This post is part of the Ask Alex, Travel Question Wednesdays weekly series. To see previous questions click here. To submit your own; tweet it to @AlexBerger, ask it in a comment on this post or send it in by e-mail.

This week’s travel question is from Susanna who asks,

Q. “What pace do you suggest setting for a two week trip in Europe. what I mean is, how long in each city/country?”

A. – Traveling abroad is usually a somewhat expensive and challenging undertaking. For many, your first trip can seem on-par with other major purchases you’ve made: moving into a new apartment, a down-payment on a car, etc. So, it’s only logical that most people want to cram in as many countries and stops as possible. When friends share their itineraries with me it’s not uncommon for them to schedule 7 countries (or more) for a 2 week trip.

Which makes sense. They’re taking a big trip and they want to see as much as humanly possible in the time they have available.  Which, I actually support – to a certain degree.   In general the advice tends to fall on one side of this issue or the other.  ”Spend a lot of time in a few locations” vs. “See as much as you can as fast as you can”.  Which is inevitably followed by a debate over what counts as “seeing” a destination.  If you spent 6 hours in Paris and only saw the Eiffel tower did you “see Paris?” what about 2 days? 2 full weeks?   While there is some validity to these types of debates and they can be insightful, I think they neglect a far more important question which needs to be addressed on a case-by-case/personal basis. What is YOUR goal with the trip?  Contrary to what many veteran travelers might expect, I actually recommend my friends press forward with their whirlwind tours of Europe in about half the cases.  Blasphemy, I know!  This is because in talking to them, they’re interested in sampling a lot of different places and then following up with future trips that strive to revisit favorite locations while exploring them greater depth.  I look at these trips in the same way I look at ordering a beer sampler during your first visit to a new brewery or a wine tasting.  As long as you keep in mind that you’re just sampling a quick taste of each vintage and not familiarizing yourself with its complete history, richness and flavor then you’re in great shape. In fact, it can be a great approach!

On the other hand, I give very different advice to the other half of the group.  These are typically friends who are taking a rare trip, one which they don’t plan to follow up on any time soon (though I always hope the trip changes their future plans…radically). These are the friends who have saved up time off over several years and are taking their big trip abroad to Europe or Asia for the first time before going back to their more traditional cruises, or destination/all inclusive beach getaways closer to home.  For these friends, it’s very important that they get a rich experience in the places they do visit and I often advise them to aim for potency over diversity.  In these cases it’s often good to spend at least 4 days in a city.  I also suggest visiting at least one secondary city to go with the inevitable capital they’ve selected.  So, if they plan on Italy – I recommend spending a few days in Rome, and then exploring a smaller city like Florence or the Cinque Terra.

Regardless of which approach is right for you, I always suggest you spend at least 1 full day in a city and that you don’t count travel days as city time.  Travel eats up energy, it eats up time, and it will detract from the richness of your experience.  It’s easy to want to add as many new countries to your passport as possible, but at the end of the day remember that it’s far more important to relish and experience the moment while there, than it is to collect that extra stamp.

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For the three days of the conference, I found myself periodically staring out the window of my room over a perfectly manicured vineyard at the unusual city and ancient structures that dominated the nearby hillside. I felt longing – while located a mere 15 minutes outside of Assisi, our schedule was busy and largely confined to day-trips to near by cities or events at the resort.  This meant that it wasn’t until the final day of the conference that I had an opportunity to join a small group of other travel bloggers for a free-form trip into Assisi.  Our goal was simple – to enjoy a few hours around sunset walking the city before ferreting out a place for dinner and local Italian wine.

We reached the town late in the afternoon just in time to enjoy an hour or so of solid light before the day began to give way to dusk lit by stunning clouds.  The view out from the city was full of rich fields, beautiful trees, and at least 20 hues of green.  The spotted clouds cast shadows across the landscape and broke the light, softening the view.  The soft rain which had fallen earlier in the day wet the soil, slicked the roads, and deepened the verdant hues that stretched out from the hilltop upon which Assisi rests.

The city of Assisi is an old one. While it is unclear just how old – historical indicators suggest that the city’s roots date back around 2,500 years. Possibly earlier. Located in Italy’s breadbasket, it held a powerful strategic position for nearly 2,000 years and was incorporated into the Roman Empire during Rome’s infancy.

