Independent travel for single women on a budget

Practical aspects of solo travel.

The following advice is purely to give suggestions. There is no one right or wrong way to travel - it is a matter of personal taste. Some advance planning can make a trip much easier but I don't like to plan every day down to the last detail far ahead - I have some structure, but plenty of space to go with the flow, do something according to my mood at the time and be open to discovering things I did not about in advance. I know some people who find my approach too flimsy and prefer to know exactly what is going to happen and when. If you like to plan ahead, almost everything can be booked long ahead and there is so much information available that it is possible to organise even fine details well ahead of the trip.

To find destination information

Even if you don't like planning things ahead and you prefer to find things yourself rather than following guidebook suggestions, research on your destination is still useful to find out things like getting around locally and any important safety points, all useful for solo travellers. I usually use the maps in them instead of the huge fold out maps. There are many series of guidebooks which vary a lot. For the budget traveller, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Lets Go and Footprint will help you find what your looking for. For mid range travellers, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Footprint, Time Out and Frommers are good starting points. For luxury high spending travellers, Time Out, Frommers, AA guides and Thomas Cook guides are examples of suitable guide books, plus some destination specific guides for various budgets. If possible, borrow a few different ones to get an idea of which series suits you best before buying. I use Rough Guides and Lonely Planet nearly all of the time, occasionally Time Out.

Online research is also useful for finding up to date prices, accommodation bookings, timetables etc. Places to find information include:

To get best use from search engines, be specific. Just typing the name of a place will give thousands of hits. Use +, OR, AND or NOT to narrow your search. Typing tourist information+name of place to a search engine like google or yahoo still gets a lot of hits but the official sites are listed at the top. Offical tourist information sites sometime have commercial interests but it is a useful starting point. 'Anytown + vegetarian', 'hostel OR campsite AND Anytown', 'car rental AND Anytown NOT motorbike', Anytown AND tourist information NOT hotel', for example will help you find what you need.

Rough Guides has the entire full text online for many of their guidebooks that you can read/print free of charge. This is not immediately apparent though. Under the map click on your country of choice. When you get the information page, click on the '+' sign on the blue folder 'explore'. Specific regions are listed. From there, it is a case of working through various menus to find specific targets, for full information on the area, links, accommodation, basic listings etc.

Time Out - listings and information for major cities. The events listings are good. Also some listings for accommodation, restaurants and shops and services, some budget but mostly mid range and above.

Tourist offices worldwide directory Another useful resource - find your country and get lists of tourist information offices there and abroad .

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia. As well as giving lots of information on towns, regions, cities and even small towns, there is lots of information on local attractions, and the external links are often very useful.

Several online guides, mostly aimed at backpackers, have some destination information. If you want very detailed information you may find it limited, but if you haven't much time and want just a quick overview, they may be of some help. Examples include - Travel Independent has excellent country overviews and planning and practical advice, see also World Backpackers (limited destinations at present) and Boots'n'all.

You can also ask questions on internet bulletin boards, for example thorntree or Frommers. Some useful information can be had but don't depend on it. The best way to get helpful information is to be specific. 'Can you recommend a cheap hotel or reasonably priced restaurant in Barcelona?' for example - for some people a cheap hotel might be 150 euros a night, to others it might be under 50 a night. Try stating the price range for your budget. If your asking about local guided tours or short trips out of town, what are your interests? Also, before asking for accommodation recommendations, do a search. Regulars on the thorntree get tired of the question 'Is there a hostel in London/Amsterdam/Paris/New York....?' almost daily.

My favourite things to pack

There is a lot to be said for packing light, especially for a trip involving lots of places. For a short trip or if your staying in the same place it is not a big deal. If your going to be moving around a lot, packing light is the best way to go. When you have to carry your luggage for an hour in blazing sun or pouring rain, mainly uphill over unevenly surfaced streets, you will find that those few grams extra really do matter. A small bag/pack allows you to keep it with you and take it on transport as hand luggage. It is also useful if you need to move fast!

I don't do packing light very well. This is one area where I have a lot of room for improvement. I met a Canadian backpacker in Amsterdam who proved that travelling light but having enough stuff is possible. She was on a six month backpacking trip through Europe and only had a medium sized backpack. She still stayed clean and smart but she had learnt to manage on not a lot of stuff.

