Advice for Women Travelers:
Transportation Choices
Flying
It's now possible to fly very cheaply within a European country. But
with the craziness of how early you have to get to an airport, how much
time it takes to get through security, and the risk of your bags being
misplaced, I don't recommend it within one country in Europe unless it's
going to save you massive amounts of money over a train or bus and saves
you more than two hours on train trip. In most places, you are going to
be safe if you are a woman traveling alone, but it's always a good idea
to stay alert of your surroundings, even after you have gone through
security.
Trains
Most of Europe has wonderful mass transit, which alleviates the stress
of finding parking and paying for fuel and for going through
ridiculously huge amounts of security, and leaves you more freedom to
enjoy the view. I love trains, and they are always my personal
preference for traveling just about anywhere (except the USA, where,
outside of the East coast, they are virtually non-existent for travel
between two metro areas). I've ridden more trains than not by myself --
though never in a developing country. Please also see my advice
about safety on trains and other places.
Buses
In the USA, because of its very poor transportation infrastructure and
lack of trains, buses are often the only way to get from one major city
to another, unless you have a car or can afford to fly. However, bus
availability is decreasing in the USA every year, and I would never
advise a woman to ride a long-distance bus alone at night. So in the
USA, you often have no alternative for multi-city or multi-state travel
other than a car or flying. In other countries, however, buses are often
plentiful. Just make sure, when in another country, that you confirm
your destination with the driver and/or other passengers, even if you
are relatively sure you are on the right bus. I took the mini-bus in Jordan
with my partner to Petra from Amman, with the assistance of a taxi
driver who drove me and my partner from the hotel, and it was a
fascinating experience. Would I do it alone? Yes, but I would have sat
with another woman always and put on a head-covering.
Oregon has some inter-city public transportation options. In addition to Amtrak, which can get you North to South or vice versa, there's also NWConnector, a network of regional public bus lines that can get you between coastal towns and Portland or Salem or Albany (cities along Interstate 5). Good option for overnight trips, not for day trips.
Mass transit
This comes in the form of buses, trains and light rail. It not only
offers a much, much cheaper alternative to taxis, it also offers a way
to get more in-touch with the flavor of a culture and community. It's
always worth learning the options for a region or country you are going
to visit. The downside with mass transit is transfers: switching from
one bus or train to another always takes longer than you think, and if
you miss your connection, it can mean an hour, or HOURS, in delay.
Still, in most cities abroad, I use trains almost exclusively. Single
women should take care never to be alone in a train car, and to sit near
the driver on a mostly-empty bus. And if anyone ever touches you in
appropriately, follow the lead of the Italian and Greek women and RAISE
A RUCKUS!!! Forget about being polite. Please also see my advice
about safety on trains and other places.
Back packing
First, let's be clear: most back packers do NOT hike everywhere -- they
do use various means of transportation to get where they need to go,
even taxis sometimes. But in remote areas, indeed, back packers must
sometimes hike from the train station to their accommodations, and this
may be more than a couple of miles. And if you are back packing, your
accommodations do not automatically have to be a youth hostel or
camping; many back packers stay in bed & breakfasts or hotels. The
advantage of the latter is that you can leave the back pack behind while
you tour a city. If such is available and looks secure, consider storing
your back pack at the storage provided at many European train stations.
Back packing in the USA is very difficult, given our poor train and bus systems, and lack of pedestrian walkways along most inter-city and inter-state roadways. But it can be, and has been, done. You have to be prepared for long periods of waiting, for being stuck in one place for long amounts of time as you try to find a ride, and paying for taxis occasionally.
Hitching
I just cannot recommend this, even though I've met all sorts of people,
including women, who have done it and had no problems. The thing about
hitching is that you could meet 100 nice, supportive people -- it just
takes one to ruin your trip and, maybe, your life.
I suffer from motion sickness. It gets worse every year. I can sit in the back of a car only for short distances, and have to ask the driver not to take curves too quickly. I cannot read in a car under any circumstances -- I can't even read messages on my cell phone. I can't sit backwards on a train, and can't read on a train except at night, and then only if it's not going through too many turns. A gently swaying ferry will ruin the day for me. The back of a bus is out of the question for me. I can't even watch movies that shake around too much.
Of course, when I travel, I cannot absolutely control all of my transportation conditions, and can't avoid all of the above situations. So, when I take a trip, I have to take a lot of preventatives so that motion sickness doesn't ruin my trip:
Quick Links
Some of my favorite photos from my travels. Very hard to pick favorites.
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