Our exploration of Assisi started at the main bus park.  A humble beginning, but none-the less a convenient drop-off point for our taxi.  From there we surveyed our surroundings before opting to head towards the city’s primary landmark and defining characteristic:  The Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi.

The street curved and flared out, teasing us with a sweeping vista over the countryside as we looked out from beneath the Basilica compound’s castle-like arched supports.  As I glanced out over the country side I was greeted by a view I never quite get tired of. ..a solitary tree standing alone amidst a well-kept field.  I find there’s just a certain poetic charm to the sight. One that nags at me to pause, reflect, and to slow down.  No small challenge given the fairly hectic pace I tend to set for myself in my day-to-day life.

Soon though, the overlook/street dove through a fortified gateway and we found ourselves pulled in toward the city’s heart.  After ascending a brief but steep street we wound around, navigating more by landmarks than by any actual plan or idea where we were going.

As I mentioned in my Perugia post, one of my favorite things about Umbria’s historic hilltop towns are the irregular roof-lines.  Assisi is no different with a veritable maze of unique structures, all at different levels and facing in a variety of directions.  At times it reminds me of the drawings of M. C. Escher.

Quite suddenly we found ourselves passing through a gateway into the lower plaza of St. Francis. We had traded the narrow, steep, winding cobblestone streets for the large open area that serves as the Basilica’s welcome mat.  The Basilica is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which dates back to 1,228 AD. The complex consists of two churches – creatively named the Upper Church and the Lower Church.

The structure serves as the mother church for the Franciscan Order, also known as the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor.It was erected in part to honor St. Francis who began and ended his life in Assisi.  In an interesting twist, many reports note that the hill where the Basilica was erected was initially used to execute criminals and went by the name of the hill of hell.  After it was gifted and re-purposed by the Franciscans, the hill has since found redemption and is now hailed as the hill of paradise.

A fitting name given the hill’s location on the spur of the large slope where the town of Assisi resides. I imagine that the fresh air circulating around the Basilica was a wonderful boon to its inhabitants in medieval times and the location on the hill overlooking the warm plain below kept it cool and bathed in gentle breezes even during the most humid and muggy parts of the year.

By the time we reached the entrance to the Upper Basilica the light had begun to change and fade.  As if on command, the sky let loose fantastic rays of light in every direction which framed the Basilica in a near-halo.  I’m not a religious person, but it was the type of view that renews my love and wonder for the natural world around us. I can definitely imagine that it would have been a moving moment for the faithful.

When I’m in a hilltop town I always feel inclined to go up…And up….And up. It makes navigation simple and usually takes you toward some sort of central square, fortification, or view port.  In this case we wound around the large green yard in front of the Upper Basilica, past a rather forlorn looking statue of a knight on horse,walking along the city’s exterior wall toward a small gate.

With the gate and the ruined tower that sat vigil over it behind us, we paused at a steep hook in the road and watched as the sun slowly began to sink toward the horizon. The town was largely silent outside the the occasional squeak as a passing car’s wheels desperately clung to the slick cobblestones accompanied by the rhythmic noise of feet shuffling along the cobblestones as an elderly couple or two two made their way down into one of the lower parts of the city. Enticed by the rich scents billowing out into the streets from the numerous restaurants around us, we couldn’t ignore the sound of our rumbling stomachs as our bodies roared in protest.

Eager to get one final view of the Basilica and the sunset we paused along a small walkway near the city’s exterior wall and then set to the task of finding an affordable  restaurant. Quite often no small challenge in a city like Assisi which is known as a significant tourist destination. Still, with our stomachs growling, we overcame the challenges of making a group decision, and quickly settled on a small place just around the corner.  We entered and piled into one of the side rooms.

Contrary to what I expected (expensive food and small portions), the waiter suggested one of the evening’s specials – pork shank with potato wedges for 10 Euro.  Still skeptical, I expected a small shank served on an equally small bed of potatoes.  What showed up was a massive, fist sized, shank and a hearty serving of potatoes that was full of flavor and cooked to perfection.  Everyone’s food looked fantastic and came in hearty portions.  The place was Trattoria Al Camino Vecchio on Via S. Giacomo, 7 and I’d return there in a heartbeat the next time I find my way back to Assisi.

We finished our meal and met up with another large group from the conference in the basement of a nearby restaurant. It was offering 2 Euro 50 cent pitchers of house wine.