* Does it have more than one use? The more things you can use it for, the better. A lightweight sarong can be used as a towel, head covering, beach mat, shoulder covering, or skirt. Dental floss is strong enough to repair a broken luggage strap in an emergency. Instead of carrying pyjamas, the Canadian woman just wore t'shirts and jersey shorts that were suitable for day wear.

* Layer it. A number of lightweight layers are more effective than one heavy bulky coat or sweater.

* Wash and wear. Clothing that you can handwash in the sink and dry overnight are perfect for travellers. Special clothing for travel is increasingly available in outdoor stores, but you don't need specialist ranges. Wool, cotton and other heavy materials are difficult to dry quickly if you don't have access to drying facilities or hot weather.

* Try to take clothing that co-ordinates together. You can still look smart but without taking several outfits if you take a few co-ordinating pieces. If you can select any two items at random and they are okay together, you have got it.

* Try to decant shampoo etc. into small bottles. The travel sized bottles that you can get are ideal for this but watch out for leaks. I have also successfully used free sample sachets (small enough for 1-2 uses) before - useful if your around a place for a few days. Hotels usually provide small sized toiletries but very cheap hotels may not. In hostels and student accommodation, you usually have to provide your own. I also usually have wet wipes for hands and face on long journeys.

* Hiking, camping and travel gear shops sell multi purpose liquid that can be used to wash your body, hair, clothes and dishes. It is super concentrated and a little goes a very long way. I have tried it once, and found it to be effective but I didn't like the smell much.

* The above shops also sell travel towels in various sizes. They are small and lightweight, dry very quickly and they can be packed wet without going smelly. The flipside is that they are too small to wrap around your body if needed (I just used a sarong for coverage in shared bathrooms etc.).

* One of my best ever purchases was a lightweight inflatable pillow that scrunches up small and fits into any odd space. Hostels and hotels usually don't provide a large enough pillow for me, so my pillow makes a huge difference to my sleep. Of course, real travelling light people would not even contemplate taking a pillow. If your saving space, rolled up clothing will do nicely.

TIP A piece of advice I read which I thought was great is take an empty pillow case, and fill that with clothes to create your own pillow. If you don't need it, the pillowcase can be used to seperate dirty clothes from clean clothes.

* Earplugs are very useful items when your trying to sleep in noisy accommodation and on public transport. There are many brands and types and you will need to experiment to find out which suits you best. I couldn't manage without earplugs! Some people also swear by eye masks.

* A travel alarm clock is essential for those early trains and flights. A wide range is available. Clocks that tick loudly are unpopular in dorm rooms!

*Bedding - if your staying in a lot of hostels or cheap hotels but not camping, it may be worth taking a sleepsheet. These are lightweight, cool and easy to wash. You can make your own very easily (just fold a flat sheet in half and sew up the long side and one short edge) or buy them in cotton or silk. Many hostels don't allow the use of sleeping bags because they can carry bugs. I am so pleased that I decided to take my silk sleepsheet with me on my last trip. It packs up into a tiny pouch only weighs a few grams. I used it a lot. They are useful if the bedding is not very clean or there are lots of insects around, or for extra warmth if needed. I am so glad that I had mine in my hand luggage when overnighting in an airport where the air conditioning was set to near freezing temparatures - silk proved to be quite warm.

* A small first aid and medical kit. You can buy various pocket sized and travellers kits, although you can make up your own easily. Depending on where you are going, some travellers swear by taking some painkillers, diarrhea tablets, rehydration sachets, travel sickness tablets and throat lozenges. I find over the counter sleeping tablets helpful in some cases where I am adjusting to a different time zone.

* Also essential for your health is sun care. Even if you don't expect blazing sun, sun protection is worth taking. You can suffer sun damage even when it is not scorching. Remember the need for sun care if your doing snow sports. Sunburn can ruin a trip - believe me on this one, I know!

* Another trip spoiler are mosquitos and other little critters. If you need to take insect repellant, buy a strong well tested one. If your sensitive to bites, an anti-histamine or bite cream is worth taking. I find Piriton tablets and hydrocortisone cream helpful if I take a bad reaction to bites. For some people, taking garlic capsules work. It doesn't for me but I know someone who swears by them. In more extreme cases, mosquito nets may be essential.

* I always take a pair of cheap plastic flip flops. I prefer to wear them in shared bathrooms rather than going barefooted. They are lightweight and dry quickly.

