As a member of a touring band, there are advantages that I get that other men do not often get. I spend quality time with my band buddies. I socialize often at pubs. I make lots of new friends. These are rare opportunities for members of my male brethren in this day and age.
One of the biggest advantages I have is being able to travel overseas. On our last trip to Ireland, I took extra time after our band tour to hike the Dingle Peninsula on my own. It was spectacular. The solo trip allowed me to meet lots of people I wouldn’t otherwise meet, listen to my own thoughts without interruption, and not be concerned about what other people thought of my choices or agenda. The trip was enormously rewarding.
It made me ask myself, do men today feel comfortable going out on their own to explore distant horizons and meet new people? The answer is emphatically no.
According to a recent study, “female travellers outnumbered solo male travellers by 67% versus 37%”. Some might say that men prefer travel with partners (spouses, family, or friends), but even generally speaking where travelers are in groups or traveling solo, women still outnumber men by 64% to 36% . That’s insane. This is not to say that men don’t enjoy travel, but women are more adventurous by a ratio of almost two to one.
There are personal stories I can tell which emphasize this point. On our last band tour, there was a widow who traveled with us in her 70’s. She made all of the arrangements on her own which she had never done before. She flew to Dublin by herself. She made all new friends. The word “bravery” sticks in my mind. Neither my father nor my father-in-law ever traveled on their own unless it was to see family. Men just have a harder time leaving home.
This requires me to make a clarion call. Men, get off your butts. There are many statistics about why women travel, but the analysis is less complete when it comes to men. Perhaps researchers do not care about a group that doesn’t go anywhere. I do know some men who have joined us as solo travelers on our trips, but they are far outnumbered by the women on our trips.
I have some thoughts.
Maybe men enjoy staying in their comfort zone more than women. Or they need to be surrounded by the familiar more than women. When people travel they have to improvise. They have to might have to acknowledge that they don’t know the language or fully understand the local culture. A traveler has to be willing to make new acquaintances and ask for directions (clutches pearls). None of that has to be done at home. What is especially interesting about these statistics is that women have more to be afraid of when it comes to potential threats, yet,…yet, they are the ones who most often throw a sack over their shoulder and step out the front door.
I would love to hear your opinion on this matter. Please put your thoughts below.
At Rising Road Journeys, we celebrate and explore Ireland with tours that immerse you in Irish history, culture, and ecology. Find out about our latest tour, Discover Ancient Ireland.
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