I’m a female solo traveller – here are three LIES I tell men wanting to chat
Traveling alone as a woman can often be a terrifying experience, and sometimes you have to think carefully about how to keep yourself safe.
An American travel influencer has revealed the three lies she uses as a solo female backpacker and that she thinks others should use too.
The TikTok by @monicaroams has been seen by more than 376,000 people and saved by another 4,000.
The influencer explained: ‘You should never lie, but as a solo female traveler you have to. It’s actually crazy how often I have to use these lies, so these will help.”
An American travel influencer has revealed the three lies she uses as a solo female backpacker and that she thinks others should use too
Always say you have a boyfriend, no matter what
Monica’s first tip is to always say you have a boyfriend, even if you don’t.
She explained, “Number one, when people ask if you have a boyfriend, you do, no matter what. Unless it’s someone you’re really interested in.
“If you’re a lesbian, literally say you got a boyfriend too, because I feel like men will always think that being a lesbian is great, so that will only make them more attracted to you.”
“So no matter what, just say you have a boyfriend or a husband, even better.”
She added: “Let’s face it, it’s usually old men who ask you this question just to see if you’re single so they can probably hit on you.
“I made the mistake of being honest and saying no, I don’t have a boyfriend, but that makes the interaction so much creepier because now they’re trying to hang out with me.
“This also works if someone asks for your number and you don’t want to give it, just pretend I have a boyfriend.”
Always say your friend is waiting for you…
She then advises that you should always lie when you are alone:
“If anyone ever asks if you’re alone, you’re never alone baby, even if you’re alone.
“You never know what their plan is or who they are, so it’s just best not to give out that kind of information to random people.”
“Random older men have asked me this question while I was eating alone. I’m like oh no, my friends at the hostel, she’s just waiting for me.
“No matter what happens, you have a friend somewhere, okay?”
She explained, “If anyone ever asks if you’re alone, even if you’re alone, you’re never alone honey. You never know what their plan is or who they are, so it’s best not to give such information to random people’
And… you DO NOT know where you are staying
Finally, the traveler says, even if it is not credible, that you should never reveal where you are staying.
She advised, “Never tell anyone where you are staying because usually they will say, ‘Oh my god, are you traveling alone?’ Or something like ‘oh my god, where are you?’
‘I understand that it is part of a conversation, but you also don’t know what their intentions are, so you have to stay calm and not give too much information.
“So, especially when I feel a weird vibe and it’s someone who doesn’t want to talk to me, I think, oh, I forgot, I don’t know where my hostel is, it probably is.
The influencer added: ‘An alternative answer is ‘I am currently traveling with my parents and we are on holiday’.
“Don’t be afraid to be creative, this is your time to build a whole character story.”
Concluding the clip, she told her viewers: “These are definitely three lies that you have to tell all the time if you’re a solo female traveler, because let’s face it, if you’re a young female solo traveler, there are a lot of older men who just randomly come up to you and start talking to you.
“I love conversations, but sometimes it can be very creepy, so these are lies that will help you in your efforts.”
Commenters joined the conversation by sharing their own tips – one user wrote: ‘I used to wear a very cheap ‘wedding ring’ when traveling alone’.
Another added, “Better say husband, they can still hold on if it’s a ‘boyfriend.’ I made the mistake of saying where I was staying and was stalked in India.”
Someone else advised: ‘Buy a fake wedding ring. It helps with the language barrier, all you have to do is point your finger, to which Monica replied, “Ooo, I love this.”
Others who swear by the advice said, “I’ve used it all. not even all my friends know where I live, let alone anyone I meet on a trip’ and ‘all this done instinctively!’.