A Trip of One's Own: Hope, Heartbreak and Why Travelling Solo Could Change Your Life

by Kate Wills

A travel story is the best story of them all ...

Travel journalist Kate Wills wasn't expecting to be divorced after less than a year of marriage, or to be forced to restart a life that had seemed so stable for so long. Luckily, her job as a writer offered her the perfect opportunity to escape from it all. But this time, with no deadlines to hit or all-expenses-paid trips to absorb in a few days before churning out copy for a travel magazine, her jet-setting felt different. There were no photographers working alongside her or assistants booking her flights. For the first time ever, Kate was traveling alone.

Feeling unexpectedly out of her element, Kate began to scour history for stories of female travelers to inspire her. From a fourth-century nun to a globe-circling cyclist, Kate discovered that there have always been astonishing women who have broken free from society's expectations, clearing the path for many of us to do the same.

Funny, heartfelt, and guaranteed to spark wanderlust, A Trip of One's Own is the perfect armchair travel read to inspire you to jump in the car or hop on a plane to explore the world. This audiobook is the must-have next listen for any aspiring solo female traveler!

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Autobiography, Biography, Biography Memoir

Hardcover

First published July 7, 2022

Reviews

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

this only took me like 2 years to read but i did it :)

-----
imma set this aside, not sure if i'll come back to it - stopped around 60% but just not in the mood for non fiction/memoirs lol

[Literary Redhead · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the author, a travel journalist, shares about her own solo trips, I really enjoyed this book. Alas, she writes more about women who traveled alone in years, decades or centuries past. She also spends a lot of time writing about her divorce experience; not the focus I'd hoped for. I had wanted to hear more about how and why traveling changed her and what her trips entailed. Had she'd offered that, the content of the book would have better matched its description, and impacted more readers personally.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

[Library Queen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo...

I didn't finish it actually. Not even close. I made it to the end of chapter 1, decided I was actually going to take notes on this book because I was so annoyed with it, and then decided that would be more effort than I needed to dedicate to this really.

But for fun, let's break it down, I made it to like, chapter 4, and really, that took some sort of Herculean effort, because what the actual crap is this book supposed to be doing?

First note! It just says Purim = Jewish Halloween??? Because when you're going to a country during a cultural holiday, what you really need to do is boil down the story of Esther saving the Jews and just say Jewish Halloween. Whether or not you wanna believe the Bible, it just seems kinda tone deaf for a travel writer to sum a religious holiday like that. But don't worry, it doesn't end there.

Second note! and I quote from page 25 - 'It wasn't long before we reached Aida Refugee Camp. I had mixed feelings about going there. It felt a lot like "poverty tourism" and yet, deep down, I had to admit I liked the idea that I was the kind of person who visited refugee camps'.

I would be fine if maybe she'd been the type to volunteer, or even report on anything while she was there. And yet she didn't. We literally get more of a description of Banksy's hotel than we do of any conditions or feelings of being in a LITERAL REFUGEE CAMP. But I guess she didn't find herself there, and it wouldn't match the fun cover, so a paragraph of that, and let's move on.

It's about that time I just wrote this book a new synopsis, read a few more chapters and then gave up.

This book is a mix of the 'entitled clueless white woman decides she's royally messed up her love life (which we hear about so many times in this book) so decides to travel to find herself' cliche, with a big dollop of 'look, women have been intrepid travelers since forever!' feminism to try to make it interesting. She keeps flipping back and forth between her own experiences and those of the women in history who traveled before her, trying to find a relevant link to her own life to explain why she's writing this book.

Also, incredibly dumb things keep happening to her, like's she's detained for 3 days in China for not having a visa because she didn't think she'd need one (for China. Because they're so open and friendly there.) She's self aware enough to know that this dumb crap keeps happening to her because of her choices, but since she's at least aware of it, it's supposed to come off as cute and quirky, like it's a personality trait to only have 3 brain cells.

This book just really irritated me in a way few books do, and I'm glad I didn't spend money on it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Earlyreads program, for providing a copy of the book. Just in case you couldn't tell, all opinions are definitely mine.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me say it from the outset, I really enjoyed this book. I went in expecting a simple travel memoir yet it proved to be that and so much more. Part memoir, part travel with tips and tricks, part historical investigation - this book has much to offer.

‘Women have many reasons for going traveling alone, apart from seeking adventure. Often we’re searching for something, reaching for some meaning in our lives, something bigger and higher than ourselves.’

Kate’s personal story provides the foundation of this book and whilst some readers did not enjoy this aspect, I thought it made sense and helped project the book to the next level. Losing and finding yourself is life’s journey - both figuratively and actually - and is the obvious place to base your findings on life’s discoveries whether they be close to home or further afield.

