How one widow has changed how women solo travel
After Yvonne Vickers' husband passed away in 2014, she thought her opportunities to travel and see the world had slipped away.
Yvonne had always been a keen traveller and went on trips with her married friends after becoming a widow, but she "got over being the third wheel", she admitted to 9Travel.
Still wanting to see the world on her own terms, Yvonne took to Facebook where she created a group seeking like-minded women who share her passion for adventure.
Now, the Find A Female Cruise or Travel Buddy is an ever-growing group that has connected thousands of women looking for travel companions.
Whether they're single, widowed, or just married to someone who doesn't want to travel, the group is open to women across the globe to join.
Thanks to her newfound community, Yvonne has taken 41 cruises and dozens of land trips since her husband's death, all while making friends for life, and the rest of the group's members are in the same boat.
"It's wonderful to get feedback from ladies saying that it's helped to change their life," Yvonne said. "That's the rewarding part of it for me."
Members can make a post in the group, detailing a cruise sailing or trip that they have their eye on booking, to see if anyone else would like to join them.
"We have a lot of widows in our group who are cashed up and want to travel but don't have anyone to travel with or share their experiences with," Yvonne said. "The group gives them the opportunity to be able to do that."
"There are also a lot of ladies who are married but their husbands don't want to travel. It gives them the opportunity to be able to travel."
Yvonne says that cruising is a perfect way for older females to travel, especially if they're on their own.
"It's a really safe way to travel as a solo female," she says, also noting that it's an easy way to get around and see places. Recently, she did a 35-day trip around Hawaii with a group of women from the group.
For the Find A Female Cruise or Travel Buddy group, there's even more fun trips on the horizon.
Yvonne just came back from a trip to Japan with 14 group members, and is heading to Bali in August with a friend she made through the group.
Image credits: Nine News \ Facebook