fly solo

What do I do when I can't go out and travel?

I read about traveling.

I recently fished out Fly Solo: The 50 Best Places on Earth for a Girl to Travel Alone from the bargain bins at NBS. The author Teresa Rodriguez Williamson is the founder of TangoDiva.com, an online travel magazine. Blurbed as an inspiring guide to the ultimate destinations, the book includes "candid advice and insider's secrets about some of the most exciting places on earth."


For each of the fifty travel destinations in the book Williamson utilizes a CAWS rating which she herself formulated with friend Stephanie Block. CAWS which stands for Cultural opportunities, Activity level, Weather preference and Social interaction is a rating scale to help a girl find her ideal travel destination. A short CAWS quiz is also included in the introduction with suggested travel destinations based on the final score one gets at the end of the quiz.

Why you should read the book:
Williamson definitely considers the wide spectrum of women's interests. The book covers a mix of culture, history and nature trips for the seasoned traveler and at the same time highlights must-see tourist spots and places to shop, socialize and party. Of course, for those who want to be pampered, spas, resorts, five-star restaurants and hotels are also listed.

Why you should think twice before getting the book:
Cost of transportation, accommodation and tours are not listed in the book but at least Williamson includes the numbers to call and websites to check out to get more information.

Duration of packaged hikes and treks are indicated in some entries but travel time between some destinations are sorely amiss.

As with any kind of information, you just can't get enough of it. You gotta have more, more and MORE. Sadly, there's just not enough info in the book to plan a trip on. It was not written as an on-the-road travel guide that you lug on your trips. BUT, if you can't decide where to go it is a must to check the book if only for the CAWS quiz. Once you've determined your ideal destination grab another travel guide (a Lonely Planet or Rough Guide perhaps) to plan your trip in greater detail.

BONUS:
I loved the Flying Foreplay, Read Before You Go and Movie Musts sections for each destination. The section includes what books to read and what movies to watch to learn more about your travel destination. Cheeky as it sounds, I did read Paul Theroux's Kowloon Tong before I went to Hong Kong and I would definitely watch The Last Emperor before I visit mainland China.

So, did I like the book? Let's just say if I happened to have enough money in my pocket I probably would've bought another copy and given it to a girlfriend to read. But for the seasoned traveler, I suggest you save up for the Lonely Planet guide instead.