I Took a Solo Road Trip, and Here's What I Learned

Let's get something straight — I am not someone who is unaware of my surroundings. However, I am also not constantly thinking that someone is going to jump out and kidnap me. But there were certain situations where I had to be keenly aware of my environment.

For example, I had to drive by a high-security prison at one point (the "Do not pick up Hitchhikers" sign tipped me off) and I knew that if I needed to stop for something, I had to be careful to keep all of my senses in tune. This went for hotel check-ins too. I am a young woman traveling alone and I am from New York — I stuck out like a sore thumb even in a t-shirt and jeans. I needed to be able to gauge who was watching me, who could have been following me, etc., without looking crazy.