An adult Indian woman recently put up a Facebook post about having told by an immigration officer that she could not travel unless she had permission from her parents or another male.

Society seems to have a huge issue with women travelling alone, or just with other women, without any men. Why, asks Akshata Ram, who has done a fair bit of 'women only' travel.

I am sure you would agree that it takes a really great husband to be better than no-husband-at-all. Isn’t it justified and advisable to wait for the man you can’t wait to marry, than marry anyone just because you can’t wait?!

As an Indian woman, do you hesitate to travel alone? What holds you back? Here is a checklist you can tick off and trash, and go for that dream trip.

Shivya Nath’s The Shooting Star begins as journey for the self along with being a travel memoir, and towards the end, the self is better understood and reconciled with.