* Even if your going somewhere with excellent weather, you never know when you might need a lightweight waterproof jacket and a warm sweater or fleece. Micro fleeces are warm and lightweight. If the temparature is mild, some people swear by taking an umberella instead of a waterproof jacket. I hate umberellas anytime so I don't, but it is worth trying.

* A rubber doorstopper makes it harder to open a door from outside in a hotel. Some women like to carry an attack alarm and whistle. A padlock and chain is useful for hostel lockers and securing luggage to luggage racks, bed frames etc. Small padlocks secure zips and fastenings on your luggage. If you like swimming, you can buy 'dry bags' and waterproof cannisters for security.

* Other items that might be useful to you depending on your location, climate and your personal preferences include: universal sinkplug, adaptor plug for the region you are visiting, mobile phone battery recharger, torch [flashlight] and spare battery, small pocket phrasebook or bi-lingual dictionary, notebook and pen, gluestick (for sticking stamps on postcards, sticking things into your journal etc.), pack of playing cards, mini sewing kit, travellers washing line, washing powder tablets or laundry paper, plastic bags for wet items or dirty laundry, plastic cutlery set (useful if your snacking in a hotel room or eating street food), toilet roll, tissues, extra camera film or memory card. I never travel without a few elastic bands - they have numerous uses.

* I have a special postcard address book. It is just a tiny spiral bound notebook. It contains the addresses of family and friends for postcards only. My usual address book stays at home as that would be a big loss if anything happened to it.

* Proving my point about being poor at packing light, I advocate taking a luxury item (or two, or three) provided it is not too heavy or bulky. This might be a book or two, a favourite item of clothing, a hairdryer, a favourite comfort food (but check customs as some foods cannot be imported between countries). My luxury item, besides my inflatable pillow, is always at least one good book and favourite pair of jeans. Jeans are not the most practical item to take as they are heavy, can be uncomfortable if they get wet and they take ages to dry, but it is my concession as the rest of my clothing tends to be lightweight and co-ordinated. A luxury item (or two) is not essential of course and real packing light enthusiasts would disagree with adding anything not needed several times.

* If your packing wondering if you will need an item, you probably won't need it.

* Above all, don't panic. If you set off and find you haven't got something you need, you will get another one easily enough. Unless you are planning to spend all of your time in the wilderness or an isolated rural village, you can buy clothing, toiletries and medical supplies almost anywhere. You will be able to get books, music, camping equipement, photography equipment etc. in large places or where there are lots of tourists.

* On your return, ask yourself if there is something you did not use/wear? Does it mean that you can manage without it for future trips?

There are many webpages about this subject, A few of these include:

Don't forget to take the real packing essentials however - an open mind, a smile, a good dose of patience and a sense of humour will get you a long way.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can be expensive but travelling without it is irresponsible. Even if medical costs in your destination are cheap, if you have to be flown home in an air ambulance the bill could run into six figures easily. There are many things to take into account when buying your policy.

* Read the small print before you leave. Don't leave it until there is an emergency situation before you find out what is and is not covered. Every year, some travellers end up in difficulty because they assumed that they were covered for certain eventualities, when the small print states otherwise. Don't assume anything!

* Don't assume that your insurance policies at home will cover you. Check first. If you have home contents insurance, will it cover possessions lost or stolen away from home? If you have medical insurance, does that cover you if your abroad?

* The same insurance provider may have different levels of cover. The economy policies aimed at backpackers are the cheapest. They tend to cover only basic emergency medical care and liability, but little in the way of luggage, extra medical care and insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances (like flight cancellations or bereavement). Standard cover is suitable for most travellers needs and will cover you for most eventualities. The premier or superior policies are the most expensive but they provide higher pay outs and cover you for more eventualities.

* For medical coverage, look at the excess charge you have to pay. You usually have to pay the first $50 or so of any treatment (the high cost policies sometimes waive this fee). Sometimes you have to pay the full fee and then claim it back. Also, check if the following are included - prescriptions, accommodation charges in hospital, dental care and follow up treatment. These are not automatically included, especially on the economy policies, and costs can really add up.

* Most policies don't cover pre-existing medical conditions or non essential medical treatment. If you have existing medical problems, seek professional advice. General travel insurance will not cover trips made especially for surgery or dental care.

* Be sensible, even with insurance cover. No policy will cover you for behaving in an irresponsible way. For example, nearly all travel policies have a clause that they will not cover you if the treatment you need is alcohol or drugs related. The same can be said for accidents caused by you driving vehicles you are not licensed to drive or not following safety procedures if doing outdoor activities.