The wait to see Assisi had been well worth the it. Even though I only got a brief taste of the city’s winding streets and delicious food selections, I was thoroughly enticed and rewarded by the offerings of the city.  I look forward to returning to Assisi and exploring it in greater depth.  I would love to tour the fortifications, re-visit the inside of the Franciscan friary, and Basilicas which I remember vaguely from my visit as a child of 11 in 1994.

If you’re considering a trip to central Italy, I hope Assisi makes the list of places you intend to visit. It’s a charming city with a rich past and one can only hope a bright future. Have you been?  I’d love to hear your personal stories of times spent exploring Assisi in a comment below.

One of my favorite things about Scandinavia is the brightly colored houses.  With fairly uniform front facades the Scandinavians have added rich flavor and color to their cities in the form of multi-hued buildings.  While these streets are fantastic in the golden summer shades of early morning and late afternoon, anyone who has spent (dare I say survived?) a winter in Scandinavia will attest to the smile color brings to your face in the midst of a cold, dark, gray winter.  Though it obviously wasn’t overly cold, or dark during my February visit to Malmo, Sweden I was still thrilled to stroll down the city’s picturesque streets. The combination of well maintained buildings, clean cobblestone streets, hearty plants and bicycles - often in nearly as many colors as the buildings – definitely adds to the city’s charm.

Would you like to see previous Friday Photos?  View past travel pictures here.

Nestled atop a prominent hilltop in the heart of Umbria about two hours north of Rome, the medieval city of Perugia stands constant vigil over ancient trade routes.  The current capital of the region, Perugia has a long and storied past that pre-dates the Romans and stretches back to the Etruscan period.  With a population of just under 170,000 the city serves as home to a large university, and a plethora of wonderful festivals and events.

My visit to Perugia occurred as part of an afternoon photo workshop and walking tour with Ken Kaminesky as part of the Travel Bloggers Unite Umbria conference.  Ken is a fantastic photographer with a specialty in HDR (High Dynamic Range Imaging). He was speaking at the conference and had offered to host one of the workshops which allowed a small group of us to pick his brain and discuss the simple (and not-so-simple) subtleties of advanced travel photography.  After Ken’s initial presentation filled with great info, we piled onto a bus and were shuttled to the foot of Perugia. Once there we were greeted by the city’s futuristic mini-metro cable-driven cars which quickly ferried us up past ugly modern buildings and into the gorgeous heart of the old city.  In a way, it felt as though we had boarded a time-ship and were pulled back hundreds of years in time.

We had parked and ascended on the side that was marked by modern structures – hotels, office buildings, and the types of structures you would expect.  The first views as we exited the MiniMetro however,  were breathtaking.   The far side and the overlook were mostly natural and almost completely historic.

As we paused to gather our group together and lay out our plan of action I was immediately taken by the rich textures and colors of the surrounding buildings.  Buildings that embody the very image of what I think of when I think “Italy”.

There’s something about the brick and earthen tile work on Perugia’s old buildings that really add to their character and charm.  It gives them a mottled aged look, but in a way that still seems fresh, vibrant, and strong – only tempered with depth and added character.

One of the things I love about hilltop towns is the varied rooftop levels that result and the crazy quilt juxtaposition of building shapes.  These can be gorgeous to behold. Hilltop towns offer the added depth of windows, portals, and views down partially obscured, winding streets. Each small alleyway begs exploration and beckons enticingly. There is mystery and magic unfolding in the twisting streets below. I pick out a few distinctive elements that I would later search out once I began my exploration of Perugia’s environs.

With more than 2,000 years of rich history and a far from insignificant role in Italy’s history, Perugia’s streets are decorated with small but historically interesting highlights. There are lots of features to photograph and enjoy.

As we wound in towards the city’s core Ken paused periodically to discuss framing, best conditions for lighting different shots, how to hunt for good people shots, and shared what he looks for when capturing a moment. Our path took us past the old palatial city hall before we paused in Piazza IV Novembre by the Fontana Maggiore.

I mentioned previously that the city is awash in wonderful textures. Those textures go far beyond the mottled reds and grays of the roof tiles on the city’s building’s. They permeate all aspects of the city, from the wonderful local Italian foods, deserts and famed candies to the marble decorations that highlight the walls of the local buildings.

