By going alone.
There is no reason you should not go alone as American female.
You have to be careful about what you do, but traveling alone in Europe is common.
There is a lot of advice in the answers to this question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>
I am European, female and have traveled alone in Europe and several other continents and have met loads of others doing the same.
I also met many people who were traveling with others, some successful, others met with disappointment as the combination did not work out.
If you find someone you can travel with, talk it through real well and still prepare so that you can separate if it does not work out.
I would advice you to travel in May, June or September, as it is easier to find space in hostels than in July and August, while the weather is mostly very good. But traveling in Europe can all around the year, alone as well as with others.
Added:
I see one of the other answerers insist on traveling with others. It is good if you can find a group you are sure about, feel good about. But a stranger you met through internet in the USA is as dangerous as a stranger you meet in Europe, or more dangerous, as some people pray on those who are afraid to travel alone.
So if you plan to travel with people you just met through internet, do not trust them any further than you can see, just like you would not trust strangers you meet somewhere in a hostel.
As long as you have the interest, that is all that matters. I travelled alone many times and i have enjoyed it especially sinced joing a hospiatlity club. The people I have met through it is so diverse and I can get to interact with the locals instead of the usual phototaking and sightseeing itinerary. You should start planning now.How can I make my backpacking trip a reality?
Please dont listen to those that say, sure, do it, who cares that youre female. You dont know anything about the areas youre going to go to. Sure, you can read up on it for months in planning and hear answers from seasoned travelers. But its not the same once you get there. I live in Germany, and being American, its hard as hell to navigate around. Granted I"m not backpacking, i live here and I drive, and its STILL hard. Its not safe, and you make a perfect target. There are trained criminals, trained to spot out people like you, especially if youre alone. How will you know who you can trust? What if your travel guide leads you into some sort of horrific trap? YOu must find a group and go with them. Go to any local universities and advertise around on bulletin boards for any groups that may be going. There are always college kids that get together and do just what you want to do. FInd people to go with you, please.
American females travel alone around Europe all the time. I've been doing it the last 10 years, and never run into any sort of problem. I've even moved countries on my own, to a city I had never been to before (Edinburgh). As long as you follow general safety precautions and use common sense, you'll be fine. It can be really nice to travel by yourself, because it means you get to do exactly what you want to do, at your own pace.
If you stay in hostels, you'll likely meet up with others that have no real travel plans and have the opportunity to travel together. Couchsurfing is another possibility to meet up with locals. Even if you don't stay with hosts, it's easy to arrange meetings with locals for coffee and a tour.
http://couchsurfing.com
You should know the more dangerous areas of a city (so you can avoid them especially at night). In most cities, this means the suburbs, but it does vary from place to place. Research is more important when you're travelling alone. Your first stop in a city should be the tourist bureau, for a good local map and advice.
As a solo female, you can't get intoxicated and wander around.. I recommend not drinking at all. Don't leave your food or drink unattended, and don't accept anything from strangers. Stay out of parks, empty streets, etc late at night. Find something to do near your hostel if you want to go out in the evenings. Be aware of your environment. Dress unobtrusively. You don't have to look like a local, but you should avoid looking like an obvious tourist as well.
It's also helpful to avoid male attention altogether. It's usually not dangerous, but can be uncomfortable. Smiling at strangers, or even meeting eyes for too long, can be considered an invitation to approach. Ignoring people can feel rude to some Americans that are used to forward friendliness, but it's something you need to learn if you travel alone. Carry a book with you while you're on public transportation. Don't be afraid to just get up and walk away from someone that's making you uncomfortable.
It is a really good idea to go alone and you will really enjoy the trip,but i wont scare you about being alone as you are a female but try to be brave and careful.take all the things which you need so that you wont face any kind of problems.
No comments:
Post a Comment