Catherine,<BR><BR>You shouldn't have much of a problem in many of the places you want to travel by yourself.<BR>I would advise against the eating in the bar idea, but if you do decide to eat by yourself at the bar in a restaurant, especially if it is the restaurant in the hotel where you are staying, make conversation with the bartender and establish a quick relationship with him. Then when the jerks start moving in on you (and believe me, they will) and ask &quot;Oh, are you here by yourself?&quot; or &quot;Oh, alone? Would you like some company?&quot; you can enlist the bartender to help calm down the overenthusiastic ones who won't take NO for an answer.<BR>The sad fact for women traveling alone is that there are sharks everywhere looking to move in.

Ken, escorted tour is a good idea. I may try one-day round trip or things like that.<BR><BR>r-travel, thanks for the recommendation on bookds and I will try to find them and read them all. <BR><BR>XYZ, I totally with you. There are sharks.<BR><BR><BR><BR>