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Travelingsolo-Ablessingoverall!Soyou'rereadytotravel.Pickaplace,anyplace.Let'ssayyou'vealwayswantedtogotoChina.You'veseenpicturesoftheGreatWall,theForbiddenCity,Tian'anmenSquare.You'vealwaysbeenfascinatedwithChineseaestheticsandculture,withred,fragranttemplesandvenerablestatues.Youhaveachunkofmoneysavedandextravacationtimeearned.Nowisthetimetogo!Butmaybeyouhaven'ttraveledmuch.You'veneverbeentoanexoticplacewhereyoucan'tspeakthelanguageorreadthesigns.Aplacewhereyou'llhavetodoalltheresearchforyourself,findhotels,getyourselfaround,buylocomotiveorbustickets,orderyourownfood.Youmustfigureallofthisoutwhilelookingattheunfamiliarnotationwhichyouseewhereveryoulookorgo.Sonowyou'rereadytorealizeyourdreamtoexploreChina,andfind,foryourself,thesoulofthecountry.Unfortunately,rightfromtheonset,noneofyourfriendssharethatdream.Yoursisterispregnantandcan'ttravel.Yourbestfriendjustgotanewjobandcan'ttaketimeoff.Sowhatdoyoudo?Youcouldaskeveryoneyouknow-friends,acquaintances,co-workers.Youcouldjoinatour.Or,youcouldgoalone.Totravelaloneisadifficultdecisionforanyone,thoughespeciallyforwomen.Forme,itcamenaturally.ImadethattriptoChina,andthenzigzaggedonamultinationalexcursionthroughIndonesia,Thailand,EnglandandFrance.ButthereactionsI'vegotten,frompeopleIknow,fellowtravelers,andespecially,fromthenativesofthecountriesI'vevisited,showedmethatsolotravelingisstrange,andevenconsideredinconceivableorrecklessbymanypeople.PeopleaskmeiftheisolationmakesmesadorevenifI'mmoresusceptibletoviolentordangeroussituations.Thishasbeensometimesablessing,sometimesacurse.IremembersearchingdesperatelyforaccommodationsinTaiwan.Theuniversitylistedinmybookletnolongerhaddormitoriesfortravelers,andIwasluckywhenthedeskclerkcalledayoungwomanoutofanearbyoffice.Asitturnedout,shewasofferingtoletmestayatherflatandevenhadafriendcomeshowmearoundthecitythenextday.AlsoinTaiwan,Imettwogirlswhosmuggledmeintotheirhotelroom,gavemeoneofthebeds(theysharedtheother),andtookmetoafeastwiththeirtourgroup.Whentheyheardmynextstopwastheirhometown,theyarrangedforabilingualfriendtopickmeupatthetrainstation.Buttherehasalsobeenthedownsideofthosenot-so-pleasantexperiences.InIndonesia,acuteboygavemearideonhismotorbike,andthoughtthatgavehimlicensetogropemeillicitly.ManytimesinIndonesia,boysmenacedme,assumingIwaswillingtopayfortheircompany.InJapan,IwaspickedupbyayoungmanwhorefusedtodropmeatmyYouthHostel;heinsistedIstaywithhisfriends.Thefriendsturnedouttobefourgirls;Iwassafe,butonesnoredlikealawnmower,andittookmetwodaystoescape.I'vebeenirritatedandperplexedmanytimes-notspeakingalanguage,notunderstandingorbeingunderstood.Once,inItaly,ahotelclerktriedtooverchargemeandonlygaveupafter10minutesofarguing.AnothertimeinChina,ataxidriverinsistedIpaymore,andIwasrescuedbythedoormanofafancyhotel.Havingacompanionmighthavehelpedsafeguardmefromsomeofthoseproblems.Butitwouldhavesuppressedotheropportunities-alongafternooninThailandallaloneinthebackofahaywagonandthensevendaysinthebackofatruckwithaBrit,twoAussiesandtwoNorwegians!EatingethnicfoodonmywaythrougheasternKoreawithfouryouthfulJapanesesalarymen.GettingsickinChina,andbeingnursedwithchocolatebarsandtissuesbyacouplefromTexas.ThefewtimesIhavetraveledwithacompanion,Ihaven'thadthesameampleopportunitiestomeetpeople.Othertravelerscanswapstorieswithyouaboutthelocalfolkloreoftheplacesthey'vebeentoandoftenhavecredibleinsightsintotheplaceyou'revisiting.Localsarealsomorelikelytoseeyouasapproachableandbeupfrontwithyouwhenyou'reonyourown.Ofcourseyouhavetobecarefulnottoendangeryourselfbythrowingcautiontothewind.Watchyourback,butdon'tpresumetheworstandbeoverlyfearful.Befriendlywithpeople,butwatchoutforthosewhoaretoofriendlywithyou.Don'tdisregardyourinstincts.Ifyouhearstoriesaboutcriminalsonaroad,taketheroad-justdon'ttakemuchcash,anddon'tacceptCocaColafromstrangers.Thekeytosolotravelistoopenyourmind,closeyoureyesandleapin!Everythingthathappenstoyouisanexperience,andgood,badorneutral,theywillallbenefityouinsomeway.Takethoselittleannoyances,thoseinefficiencies,andthoseboringbureaucratswithalaugh.Ifyoudespisesomething,justremember:Youdon'tlivethere,youcanleaveanytime,andyou'llneverhavetodealwiththisagain!Don'teverletalackofcompanionshipconstrainyoufromdoingwhatyoureallywanttodo.Onceyougosolo,you'llbeamazedathowsensationalyourtravelexperienceswillbe.