Hello! My name is Sunita Bendale and my journey as a solo female traveler began twelve years ago. I grew up with the values of a traditional Indian family, and lived a very sheltered life. After becoming a nurse, I made the difficult decision to challenge my cultural norms, and moved to sunny California. Literally across the country!
Best . Decision . Of . My . Life
I didn’t know anyone within a several thousand mile radius; my friends and family were back home in New Jersey, but I was not going to let that deter me. My adventure had just begun, was absolutely thrilling, and I welcomed the challenge to create a new life for myself.
With an innate passion for dance, I quickly found myself immersed in the Los Angeles Argentine Tango dance scene. I was a young woman with big dreams and stars in my eyes. One day, on a whim, I decided that I wanted to see the world and dance in Paris. It was a spontaneous trip, booked only for four days, but I was determined to experience as much as I could.
I spent those days running up the steps of the Eiffel Tower, taking in the views during the day and night, wandering through the Louvre, staring straight into the eyes of the Mona Lisa, stuffing my face with the most exquisite macarons and every delicious pastry you could imagine, making friends with the taxi cab driver that drove me all over the city, catching the 1am last sparkle of the Eiffel Tower, and dancing the nights away. I didn’t sleep. I wanted to soak it all in. The experience was immensely liberating, and jump-started my obsession with travel.
Since that glorious trip, I have made it my journey to dance all over the world. It is wildly invigorating walking onto a dance floor in a foreign place, not knowing a single soul or speaking the language, yet being able to dance flawlessly with any random person in the room. To be able to detect the slightest, most subtle shift in weight and move perfectly in unison without so much as breathing a single word – it’s enthralling. I live for the connection.
Every successive trip since then has fueled my addiction. For the past several years, I have been working as a Nurse Anesthetist, which has been fulfilling in so many different ways. Not only do I absolutely love my career, it also affords me the financial independence and flexibility in scheduling to pick up at a moment’s notice and travel the world.
Many people find the thought of traveling alone a daunting experience, especially as a solo female. However, I am here to share my experiences and safety tips, and assure you that it is not only possible, but can be very cathartic. My goal is to empower women (and all travelers) by providing them with tools and resources that will bolster the confidence to travel solo.
So where is my next travel destination…? Check out my travel bucket list below:
I’m just a girl dancing through life, and enjoying every step along the way. Follow me on my journey!
