Comments on: Pretty Young Thang http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/ For Women, By Women Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:45:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Kris http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/comment-page-1/#comment-272120 Kris Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:26:13 +0000 http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/?p=5363#comment-272120 This is a great article Beth with sound, practical advise for women travelers. The comments have been equally as informative and compassionate. I also have street-smarts and common sense that was at a more conscious level than my female traveling companions. I would talk with them prior to our adventure and share with them my concerns about to young and attractive girls traveling. We would come up with strategies and signals. One thing that was consistent because they trusted my intuition about a questionable character or situation is that if I said, "Let's skip it or him/her." they would understand why. I've never missed out on an adventure, but I also I haven't been robbed, mugged, raped, or beaten and I thank my intuition and trusting friends for that fact. Happy Travels to W and I encourage her to travel with a companion and come up with some strategies and signals in case an experience arises where harm or ill-fortune could result. Cheers! This is a great article Beth with sound, practical advise for women travelers. The comments have been equally as informative and compassionate. I also have street-smarts and common sense that was at a more conscious level than my female traveling companions. I would talk with them prior to our adventure and share with them my concerns about to young and attractive girls traveling. We would come up with strategies and signals. One thing that was consistent because they trusted my intuition about a questionable character or situation is that if I said, “Let’s skip it or him/her.” they would understand why. I’ve never missed out on an adventure, but I also I haven’t been robbed, mugged, raped, or beaten and I thank my intuition and trusting friends for that fact. Happy Travels to W and I encourage her to travel with a companion and come up with some strategies and signals in case an experience arises where harm or ill-fortune could result. Cheers!

]]> By: Melanie http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/comment-page-1/#comment-5998 Melanie Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:39:30 +0000 http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/?p=5363#comment-5998 While that's certainly good advice -- probably the best you can give for that situation -- women should nonetheless realize that self confidence and awareness of their surroundings does not make them immune to trouble. Comment #8 bothered me because it says that "how you carry and present yourself will determine if that attention is positive or dangerous." There is a good point in both that comment and in your article that presenting yourself in a certain way will lessen the danger, but the truth is that you (meaning any traveler) will run into situations where you are not going to be completely in control of another person's actions/reactions toward you, regardless of how you're dressing or the confidence you project. In S. Korea, my blonde hair attracts a lot of attention. One time, while waiting for a subway train, a man approached me and offered money for sex, assuming I was a prostitute. I was wearing jeans (NOT tight), a baggy jacket, a scarf -- completely conservative attire -- AND carrying a Lonely Planet guidebook in my hand. There was absolutely nothing about my appearance, attitude, or actions to suggest I was anything but a tourist, yet my blonde hair got me in trouble. Fortunately, I was able to just run away without futher trouble, but the lesson I learned was that you can never fully control someone else's actions, no matter how much you may wish to think otherwise. While that’s certainly good advice — probably the best you can give for that situation — women should nonetheless realize that self confidence and awareness of their surroundings does not make them immune to trouble. Comment #8 bothered me because it says that “how you carry and present yourself will determine if that attention is positive or dangerous.” There is a good point in both that comment and in your article that presenting yourself in a certain way will lessen the danger, but the truth is that you (meaning any traveler) will run into situations where you are not going to be completely in control of another person’s actions/reactions toward you, regardless of how you’re dressing or the confidence you project. In S. Korea, my blonde hair attracts a lot of attention. One time, while waiting for a subway train, a man approached me and offered money for sex, assuming I was a prostitute. I was wearing jeans (NOT tight), a baggy jacket, a scarf — completely conservative attire — AND carrying a Lonely Planet guidebook in my hand. There was absolutely nothing about my appearance, attitude, or actions to suggest I was anything but a tourist, yet my blonde hair got me in trouble. Fortunately, I was able to just run away without futher trouble, but the lesson I learned was that you can never fully control someone else’s actions, no matter how much you may wish to think otherwise.

]]> By: Donald B. MacGowan http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/comment-page-1/#comment-3070 Donald B. MacGowan Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:37:37 +0000 http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/?p=5363#comment-3070 The hair is definitely the thing...one of my favorite travel memories is being in the central bus station in Arequipa with my girlfriend at the time, who had long, gorgeous blonde hair. We'd been in the mountains for 3 weeks climbing and were on our way south for some post-expedition R&R, but had endured several long, hot, bumpy bus rides. She was exhausted. She piled our packs on the floor and laid down on top of them to nap while I went to check schedules and guy tickets, get us something to eat. When I returned, about 15 minutes later, she was sound asleep on top of our gear, surrounded by several women who were quietly inspecting her hair as she slept. They didn't realize it was real--they were wondering what she had done to get that color. Blonde hair in the 3rd world is like a red flag to a bull--and the author is absolutely right, it will attract a lot of attention; how you carry and present yourself will determine if that attention is positive or dangerous. The hair is definitely the thing…one of my favorite travel memories is being in the central bus station in Arequipa with my girlfriend at the time, who had long, gorgeous blonde hair. We’d been in the mountains for 3 weeks climbing and were on our way south for some post-expedition R&R, but had endured several long, hot, bumpy bus rides. She was exhausted.

She piled our packs on the floor and laid down on top of them to nap while I went to check schedules and guy tickets, get us something to eat.

When I returned, about 15 minutes later, she was sound asleep on top of our gear, surrounded by several women who were quietly inspecting her hair as she slept.

They didn’t realize it was real–they were wondering what she had done to get that color.

Blonde hair in the 3rd world is like a red flag to a bull–and the author is absolutely right, it will attract a lot of attention; how you carry and present yourself will determine if that attention is positive or dangerous.

]]> By: Best of the Web – Roaming Tales: Travel links edition for 3 August | Roaming Tales http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/comment-page-1/#comment-2965 Best of the Web – Roaming Tales: Travel links edition for 3 August | Roaming Tales Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:15:58 +0000 http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/?p=5363#comment-2965 [...] safety for women. Beth from Wanderlust & Lipstick on the advice she gave a pretty young woman about to travel the world for the first [...] [...] safety for women. Beth from Wanderlust & Lipstick on the advice she gave a pretty young woman about to travel the world for the first [...]

]]> By: Flyaway Cafe’s Travel Favorites 7-26-09 : Fly Away Cafe - Travel Tips and Destination Suggestions from a Flight Attendant http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/2009/pretty-young-thang/comment-page-1/#comment-2901 Flyaway Cafe’s Travel Favorites 7-26-09 : Fly Away Cafe - Travel Tips and Destination Suggestions from a Flight Attendant Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:22:49 +0000 http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/?p=5363#comment-2901 [...] Wanderlust and Lipstick – Beth gives some solid advice for a young woman about to embark on her first solo trip.  I’m reading Beth’s book on solo travel right now, so look for a review and more solo travel tips in the coming weeks. [...] [...] Wanderlust and Lipstick – Beth gives some solid advice for a young woman about to embark on her first solo trip.  I’m reading Beth’s book on solo travel right now, so look for a review and more solo travel tips in the coming weeks. [...]

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