It is only when you pause and look closely at the buildings that you start to realize just how old the city is! These buildings have stood for centuries and sustained a myriad of renovations and updates.  Closer inspection reveals bricked in doorways, windows, arches, and building dividers.  I find my eye is often drawn to the contrasting elements of  modern plumbing and electrical lines attached to the surface of these ancient stones.  All integrated into the crumbling (and oft repaired) brick walls that support foundations that have seen the passing of countless generations.

As we continued to cut across the crest of the hill we were soon met with by another wonderful overlook and a steep staircase that cut down into the small saddle where the majority of the city’s residential districts sit.

One thing that made me chuckle were all the satellite dishes. They serve as an interesting reminder that behind the facade of history and tradition lies a thriving, modern, 21st century city that is busy relaxing, working, and engaging with the rest of Italy and the world at large.

As we made our way down the staircase, our luck with the weather began to turn.  We had driven through a light rain before arriving at Perugia.  About 2/3 of the way through our walking workshop, the rain decided to make a light (but bearable) return.  While we were all less than thrilled with the prospect of it turning into a more aggressive rain, it did serve to bring the colors out of all of the city’s stone and vegetation.  It left sparkling water droplets on blades of grass and the city’s many flowers adding to their crisp and natural beauty.

The downside to exploring Italy’s incredible hilltop cities is, of course, that they’re actually on hills. Not just any hills – but usually quite steep ones. I can’t imagine what sort of adventure the streets turn into in the rare event that the towns get snow or rain-turned-ice. Regardless, it makes for wonderful curving streets that catch your eye and race with it down and away towards the flat plain below.

If you find yourself planning a trip to Umbria, definitely consider late April and early May. You avoid the conventional high season, the flowers are in bloom, and the air is fresh and crisp. It is just right for casual walking.

Just make sure to pack an umbrella and a sense of relaxed time. The weather in the region often seems to come in waves with a brief afternoon rain that quickly gives way to movie-perfect clouds and drifting skies. While animated, the Italian pace of life in these cities is often fairly relaxed and serves as a wonderful reminder to pause and enjoy the moment before setting aside an hour or two for an amazing meal.

Thanks again for Ken for the fantastic tips, TBU, Umbria on the Blog and the Umbrian Tourism Board for a great look at the city of Perugia.

These photos were shot on my new Canon T3i (600D) dSLR Camera with an 18-135mm lens.  My time in Italy was the first opportunity I’ve had to experiment with the camera “in the wild”. It has been a wonderful upgrade to my trusty Canon G11 (which I still love) and I look forward to truly mastering the camera in the future.

This post is part of the Ask Alex, Travel Question Wednesdays weekly series. To see previous questions click here. To submit your own; tweet it to @AlexBerger, ask it in a comment on this post or send it in by e-mail.

This week’s travel question is from Sam who asks,

Q. “What is the most beautiful country (overall) you’ve been to?”

A. – Oh boy, this question always gives me a heck of a hard time. I’m going to assume that you’re talking natural beauty and not about the native population? So far I’ve spent time in some capacity in 38 countries (this excludes Asia and Africa which are on my to-see list). Some of those visits have been little more than brief glimpses while others have been more in-depth and immersive. I feel as though I’ve still missed a lot, even in the countries I’ve visited multiple times and spent extended periods of time in. So, I encourage you to take these answers with a grain of salt. I also can’t give just one, so I’m going to give you my top three.

1. Argentina

In 21 days in the country I was exposed to two of the country’s three incredible climates. These were the cold, mountainous and rugged southern regions of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia in the south and the hot, lush, jungle regions to the north around Iguazu Falls. Due to the country’s massive size, proximity to the Andes and Antarctica it has a lot to offer. While you hear a lot about Argentina’s rich tango culture and incredible meat, its real gem is its natural landscapes. I think it’s one of the most overlooked countries out there for natural beauty and also, thus far, ranks as the all around most beautiful country I’ve visited.

2. The United States

As an American, I find my home country often gets overlooked – perhaps because a lot of English-centric travel bloggers are original from or based out of the US. The truth of it is though that as with Argentina, the United States is amazing and offers some of the most incredible landscapes and environments you’ll find in the world. The rivers and streams of the Colorado Rockies and San Juans are some of my favorite countryside in world. Places like the Grand Canyon, Sonoran Desert, White Sands, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Florida Everglades are beautiful, captivating locales that everyone should aspire to see in their lifetime.

