For a mother, travelling with the family is not necessarily a vacation; it is just a change of location. Doing the same things–looking after the children, and taking care of the husbands–in a different place instead of her usual home. Can a woman not really have a holiday, as in, a proper holiday holiday; in which she really lets down her hair and has undiluted fun for her own sake, in her own terms. Can she not leave her family behind and have some quality time to herself?

Let’s admit it, it’s not easy to just go out and travel in India on your own if you are a woman. Firstly, people won’t understand why you have to travel without your family (only “loose” or unhappy women do that!).  Secondly, you are yourself a bit nervous about facing the world outside alone, what with increasing rate of crime against women everywhere.

Here’s some good news!

A number of start-ups have come up in India offering tours to only women. Yes, you can travel alone, or tag along with other women and explore the world without having to constantly worry about safety (as women, isn’t it the constant bother at the back of our minds?) End to all those questions, “who are you going with?”, “where will you stay?”, “is that hotel safe?”

I wrote a piece on these startups for Nikkei Asian Review. But before you read it, please keep in mind: travel is your birthright and you must have it. Without any guilt pangs. Because you must exist for your own sake too.

Now click HERE to go to the story.