* If you like sports, check what is included. Some policies don't include winter sports, watersports and the like. Others allow for supervised high risk sports (i.e. with a qualified instructor) and on-piste ski-ing. You can get extra coverage for activities not covered for a low fee for most activities. It is only for the very high risk extreme sports that you may have difficulty getting cover for.

* There is usually a maximum value for individual possessions and you may have to pay a supplement to have items of a higher value covered, like camcorders, lap tops, expensive cameras, musical instruments, sports equipment and the like. Also on possessions, each policy has its own limit on a maximum payment for cash and possessions. The premier policies have the highest maximum claims but low budget travellers may not need this. Some economy policies don't include any possessions insurance.

* Not all policies will cover you for working or studying abroad. If your off to university or a paid job or voluntary work abroad, you may need different insurance. If your working or doing voluntary work, you may not be covered to use some types of machinery or tools as an example. Insurance companies have policies aimed at people working or studying abroad, or ask at your local college.

* Single trip insurance is available for any length from a few days to a year, and extra time can be added on for not much cost. Multi trip policies usually last twelve months. With thse, a single trip can last for a maximum of 30 days (most policies). Remember to include the days travelling to and from your destination in your insurance.

* Check the coverage of different policies and ask yourself what you need. The most expensive is not always the best for your needs, but skimping on insurance to save cash is not worth it - your health and safety is priceless. For example, do you need high possessions insurance if your only taking a few clothes and not much money? Can you manage on basic medical coverage if your going on a short trip? If your planning on ski-ing or taking a lap top, is it worth paying more for a policy that covers it or is it better for you to pay a little extra for these to be included on a cheaper policy? Only you can answer these questions.

* If your an EU national travelling to other EU countries, the European Health Insurance card is free of charge and allows emergency medical treatment. This is only for basic emergency medical care so taking out insurance as well is still wise. You may still have to pay for treatment and claim the money back, and it doesn't cover the extras.

This site deals with those practical aspects of travel that come up, and some of the issues you will find yourself dealing with on the road. It is not exhaustive but just gives a general coverage.

Keep in touch

This may sound so blindingly obvious, but it is suprising how many travellers forget about this when trip planning. I was one of them the first time I went for a long trip.

* Sign up for free e-mail that can be used anywhere - the main ones are at yahoo and hotmail though there are numerous other providers. I have had a yahoo account for years and it has been fine. Internet access is becomming increasingly common even in isolated areas. Large towns and anywhere with lots of tourists will have some form of public internet access and many hostels and hotels have their own internet access. Now is the time to try and convert internet phobics among your friends and family to use of e-mail as it is a lot cheaper than phone calls and is much faster than mail!

* If you want to take a mobile phone abroad from home, check with your provider if it can be used internationally. If so, your provider will give you the rates for calls and texts. Some sell special roaming packages, allowing discounted calls in return for a one off or monthly payment. The rates for using a mobile phone from abroad are getting cheaper all of the time as it becomes more common and a more competitive market. This is ideal for occasional and short trips. If your planning on spending a lot of time in one country, look into buying a local SIM card. If your visiting many countries, you can purchase global SIM cards. Be aware of costs for accepting calls and texts internationally.

* There are many prepaid international calling cards. There will be a number to dial for the country you are in, then you will be asked to give a PIN or account number, then you dial the number of the person you are calling. These are useful as you can use them from most phones and you don't need to find handfulls of small change. As more of them come onto the market, the costs of calls are getting cheaper. If you are going on a long trip or use the phone a lot, look for one that offers the facility to top up by credit card online or over the phone. A few offer a free voicemail service so your family and friends can leave you messages. Shop around for the best rates. Be aware that hotel phones may block free numbers and calling centres won't usually allow you to call them either.

* Remember that hotels have been known to charge extortionate rates for using the telephone in the room to make outside calls. I have read many complaints from travellers about this. The rates charged may be higher than the same call from a public phone box or call centre. Sometimes guests get charged just for dialling, even if the call is not answered. If your travelling on a limited budget, try to keep this one for emergencies only.

* Keep in touch regularly, but don't agree to phone home at a set time each week. I have made this mistake. Time zones and schedules means it is not always possible.

* Lets not forget the postal service. I love sending postcards home. Airmal letters are cheap to send and also provides a lasting record for loved ones at home.

