Hi everyone. I am planning a Eurail trip aroung Europe this summer, and I must admit that as a woman I am a little bit worried about travelling alone. I am 17, so this is going to be my first extended period away from home. I've heard lots of horror stories by now about young women travelling alone, so should I be worried? If so, what precautions should I take?

"We" didn't know that you were 17, when answering your earlier post - - and I repeat parts of that here, since I think it is very relevant to your question now...

from http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34488238

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Author: Mariannah
Date: 04/02/2004, 04:32 am

Message: Wow, thanks guys for all the info, it has been really helpful. Rex raises a good point about seeing only big cities, but let me explain. I have just finished school and am now working as an english assistant in a high school in St Quentin, France. I have the summer holidays off to do as I please. I'm not sure when I'll have this opportunity again, so I want to make the most of it. I was attracted to the Eurorail because if I don't like a place, I can go, whereas if I do, I can stay for a while. (My first time in Europe); Rex suggests dropping Austria and Scandanavia. What do people think about this? I was actually thinking of adding Barcelona to the list. Am I being overly ambitious?

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Author: rex ([email protected])
Date: 04/02/2004, 08:38 am

Message: Several points of clarification:

I suggested dropping Austria OR Scandinavia (the loop was too big).

But you are now living and working in St. Quentin? Or you are GOING to be living and working there?

This changes everything. I assumed that "brought" ws just a typo for "bought". But you bought it before going to France and bRought it with you?

I would seriously think about seeing if you can get your money back.

Now, you are not constrained by a flight at either end of this "trip". And I will concede/acknowledge that there IS a difference between "traveling", as the way you are living - - and "going on a trip" (even though I have only been to Europe twice for more than 20 days).

But you have the opportunity to do some of both, and put much of that $914 back in your pocket.

And now, I will get more paternalistic than ever. I don't know if "just finished school means high school, collge or graduate school - - but you have NOT finished your "education" - - and lucky you, Europe is gonna be part of how you add to your plate. I assume that you are approaching this adventure - - of 2004 - - with a certain amount of cash in the bank, or expectations that you can pay off this summer's expenses in the coming school year (2004-2005).

You can/should multiply the enrichment you get from THIS summer by ending up "cash-neutral" on Aug 31, compared to where you started on July 1. I assume you have a work visa or dual citizenship. While I know nothing about casual employment (and I realize that unemployment is high in Europe), you have a choice: spend $4000-6000 (on top of the $914) this summer, or spend $2000 and make $2000, tucked in between say... three ten day trips - - one to the north, one to Italy, and one, either east, or southwest.

The world is your oyster, Mariannah. For what it's worth, I could follow my own advice, even though I would have to add the time/cost of trans-atlantic flights to duplicate your opportunities. But I have daughters' weddings to pay for, and many more fish to fry on my current and future plates.

Someday, you will too. Balance having fun and doing well by yourself and it will multiply your future opportunities - - to share the enrichment you gain in your youth, with children and/or loved ones in the future.

Break a leg!!!

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Now that I know that you are 17, and that you are living in France - - or are going to be living in France - - I have more questions than ever. Are you living with any other adult? Any reason your first trip couldn't/shouldn't be a three day getaway - - to Bruges, for example - - perhaps with that adult? and then, with THAT adult, talk about how best to prepare for heading out for longer periods of time?

And more than ever, I feel strongly that you should not blow all this money (and lost employment opportunity time) this first year that you are startin to stretch your wings as a young woman. What is the source of the funds that will support this 60 days of travel? Is it unlimited? for the rest of your life?

This can and should be the summer that you learn a little bit about traveling, and relating to people of all ages in many different cultural settings. And prepare to do it again for as many summers, on into the future, as you choose for yourself.

..tell me a bit more. Are you meeting friends and /or relatives? how long is your trip? do you go to camp or boarding school? i ask the above not to be noisy but rather to ask whether you will be lonely? if you are street smart there should not be major issues re safety providing you stay in safe areas..if you do the "youth hostel" route, you are bound to meet fellow travellers but you cant count on finding compatable travel companions. If you plan to be completely alone at your age think about a kontiki tour or maybe a study/ language program where you will be others of your age...o

I last traveled to Europe at age 17, although all my travel was with a group. I went to several of the cities that you mentioned. The only safety problem I had was in Paris, leaving the Moulin Rouge at night. Although I was with a group I was still grabbed by a passing "gentleman". After that experience, all the females in the group walked surrounded by the males of the group.

