tzarinna

Sounds wild, ncounty. I'm glad you got out of that safe.

Thanks, Iowa_Redhead. I've been looking for tour groups for my trip to Russia. I really don't mind traveling alone, the few times that I have had a travel partner was rather stressful.
I received some info from Tauck Tours and I started this thread awhile back looking for groups.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35093785

JBHapgood

I would not recommend my home town of Los Angeles as a solo travel destination. It's not because of any particular safety concerns, since it's no more or no less safe than any other American city. Nor is there any lack of fascinating things to see and do.

The problem is that wherever you stay in Los Angeles you're going to be spending a lot of time in your car, often going nowhere. It's not always enjoyable to do that alone. Navigating unfamiliar freeways and surface streets and looking for scarce parking is also more difficult when you're alone. And the "car culture" of Los Angeles creates a much more isolating environment than you'd find in cities where you can interact with people while walking or riding mass transit. This all makes for a place that many solo travelers won't find very friendly or pleasant.

Southern California is an incredibly diverse collection of places that are well worth a visit. But if you're a solo traveler, it's one of those adventures best deferred until you have someone to share it with!

ncounty

JB- your post cracked me up! It's so true.....I especially love the line about spending most of your time driving around in your car, "often going nowhere". So true! And so funny after discussions of India and Pakistan to lump LA in on that list.

gruezi

My 13-year-old daughter and I were recently in Morocco solo and although I was a bit nervous, it worked out fine. We are both western and average 5 feet tall. During parts of our trip we did have a recommended guide and other places we did not and still felt quite safe. The guides are pretty inexpensive so not a luxury item.

Morocco is in Africa, but some consider it more the Middle East. It was a unique and fascinating trip and definitely a bit more off the beaten track.

caladrius

Hm, i keep toying with the idea of going to Thailand or India in the future, but the idea makes me a bit nervous. I know many people go there and have no problems but... it's just so different, I guess.

That's a bit in the future, though. I have to get through D.C., London, Rome and some more of Italy first. That'll be good for um.. maybe the next ten years. =P Well, according to my budget.

thursdaysd

I could see being a bit nervous about India, but Thailand? Dead easy and in places overfull of foreigners! Hang out over on the Asia board and you'll "meet" lots of people who travel to Thailand - and a few of us who love India, too. In fact, all of SE Asia - Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia (although maybe Myanmar less so) are fine places for solo travel. And sooner you go the fewer the other tourists.

suze

Gosh, I have to agree about Thailand. I have not been myself, but many friends (here in Seattle) have traveled there. One girlfriend spent 7 months there solo. She absolutely loved the country and the people. Did not report any problems of any sort.

caladrius

thursdaysd- Oh, I know a lot of people love it there, and have no problems. Maybe it's just because I don't know as much about it, and the fact that I haven't ever been to Asia, and it's definitely different, so a bit scary to those not used to it. Suppose I'd just have to go for it sometime and see what happens.

tennisbum

I'm pretty fearless, but as a black woman I am nervous about visiting a few places in Eastern Europe. It's really sad because if not for my nerves I would have ticked off places like Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine already.

thursdaysd

I'm an aging white woman, so I can't comment from personal experience on how a black woman would be treated, and it's certainly true that you don't see many in Eastern Europe, but I'm curious as to why you think these countries in particular could be a problem. Have you seen reports of specific incidents, or from people who've had problems?

Jayna

I understand where you're coming from, tennisbum. I'm Asian-American and currently in South Africa, and before coming, I'd been told by many people that there were plenty of Chinese business people around here, so I'd not stick out too much.

Ummm...let's just say, when I'm with a local, all's well. When I'm by myself, I've had all kinds of locals yell at me, had people say "Chong chee chong chong" and then snicker at their impression of Asian languages, had men come up and pet my hair, had them grab me, and worst...try to mug me. But when I'm with a local (black, white, or colored -- SA's terms), I don't get a second look.

Jayna
travels at www.ususbaby.com

suze

there's no place i want to go presently, that i wouldn't be willing to go solo.

frogoutofwater

I didn't read all of the posts in detail, but I noticed that the OP said she wouldn't feel comfortable going to the Middle East alone. That's lumping a lot of different places together and dismissing them out of hand.

I've been to Oman, for example, and I'd certainly travel there on my own. It felt like the safest place I'd ever been in my entire life (my husband and I even picked up hitchhikers - and very polite young men they were). The men we met were very courteous and kind - a bit reserved.

I'd also travel without hesitation on my own to the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan. Having been to Morocco with my husband, I'd go back there on my own - although I'd probably stick to some of the bigger cities, rather than venturing out into the countryside on my own.

If you're interested in travelling somewhere exotic, have you considered travelling with an adventure travel tour for the first part of the trip (e.g. walking in the Atlas mountains in Morocco) and then spending the rest of the time on your own, after you have learned a little about the place and its customs? That would would make you less dependent on finding a friend to travel with you - but not having to travel completely solo.

global_guy

I find it slightly humorous and not at all surprising that as soon as someone weighs in on a place they wouldn't visit, someone else writes about how they felt safe in that very place.
I really think that most places are inherently quite safe and having been to over 80 countries, and many of those alone, I'm always amazed when someone tells me that they wouldn't dream of going "somewhere like the Middle East". That being said, I like visiting places like Yemen and Kosovo, and when things go wrong in Yemen, they tend to go REALLY wrong, solo or not.
I think frogoutofwater hit the mark in suggesting to join in on group trips where appropriate and to go solo where possible.

suze

I think women may feel differently about certain places, simply because of traveling solo female in certain cultures because of the local attitude and customs towards women.

Global_guy, I'll assume you're a guy, right? Don't you think that might give you more freedom or safety in at least some places?

global_guy

Suze; Yes I am a guy and certainly I am aware that it's advantageous in regards to travel of any sort, especially solo travel.
I also think that our society's ideas (read fears) about "certain cultures because of the local attitude and customs towards women" aren't always well founded. I would bet that frogoutofwater's encourgaing comments about Oman and Jordan surprise a few fodorites while at the same time, does little to convince people that the Middle East isn't so daunting a destination.

tzarinna

I do intend to travel to the middle east, Egypt and I've found a group on meetup.com that will be going to Jerusalem. I may not intend this year but at least I've found a group to go with.


Thanks to who ever posted the link to meetup, it was in this forum. I've been taking full advantage of it. What a great resource.

Mango7

Jamaica is pretty scary. A solo woman traveler is just asking for it here.