I am an avid reader of travel journalism. I love reading first-hand accounts of dreamy locales. As a writer, I also enjoy the endless possibility of fascinating stories surrounding every trip.

So today, as usual, I dug through the Toronto Star’s travel edition for tales of new and exciting adventures.

To my surprise, an article about London appeared. AIEEE!

But wait a minute here, what is this?

As I read through the article I realize this isn’t a story about the fascinating city. It’s about how not to get murdered on the tube. Hmmmmm.

I’ll admit being a street-smart female is as basic a necessity in travel as your passport is, BUT, this article just took it a teensy bit too far.

Pour example, here are a few of the writer’s tips:

• Don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself by what you wear… Muted colours and conservative clothing will always help you to fade into the crowd and stay out of trouble.
• In male-dominated societies, make every effort to behave modestly.
• Wear a fake wedding ring to deter unwanted advances and sport sunglasses to hide your eyes.

Huh? Did I just accidently pick up a copy of the paper printed in 1955?

The thing that kills me the most is the headline reads, “Public transit a great way to explore.” !
Oh yeah, sounds like it. So long as you’re planning on packing a pistol under all those conservative attired layers.

In all fairness, some items listed in the article were useful for women (ex. don’t travel through strange places at night. Watch your bags.) But these, to me, are a bit much.

Unless this girl packed up her Dolerean and was planning to travel back in time to a London I’ve never been to, I think it’s safe to say, single women can still relax a little and enjoy their trip without the assistance of a fake wedding ring and full-time bodyguard.

Tags: News & Gossip //