Summer, summer time

The snow always melts and the eternal wait is done

Do you feel your office job as some kind of small prison? Do you find yourself very irritable and low tolerant when your boos is giving you a lecture? Do you miss what sunlight feels like? Are your conversations limited to TV local celebrities or boring realities shows?  Those and more excuses are clear signs that you need to go out for VACATIONS or at least scape from the city. 

Picture from: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/karinfuller/files/2008/07/me.jpg

Whether for work or pleasure, to leave the cities involves a risk, but if the adequate measures are taken, a unique experience is acquired.  Traveling alone can be a great experience, since there is not necessary to be stick to the plans and inclinations of others. Moreover, it permits the person to organize his/her own itinerary and to enjoy what he/she likes more. But, in the case of the women, to travel alone can be dangerous.

Let’s face it; a woman can expect most danger situations than a guy. Just for mention an example: the sexual harassment and the MACHO ideology of some countries can play against the globetrotting ladies.

For such reasons the website Thetravelersnotebook.com enlist a series of advices that help single women to enjoy her time while having fun in another part of the world.

Picture from: http://www.startbackpacking.com/travel/images/solo-female-travel.jpg

Note: the next 10 advices were written by Mei-Ling McNamara. Do you want to know more about her? visit Mei-Ling McNamara       --       Another website with more info : Women tips

1. Stay aware – This doesn’t mean actively practicing paranoia. It only means when you are walking from your hotel into town, register landmarks and remember street names. Notice your surroundings, but don’t forget to notice the people around you too. If you keep seeing the same guy turning up at the market or near your hotel, take note. If a guy gets it in his head that he wants to follow or harass you, ignore him or be firm and ask him politely to leave you alone. Always be ahead of the game.

2. Trust your female instincts – Traveling to foreign lands does not mean that a woman puts her instincts on holiday too. You may not know the language or even the lie of the land, but a woman has great awareness when it comes to knowing if someone means well or ill. If a person is making you uncomfortable, or a situation is suddenly going from friendly to aggressive, turn on the charm and get out of there – fast.

3. A guidebook can be better than a boyfriend – I love guidebooks, and not because I look at them every ten minutes. They often have great maps which can orientate you, give you choices about all ranges of accommodation, and are a great reference when that restaurant no longer exists or that shopping district is not where you thought it was. Boyfriends get me lost more often than guidebooks.

4. Busy places are best – Remember your dad warned you about walking down dark alleys? Think about things you wouldn’t do in your home country, like walking down isolated roads or taking hikes without telling someone where you are going. Finding places where a lot of people go can actually make a woman less of a target, and helps her to blend in more with the surroundings.

5. Take calculated risks – Traveling is about risk, after all. Jumping on a bus to an unknown destination, talking to strangers in a bar, getting off the map. As a woman, you can minimize problems by basic planning. Try to avoid arriving in places at night, have enough money with you to check into a hotel without going to an ATM when you arrive somewhere new, and don’t go off with your new friends if you have no idea how to get home.

6. Book your first night hotel – If you are showing up in a country for the first time, it is wise to get a room booked ahead of time. It saves you time driving aimlessly in a taxi after two hours sleep in two days. After the first night, you can always find another hotel that suits you better.

7. Dress according to the culture – Sure, Western women sometimes think that a woman should be free to dress however she wants. However, most countries outside of the Western hemisphere did not get the memo. Understanding a country’s culture and dress code will save a woman from unwanted attention, but will also allow her to interact more comfortably with the local population.

8. Have fun, but watch your drinks – Nightlife is one of the great perks of travel. If you are traveling alone, enjoy yourself, but bear in mind that being tipsy in your own neighborhood is a lot different than being tipsy in a bar in Africa. For one, your instincts are shot and any potential dangers go unnoticed. Secondly, getting home can be dicey, especially in foreign cabs on unknown streets.

9. Leave valuables in the hotel – If you must, bring copies of your passport with you when you go out and explore, but lock all your valuables away. Flashy jewellery and handbags make great fodder for thieves. Check if your hotel has a safe or bring your own lock with you for your valuables, and leave them in the room.

10. Make friends with other travelers – Traveling as a woman alone can be brilliant, but in the off-chance you want to go somewhere remote and would like company, having the GPS on other travelers is a great way to do it. Travelers often watch each other’s backs, and sometimes, this is the best insurance of all.

Picture from: http://splory.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rby-11-ways-to-happy-heart-go-someplace-new-de.jpg

 

Have fun and send us a post wherever you go.!!