Serving you tips, news, and facts from the largest community of solo female travelers.

Trip Planning Just Got a Lot Less Overwhelming

House rental or hotel? Kyoto or Tokyo? We get that it can be overwhelming to make decisions for a trip. That’s why we’re breaking down an experience we think is a must-do in Japan because it perfectly encapsulates Japanese culture. And if your next trip might be a little closer to home (as in, someone’s literal house), we’ve got you covered navigating Airbnb’s shiny new update to private room rentals and 50 other new features.

Highlights of today’s newsletter

⭐️Here’s the “tea” on Japan’s geisha culture
⭐️Think you’re an aficionado? Prove it.
⭐️Use Airbnb? This update may change your next booking…
⭐️Ida Pfeiffer, the first solo female travel writer

Here’s the “tea” on Japan’s geisha culture 🍵

They may have invented anime, bullet trains, and Hello Kitty, but Japan still has centuries-old traditions alive and well today. One such tradition that perfectly encapsulates the meticulous attention to detail characterizing Japanese culture is the tea ceremony. Geishas are actually very well trained in calligraphy, poetry, music, dance, and of course, tea ceremonies. Trained to entertain, the geisha tradition has been through transformations, but tourists can experience a tea ceremony. An actual geisha guides you through how to do everything correctly, from whisking the matcha to slurping the final sip. Enjoy this experience for yourself in Kyoto, the center of the Japanese tea ceremony, on our wildly popular Japan Meetup Tour, with only 3 spots left in September!

Think you’re an aficionado? Prove it.

Of course, we know you’re a travel genius, so let’s flex your travel know-how. Resist the urge to ask Siri and answer the weekly trivia question below, which we’ll reveal in our next newsletter!

Last week’s trivia question:

What is the least visited country in the world?
Tuvalu!
Tuvalu is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of around 11,000 people, known for its beautiful beaches.

Use Airbnb? This update may change your next booking…

With over 300 million guest arrivals expected this year, according to their press release, Airbnb has announced over 50 new features and upgrades to keep up with competitors and improve guest and host experiences, particularly in terms of safety, security, and cleanliness. This includes the introduction of Airbnb Rooms, a refocus back on the lower-cost private rooms from entire house rentals, which were massively popular during the height of the pandemic. Private room renters can now message their host before booking, know what’s shared and what’s not, and ensure the bedroom has a lock. To help you navigate Airbnb’s latest update, SoFe has a blog with everything you need to know.

Ida Pfeiffer, the first solo female travel writer

Many iconic women paved the way for solo female travel, but the first recorded to do it was Ida Pfeiffer, an Austrian explorer and writer who defied the gender norms of the mid-1800s to become a legendary travel writer with 16 years and four continents under her belt. Wanting to travel like the men of her time, this Viennese housewife made excuses like “visiting a friend” and “religious pilgrimage” to skeptics and naysayers and embarked on several solo expeditions, including not one but two around-the-world trips. Her travelogues were hugely popular, and her stories continue to inspire to this day. We recommend checking out, Wanderlust: The Amazing Ida Pfeiffer, the First Female Tourist, to read for your next trip!

Craving some extra inspo?

🌎 New SoFe Travel Swag: The Ultimate Packing Cubes!
🌎 International Travelers To The US No Longer Need COVID Vaccine.
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🌎 Explore Jordan With A Group of Fellow Solo Female Travelers