Hi everyone
sorry I have not responded to questions earlier - I forgot to keep an eye on this thread. (I've also discovered you can get email updates when there's a new post on a discussion by going to "Thread Tools > Subscribe to Threads")
Roy_aus, Dimitry, Jez - thanks for the kind comments.
Redisbest: women can and do go travelling solo - my girlfriend travelled all over Japan on her own - but agreed it's perhaps more challenging. I wouldn't let it stop you though.
I guess it's about keeping a sense of perspective - New York and London can be pretty dangerous places too - and researching where you go. Japan and Singapore, for example, have famously low crime rates and you'd be unlikely to run into much trouble there as a woman on your own.
Similarly in Thailand, where I live, I've met scores of solo women travellers. If you stick to the established backpacking circuit, you will meet other people to travel with, and even if you don't, you will be travelling with other tourists on buses, trains etc.
Attitude is important, I think - in India or Egypt you will get stared at on occasion as a western woman which you can find threatening or merely irritating. A lot of things depend on how you take them and that will shape your whole travel experience.
I realise it's easy for me to waffle on like this as I'm a man - if you have specific concerns, please let me know and perhaps I can help. (Or ask my girlfriend's opinion which might be more useful!)
 |