Why is the idea of a young girl travelling alone horrific for some people to imagine?

“Reckless!”, they say.

“Asking for trouble”, say others.

I think it’s probably the age we live. However, women travel alone all the time and are fine; we just don’t get to hear about the successful cases in the news.

In the face of my mother’s worry, I had encouragement from other people and ran with it – despite recently changing my religion where the word ‘carefree’ wasn’t one I found so loosely thrown around anymore. My morals and values had changed for sure. I was a nicer, more thoughtful person. And more cautious too, I would argue. But my thirst for adventure and my carefree attitude, I fear, will forever be long trusted companions.

My plans for Marseille, in the south of France, were spontaneous as usual, off the bat of my annoyance with some guy. Also, because I wanted to prove I could do it.

Maybe prove something to myself.