“What would you do if you were a woman nearing 40, had three adorable kids, an amazing husband, a roaring profession, a great family, and midlife crisis apparently looks you straight in the eye? I decided to go on a solo tour to Goa! I have everything I could ever have asked for. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt that the ‘me’ time was missing altogether.

I love my kids – my eldest son in his terrible teens, the middle one catching up fast getting into his teens and the youngest angel just started going to her school. My husband and I are professional Chartered Accountants and we both love each other and our jobs. I have an adorable brother and amazing parents who are always by my side. But then, I suddenly remembered that soon I will be in my naughty forties and there was nothing that ‘I’ had done for ‘myself’! I looked inside my bucket list and what popped out first was a solo trip.

It was an arranged trip with many other solo women traveller who would reach Goa alone and then visit the city together. My oh my, it did take me a while to convince my family! Eventually they agreed and the trip justified all my efforts.

We, a group of women aged between 20 and 60, decided (separately) to travel solo and booked this amazing tour planner. We had the best time of our lives with no strings attached. Travelling alone in itself was liberating, and being able to enjoy every bit of the tour was even more so. It reflected in the soft contented smiles on all the ladies’ faces. Meeting new people was a lot of fun, each exploring their own self in this solo trip. And the best part was that the family understood the need and let me go, without my having to worry about a five-year old daughter and my sons. I am on my way to striking off a few more trips on my bucket list.”