3. Scotland

During my first visit to Scotland I developed a crush on the country. After my 2nd I fell in love with it completely. There’s something enchanting about the collision between history and natural beauty. While the central highlands and Isle of Skye are beautiful, and areas I highly recommend to everyone, I also strongly suggest the north western coastline and the Orkney Islands. Both are regions that I find myself with an insatiable hunger for.

There are so many amazing places out there, it really is hard to pick a favorite.  I invite you all to share your own favorite destinations.  Which 1 (or 3) have you fallen in love with?

Have a question of your own? ASK IT! Want to see previous questions? click here.

Thwomp. Thwomp. Thwomp.  The roar of the wind echoed in my ears as the sound of carbon fiber slicing through the air at high speed nearly drowned out the low scream of the helicopter’s engine.  The pilot touched down briefly in a grassy field at the Valle di Assisi resort. Just long enough for myself and two other travel bloggers to trade places with the three passengers who had just finished their aerial tour of Assisi.  They were all smiles – grins from ear to ear – as they gave us the thumbs up and promised we were in for a real treat.

In moments I was strapped into the back seat of a pitch black Robinson R44 helicopter. Then with a smooth ease and grace which surprised me we drifted free of the grass and quickly began to climb skyward.  The day was partly cloudy which added a picture-perfect mottled lighting to the vivid green patchwork of fields, vineyards and small greenbelts which surround the historic hilltop city of Assisi.

I invite you to re-live part of the flight with me in the video above.  It helps convey the experience in a way which photos alone can’t quite express.  The main city you’re seeing in the distance on the hilltop is Assisi.  The town with Cathedral on the open plain at the foot of the hill is also considered Assisi.

The first building we flew over was the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli or Saint Mary of the Angels.  The basilica was constructed between 1569 and 1679 (whew!) and was created to enclose the Porziuncola, a 9th century holy place of significant importance to the Franciscan monks.

Before long we passed over Santa Maria degli Angeli and were presented with a close up view of Assisi’s most famous cathedral and defining landmark: the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi. The basilica is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the mother church for the Franciscan Order. The basilica was begun in the year 1228 – making it an incredibly old structure.  The opportunity to see it from above was a rare one and something I really enjoyed.  It’s one thing to look up at the Basilica from the plain that surrounds Assisi, or to walk its courtyards and gardens.  It’s a completely different experience to hover in the air and look down at the sprawling building from a vantage point that truly helps convey the complex’s size and unique architecture.

The flight was brief – about 10 minutes – but offered a rare and wonderful opportunity to see the Umbrian countryside from above. The region is gorgeous. Especially in late April when everything is blooming, the fields are all shades of rich green, and the air is crystal clear. When you’re on the ground and are immersed in it, you get to appreciate the finer details – a corner of a field, a small stone house, a carefully manicured vineyard, etc. – but you rarely get the chance to look out over it all and see the sum of the different parts.

A special thank you to the Valle de Assisi resort for the opportunity to take to the skies!   It was a rare and fantastic experience, one which I’ll remember for a long time.

The historic Kastellet military fortification is located in the heart of central Copenhagen. The fortification is hailed as one of the best protected fortifications in Europe and in its heyday connected to the series of ramparts which encircled the historic city and protected it from invaders. While the Kastellet fortification is fascinating and dates back to 1624, what’s more important for the sake of this post is the Windmill situated within the fortress’ sloped earthen walls. This windmill was built in 1847 and replaced a previous windmill that had stood in the same spot for over a hundred years. Unbelievably, the windmill is still working, though it was closed for the winter during my visit.  This photo showcases leftover snowfall, the windmill and one of the city’s many cathedrals in the background on the opposite side of the fortress’s moat.

Would you like to see previous Friday Photos?  View past travel pictures here.

I’m a massive polar bear fan.  It’s hard to give just one reason why.  Perhaps it is their massive size or the exotic nature of their native regions.  It may be their pension for making ridiculous looking faces. Or perhaps it’s because they serve as a powerful reminder of the cost and danger of climate change. Likely it’s all of the above.  Regardless of the specific reason, seeing polar bears in their natural habitat has been on my list for a long, long time.  When I made the decision to accept the University of Copenhagen’s invitation for my masters, I harbored the not-so-secret hope that I’d be able to partner with one of the Svalbard/Greenland tour groups based out of Denmark and leaving from Scandinavia to see the bears.  Somehow that seemed like a more realistic way of seeing the bears than making the voyage from Arizona up to north/central Canada and into the heart of polar bear country. Which is odd, because the heart of Canada has been near the top of my travel list for a long time and makes far more sense for US-based travelers. Of course, with most cold and exotic climates the key challenge has been how to explore it on my limited budget and as a solo-traveler.

