Review: A Trip of One's Own

Title: A Trip of One's Own

Author: Kate Wills

Publisher: 3rd May 2022 by Sourcebooks

Pages: 224 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: nonfiction, travel, autobiography, women’s

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

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 4th-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 book is the must-have next read for any aspiring solo female traveler!

My Thoughts

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.