‘… I became obsessed with putting some distance between myself and everything I knew - both the monotony of everyday life and the big soul-searching questions that would creep in from time to time. It was as if I thought that the meaning to life could be found in a well-packed suitcase and a freshly printed boarding pass.’

The most engaging aspect of this book, however, is Kate’s investigations into the stories of women from the past who made some incredible trips travelling alone. Some I had heard of, many I had not, but they all served to bring both entertainment, education and inspiration to this book. Gosh, there were some remarkable women with incredible tales to tell mostly from times when female adventurers were uncommon and mostly frowned upon.

‘I was only just starting to unravel the untold stories of so many unconventional women who had traveled the world and lived life on their own terms.’

Kate then also includes practical tips and tricks to the various aspects of travelling - everything from staying safe to how to pack and travel on a budget. This alone is full of really useful advice no matter what or where you may be.

‘Getting lost occasionally is essential—not only while traveling but when traveling through life. The destination we think we want is often, when we actually get there, not what we need.’

This book is definitely empowering and not only for women who intend to travel. Your journey may be an internal one and this book will be sure to speak to you as well. I so want to go back and tab this book as a future reference for drive, determination and inspiration.

‘There was a whole world right on my doorstep; it had always been there, I’d just had to open my eyes and ears and nose to it.’

Please do not be deterred from reading this book if you are not a traveller. Whether you be an armchair traveller or just seeking to become more aware of things around you closer to home, I believe you are sure to find something that will speak to you from within these pages. Many of us now live vicariously thanks to Covid and if the backyard is as far as you get, Kate certainly has some thoughts to share on that.

‘Travel doesn’t have to mean a journey through space, it can be an inner change, too.’

This book is wonderful. It is written from the heart and contains things that will make you smile and laugh, to things that will inspire and stir you to action. I very much appreciated the list of books referenced at the end detailing the many admirable women who are mentioned within this book. This is so much more than just a travel book, it really is inspirational in encouraging women to make ‘ a trip of your own’ whether it be around the world or around your backyard.

‘Nearly all the women in this book speak of achieving remarkable feats by being in the moment and not thinking beyond the end of each day, the next step, the next mile.’

I am sure we have all wished to escape our seemingly humdrum lives at some time or other - physically or metaphorically. Katie gives readers a book that shows us how to live a life - wherever that may be - in a meaningful and present way. Thank you Kate.









This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to start A Trip of One's Own. I did quite a bit of solo travel in my mid-twenties, so I hoped this book would suit my interests. Unfortunately, I got the sense that this book never quite hits its stride. The author's memoir sections focus far more on the end of their relationship than on their solo travel experiences, with jarring transitions to accounts of historical female travelers. This imbalance is especially unfortunate, as the author repeatedly mentions the emotional benefits of travel and how impressive it was to follow in these women's footsteps. Due to the brevity of those sections, the reader does not get to share in the emotional experience.

I also had trouble with the tone of the writing. The breezy attitude and brisk pacing lead to some troubling observations of "cultural differences" that rang insensitive and privileged (think: bemused observations of indigenous customs, and concerns of cleanliness in Asia). Perhaps most concerning was the summary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which was so brief as to sound glib. I expected more sensitivity, nuance, and awareness from a journalist and seasoned traveler.

[Angelina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes and I think that was my problem. The author starts her journey as a divorced, child-free by choice, independent woman. But she is a terrible traveler. I actually wouldn't even call her one since all of the trips she writes about are free work trips. She constantly gets the wrong country currencies exchanged at the airports. Good thing she is an attractive, blonde, British woman so she can still get by with no money, on a paid work trip. She travels to escape a man, but spends the whole book talking about men. When she isn't pining over a man, she talks about pioneer travels other woman have made. Probably because she doesn't have enough travel stories to fill the 200 page book. The last chapter is devoted to her pregnancy since she can no longer travel. Not exactly the "travel memoir" I was expecting.

[Andrea Pole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Trip of One's Own by Kate Wills promises to spark wanderlust, and I am here to tell you that it more than delivers on this guarantee. If, like me, you have been longing to experience the kind of high that only travel and adventure can provide, then look no further than this gem of a memoir.

Travel journalist Kate has reached the end of her marriage and for the first time in her life finds herself wading into the uncharted waters of solo travel. Looking to be inspired by lone female travellers of the past, Kate uncovers the stories of some truly remarkable women who went it alone, despite all conventions of the time, ultimately paving the way for female travellers of today. And if that is not fascinating enough to fuel your intrepid wanderlust, Ms Wills has thoughtfully included some very practical tips and tricks that will help to ease your own journey.

This is a memoir that I will return to again, both as a reference and for some levity when my confidence in going it alone is a little wobbly. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS for an ARC.

