Superwoman of March 2017: Asmarani Februandari

Introducing.. one of the Indonesian solo female traveller that I have met along the way, Asmarani Februandari! I accidentally bumped her in Essaouira, Morocco while I was travelling there. Quite funny is that the hostel owner gave us an upgrade to stay in one room together since he found out there were 2 Indonesian booked on the same date. And that’s how I got to learn this cool lady further more. It was a bit unusual to see Indonesian veiled woman with Hijab do solo travelling, so of course I think she is worth to be featured as the Superwoman Indonesian Solo Female Travel Asmarani! 🙂

Name: Asmarani Februandari

Twitter: @jejakkakirani

Website/Blog: http://jejakkakirani.com

Nationality: Indonesia

Residence: Yogyakarta- Newcastle UK

Occupation: Researcher – PhD Candidate in Architecture

What inspired you to travel solo for the first time?

Simply because I couldn’t find a companion for the trip. So, I’d rather traveling alone than with someone who doesn’t have the same interest and the same pace with me

Tell us about the first time you travelled alone. Where did you go and what did you do?

Ho Chi Minh City in 2012! I used to have companions before when traveling, but since we didn’t have a match schedule and I was dying to go somewhere, so I decided to do solo traveling. Lucky me, I met three Indonesian guys there and we travelled together for the first two days. On the third day, they went to Cambodia. I thought it would be uneasy for me to do

So what are the love/hate things you experienced travelling alone?

The best thing from doing solo traveling is…I can go and do whatever I want while the worst thing is…I can’t share costs.

Who’s your travel inspiration? 

Well, actually I don’t have one. But, recently I read a lot about Ibnu Batutta

What is your favorite websites and travel apps do you often use? 

I found this app on ios:  like a local. It is a good source if you are tired with those tourist areas and want to have a different experience

Sometimes I am also looking at Lonely Planet and Travelettes.

What is your favorite country so far? Any recommendation for female solo traveler?

Of course Morocco! The chaos, the food, the heritage, the people, the bazaar, the desert……everything in Morocco really attracts me. And this place is safe for female solo traveler, too.

What are some important things you bring when travelling solo? (Beside money and passport?)

Counterpain is essential, together with camera plus pancake lens and a novel.

Everyone has their quiry thing when they travel. I love doing temple hunting and visiting museums. So what’s yours?

Well……castle and ruins are my favourite although I also love visiting traditional market tp understand the local cultures. Another thing I love the most while traveling is doing nothing but sipping the coffee in a local coffee shop.

Share your tips for any first time solo traveller?

Just listen to your intuition, and enjoy the trip!

What’s your favorite travel quote that’s best describe you?

“When in doubt, travel!”

Asmarani Februandari is an impulsive traveller, who loves rainy days, ice cream and books. Since she enjoys the sensation of ‘getting lost’, she never plans her trip properly. 

Traveling, for her, is not just a way to escape from her daily routines; it is a way to learn about life. 

Oh! We met again when she came visit me in Leeds and when I travelled to Newcastle. We got along pretty quickly, mostly because we have something in common: travel.

Good luck for your dissertation and travel time! Hope we can do travelling together again someday.

© 2017 Writing & Images copyright of Marina Utami.