“You travel alone? Aren’t you afraid?”

I cannot count the number of times I have been asked this question. Without exception, the person asking is a woman who would love to do what I do. Sometimes they are single, sometimes these women are married to men who have no interest in travel, but in every case they are afraid to venture out on their own. I tell them that travel is not dangerous, that people everywhere are the same, that we are “One Human Family.”

But traveling solo requires more than an ability to trust in the goodness of humankind. It requires research to become familiar with the city and/or country you intend to visit and it’s even better if you can connect with someone who lives there prior to your trip. Enter my favorite online travel tool, Journeywoman.com. This fabulous web site, designed especially for women who want to travel solo, offers a country by country “what to wear” database; tips on what to pack; advice on staying healthy during traveling; and valuable insight into the culture, customs, and taboos of destinations around the globe. Journeywoman.com even offers an e-newsletter that is chock full of interesting trips, tours and destinations for women of all ages and interests. Every issue I’ve ever received has provided me with a trvael tip or a potential destination to add to my ever growing list of places I want to visit. Interested in receiving the newsletter? Just go to Journeywoman.com and sign up – it’s free and they won’t share your email address with anyone.

Also found at Journeywoman.com is HERmail.net, a free service that allows any woman anywhere in the world to connect with other females who love to travel. How does it work? Suppose a woman living in New York is planning a trip to Japan and needs insider information. She simply keys in the name of the city she will be visiting and HERmail will instantly provide up to two emails for women who live in that city. The New York woman might want to inquire about the weather and what clothing to pack. Perhaps she is looking for a woman-friendly B&B or needs the name of a vegetarian restaurant. The reasons for communicating are endless. Over 10, 500 women from 35 countries have registered with HERmail.net, so it is almost assured that someone will be available help, regardless of your destination.

When women ask how to go about traveling solo I first tell them “Just do it!” Then I send them to Journeywoman.com, where they can join the 64,500 women who already subscribe to this free gem of a travel service!.