[Magda]

A bit too much memoir for my tastes, especially as somehow it consisted mainly (if not only) of fairly recent men troubles. As somebody else said, the segues between historical info about solo travellers and the author's life were quite clunky, but I still learnt enough about a bunch of interesting people not to have found reading this a complete waste of time. At the same time though, I was badly annoyed by a number of things in this book, starting from graphic mentions of some horrible dishes (but then again, I am vegetarian), through the author's arrival in China without the realisation that she would need a visa (how even!?), to quoting a 1930s solo traveller who was to take "Hula lessons" in Hawaii and interpreting it as hula-hooping on the next page (truly perplexing). Overall it was ok; definitely very easy to read and with a few cool facts along the way. Serves me right for being a sucker for anything inspired by Virginia Woolf.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book. I thought it was going to be about a woman's adventures traveling solo around the world, getting reacquainted with who she is when not in a relationship. Instead it's about a completely culturally insensitive woman aimlessly wandering around and comparing herself to other travel writers (who I am sure didn't 1) compare themselves to others and 2) travel solely to try to outrun a broken heart). This book had such promise but I found her obliviousness toward other cultures somewhat insulting and her 15 second recap of a multi-decade struggle in the Middle East to be a little too blasé. I was hoping for some good adventures and this did not have it.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a mish-mash of different things I don't even know where to start. I loved reading about the intrepid female adventurers of the past but the correlation with the author's love life made little to no sense. Every time she mentioned a country she'd been to, she related it to her divorce or break up or whatever was going on in her head rather than the actual traveling. There was a smattering of actual travel tips; nothing overly ground breaking for someone who's travelled solo before but none of it seemed to mesh well together. I am probably going to add all of the books from the bibliography to my TBR so that's something at least.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been seduced by travel. I do a ton of reading of travelogues while comparing them to my travels. Wills is a globetrotter and I have been to a few of the places she has visited. She interspersed her experiences with single intrepid women who also visited those same areas. She also includes tips for solo female travelers. While I disagree with some of her tips, I do agree with her encouragement to spread your wings far and wide because if not now, when?
Thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the advance read.

[Milly · Rating 3 out of 5]

More memoir than travel but still really enjoyed this. Loved hearing about the first pioneering female solo travellers and the travel tips between chapters offered good advice

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a female solo traveler, I loved hearing stories of women making their way across the world decades or even a century ago, especially at a time when women traveling alone was highly frowned upon or even illegal. I liked how the author weaves her own travel narrative into the story too, and her different tips for solo travel were relatable and useful. Reading this book makes me want to book my next solo adventure asap.

[Lotte Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

A

[Claire O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Read while on my own travels with Hamish my hardy campervan. Inspirational and a great read !

[Janina (whatjaninareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of A Trip of One‘s Own in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this opportunity.

In her nonfiction travel memoir, Kate Wills combines anecdotes from her own travels with the stories of other female travellers throughout the last centuries and some super interesting and useful lists of tips and recommendations.

I have to say that my feelings about this book are very mixed. While I loved learning about all the solo female travellers that have paved the way, I often felt bored by the author‘s own anecdotes which I simply didn’t care for as much. I guess that‘s because I simply don’t find solo travelling as impressive anymore nowadays compared to a hundred years ago and more - but clearly, to the author herself, her adventures make for great memories and stories as well.

What I did like a lot, however, were the lists. They ranged from packing tips to recommendations on how to travel locally, and I will definitely refer to them in the future. Super useful and insightful!

And I do have to say that reading this book has really ignited my wanderlust. My „gap yah“ consisted of working as an au pair in Sweden and travelling a bit through Scandinavia, and that was honestly the best time of my life. Since I started university (and then C hit) I haven’t travelled much at all, but reading this memoir reminded me of how much I love travelling, and also travelling solo. I might start smaller than crossing Antarctica on cross country skis, but I will definitely be thinking about booking my next holiday right away. And I love this book for giving me that!

I loved that the book has a Bibliography at the very end, because I desperately want to read the accounts and stories of some of the women that were mentioned in this book!

3.5/5 stars.

[Ayala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Travel journalist Kate Wills wasn't expecting to be divorced after less than a year of marriage, or to be forced to restart a life that had seemed so stable for so long. Luckily, her job as a writer offered her the perfect opportunity to escape from it all. But this time, with no deadlines to hit or all-expenses-paid trips to absorb in a few days before churning out copy for a travel magazine, her jet-setting felt different. There were no photographers working alongside her or assistants booking her flights. For the first time ever, Kate was traveling alone.

