It's time to seize the day and find your own inner wander woman, whatever that might look like, with the help of travel journalist Kate Wills.

Kate wasn't expecting to be divorced after less than a year of marriage. She wasn't expecting to be remaking a life that had, for the last 12 years with her partner, seemed so stable. Luckily, her job as a travel journalist offered her the perfect opportunity to escape from it all. But this time, her restless jet-setting felt different. She felt more alone than ever before, particularly against a backdrop of never-ending hen dos, weddings and baby showers.

So she began to search history for female travellers to inspire her. From a fourth-century nun to a sailor in disguise; from an opium-addicted author, to a globe-girdling cyclist, Kate retraces these incredible journeys on a quest to discover what her desire to be on the move is really about. Looking back through history, Kate shows that there have been astonishing women who've broken free from more burdensome expectations, clearing the path for us to do the same.

A Trip of One's Own is a funny, heartfelt invitation to take that trip: to Paris, to Whitstable, and maybe down that street you've always wondered about. Perhaps, even exploring the world in this book.