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OurTravels34 and AZ Creeker - in a perfect world we would not be discussing politics in a travel forum. The problem is that currently, when you are an American in a foreign country, Trump is the elephant in every room. Recently, in a ladies rest room line in Egypt the Tauck people were waiting with people from an international tourist company. People started speaking with each other. A few women were Canadian, and two American women said " Aren't you the lucky ones. We would like to escape to Canada but you guys don't want us." To which they responded " ...we feel sorry for you, but you voted for him..." The Americans went on to explain that many people did not vote in the election and a majority of the American population is not supportive of him or his policies. SO..... this is in the ladies room. It is a valid question and a valid topic for conversation on a travel forum with the current international situation. However.... most of the people we come in contact with as tourists are making money off of us and so they will be nice and smile no matter what they might think about American politics.

I think most people just feel sorry for us.

+1 to kfnknfzk's comments above.

Best general travel advice I've heard was from my favorite Tauck tour director: Remember where you are - not where you're from.

We did the Scandinavia tour last summer after all the silly Greenland talk started. Our Copenhagen local guide made it clear she was pretty unimpressed by the threat but otherwise was very nice. Most people separate individuals from their government's actions. But if you are a supporter of the current administration and advertise that there, they might not be so understanding. You're free to support what you want, but others are free to react.

SandyFeet is absolutely correct in that the U.S. athletes were not booed.

It is always prudent to not discuss politics and other potentially divisive subjects when traveling abroad. This includes when interacting with other Tauck guests. Your goal should be to enjoy yourself and to have an enriching experience, not to bring along excess baggage (pun intended). In my opinion, you will find far more animosity here than in Europe.

You are a guest in their country. Treat them with respect and you, in turn, will be treated with respect. Make an attempt to learn a few words in their language and give a sincere smile when entering a shop, restaurant or when greeting someone on the street.

Enjoy your trip.

The American athletes were not booed; the American VP and his wife were. That is a big difference.

Yes! MikeH... Exactly!!... like all other travelers we single women travel for various reasons... There are tour companies that offer tours for mixed gender solo/single travelers. There is a small demand for these tours, just not something that interests me. I have traveled solo with Tauck 4 times and have met lovely people... couples and single women. I've made lasting friendships. I was fortunate on these Tauck tours to have these couples and other single women invite me to join them when we split up into smaller groups when out on excursions, to dine with them at their table, and to join them when venturing out during our free/unscheduled time. This has allowed me to decline the invitations from the few solo men on these Tauck tours. I'm not interested in meeting single men while on travel tours. It is something that causes me a bit of anxiety in the days leading up to any mixed-gender tour. My circles of friends at home are mixed gender. These are men I know. I am comfortable in their presence. We share common interests and enjoy the company. I have participated in 3 "women-only" tours offered by two companies that specialize in women-only participants. There is a huge comfort level for women in traveling this way. We are aware that the companies must charge extra in the pricing to offer single accommodations, but the reward that comes from travelling with women is worth the extra cost to us. Fortunately the demand for women-only tours is great and so the offerings for women-only travel are more numerous and growing rapidly. I'm travelling solo next month on a mixed gender tour. The company offered a specific date with no added single supplement to a destination I've wanted to explore. I hope to meet couples and single women to share the experience of travel. Happy travels to all.

It's just business. Most of the single travelers are women, either because they always were single, they outlived their husbands (or divorced), or their husbands didn't want to travel.

Single travelers face a single supplement and may feel that dining alone is lonely. Perhaps with an all women tour they don't charge a single supplement and arrange for shared tables and more ways of mixing the people. Just ways to encourage women who might hesitate to travel alone to book a tour.

If they thought they could sell it, I'm sure they would offer men only tours, also. But I don't see those selling.

No YiyaK - just a vivid reminder of how women only or women majority groups can tend towards cliqueyness and how one group always seems to feel entitled to insult or disparage those they do not agree with and while perhaps tolerable in small doses, nonetheless unpleasant and nothing I want to deal with.