* If you need to send larger items home, check the local policy. Sometimes the contents of parcels have to be inspected before they are wrapped for customs purposes. Parcels may need to wrapped up in a certain way. You may need to fill out a declarations form.

* Poste Restante allows your mail to be sent to a post office where you are going - usually the main post office for the area. Senders need to try to time it right as mail is held for around three weeks only, and you need some form of ID to pick it up. If your expecting something and it is not stored under your last name, try your first name. A guidebook or internet destination guide will have the local poste restante address for your destination/s or use a search engine.

Health

I am not going to talk much about health here - I am not qualified to do so and I don't want to give out advice that could be wrong. Take care researching health information online as there is no screening and many amateur writers so the site may contain inaccurate information. Official government websites and information on websites by reputable healthcare organisations are more likely to be accurate. These links are likely to provide accurate information but do talk over any concerns or doubts with a health professional as well:-

TopSite The Travel doctor Extensive information and advice about general health care, trip planning, prevention and cure of common travellers ailments, malaria, yellow fever, insect bites and stings, travellers diarrhea, vaccinations, first aid etc. UK based but the information is useful for any one travelling.

Center for disease control and prevention. Lots of information about types of diseases, prevention, treatment and general information, and easy to find specific country information for travel health.

International Health Information for Travellers 2007 Here you can download extensive information about general health, country specific information regarding health and get information about medications etc.

National Travel Health Network and Centre Information site designed for British travellers but the information on areas like sun, food hygiene, insect bits, travellers diarrea etc. is useful for any traveller.

Fit for Travel Again, a UK based site but gives information useful to all travellers - click on destinations then the country you intend to visit for destination specific advice.

For specific travel health concerns:

Malaria - Malaria and travellers Information from the world health organisation about malaria for travellers.

Travellers diarrhea - Understanding Diarrhea in Travelers Okay, it is not pretty and it is never the highlight of anyone's trip, but it is a common occurence. Most sufferers will be all well in a day or two, but it is important to learn when it could be more serious. There are many sites, but this one has very extensive information - everything that you needed to know plus all you didn't need to know as well. FAQ about travelers diarrhea also has lots of information.

Stings and bites - Insect bite avoidance Those little tiny critters that can make your travel life hell. Most are not dangerous but are very annoying. Lots of information here. For wider coverage beyond insects, see Bites and Stings It includes snake bites, marine creatures and stings as well as the usual insects.

Sunsafe and hot weather - For those of us not from hot climates, going somewhere with lots of sun can be a joy. However, it needs treated with care. A case of sunburn can ruin a trip - I know this from painful experience, plus the long term effects of poor sun care need to be taken seriously. Sun Care offers lots of advice about staying safe in the sun. Extreme heat Offical website with extensive information about staying safe in the sun, heat realted problems like heat stroke, heat exhaustion, prevention and cure.

Of course, preventing sunburn is less painful than treating it but, should the worst happen... Seasons India - sunburn, Relief from sunburn and Sunburn offers basic but good information

This site is not written by a doctor but reminds us to keep it in perspective. Art of travel - health. Lots of information, including the dangers of self diagnoses. It reminds us that the number one threat to our health and safety while travelling is being hit by a moving vehicle.

Dealing with poverty

Dealing with poverty is a difficult area for many travellers. Many countries have no welfare system, so if someone cannot work, their family (or charity) is expected to look after them. Of course for many reasons this is not always possible. This applies even to children and the sight of street children may upset you. There is a big debate on whether or not to give to beggars. Some sources are opposed to it as you don't know where your money is really going (meal or the next drugs fix?) and it may encourage beggars to harrass foreigners for money. Also, sadly in some countries even begging is subject to extortion. It is not unknown for beggars to have to pay for begging rghts and give a large percentage of the money they take to someone else for 'protection'. Other sources argue that no local welfare means they are entirely dependent on donations from other people and charities. If they don't get money honestly by begging they may turn to crime. Only you can decide how you deal with it. Do what feels right and comfortable to you. Instead of giving to beggars directly, some sources suggest giving to a local charity that provides food, shelter, healthcare, or education to them.

Sadly, in almost every case when child beggars approached me, there was an adult near by. Parents will send out children as people are more likely to give to them. On the beach in Chennai, on a quiet mid week day, I spotted a mother and child well ahead of me. As I walked past, the mother pushed the child and he came running up to me with an outstretched hand demanding, in English, 'money, money...'. On Kanyakumari beach, a swarm of children hassled me for ages. When they finally got the message, they ran back across the beach to their waiting mother, who glared at me. I am NOT going to support children being used in this way. I understand that the family is poor and children can earn more money, but I refused to give in this situation.

