Women who take the day trip anyway

Pulenaz: the stop is the point

Pulenaz leaves in her own car with a loose plan to spend the day by the water. On the way she notices a roadside plant nursery and pulls into its parking area. She walks between the pots, chooses a small plant for home and has a drink before continuing. Farther on, a view across the water catches her attention, so she stops at a marked pull-off and spends time there rather than trying to reach a fixed list of places.

Her video keeps the decision in view: she spots the nursery, finds a place to park, walks around and then decides where to go next. The pleasure is having the car and the day to herself, with enough freedom to change the order of stops. A viewer looking for a solo drive with spontaneous detours gets more than scenery filmed through a windscreen.

When friends cannot come

On another day, Pulenaz suggests a day out to friends, but they are busy. She decides to go anyway, taking a train to a neighboring town. She visits a bookshop, orders lunch, walks beside the river and catches an afternoon train home. In the video she explains why she set off alone and shows each stop, including the book she chooses and the meal she sits down to eat.

This is a different kind of freedom from the car trip. The train timetable gives the day an edge and she makes the walk fit between services. The outing is enjoyable because the plans remain appealing even without the original company. The friend’s absence starts the story; it does not need to become a complaint about them.

Allison Anderson: the road and the photograph

Allison Anderson began solo travel in 2018 and documents trips through photographs and video. In her solo Wyoming road-trip account she describes wildlife watching, sunset photography and choosing overnight stops around the places she visits. Her Joshua Tree account describes renting a car and an Airbnb for a four-day solo trip.

References: Allison Anderson · Allison Anderson · Allison Anderson

Choose Anderson for a longer route and the relationship between a location, its light and an overnight stop. Pulenaz is the closer fit for a short day that turns on a small unplanned stop, or for the particular decision to go out when friends are occupied.

Leave room for a detour

A loose route works best when there is a simple return plan. Check the last train or allow time for the drive home, keep the next essential stop flexible and use an actual parking area rather than stopping abruptly. On a car-free day, choose a town with several things within walking distance of the station; a missed shop need not end the outing.

Sources and attribution

1. Allison Anderson

   About Allison AndersonPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 29, 2026

2. Allison Anderson

   My Solo Trip to Joshua TreePublished Apr 19, 2020 · Recorded Oct 29, 2026

3. Allison Anderson

   My Solo Road Trip to Wyoming: Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks ItineraryPublished May 16, 2021 · Recorded Oct 29, 2026