And so this week we're celebrating the female solo travellers whose battered passports and inflatable pillows are proof of their thrilling adventures. If, like me, you're someone who needs a little nudge of confidence or a little spark of inspiration, then there's plenty of it coming your way. There's Jessica Nabongo , who is aiming to be the first black woman to visit every country in the world (last count: 178 out of 195); Karolin Klüppel , the photographer who travelled to the Himalayas and spent a year with the Mosuo, a now sadly diminishing matriarchal community in which women are able to pick and change partners as they please; and Refinery29's own Charlie Elliot who, when she found out Flying Solo was happening, strode over to my desk and announced: "Solo travel is my THING." And she wasn't kidding – Charlie may be about to get married but that doesn't stop her heading off on holiday by herself at least once a year. In fact, one of the first things she said when she met her future husband was that her solo trips were not going anywhere anytime soon. Catch these stories later on in the week.