Why Do Women Travel?

There are probably as many reasons women travel as there are women - and as many types of travel.

Plain human wanderlust is often at the root of travel - that age-old desire to move on to new pastures, see new things, have new experiences. I come from a line of nomads and I have no idea why I or other women travel - I simply need to.

Perhaps you need to get away - too much stress, too many pressures at home or at work, a sometimes unexplained need to turn your back on life for a time. You may be asking - should you quit your job and travel?

You may be shopping for a new life. Perhaps you're coming out of a difficult relationship or health scare and want to start over, emotionally or on your own. You missed out on this when you were younger and want to make up for it. Or you are young and you don't want any regrets or 'I should haves' later.

Women travel because is a great way to acquire a new skill or study a language abroad - Spanish in Central America, haute cuisine in southern France, reflexology in Thailand, wildlife photography in South Africa...

Or maybe you'd like to trace family roots and uncover your ancestry - from Europe, Africa, Asia or elsewhere.

Independent travel or backpacking is a great way to get fit. You almost have no choice - all that walking to far-off beaches and on hiking trails, carrying a backpack and simple sports like snorkeling and swimming will probably help shed the pounds and build the muscle. I lost 20kg in three years and never once thought 'I shouldn't eat this.'

More than just getting fit, backpacking can be an extreme adventure - mountains to climb, gorges to traverse, bays to kayak across, caiman-filled rivers to cross...

Even greater (though not as recommended) adventure can be found in difficult parts of the world - those areas recoving from war or disaster or where travel is usually not encouraged. As a reporter in Lebanon for a time I was often where I shouldn't have been - but I wouldn't trade the experience.

You may have a yearning for a different culture than your own, a curiosity for faraway lands. Perhaps you've studied history or archaeology, or you've read foreign authors and dreamed of following in their footsteps - the Russia of Leo Tolstoy, the France of Balzac, the Istanbul of Orhan Pamuk...

You might have a deep desire to document your trip - travel writing by gutsy, adventurous women might be just the inspiration you need!

You may be an art and civilizations enthusiast, anxious to immerse yourself into the pyramids of Egypt or the ruins of southern Europe and the Middle East.

A trip is often a quest. On my three-year trip through nearly 30 countries, my external adventure slowly became an inner quest for serenity. I left to get away, propelled by my wanderlust, and ended up seeking answers rather than asking questions. Finding yourself may be part of your search.

Your idea of travel may have a spiritual reason. You may be following one of the world's great pilgrimage routes, visiting a sacred site, or headed on a spiritual retreat in the Himalayas.

Or you may want to make a difference by helping people towards a better life. Volunteer for service - it's an experience you'll never forget.

Whatever your reason - it's good enough!

And if you don't have one - just go. You don't need one.