Her Way and the Highway is an email series celebrating the vibrant community of Airstreaming women. Featuring inspirational stories, road-tested recommendations, and expert advice from women who hitch up and hit the road, Her Way and the Highway comes straight to your inbox every week.
Many women are drawn to Airstreaming for the freedom to travel solo. From our Ambassadors to the women you meet at rallies, Airstream Club International events, and at the next campsite over, there’s a familiar story you hear about escaping on one’s own and getting to know yourself anew. No matter what your relationship status, traveling alone is a great time to reflect. You step away from your every day and see your family, your friends, your coworkers, and your life from a different perspective. And there’s a common refrain: It’s liberating.
Traveling alone isn't just about solo time behind the wheel. It’s a long walk in the forest or an afternoon perched on a desert outcropping. It’s a quiet morning at the campfire with a journal, a book, a puzzle, a manuscript, a poem. It's time when you get to know your wants, needs, and desires. You reflect on your journey and dream of what’s next.
We asked female Airstreamers about the meditative aspect of this kind of travel and the many ways you can find your rhythm on the road. Their answers might inspire you to seek your own form of travel liberation.
Learn to Sit Still
It's an invaluable skill, even for those who aren’t sitting behind the wheel on the way to the next destination. Learn to enjoy your own company. This ability to sit still and be in your own head takes time and work.
The very act of being alone can be difficult at first. But learning to be alone with your thoughts is empowering. You’ll find that you feel more present, more alive, more in tune with the world around you. There’s always a moment, somewhere down the road, when you realize how nice it is to not be busy. Your mind naturally relaxes.
Lay in the grass and soak up the sun. Sit around the fire with a warm drink and gaze at the stars. Experiment with meditation. Make music. Write. Or do nothing at all and just listen. Enjoy simple pleasures like gathering kindling, cooking, maintaining and upgrading your Airstream, or exercising.
These tasks speak to our primal core. Taking the time to tidy up your RV gives you pride in your home. Gathering firewood gets your body moving and allows you to enjoy a comforting fire at the end of the day. Cooking a nourishing meal fuels your body and spirit.
Practicing self-sufficiency creates confidence. Enjoying simple living on the road can bring about a deep sense of peace.
Explore Your Surroundings
Traveling in an RV is all about exploring. When you’re feeling lonely, getting outside and hitting the trail is a great way to beat the blues. Moving gets your blood pumping and your mind turning. Go for a walk or hike in nature. Be curious. Stop and smell the flowers. Watch ants scurry about. Learn the names of plants you find along the way.
Read
Reading isn't just the perfect solution to a rainy day at camp! There are many benefits to long-form reading. Slowing down and practicing deep reading is great for your mind. Whether you prefer fiction, non-fiction, or even long articles in a magazine or online, you can sharpen your brain with focused reading. It allows you to actually think through what you're consuming and form your own opinions.
Explore a New a Hobby or Find a New Interest
Take up knitting. Learn to play an instrument (like one of our favorite travel guitars from Journey instruments). Learn everything there is to know about the thousands of mushroom species in the Pacific Northwest. Explore local cuisine and cook with fresh, regional ingredients from the local farmer's market. Study an interesting subject that you’ve always been curious about. Get a camera and practice photography. Shoot silly videos and share them with friends and family.
Travel exposes you to new physical geographies that can inspire our mental world. Don’t be afraid to let the world tell you what to watch out for.