American Beauty The Bearmix

So imagine my excitement when I arrived at the Travel Bloggers Unite conference in Umbria, Italy and discovered that one of the sponsors – the Canadian Tourism Commission - was running a contest for two iPad 3s with the winner receiving an expense paid trip to Churchill, Manitoba along Hudson Bay to see the polar bears out on the ice and in their natural habitat. While rarely one to win a competition or prize I was, as you might imagine, pretty excited about the opportunity. It offered me the opportunity to knock out two birds with one incredible stone – a chance to see what I suspect to be some of the most beautiful natural beauty on earth while coming nose to nose with the great white bears of the north.

Bear Taking A Breather

The rules were simple.  We were all given a small bear and encouraged to tweet compelling photos of our bear with the hashtag #bearwatch.  At the end of the second day a representative from the Canada team would review the bear shots and choose two favorites.  The grand prize winner would then be invited to Canada to watch the bears.

Super Sexy Jacuzzi Bear

My approach was to take a variety of shots as I went about my regular conference business. The shots covered a wide range of activities and moods – from fun and slightly inappropriate to classy and elegant. Ultimately, I’m not sure which bear shot sealed the deal (though it sounded like it was the sum effect of the series of shots) but I’m thrilled to say I won the grand prize. Which is to say that later this year (October or November depending on scheduling) I’ll be partnering with the Canadian Tourism Commission for a trip deep into the heart of Canada to explore some of the world’s most amazing territory while watching one of nature’s greatest predators amble across the frozen waters of Hudson Bay.  An experience that I cannot wait to share with you all, and which I’ll be documenting (in part) via the brand new iPad 3 that came as a secondary prize.

Lazy Bear

There were a ton of great entries, and I encourage you all to head over to the Pinterest board that showcases them all.  Canada has a lot to offer and has really made a strong effort over the last year or two to get the word out. Fellow TBU attendee and travel blogger Cherina of Quiet Wanderings recently did the same trip and took amazing shots. You can head over and check out her post here. I can’t wait to see more of the country and am counting the days until this fall when I’ll have the chance to explore a region I’ve previously only read and dreamed about.

Anyone have any exciting or odd facts about polar bears to share?

This post is part of the Ask Alex, Travel Question Wednesdays weekly series. To see previous questions click here. To submit your own; tweet it to @AlexBerger, ask it in a comment on this post or send it in by e-mail.

This week’s travel question is from Emily who asks,

Q. “I want to try to travel solo as a woman, but am worried about my safety. Especially the risk of rape. Is this justified?”

A. – That’s a rough topic, but a concern I hear regularly from a lot of young female travelers – especially in the US. Let me start by saying that as I try to tackle this issue I can only speak from general observation and conversations with female friends that have traveled extensively. As a 6’4″ 200 pound male the risk of getting raped is a rare issue and usually fairly low on my list of potential threats.

To the question – is there a rape risk as a solo female traveler? The answer is yes, but only because you are always at risk. However, I believe the nature of the actual risk is quite low, especially if you keep in mind several key factors when traveling. To start, let’s put it into context. For the sake of convenient illustration I’m going to pull statistics from this wikipedia article. The first thing to look at is the % break down for who the attacker is. Contrary to what most of us probably assume only 26% of rapists were complete strangers. While another 38% were friends or acquaintances. While 26% is still a significant percentage, it means that the vast majority of rape cases are occurring in situations where the victim knows and/or is familiar with their attacker. That’s pretty staggering. To me, this also suggests that in some way your exposure to situations that might lead to rape may in fact be lower while on the road where your guard is up, and most of your interactions are with strangers and very casual acquaintances.

Additional statistics about rapes in the US show that “over two thirds of all rapes occur in someone’s home. 30.9% occur in the perpetrators’ homes, 26.6% in the victims’ homes and 10.1% in homes shared by the victim and perpetrator. 7.2% occur at parties, 7.2% in vehicles, 3.6% outdoors and 2.2% in bars”. As a solo female traveler you will likely spend the majority of your time in hostels, or hotels. Again, this means that the time spent in “rape prone” situations may actually be significantly lower than your day-to-day activities at home.

