Put aside thoughts of bombings and terrorists. Bad things can happen anywhere, and you cannot control large-scale disasters like this. Worst-case scenarios aside, the Middle East is an abundantly safe region to travel.

Crime is not an issue here. Normally, I would never carelessly set my bag on the ground, but in the Middle East, no one would dream of stealing it. Women can walk around late at night without fear... after all, children do. If you ask for directions, it is not viewed as an invitation to attack a lost tourist. You hear about the occasional rape or armed mugging, but it's so rare that it takes on the air of fable, unlike in some countries, where every third traveler has a tale of attack to share.

The main thing women deal with is hassle from men. In 7 weeks, I only met one other woman traveling overland alone, whose experiences with hassles were so horrifying, I couldn't believe she was pressing on. Western women are viewed as morally loose, an image culled from imported Western media. At the same time, some women's misconceptions make them unnecessarily so afraid of Muslim men, they miss the opportunity to meet locals.

True, there is an occasional air of desperation about single men in conservative areas, but that does not mean they'll automatically jump any Western woman who walks by. Most men are conditioned to respect women and uphold their virtue.

However, you will probably be hit on all the time. By everyone. Most men will not take things further, but there are occasional bad apples. The other traveler I met going solo had men grabbing her on the street and literally sticking their tongues in her mouth, even in Turkey, the least-conservative country. Usually I was just asked out on dates, which is harmless, but CONSTANTLY. And then the guy would follow me for a while asking, "Why not? Are you sure?"

Unfortunately, most single men only start conversations with women they find attractive. Many times I would have my illusions of innocent friendliness shattered when a man I was talking to suddenly touched me. It could be discouraging. If you are NOT interested, just make it clear, and more likely than not, they will be friendly anyway.

A Muslim man would never dream of touching a Muslim woman he had just met, whether it's a pat on the arm or a stroke of hair, things that would never appear sexual to Western women. Men count on your ignorance to this fact. I'd always visibly flinch away, so men knew I was aware there was a problem.

Just be conscious of how you come off. The most basic things are construed as flirting. Avoid eye contact with men and insist you are married or have a serious boyfriend. It really doesn't matter to them (they will think because you're "allowed" to travel alone, you are still available or loose), but it might make you feel safer to put up that wall.

One sad fact is that women traveling alone cannot take advantage of Middle-Eastern hospitality as readily as a man or a couple. Even two women may feel safer being invited into a stranger's home. Hospitality is one of the delights of Middle-Eastern travel, so stay alert to the non-sleazy invites: from women, from married men who want to introduce their families, from friendly hotel staff. You have to pick and choose carefully for your safety, but please do accept hospitality when you can.

Don't let anything sway you from travel in the Middle East. Most of the men are generally very friendly and eager to help you have a wonderful vacation, and are generous to a fault.

Of course, if you can speak Arabic, you will have a better chance of meeting local women and telling off the men who try to get inappropriate - brush up before you go!

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