However, I also broke the rules quite a bit and wondered around the cities alone, to better expereince them. I just did this in the daytime and stuck to busier areas. I was careful to stay observant and never felt unsafe.

On one hand, I would suggest the short trips, because you can let someone at your home base know where you are and they can be your check-in person. On the other hand, you may have more fun going the Eurorail path. That should allow you to meet others near your age and make some connections.

You have left out some helpful details...what countries? and have you travelled much, specifically abroad, before?

I moved alone to France at 17 and had never been more than 90 miles from home before. Had a wonderful time taking advantage of eurailpass during vacations. Sometimes I did it alone, once with a friend-of-a-friend hitch hiking (FOAF worked fine, but don't recommend hitching now as an older-but-wiser adult), once with a former teacher who came to visit. If you are a prudent, level headed individual, I 'm sure you can have a wonderful time.

My father offered me two rules for safety

1) don't go out alone
2) don't go out at night

Doesn't sound practical. But consider:

If you view this advice as one being one (extreme) end of the spectrum, and understand that the further you move away from this end the greater you increase your chance of having a problem, then you can weigh your decisions.

For example: Go out alone daytime on busy street in central Paris. 99.9% safe...go off on deserted sidestreet daytime , less safe...go out on busy street at night with some new friends you met at the youth hostel, even less safe... alone, at night, isolated area- you are pretty much at the other end of the safety spectrum by now, just asking for trouble.

Read through the posts here on how to avoid being pickpocketed, duped, etc here on Fodors. The same rules apply to a single female as a group of people. You must be aware of your surroundings and be a little more conservative than you normally would be in your decisions making because the consequences are heavier as a lone female.
Otherwise, go have a great time!

Also - Just me, but I was always more at ease in the more northern countries and more miserable in the more southern countries due to cultural differences in how females are viewed. (Italy was unbearable...constant sexual harassment from my perspective, just "normal" admiration from their perspective (?)--I dunno, but I coudn't handle the constant attention.)

Sorry, M., you posted w/info while I was yacking! I woldn't do Barcelona this time,
myself (current bombing aside).

I met many women who were 17 traveling alone. I was surprised how good the heads on their shoulders were. Their research, management of money, spontaneity, and joie de vivre would put many seasoned travelers to shame. I was quite humbled myself.

I agree with Klondike...those two rules will go a long way. And if you do meet people in hostels, you will have many people to go out with. Just don't trust everyone you meet 100%. Sounds sad, I know...but if you have good gut feelings, they will take you a long way.

However, there is one area that quite a few of the 17 year old women I met fell prey to...and let me emphasize this....

CUTE HOSTEL WORKERS DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU. THEY WANT TO GET INTO YOUR PANTS.

Harsh eh? I reckon it's fine if that's what you're into too. But I saw hearts "broken" as girls moped around hostels for longer than necessary when they should have been out and about, or moving on to the next town. These guys aren't monsters, but they are used to a bevy of cute girls coming in and out of their workplace, and can get used to women in "holiday spirits".

Have a great time...you will do fine. Oh, and wear a money belt.

I would suggest that you stay away from urban areas with high concentrations of Muslims. Two anecdotes. French police are wary of entering some of the public housing estates in suburban Paris that are lived in by alienated Algerian/Morroccan youth. I recently read that 70 % of rapes in Denmark are committed by Muslim men.

>CUTE HOSTEL WORKERS DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU. THEY WANT TO GET INTO YOUR PANTS.<

Gee Mina, why are you limiting it to hostel workers?

lol Ira. You're right.

I wonder if you are coming back (presumably, since your sporadic visits here have spanned the past 4 or 5 months). I was looking for something else, and stumbled across another post that has me fascinated/intrigued/confused by what exactly it is that you ARE doing this summer!? You're an Australian; you've "finished school", you're 17, you live and work in St. Quentin, France (have a work visa?); you are hoping to travel in/to Savannah, Georgia (USA), the 8-10 countries you bought the rail pass for, and you' like to make a "side" trip to St. Petersburg, Russia?

Do you have a sugar daddy? Kwame Jackson? Crazy Sam? (did he give you a briefcase too?)

LOL, Rex

What the heck... topping?

No need to get so confused, Rex. The answer to your question is far more mundane; I share this account with my older sister. She's already in Georgia, and is going to St Petersburg later this year. It was me however that posted the questions on the Eurail and the Czech visa. Sorry, two people using the same account must be confusing!