A Day’s Journey

Prague, Czech Republic – May 2022

Sorry, but no boys allowed! The saying “party girls don’t get hurt” took on a whole new meaning in Prague. We’re talking about G I R L P O W E R.

I came to Prague in search of romantic gothic architecture and soft sunsets welcoming in the warm lamp lit cobblestone streets. However the romance was riddled with reality. The streets were crowded with tourists bumbling in all directions, and to make matters worse… most were men on bachelor weekends. Nothing kills the romantic vibe quite like a group of loud drunk guys in matching tshirts. SOS. In fact my trip to Prague began when I boarded by bus in Poland only to find my assigned seat filled with empty bottles of alcohol and surrounded by men who said “we’re having a stag party back here, can you sit somewhere else?” L O L guys like we are on a bus. A public BUS. Anyway, 6 hours later I was in my hostel room with a note from one of my girl roommates stating to lock the door because the bachelor party next door keeps trying to come in. Seriously?

“Be careful in the world of men, they do not deserve you,” a quote from the Wonder Woman movie and one of my all time favorite sayings. Before leaving for my trip, some people were appalled that a female would be traveling alone. “It’s dangerous!” I would hear. Truly consider… what is so dangerous about a female traveling alone? I certainly could make a decent list, but most dangers have one root cause in common: Men. If men didn’t kidnap, murder, and steal, then would my solo trip actually be that scary? I’m sick of the narrative that women have to be careful. Why can’t men just control themselves?! I will forever be screaming this from the rooftops, but sadly it will take a lot for global culture to shift away from being a dangerous man’s world and into a safe woman’s world.

But, boys will be boys and girls will be women. Girls gotta stick together. One of the hardest parts about traveling solo is actually not having girlfriends to chat with and share uplifting words of encouragement. One of the most wonderful surprises in my travels though is how welcoming women are to other women in need. After having a quiet Friday night alone in my hostel room reading (with the door locked), I decided I needed a night out. Fellow travelers marvel at how fun the Prague nightlife is, and I didn’t want my cautious nature to keep me from having some fun. For safety reasons, I normally don’t leave my accommodations when it’s dark out. However, I was staying in the Old Town not too far from the popular bars and clubs anyway.

Going OUT-out alone takes some confidence. Walking to my first destination, I was one male whistle away from calling it quits. The first bar was the start of a bar crawl. The owners said 150 were signed up, and I counted maybe 20 girls in the crowded bar. I did share something in common with the men though- I was on a mission to talk to girls too. Ha! How the tables turn. I spotted a group of girls playing beer pong. I introduced myself as a solo female traveler, and within the hour I had a brand new Scottish identity and was part of the group like an old friend. It turned out to be such a fun evening and I also met other girls from the US. I have to laugh…One of the most unique young female experiences is the girls bathroom camaraderie. When men ask what girls do in the bathroom for so long, let me explain. When groups of women congregate in the restroom, it turns into an absolute hype house. Compliments flying off the walls faster than we took our last shot. You simply did not have a good night out if you didn’t boost the ego of at least three other females in the bathroom. I remember being in Australia and singing “you are beautiful,” with at least 5 other women in a bar bathroom. Not a single bad vibe to be found.

So my health advice from Prague is definitely not to go to a bar bathroom looking for compliments. Seriously- you did NOT hear that advice from me. But rather, I learned the power of women and value of socializing. The beauty of solo travel is that I’m on my own schedule all day everyday. Seeing such incredible places by myself can sometimes be lonely though, and I wish I had someone to share my experiences with. There’s no “remember when…” sayings because the only person I could say that to is myself. Humans are social beings and friends enrich our life experiences. I’m still in the process of learning how to balance keeping myself safe and putting myself out there. This trip is a good reminder to savor friendships and surround yourself with other uplifting individuals.