Women can make their travel plans: Dia Mirza

Actress-producer Dia Mirza, who started travelling alone at the age of 18, has observed a change in the patriarchal mindset regarding solo women travellers, and she considers it empowering.

Dia took her first flight and went to Thailand along with one of her female friends after winning the Femina Miss India beauty pageant in 2000.

What changes has she seen in the society's attitude towards solo women travellers?

Dia told IANS: "A girl does not have to seek permission from a man, or from the society to go out there to explore the world, she just needs her own permission.

I think that is empowering.

A girl cannot be on her own, comes from a patriarchal mindset.

It comes from the mindset that a woman must be protected, they are weak when a girl travels solo, and I mean travelling anywhere -- going on a vacation, going to work or to study abroad or anything that they do."

"But there's a shift in social conditioning that allows women to follow their choice to travel alone, travel free," explained the actress.

While her experience was quite incredible, she said that solo travelling is not only liberating for any individual but also helps one understand how to be comfortable in your own company and look after your own self.