Many of us fantasize about booking a window seat for one and heading out for parts unknown. But for women and especially women of color, the dream of solo travel is often eclipsed by the nightmare of what might befall us if we venture out on our own.

Women Travel Solo counters the cultural narrative that women are not safe to explore the world without a man by their side with the personal stories of thirty women who have. In her galvanizing foreword, Jessica Nabongo—history’s first documented Black woman to visit every country— outlines the ways that white supremacy and patriarchy have colluded to make us afraid of our own independence, counters with lived proof: 195 passport stamps, countless kindnesses, and the conviction that empathy, not company, is the truest safeguard.

Other women add their voices to the pep talk with stories of exploring the Middle East well past middle age, hitching 27 day a ride on a container ship from Athens to Hong Kong, and more. For anyone lingering at the “what-if” stage, these trailblazers hand over both courage and itinerary—and dare you to go.