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Being a woman in this patriarchal Pakistani society isn’t an easy feat. And being a woman who loves to travel is even more complicated. And if a single woman who travels quite frequently for leisure is possibly the worst thing there ever can be.

I’ve been there and I have done that. And here are a couple of things that I think comes from being an independent female traveler on the not-so-friendly roads of Pakistan.

1. Taaru Maaru

No, nobody can digest the fact that you travel. All the uncles and aunties will keep giving you the judgemental glare. They’ll keep looking at you, expecting you to shed off your skin and display your manhood. Any minute now…

2. Taanka Jhaanki

Traveling isn’t cheap. So if you’re traveling quite frequently, you’re already inviting everyone into your bank account. I mean, it’s just the way it is, isn’t it? And since ours a patriarchal society, you’ll find a ‘papa’ on every corner of your journey.

3. “I see you’ve been traveling a lot!”

There are people who would love to comment on your travel achievements (the very few that you proudly share on social media). And then there would be people waiting in the shadows to pounce on you at any rare opportunity. I bumped into one of my teacher the other day (who himself travels very often) and he greeted me with these words. Oh well, you know, I’m the chosen one!

4. “Why don’t you get married?”

Sadly, that’s what 99.99% of the people will say to you. So if you’re having the time of your life traveling and partying with people you adore, there will always be a suggestion about your marriage lingering in the air. Let’s not even go there. That’s a bitter pill you’re going to regret anyway.

5. “Ye Larki Theek Nahi”

Well, if you’re out and about and away for days at a stretch, you couldn’t possibly belong to a good family. What “Khaandaani Kukray” would let their daughters be away for so long? Those who know their daughters aren’t their slaves, they do!

6. Google Eyes:

 Since you’ve been around, you automatically become an authority on the topic of travel. People would come to you asking for suggestions about popular destinations, the groups you should travel with, travel tips, the things you should pack, and all other weird questions pertaining to the topic of travel. Now, this is one perk that beats everything else.

7. Competition, Competition, Everywhere!

So obviously you’re not the only one traveling. And for some reason, every other not-so-frequent traveler will think you’re challenging them. So they’ll keep bringing up comparisons. It’ll never be about how amazing your experience was. Instead, it’ll be about where they stayed, what they ate, how much they spent.

But in the end, it’s all worth the trouble! there might be a girl who would look up to you for inspiration and actually think about stepping out of the house. If anything, that’s the best gift you can give to anybody. Traveling liberates the mind and the soul from the shackles of societal conformity. If you can help even one person break free, I think you’ve done your share!