On behalf of other travellers ahead of you, I would say please don't give to beggars who only target foreign tourists. They do this as they can earn more than working in a low paid job. On an almost daily basis in India, I witnessed beggars who only approached people who did not look local but never asked a local person. So many times, I would see them walk the length of a platform or across a beach to approach me, ignoring everyone else, then walk ong distance to the next foreigner. This is of course more common in places with lots of tourists. Local people who work very hard for not much money tend to really resent these people. I always watched to see if beggars asked locals as well. If they don't, don't give - it only encourages more harrassment.

Try to resist beggars - adults and children - who won't take no for an answer. I had this happen to me many times in India. A child with a baby stood with her hand out and tugged my arm for an entire train journey once. Her mother was nearby encouraging her. At the end of the journey, she retrned and gave the baby back to her mother. Another foreigner I met had a child tug him and hold his hand out for over an hour at a railway station. Somewhere, they have learnt that eventually travellers get so sick of them that depsite ignoring them or saying no, they will pay them to go away in the end.

Sadly, children in many parts of the world have become so used to getting gifts of pens, sweets, etc. from tourists that they automatically demand it. You may think that your being helpful, but if you really want to help, try spending time with the kids - some games are loved the world over - or giving to a local charity that helps them or give a gift to a local school.

If you want to make a difference find charities that you can support from home that work in the area. Some work worldwide - such Plan, Oxfam, the Red Cross and others and have branches in most areas. You can volunteer a little of your time at home to help with fundraising, marketing and promotion, administration, mail shots etc. or give regular financial support. If you prefer to find organisations dealing with specific areas, guidebooks and websearch will probably give some results.

Also, look out for magazines and newspapers published to be sold by homeless people, like the Big Issue in the UK. There are many similar publications internationally. The vendor recieves a small profit for every one sold. I see that as working, not begging. Sometimes you find restaurants and cafes, craft projects etc. that are set up to train local people or provide work for skilled people where there are local shortages.

Meeting people and diplomacy whilst travelling

Dealing with hassle and beggars

Avoiding causing offence locally

This is something that worries many travellers, but don't get over hung up on being culturally correct - it often leads to mistakes and people are generally tolerant of minor mishaps and misunderstandings.

Of course, some types of behaviour will be uiniversally badly recieved - dressing inappropriately, loudly expressing political views and criticising your host country will never go down well. Good manners are always appreciated. From FCO advice.

* Dress appropriately. In many countries tight, short or very revealing clothes will ensure you get lots of harrassment. In these places you will have an easier time if you cover up. Look out at how local women dress - if they tend to cover shoulders, stomach and thighs, so should you. Some women may feel that to be very unfair and argue that they will wear whatever they like when they like. What you wear is of course your choice but if you go out in a hotpants and a tight vest top in places where women normally cover up you will not be respected by the locals and you open yourself up to worse harrassment. The rights and wrongs of it are not an issue here. The bottom line is that your not at home when travelling and things are done differently in some places.

* Research local customs. These are not the same worldwide. What is okay at home may not be okay in your destination. Behaviours like topless sunbathing, drinking alcohol in public places like parks and beaches, public displays of affection and wandering around town in beachwear will be normal accepted behaviour in some places, tolerated in others and viewed as highly offensive in some. Check first on local laws and customs. As a foreigner, no-one will expect you to get it right and know all the local cultural norms, but the more you know in advance the better. Watch how local women behave and try to do likewise.

* Be sensitive with your camera. Ask permission before you photograph people. Some people find having their photo taken intrusive. Photographing religious services can cause a lot of offence. Remember that photographing airports and aircraft, border crossings and military personnel can land you in trouble. Often musuems, art galleries and churches don't allow flash photography as the flash can damage paintings and very old materials over the long term. If in doubt, ask.

* Be careful what you say in English if your a native English speaker. Remember that English may be understood, even if not spoken much. Loudly talking about your private life or critising the host country in English in public won't go down well.

* Be careful about getting involved in political and religious discussions with strangers, however interesting they seem. You could cause offence easily and you could put peoples lives in danger where there is an extreme political regime.

