Gutsy Women - Introduction

YOU ARE A GUTSY WOMAN. Just the fact that you bought a copy of Gutsy Women or someone thought you'd appreciate it as a gift, means you have the characteristics of a Gutsy Woman. And what is a Gutsy Woman? She is open to adventure; seeks connections with other people in other cultures; has a fearless attitude; puts herself out there in the world; is transformed by travel. The tips and wisdom that fill the pages of this edition of Gutsy Women will inspire and energize, illuminate and empower. Even if you never knew you were a Gutsy Woman, this book will allow you to discover her within yourself.

Years ago women traveled very differently than they do today. Women used to travel with their families or their husbands, to set destinations on orchestrated tours on land or on cruise ships. But now more and more women are interested in getting off the beaten track and wandering the globe, either on their own or with other women. If your husband isn't interested in traveling, then I encourage you to find friends that are. . If friends are too busy and you are feeling compelled to travel - then simply plan a journey of your own. You may be very frightened by this idea, but I promise you that if you read Gutsy Women and arm yourself with the wisdom herein, you will have a safe and transformative journey. Your first trip as a Gutsy Woman doesn't have to be to the other side of the world. It can be a journey close to home - just so you can get your travel feet wet. And if you are a seasoned traveler, I'm sure you too will learn something new and useful in this revised and expanded edition of Gutsy Women.

Over the past two decades I have hiked, cycled, climbed, dived, and kayaked my way through more than seventy countries around the world, from the depths of the Flores Sea to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. I traveled alone around the world for two years at the age of twenty-nine, and in recent years I have traveled with my husband, with my two children, and continue to travel with women's groups, my girlfriends, my mother, and alone. I travel all over the world speaking to women about their experiences on the road. I've shared a lot of useful information and in return have met with incredible women who share their lives, travels, and tips with me. It is my hope that reading Gutsy Women will encourage and empower you in your travels. The information you will find within this new edition speaks to a much broader experience of women travelers. I've updated the tips and added many more - making sure to include the most useful information to help you prepare for your trip and ensure you have a safe and adventurous journey.

Women of all ages will appreciate and can easily apply the wisdom encompassed within to their own lives. Whether you are a maiden voyager at age eighteen or eighty or a seasoned world traveler, you will discover that women help and inspire each other while on the road. I hope that my extensive travel experience guides and motivates you in your travels.

Gutsy Women - go forth, and transform yourself and the world.

Introduction

Someone recently told me we live our lives one of three ways: treadmill, saga, or pilgrimage. Take your pick, she said, for it is a choice you must make every day.

To avoid a saga in my own life and to get off the treadmill, I often feel compelled to hit the road. I create pilgrimages for myself, from an afternoon hike to an overnight trip, to an extended journey anywhere outside my zip code.

Am I frightened to travel? It depends. When I go on an organized tour - never! When I am free-wheeling with my husband - rarely. When I travel alone with my children - sometimes. And when I go solo - always! Then why bother?

Fear and discomfort about traveling diminishes with time and experience. Taking one small risk leads to taking larger risks until you realize you have made leaps of confidence and you are a competent and confident traveler. And more women are taking that first step every day.

In the next few years, women will be over half of all business travelers, compared with only one percent in 1970. Over seventy percent of organized adventure travel clients are women. Women also account for $55 billion in retail sales in purchases or pre-trip equipment. Women are responsible for more than seventy percent of the travel decisions for all types of travel, and are spending more of their discretionary income on travel. Everyone is waking up to women's buying power and realizing that more and more women of all ages are taking to the road.

After publication of my book, A Woman's World, I traveled nationwide on a book tour, and avid travelers and would-be travelers asked me hundreds of questions. From college students hitting the road for the first time to mature widows just beginning to spread their wings, women of all ages and levels of experience asked me for advice. Seasoned travelers in the audience shared their tried-and-true tips too.

Men, especially talk-show hosts, focused on the safety issue: "Weren't you concerned for your safety? Isn't travel risky? What about rape? What was your worst experience? Where would you recommend women not travel?"

Women more often asked: "How do you handle your money? How do you pack lightly? How do you handle eating alone in a restaurant? Are there countries women traveling alone should avoid? What are your tips for meeting people? How do you arrange visits in local homes and schools? What do you do on bad hair days, when you've been in remote areas and unable to bathe? Did you get sick? What's the best preventive medicine? Is there anywhere you can't buy tampons? What about condoms?"

Gusty Women is an attempt to answer these questions, to open doors for the novice, or to share advice across generations, among peers. This is a book of travel tips and wisdom but, like my other books, A Woman's World and A Woman's Passion for Travel, it is about more than just travel. It is about living, the rewards of risk-taking, feeling, learning, loving, about the strength to be ourselves, to take steps toward making our dreams real.

Women are unique in many ways - in our view of the world, in our approach to life, in our expression of freedom. Relationships are important to us and we make connections quickly and easily. We also have unique concerns and issues. Safety and security are at the top of the list, and we are arming ourselves with the knowledge and skills to avoid and survive dangerous situations. Is travel a risky business? Yes, but all of life is risky. We live in an unsafe country. And yet we have learned to cope and take care of ourselves in this environment. Following these same instincts in foreign countries will protect us.

By age twenty-nine I had already lived and traveled overseas for six years, but my appetite for travel was not satisfied, so I made preparations to take off and travel alone around the world. "You have good sense Marybeth, please use it," my mother urged me. She also asked that I promise not to take any drugs that would cloud my ability to make wise decisions. My father asked me to promise that I would carry enough money on me at all times to take a taxi, even a few blocks, to avoid dangerous situations after dark. I followed their advice.

Considering how much I have traveled over the past three decades - from Kathmandu to Killarney, from Ecuador to Tanzania - and considering I have often traveled alone and stayed in very modest accommodations, I have had very few threatening experiences. I have asked for help when I needed it; I've followed my instincts and the advice of seasoned travelers and have had remarkable adventures.

In the pages that follow you'll encounter words of wisdom from a multitude of experienced women travelers that will help you on your way, confirm your own instincts, or inspire new ideas about traveling in our world. At the back of the book are resources that will help answer your more specific questions, and a reading list to enhance your preparation.

Many gutsy women are already traveling, are on the road as you read this. And many more need only a word or two of encouragement to step out the door. Remember, you only need three things to have a great trip: your passport, your money, and above all, your sense of humor.

Bon voyage.

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