prey on naive tourists. Particularly in countries where people are poorer than the tourists who visit. You are likely to have something stolen or something happen when you are travelling. It's just probability. It happens at home too. Just make sure you don't make it easy for people and you don't loose something that you really really need. Have insurance if you are carrying something valuable.

The important thing is to take care of yourself. Don't just trust everyone you meet who tells you that someone in their family is going to Uni/lives in the country you are from, or who wants you to help them practise English or whatever it is. Don't trust tuk tuk drivers/taxi drivers/random people in the street who tell you about a special offer you must see. If you are walking around with a guidebook looking lost,everyone who offers help is not just a good samaritan. Often they want something. Don't leave anything of value anywhere. If you travel on buses/trains, keep your valuables in reach. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I was reading a story the other day about some people travelling in Asia who were complaining about a bus driver stealing their stuff. They lost everything: passports, ipods, money etc. Terrible.

Then I read on. It turned out that they booked a bus ticket somewhere, but the bus dropped them off somewhere else where they didn't want to go and drove off (as happens). They left their bags on the bus and it drove away with their stuff on it. Pretty awful thing to happen on your trip. But my question would be: Why did you leave your money/ipods/passports etc. on a bus and GET OFF IT? Why didn't you take them off the bus with you while you found out what was going on? Would you do this at home on the National Express or Greyhound?

When we lived in Madrid, someone we know had their bag stolen on the Madrid metro. It happened on the way from the airport where a lot of the pick pockets hang out and where this sort of thing happens a lot. When we asked how it had happened, it turned out that they had left their bag on the floor while they were kissing (or whatever). So they weren't watching it and someone walked off with it.

So have a great time and look after yourself. Like you said, be a smart woman!

Kate




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I'm 17, and I've been living on my own in a student apartment for a year now in the area that is considered something like Finnish Harlem, and it feels just.... normal?

Sounds to me like you are well prepared for travelling. You would need to be pretty independent and good with organising your life and your finances to live away from home at 16. Those are also attributes that are important for travelling. 😊
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2 posts moved to this new topic: Itinerary for S. America Reply to this