Are you in a place where you feel like things are closing in around you, you’re drowning and you want to do something to escape it all? all you need to do is take that step, choose that book that will motivate you on your journey and help you find the answers you’re looking for.
here are some books about travel, adventure, self-discovery, and healing with female leads that wrestled with the questions and doubts most of us have at some point in our lives. so take that first step and get started:
You are reading: Books about traveling alone
1) eat pray love by elizabeth gilbert
The book is about a woman’s journey in search of pleasure, devotion and balance. after her marriage breaks up, she decides to do something different. she travels through italy, india and indonesia, where she discovers what she is looking for. she indulges in culture and food in italy. she finds enlightenment in india, and love and happiness in indonesia. the book has also been made into a movie.
2) nile by rosemary mahoney
this one is all about the sheer adventure and thrill of doing it. rosemary mahoney was determined to take a solo trip down the nile river in egypt. she manages to get a skiff (a light rowboat or rowboat, usually for one person) and takes it down the nile. she dressed as a fisherman and covered her hair so that the locals would not recognize her as a foreigner in the waters without a captain to guide her. The book talks about the sights and scenes that she sees along with the obstacles that she faces and how she overcomes them.
3) savage by cheryl strayed
The loss of her mother and her subsequent divorce from her husband of six years prompted her to embark on an 1,100-mile trek. She walked along the Pacific Ridge Trail, a stretch of wilderness that stretches from Mexico to Canada along nine mountain ranges, from Lagoon to Cascades, for two months.
cheryl published her memoir 17 years later detailing her experiences on the trek. the book talks about how the journey of a thousand miles impacted her emotionally. a good book to accompany, if what she is looking for is peace, like cheryl.
4) now is the time to open your heart for alice walker
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The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple and other books such as Possessing the Secret of Joy and My Family’s Temple, writes about one woman’s spiritual journey.
kate, the protagonist, daydreams of beautiful mountains and rivers and finally gathers the courage to take a journey and heads to the colorado river. kate leaves her life and the unhappiness she is experiencing and pushes herself to take a step forward. The spiritual journey that Kate undertakes in her quest for self-discovery makes for an emotional and moving read.
5) Tales of a Nomadic Woman: Living Free in the World by Rita Golden Gelman
“I move through the world without a plan, guided by instinct, connecting through trust and constantly looking for chance opportunities”. — rita writes in the preface of this book.
after her children grew up and her marriage dissolved and she was on the verge of divorce, at the age of 48 rita decided to follow her dream. she left Los Angeles and became a nomad. she traveled the world and connected with people from all cultures.
This book is for all those women who think they are too old to chase their dreams and follow their hearts. is a book about chasing your dreams and exploring a world that has great experiences to offer.
6) under the tuscan sun: at home in italy by frances mayes
Set in the Tuscan countryside, this book is about overcoming tragedy and fear. After his nasty divorce, Frances Mayes is in the Tuscan countryside restoring his villa, something he bought on a whim in hopes it would change his life. living in the Italian countryside, she talks about cooking, gardening and painting, what she calls skills and not chores. the book talks about how she restored the villa and also includes recipes. This memoir by Frances Mayes was made into a film and was titled the same as the book.
7) No Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman by Alice Steinbach
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This book is for all the women who think about traveling alone but don’t. It’s about how Alice walks away from her life to travel alone and discover the world and herself in the process. she sends herself postcards as she discovers each city and the emotions each of these places evokes. is a story about discovery, life, cities and the emotions related to it.
8) traveling with grenades by sue monk kidd
It’s about a mother and daughter duo, Sue and Ann, who travel together to Turkey, France and Greece; each dealing with their own challenges. Sue is dealing with writer’s block and the challenges of midlife, while her daughter is struggling with heartbreak and career questions.
women not only seek answers to their problems, but also, while traveling together, build new and strong bonds. this one is for mothers and daughters!
9) the jane christmas pelee project
This one is especially for single moms who are juggling their lives, family, and careers single-handedly. In the midst of the chaos and madness that life and responsibilities present, Jane finds herself in the middle of a car accident.
walks away from the accident, takes three months off work, and moves to an island with his daughter. pelee island is a remote community with less than 200 people, right in the middle of lake erie in north america. the book is about her experiences with the community and living on the island with the community and her experiences in the new chapter of her life.
10) Fortysomething Phoenix: Travel Memoirs of Marlayna Glynn Brown
This book shares lessons from Marlayna’s journey. she traveled for six months and through 14 countries. Marlayna has been a single mother and solo traveler, and she found love and self-acceptance in the disparities and similarities in her cultures and histories.
Each of these books has something to offer: advice, adventure stories, thrills, solo experiences, and interesting tidbits about countries and cultures. As the world around you gets you down, you can always look to these books for refuge.
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