It's useful to find at least one knowledgeable, trustworthy person to offer guidance on the security landscape. It's also important to learn about customs -- and this is especially important for women -- to avoid sending the wrong signals. Information is widely available on the Internet, from people who have taken similar trips and have useful information to share.

Obviously, engaging with shady characters, buying drugs and participating in illegal activities make the chances of disaster much greater.

We should listen to our instincts. When a place feels dangerous, when a new acquaintance seems suspicious, we should heed our internal alarms.

Dangers exist at home and abroad, but one of the greatest risks is not living the life that is meant for us. The greatest crime is shutting ourselves away from new experiences.

It is possible for women to see the world, to have adventures and to do it safely. The awful stories we have heard in recent days should give us pause, make us think and plan more carefully. But, for those of who can't conceive a life deprived of exploration, the lure of travel remains irresistible -- exactly as it should be.