Check out these life saving and travel tips from Barbara.

Q: What inspired you to start your blog, "Hole in the Donut?"

In a nutshell, the inspiration for my Hole In The Donut Blog was a midlife crisis! By the age of 43, I'd had two failed marriages and was caught in a downward spiral of alcoholism and drug addiction. When things finally got bad enough, I sought help through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). I was one of the lucky ones; from the day I set foot in the rooms of AA, I never took another drink or drug. Gradually my life and health improved, but by that time I had lost nearly everything.

For years I had felt like the hole in the donut, solid on the outside but empty on the inside, and I set out to fill my donut. Initially I started the blog to document my six-month around-the-world trip, and to provide a means for my friends and family to keep track of me as I traveled, however I discovered I love blogging, thus I continued writing the blog upon returning to the States last fall. Today, as I pursue a joyful life as a freelance writer, my blog not only continues to be a means of informing my family and worldwide network of friends about my life and whereabouts, it also serves as an excellent platform from which potential publishers can sample my writing.

Q: Amazingly, you have conquered so many personal challenges, including drug addiction and alcoholism. What advice would you give to someone who is in the grips of such an addition?

This is a really tough question to answer. I still have several friends who are active alcoholics and addicts. I wish with all my heart that I could give them the gift of sobriety, but the hard truth is that it can't be given. Nothing I can say will make someone get treatment. The alcoholic or addict has to want it. And before he or she can want it, there must be an admission that there is a problem. Perhaps the best thing I can say to anyone out there who is wondering if they have a problem is this: "If you think you MAY have a problem, then you probably do."

My advice is simple. If an alcoholic or addict is sick and tired of being sick and tired; is ready to admit that he or she is powerless over drugs and/or alcohol, then look up the local chapter of AA or NA in the phone book and ask for help. Without a doubt, it will be eagerly and willingly offered.

Q: Name one of the most memorable places you have seen?

The Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary on the southern peninsula of Thailand. This extremely remote and difficult to reach Sanctuary consists of a huge lake, surrounded by jungle-clad limestone pillars that rise abruptly from its shores. Khlong Saeng is a place of spectacular beauty, where wild gibbon, tigers, and elephants roam the surrounding jungle and giant Hornbills soar on thermal drafts with the aid of their six-foot wingspans. The one family that lives in the Sanctuary has created a resort of sorts; split-bamboo shelters that float on giant logs along the shore of the lake, strung together with rope and vines, like so many boxcars lined up in a row. While the accommodations are spartan, the food is delicious and the scenery is incomparable.

Q: Best way to approach new people when you are all alone in a foreign place?

Frankly, I will talk to almost anyone. I find that a genuine smile is always a good start. Aside from that I would offer two pieces of advice. One: Always read up on the culture and customs of the places you intend to visit. For instance, in some Latin American countries, making direct eye contact with a man and smiling at him would be considered very forward, and could even lead him to think that you are an “easy” woman. In other places, using your left hand to eat is frowned upon, while in still other places it is considered an insult to touch someone's head. Within the limitations of these very important social restrictions, I think it is appropriate to strike up a conversation with anyone. Two: Always be aware of what is happening around you and always trust your gut. Learn to tune into your inner voice and react accordingly when it tells you to leave someplace or stay away from a particular person.

Q: Know of any steals or deals for independent travelers?

I tend to travel without detailed plans and often arrive in a country without a reservation for the first night. I focus on hostels and, although I long ago decided to forego the 16-bed dorm rooms, I find that most hostels have quite acceptable private rooms for reasonable prices. I use the following web sites when searching for hostels: Hostelbookers and Hostelworld. When I intend to travel in New Zealand I buy a BBH (Budget Backpacker Hostels) annual membership for $40 and in Australia a YHA (Youth Hostels of Australia) membership prior to arriving, as they both offer discounts on all the backpacker lodges and provide you with very valuable hostel directories.

I do recommend a few web sites for booking accommodations: In Europe (especially Italy), use En Venere. It is an excellent site and in most cases you can find rates lower than when booking directly with the hotel. For Asia, Australia, and Japan try Asia Rooms, especially for great last minute deals. And in Australia, use Wotif.

If you're really into meeting people, sign up at Hospitality. This organization's members host travelers in their own homes and conversely, stay in the home of other members when they travel.

If you are traveling in Switzerland or Italy, do not buy a EurailPass, as the rail tickets in both of these countries are very inexpensive, much more so than what you would pay for a EurailPass. In Switzerland, check out the many packages, such as the Half Pass, which saves you half the fare on trains and provides good discounts on selected attractions.

Europe has three discount airlines. They are no frills airlines, but they offer incredible deals on airfares: Easy Jet, Air Berlin, and Ryan Air. Australia's discount airlines are Jet Star, REX, and Virgin Air. In Asia, try Nokair, Tiger Airways, AirAsia, and EVA Air. Remarkably, the U.S. still has some discount airlines and I am always surprised to discover that people don't know about them: AirTran, Jet Blue, and Spirit Airlines, home of the $9 fare club.

In New Zealand, use the buses and ferries - their system is awesome and the hop-on, hop-off bus tickets are extremely inexpensive, easy to purchase, and rechargeable from any public phone with your credit card.

Q: Many people are afraid to travel alone, what words of advice would you give to inspire them do so?

Just do it. People who learn that I traveled solo around the world for six months often ask, "Weren't you afraid?" My answer is that there is nothing to be afraid of. In general, people are good. Are there those out there looking to prey upon a solo traveler, especially a solo female traveler? Of course. But are they lurking around every corner? Of course not. There is risk in everything. You could walk across the street in your hometown and be struck and killed by a car if you were not watching where you were walking. Likewise, when you travel, you must be aware of your surroundings at all times and take normal precautions (like not wearing jewelry, carrying extra copies of your important travel documents, and not flashing cash around). Fear is insidious and it is especially prevalent in the U.S., where we are constantly subjected to travel alerts, terrorist threats, and negative news in general. It is up to each individual to decide whether he or she will live in fear and never go anywhere, or overcome fear and discover this wonderful world of ours.

Q: What do you love most about being single?

I absolutely love being able do whatever I want, whenever I choose to do it, without having to consult someone else. I don't have to factor any one else's plans or needs into my decision-making and am free to travel on the spur of the moment. Of course, there are occasions, especially when I am in the presence of incredible beauty, when it would be nice to turn to someone and say, "Oh look, honey; isn't that beautiful." But for the most part, give me the single life any day!

To read more about Barbara, please check out her blog, A Hole In The Donut.