I'm not advocating that women all over the world quit their jobs and take off on a soul search, certainly not! But I do want to encourage women to travel because it's so empowering when you trust in your instincts and just take to the road, no permission required. I think timing is very important and in my case, I had to make a very conscious decision of cutting loose from the 9 to 5 grind and taking off to see the world. But I had been thinking about it for a long time and I was saving up for it and sort of pacing myself for 2 years to work up the nerve and actually take the plunge. It's a very personal issue and every woman has her own set of circumstances to negotiate. The other thing to keep in mind is that travel is not just about venturing off to far flung corners of the globe (although that is amazing and essential to do once in your lifetime). It's also important to cultivate an attitude of openness, curiosity and that you can do in your own backyard and pass on to your kids.