I’m still shaking, even half an hour later. I’m a solo female traveler in my mid twenties, and I’ve been exploring Thailand, Vietnam, and most recently, Indonesia for the past three months. I meet friends in the cities I visit, but I’m alone for the times I’m traveling between places.
Today I spent 10 hours traveling between islands in Indonesia, my last leg of the journey being a 30 minute Grab ride with a man. At first, he was friendly, asking me what I planned to do in this city. But then he started to ask more personal questions, like my age, if I was traveling alone, if I had a boyfriend, and even asked me to come sit in the front seat. I told him I wasn’t interested, and he asked for my Instagram. I said no.
Then, he “rated the drive” even though there were still 15 minutes left. This prevented me from using the help features on the app, and I started to feel really unsafe. The last few minutes of the ride felt like an eternity, and I was so relieved when I finally reached my hostel.
This experience was a complete shock to me, as I’ve never encountered any similar behavior from drivers during my travels. It’s a reminder that, as a solo female traveler, it’s important to stay vigilant and be aware of my surroundings. I’m grateful that I made it to my hostel safely, but this incident has made me even more cautious of the people I come in contact with.