Location: Andheri West, Mumbai
I walked alone here because it is close to home, but quite deserted post midnight.
I was feeling apprehensive, lonely, adventurous before my Walk Alone. As I walked, I began to feel confident, happy and at peace. I noticed there were many streetlights, no clean public toilets. I was exhausted, peaceful, happy at the end of my walk.
Location: Bandra, Mumbai, India
I live and work around Bandra . I walked there because these are spaces that I have been asked to not go alone, especially at night. I was excited, nervous and feeling adventurous as I began to walk alone.I noticed that I think a lot when I walk, that I enjoy my company. I held a hot beverage while I walked alone. I did not feel threatened . Maybe because the roads I walked on would fluctuate between silence and noise every 400 to 500 meters. There was one stretch over half a kilometer which was extremely desolate. I felt meek half way through it and really strong when I was done walking that stretch. After walking, I felt calm, happy and a part of something big. Is there a word for that?
Location: Yelahanka New Town main road, Bangalore
I walked here because I had been harassed here before, and wanted to reclaim my space.
Initially I was not comfortable walking around an area so close to my house. I felt sceptical and alert. My phone battery had died and that made me quite nervous, I clutched on to the only pseudo weapon that I had which were a pair of keys. As I kept walking I did start feeling a bit okay, but that feeling quickly washed away due to several bad experiences of catcalling on that particular road. But as I moved forward I saw a few women nearby which made me feel safe. At the end of my Walk Alone I felt relieved proud independent.
I feel the need to rethink about how safe the place was and not just assume something bad was always going to happen. I felt better in a way and felt more free to get out at night.
* Action Hero Vrushali walked alone for 10 minutes
Location: Dawlish , Devon, UK.
I chose to walk alone there only because it's where I live and I could walk straight out the door. It didn't feel challenging in the sense that it's not somewhere I feel at risk. It's not somewhere I'd ever be warned not to go (although people might think I'm the suspicious one, being out walking alone..!) But it was joyful and sensuous to walk in the dark through streets I know by daylight. And I took the track down to the sea wall, where it was dark except for distant lights. I walked along the sea wall with waves surging below and felt alive.
My feelings changed over the length of the walk. At the start I felt quite self-aware of the action and the ideas behind WalkAlone - the walk felt something like a performance. As it went on, I was jumpy and alert; pensive and overwhelmed; excited and eager to walk all night; and finally I felt relaxed - less like I was 'performing' the walk, and more like I was just doing it. And enjoying it. I felt I'd like to walk at that time more often - the town felt different, and the experience was refreshing.
I walked through streets I know well from daily life, but I'd never spent so long wandering them at that time of night. I felt curious, skittish, self-conscious. On the first part of my walk the area felt very lonely - I hardly saw anyone, and was startled when a man on a bicycle appeared suddenly behind me. It was familiar but changed, and my senses were on high alert. But on later parts of my walk, the town felt more comfortable and homely than I'd expected. It was comforting to see people out and about - even another woman walking alone with a pair of dogs. I had a conversation with two women waiting outside a night shelter to welcome anyone in who needed some support or respite. I hadn't really expected to meet anyone, so it felt more friendly and welcoming than I'd imagined. (Maybe it was also that I was more friendly and welcoming through being out on a meandering walk, and not *trying to get from A to B as usual). At the end of the walk I felt relaxed, refreshed, contented.
I got home feeling a bit reflective, but also happy that for me the journey had transitioned from something that felt 'serious' and self aware, into something that was a simpler kind of pleasure - less about the politics & significance. More about the physical experience. It left me feeling that I would enjoy walking at that time again - so often I get to the end of the day and just collapse, but this was a really energising, refreshing experience.
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