First, I will say that I was surprised and adored/was inspired by all the female solo travelers that Kate Wills had researched and included in her book. By the middle of the book I had added 5-6 new biographies to read! That alone makes this worth reading.
There were some listed tips and takeaways at the end of each chapter that weren't "new" but I found helpful and yet the autobiographical piece drove me a little nuts. It started off as a post divorce restart on life but by the end she reconnects with her post divorce boyfriend and is pregnant with the kid she discovered she had wanted all along. It's not her fault, sounds like the book took 2+ years to write but I found it annoying and not at all the journey I was looking forward to reading about. Forget her writing about Israel and her trip to China....I wish the book was exclusively about the other women. With that said, I'm glad I read it. It inspired me the way I wanted and needed.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number: 4

Inspiration: BorrowBox browsing

Rating: ****

Review: I came across this audiobook book whilst browsing on BorrowBox after finishing my first book of the year and loved both the cover and the premise. I am going to preface my review with a guidance; do not go into this book expecting it to be a purely focused travel book, it’s more of a memoir of Kate’s life and how she used travel to run away and run towards what she wanted.

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting listening to Kate’s experiences of her travels but also the stories of the women she talked about in her book. It made me want to go and pick them up and also made me want to bike across the world. Kate is talking from generally her own experiences throughout this book as it is her memoir so don’t expect much exploration of how other women may experience the same trips.

I do think the balance between travel and her personal life became a bit skewed towards the end of the book but it was very much reflective of what was going on her life at the time i.e. the pandemic.

Overall an interesting read!

Bookshelf: enjoyed but probably won’t read again

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part historical nonfiction and part memoir. I really enjoyed the stories about real women traveling, mostly alone during historical times when this was unheard of - very inspirational! Unlike some reviewers, I liked this unknown history much more than the author’s own personal accounts. She made some helpful points about women traveling alone in today’s world and her experiences during the Covid lockdown were interesting to read but the interjections about her romantic relationships seemed interruptive to me.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Early Reads for the complimentary copy of this book.

[Tracey Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟. This book is quite a mixed bag of things, a memoir/travel book, complete with travel tips, along with some fascinating historical female figures, which is what I probably found the most interesting. Undeniably, some of the author’s personal story got a tad annoying , but I suppose it also set the foundation for the reasons behind her travel, which many people will be able to relate to. But I did look forward to listening to it on my walks, and I do appreciate the research she did for these women trailblazers of travel, will be reading a lot more about these women in the future.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.8⭐️ I was excited about the prospect of this book as I love solo travel. It didnt quite reach my expectations though. The ending of the authors marriage kept coming up throughout the most random moments and while it probably made sense to her, it didnt to me. I didnt have any context as to why their marriage had ended so it led me to not really care about it (sounds harsh but I'm just being completely honest)
I did however love the interesting stories about female solo travellers and I think I would have enjoyed it more if the book was more about them.

[Christina Bravo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally unexpected--and maybe that's why I liked it so much. The author skillfully weaves her story between all these rock star women travelers who I have NEVER heard of. I took so many notes and have so many things to look up. I can't understand why the ratings on this one were so low. It's a short book--but it is filled with information. The more you get into this book, the more you'll love it--that was my experience. One of my best books this year.

[erin hodgson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found her own personal memoir aspect to be a bit whiny and not at all how I travel, but I guess that’s just because she’s a travel journalist, writing pieces like “24 hours in…”. I more so enjoyed the stories of all the amazing female solo travels! Inspiring to say the least!

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the stories of solo female travellers from the past that I had never heard of before. Quite inspiring.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great encouragement to embrace travelling solo, some good tips, and most excitingly a whole world of women travellers and writing to explore.

[Cassandra Sanchez · Rating 1 out of 5]

So bad. I’d give 0 stars if I could.

[Linda Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book. As a woman who tends to travel solo, I identified with the author as well as some of the women she wrote about. Many cool stories here.
Enjoy!

[Jess Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This part travel memoir, part female travellers through history non-fiction read was really interesting. I loved hearing about Kate’s own personal travel journeys and her tips and advice were really helpful.

Her exploration into solo female travellers throughout history was informative and well researched, I literally knew none of the women so I loved these chapters. I myself have enjoyed solo travels in the past and I think everyone should do it. This book is great if you’re interested in travelling alone and want tons of inspiration.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this entire idea and think if it had just been the author sharing her own experiences, it would have fallen flat. But the way she teases out, weaves together and finds inspiration from amazing female travelers from the centuries past is really interesting. So many brave women paving the way I had never even heard of. Bravo to Wills for pulling them out and highlighting them.

While I enjoyed it ending with COVID lockdown “travel” thoughts, I am wondering how those will age?

Overall, I loved this as it spoke to so many of my passions: travel, literature and history. The well-placed humor was also lovely.

[Brianna Westervelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traveling solo really does change your life.