Punjabi Woman reveals Frustration of being Told Not to Travel Alone

A single Punjabi woman tired of being told she should not travel alone is heading out solo for the first time.

Minreet Kaur is breaking the mould after years of members of her community telling her that single women will be looked down upon when they travel alone.

Growing up in the UK, she witnessed Punjabi men having the freedom to explore the world, leaving her wondering why she could not do the same.

The prospect of travelling as a single woman always appealed to Minreet.

However, some people in her community told her that travelling to other parts of the world alone was inappropriate.

At the age of 43, Minreet is done waiting and worrying about what some people think of her.

Despite being single, she has decided to go solo travelling.

Minreet said: “You shouldn’t be moulded into getting married and going [travelling] with your partner. I don’t want to miss out on it anymore.

She acknowledged that not all parts of the UK’s Punjabi community are the same and other women may have felt no pressure to couple up before travelling.

But she has spoken to other women from various backgrounds who share her feelings and have faced similar pressures.

Minreet admitted it has been difficult at times, especially when men like her brother had far less limitations imposed upon them.

She told the Mirror: “My brother was free to do what he wanted. Women couldn’t really do what they want.”

Her lack of freedom was clearer when she began seeing friends and people outside of her community travelling and enjoying life without any restrictions.

Minreet said: “It made me feel like my voice wasn’t listened to and I wasn’t free to do what I wanted.”

She has now decided to ignore the judgement and travel to places she has wanted to visit.

But despite being determined to embark on her solo adventure, Minreet has her reservations.

She confessed: “It is daunting and scary – I don’t even know where to start.

“Even in your older years, you’re not as willing to take risks.”

With destinations such as Bali, Thailand and Sri Lanka on her bucket list, Minreet is keen to plan the trip herself and venture far from the UK to truly experience the thrill of solo travel.

She hopes this will help her overcome her fears and lead her to visit more places by herself.

Although she is “feeling really scared and anxious” about travelling on her own, Minreet has already started planning and researching potential tours where she could meet new people.

She added: “A lot of my friends are married with kids, so [making] friends at this age is hard.”

To avoid feeling isolated, Minreet has found several holiday packages designed for solo travellers.

As Minreet gears up to travel alone for the first time, she admits that she has a few resentments and only regrets not having explored the world earlier.

She said: “I wish I had just taken the plunge and done it.”