Then there is the prevalence of rape in the United States which is an unspoken tragedy and huge issue. Statistics indicate that anywhere between one in four to one in six women in the United States have been raped. Putting aside the fact that this statistic is absolutely vomit inducing, it serves as a strong indicator to me that the view that the United States is somehow “safer” than spending time traveling abroad is likely little more than a misleading illusion.

With all of that said there are aspects of travel, especially solo travel which can lead to dangerous situations which you might not otherwise find yourself in when not traveling. One key consideration for women traveling is the need to be mindful of different social norms and rules. Unfortunately, women’s rights (especially sexual rights) are vastly different from country to country. While you may not need to (or necessarily want to) conform completely with the regional gender role norms in the places you visit, you should always invest some effort and time to research them and to keep in mind that you will be subject to them regardless of what you “want” or what is “right”. The same goes for a culture’s dating behavior. Sheer ignorance of how the dating/male-female dynamic in a country works can lead to potentially dangerous miss-communication and negative situations.

Another key area to be especially careful about while traveling as a solo-female is the danger of alcohol and drugs. A huge part of the social culture surrounding many youth backpacking trips and hostel experiences is the social/party scene. The rape article mentioned above notes that, “In the United States the use of drugs, especially alcohol, frequently plays a part in rape. In 47% of rapes, both the victim and the perpetrator had been drinking. In 17%, only the perpetrator had been. 7% of the time, only the victim had been drinking. Rapes where neither the victim nor the perpetrator had been drinking account for 29% of all rapes”. Which isn’t to say that you should not drink or enjoy yourself. It just means that you have to be particularly careful and take a more responsible approach to looking after yourself. If you’re the type that needs a full time babysitter to look after you, get you home, and make decisions for you when you’re drinking – then it’s either time for you to grow up, not drink while traveling, or find someone willing to babysit you for the duration of your travels.

As a footnote to this conversation also keep in mind that most male hostel-goers/extended travelers are pretty decent people. I know for my part I’ll make the extra effort to keep an eye on the female travelers that I meet through the hostel and go out to the bars with.   I know that a lot of the other guys tend to do the same. Perhaps it’s a bit old fashioned of us, but I think many of us view it as common decency to do our best to look out for each other with a little added consideration for female travelers.

At the end of the day travel (including solo travel) is much safer than many people believe. There are tens of thousands of women traveling solo on both short stay and extended duration trips every day. The experiences you’ll have and the lessons you’ll learn about how to carry and protect yourself will make you safer in all other areas of your life. At the end of the day, the risk of rape is a terrible thing that all women have to worry about. The nature of that risk, however, changes very little between time spent at home, and time spent on the road. Be smart, be careful and above all – don’t let overblown fears or Hollywood horror stories keep you from doing something amazing.

Would you like me to elaborate on an aspect of this response?  Let me know!

I would also love to hear insights from female readers to have or are currently traveling solo.  Please feel free to post your advice, suggestions, experiences, or general comments.

Have a question of your own? ASK IT! Want to see previous questions? click here.

Located in the very heart of Turkey the Cappadocia region is a mysterious region full of strange mushroom shaped spires, rugged terrain, and a vast network of underground cities.  I invite you to join me in this quirky video as a friend and I leave the surface behind and descend into Yeralti Sehri – the largest of Cappadocia’s 17 underground cities. The city has 8 levels, though only 4 remain open, and descends to a depth of more than 40 meters. It can be found underneath a small Turkish city and is located in the heart of the Cappadocia region.

As Galen and I wound our way (nearly crawling in most places) through the underground city the acoustics were fairly curious. The city was mostly empty which left Galen with a strong urge to randomly break into song. I’ve captured a few of the songs and included them in the video. The songs are not professional or planned, just random fun in celebration of the adventure we were in the midst of. I hope you enjoy.

I took this footage in February 2012.  You may note that it looks quite cold. In fact, there is snow at the bottom of the well and the surface was covered in several inches of it.  My visit coincided with one of the worst cold fronts to hit Turkey in more than 25 years. The evening before we arrived in Cappadocia was -21 degrees Celsius and the days hovered between 0 and -10.

To learn more about my visit, see photos, and other videos from the trip please make sure to subscribe.