Beth Whitman is the founder and editor of Wanderlust and Lipstick, a terrific website for women travellers. For over 22 years, she has been globetrotting and combining her love for travel with volunteer work, adventure trips, travel writing and business. She has backpacked through Nepal and hiked the Himalayan foothills in Bhutan; ridden a motorcycle solo from Seattle to Panama; worked with orphans in Vietnam, driven the AlCan Highway to Alaska, among many other adventures. Beth leads women-only and co-ed trips to India, Bhutan, Vietnam & Cambodia and this year, she’ll start leading tours to Papua New Guinea.
I heard Beth speak a few years ago when she was promoting her invaluable book, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo (now in its second edition). Her warmth and enthusiasm for travel and life makes her a popular go-to person for women’s travel. Despite her busy travel and speaking schedule, she was kind enough to take some time to provide tips for TravelPerch.
1) What advice do you give to people who would like to travel but are nervous about doing so?
Fear generally comes from a feeling of not knowing what you’re getting yourself into. So, I recommend doing as much research as possible about the destination(s) you’re going to and speaking with others who’ve been there. This usually helps people feel more relaxed about their upcoming travels. And with the internet, we now have access to a tremendous amount of information and are able to connect with people who have likely done a similar journey.
2) What are some of your favorite travel gadgets?
I have 2 favorite travel gadgets. One is the xShot Monopod which allows me to mount my small digital camera on the end and then take pictures of myself with iconic backgrounds. I no longer have to try to extend my short arm out far enough to get my head and the background into the shot!
My other very favorite gadget is a SteriPEN. This water purifier uses UV light to kill 99.9% of germs in water. I’ve traveled through India on several occasions drinking tap water that’s been purified with a SteriPEN. It doesn’t make the water taste any better so I use Emergen-C vitamins to mask the taste.
3) What websites do find helpful for travelling?
I don’t generally go to specific sites for tips but will do a Google search if I’m looking for information about a particular destination to see what will pop up. As for forums, I use Lonely Planet’s Thorntree and Fodor’s Talk when I have specific questions about a destination (hotel recommendations, etc.). I’ve also taken to posting questions on Twitter and have received some great answers that way!
4) How do you stay healthy on the road?
Part of the trick is to be healthy in the first place. I do eat relatively well and am healthy in terms of getting plenty of exercise. I try to do the same while I’m traveling. It’s really important to keep your immune system boosted and if you’re in generally good health, you’ll be less prone to getting sick on the road.
5) How do you stay safe on the road?
Well I wrote a whole book about that! 
Really, the key is to be confident. The moment you let down your guard and stop paying attention to your surroundings, you immediately make yourself vulnerable. I recommend that women take a self defense course if they feel a bit shy about traveling. It’s really important to walk with your head held high!
