Have you ever wanted to set everything down, pack a bag, hop on a plane, and wander? That’s gallivanting.

Picture this: A life of freedom, on your own terms. You’re not afraid of the group trip never leaving the group chat.

It doesn’t stop you (especially if you already put down the deposit, or, *deity* forbid, the whole balance).

You gallivant.

What does it mean to gallivant?

First, let’s define the word.

Merrium Webster has two definitions, one that’s out of use and one that has a more modern usage.

First, the more common usage: “(informal.): to travel, roam, or move about for pleasure.” The other, more archaic definition: “dated, informal: to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex.”

This second definition could be why I got some interesting reactions when I started to talk about this blog. I definitely named it with the first definition in mind and not the second. This isn’t judgement for all of the old-school gallivants, but I aim to increase usage of the term as a form of claiming freedom for people who want to build confidence while learning more about the world and themselves.

Get your freak on if you need to though.

That’s a major part of gallivanting – the willingness to find and do what makes one happy. Sometimes that involves passport stamps.

We have one life to live.

How to gallivant mindfully

As a repeated solo traveler, I’ve often had to embrace the art of mindful travel when exploring new destinations. Here are several key practices that illustrate how I’ve learned to gallivant with intention:

1. Research and Planning

Before I book any tickets or hotel rooms, I love to do a lot of research.

I know I’m repeating myself, but I can’t overstate this: safety stays top of mind for solo travelers everywhere, no matter the gender. I wrote about a lot of safety tips in this article, so I won’t turn this one into that.

Instead of letting fear paralyze, I channel that energy into research and planning. I try to balance thorough, obsessive feedback (driven by the excitement of the experience) with the willingness to remain open and learn about the specifics whenever I arrive. This tends to work well for me.

Another underrated safety tip? Do what you can to work toward an understanding of local customs, safety tips, common phrases, and cultural norms. It seems like a lot, but having this knowledge can make things easier. This will also help you to navigate travels with awareness and respect, which often comes back to you in the moment.

2. Setting Intentions

When creating a travel experience, I like to ask myself how I’d like to feel at all points of the trip. However, this isn’t to say that I’m a stickler for everything going “right.”

I ask questions like

• How do I want to feel in the airport?
• Sitting in my seat (premium economy, at least please…but I wouldn’t be mad at first class.
• What kind of experience do I want to have from the airport to my destination once I get off the plane?
• What kind of food, foliage, and freedoms will add to the stories I’ll tell someday?

So on, and so forth.

Many female travelers set specific intentions for their trips, whether it’s to learn a new skill, connect with local communities, or engage in self-care. This helps them focus on what they wish to gain from their journey, making their experiences more purposeful.

Some of us like to relax by the water, with no excursions, while others want to wander around museums overseas, followed by a hot plate of pad Thai by the roadside.

It’s all about learning what you want from the experience and visualizing it before spending any money. This will increase your satisfaction with your choices, and who doesn’t need that?

3. Practicing Presence

How good are you at remaining present in your daily life? Do you ever find yourself getting behind the wheel, turning on the car, backing out of your driveway, only to arrive at your destination without remembering any of it? That’s the opposite of presence.

Imagine booking your trip and going to the airport, sitting in your window seat, spending your week in Bangkok, only to come back home and not remember much of it because you were there, but you weren’t there.

What a waste of time and money!

Part of what makes travel so impactful comes from your ability to be present during your trip, which comes easier when you’ve set intentions. Good (or bad) news: Being in such a different environment with its unfamiliar contexts can force us to become present at all times, sometimes rudely.

To practice it consciously, pay attention to anything your senses pick up: smells, sights (so many sights), sounds, tastes, and what you can touch.

That’s right. Engage your five senses. Use your body to keep you in the here and now, for delight and not only survival.

Whether you’re exploring a busy market in Accra or enjoying the sight of the shore at Ada-Foah, remain present to immerse yourself in your surroundings.

4. Engaging with Locals

I found this to be helpful when I studied abroad in Ghana. We students were lucky enough to stay on campus with Ghanaian students, have locals as peers, and live in the international student hostel. We even attended a class where our teachers and administrators explained local practices and customs to us so that we can relate to the culture easier. However, the average solo traveler doesn’t receive this kind of scaffolding.

Instead of this, do what you can to meet and interact with the locals, whether through local tours, workshops, or casual conversations to deepen your understanding of the culture and community.

5. Reflective Journaling

When I travel, I like to document what I’ve experienced when I was out of my hotel room. Outside of something with which to take pictures and videos, I bring a notebook to both reflect and paste in little things like flowers or ticket stubs.

Every night, I’d come back to my room and walk through the events of the day, including what I’ve learned from whatever happened that day. I’d recount conversations and reflect on what I’d heard and said. This added up to much richer memories that I can recount years later.

Keeping a travel journal can be an essential practice for mindful travelers. Writing about your experiences, feelings, and insights can allow you to process your adventures and reflect on your personal growth throughout your journey.

If you’d like a journal that covers all of this and more, check out my free 7-day fillable travel journal!

6. Prioritizing Self-Care

Part of the allure of solo travel comes from the freedom from needing to corral others or make sure they’re having a better time than you. It’s ok to do what renews you, even if that means that you need to go back to your hotel room, shut the door, and sit in silence. #SelfCare

Some trips could include stereotypical self-care, like massages and mudbaths, but there are other ways to practice self-care while you gallivant.

You could decide to party hard one night in the club at your all-inclusive resort. Or, maybe you’d like to enjoy quiet moments in nature, drinking in the sights of flowers and the sounds of birds you never knew you’d experience.

Whatever renews you enables you to remain present when it matters (and it will matter. A lot). Do what you can to practice self-care out there.

7. Embracing Flexibility

Mindful gallivanting also means being open to spontaneity. Like I wrote earlier, I don’t expect everything to go perfectly (whatever that means).

Sometimes your tour bus arrives late at the hotel. Or, maybe the restaurant at the resort ran out of your favorite dessert and the machine broke.

Do you let it ruin your experience, or do you find a way around it? The thing you wanted to go perfectly could end up that way by going wrong.

Sometimes, that’s just how life is. It doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourself!

Do what you can to allow changes in their itineraries, embracing unexpected experiences and opportunities that may arise along the way, leading to unique memories and adventures.

By integrating the practices above into travels, you can gallivant through the world in a manner that promotes mindfulness, connection, and personal growth.

Have you ever gallivanted? Share your experience in the comments!