* When visiting religious buildings respect the requirements of that religion. Find out ahead if they have a dress code - for example to cover your shoulders or head, or to remove your shoes. Find out if any areas are reserved for men only or are not open to visitors. Ask first if they okay with you taking photographs.

Language barriers?

* Try to learn a few local words of the local language. While you probably cannot learn several languages or grasp a language in a short space of time, a few simple words in the local language like please, thank you, hello, goodbye, yes, no, help! will help you along.

Languages. Advice and links for learning enough language skills to get by.

Travlang A very useful site once you wade past lots of advertising. Has basic beginners courses - with soundclips - for several world languages. It is designed to teach you what you need for basic survival for beginners, rather than being an academic course. Also has online dictionaries.

BBC has many language resources for major languages, with courses online for all levels from beginners to advanced.

A useful item for those visiting several countries are books and cards with universally understood symbols that you point to. These are available for sale, or you can easily make your own with some clipart or drawn pictures.

If someone doesn't understand what you say in English, try not to revert to the much hated method widely used by tourists of dealing with it - raising your voice and saying it even louder. The chances are that if someone doesn't respond to you or looks blank, it is because they did not understand. Shouting will not suddenly make them understand. Language barriers are part of travelling. There are various methods. Can you put it in simpler words and use more basic grammar? Try to avoid using slang. Can you write down times, addresses, numbers etc? Can you show the person what you mean? Phrasebooks may help, and miming or pictures.

Leave no trace

As more and more people travel, the potential for the negative effects grow. Increasingly companies are becoming more aware of the environmental impact and on the social and economic impact of tourism. Just some of these are mentioned here -

Travelers and the travel industry may both benefit and harm a local economy and culture. Locals may gain from jobs, taxes, and contact with democratic cultures. But severe disruptions also occur. Crime may increase as crooks congregate to prey on rich visitors. The tourist area may rapidly rise in population as villagers from other parts of the country migrate to get jobs, which may or may not be available. Sanitation and medical facilities may be overwhelmed, and housing may become a short commodity, with land prices unaffordable for the local population... from Meeting people and diplomacy.

Like almost everything with travel, much of it is basic common sense and requires little forward planning, just good habits. I have read around this much and the basic guidelines are:

Where is your money going? Will staying in a hotel run by locals and eating in a local restaurant help the local more than sticking to internationally run chains?

Keep financial issues in perspective. Bargaining is difficult if your not used to it. Pay too high and you risk putting the prices up for everyone. Pay too low and the seller doesn't make any money. Try not to over do it and keep things in perspective - remember that what are a few cents to you might be worth a lot more in your destination.

Be culturally aware - try to think how your behaviour and clothing may be viewed. Your not expected to behave exactly as a native but some behaviours won't go down well anywhere.

Don't impose your own standards. It is different. Different does not mean better or worse - just different. Try to keep an open mind.

Take care to avoid buying souvenirs made from materials like ivory or coral. If possible try to support local craftspeople.

13 Tips for accidental ambassadors is a brilliant site.

Responsible travel tips Some really good ideas on here.

Climate Care encourages passengers to make a small fee to offset carbon emissions. The fee is calculated on miles flown. The money goes to social and environmental projects around the world.

For more detailed information about travellers, projects around the world and current research, the following sites are good starting points:

Responsible Travel Has many tours, information on accommodation etc.

Ethical Traveller Again, lots of information on issues around the world.

Hints and Tips

There are hundreds of websites of travel tips. Here are a few - these are aimed at independent travellers travelling alone and mostly on a budget.

Solo lady Huge page of assorted travel tips, mainly destination based.

Journeywoman Hundreds of articles for solo women, based on travelling alone, destinations, travel stories and inspirational articles.

Solo Travel Lots of information for solo travellers, including destination information, tips on safety, money, packing and meeitng people, and stories.

Advice for women travelling alone. The advice is based on women travelling alone in Europe but is useful anywhere.

Travel Tips Tips in various categories - planning, money, costs, visas, coming home, solo travel etc.

Rick Steves - website with many tip categories for travel to Europe, generally aimed at American travellers.

Cecilias travel tips From an experienced solo female traveller. Includes some specific country tips.

Boots'n'all Travel tales, specific country information and trip planning advice.

Backpack Europe Tips for travellers headed to Europe.

How to make the most of a city break on your own.

Gal friendly city sites Information about travelling solo in many cities of the world.

Ive been there Tips from travellers for many places in the world from those who have been before you.