Backpack-friendly travel products...

While reviewing our classified listings we found several products that could definitely earn a place in a woman's backpack. In fact, we've also included an example of an interesting backpack that you might enjoy (it's the same one that was given to Angela Jolie and Brad Pitt when they were working in Canada).

NEVER BUY OR PACK TAMPONS/PADS AGAIN? "The DivaCup" Menstrual Solution is an ingenious, silicone (latex-free), bell-shaped cup that is worn internally. Extremely comfortable, reliable, sanitary, practical & easy to use. Reusable for years. Safe to wear overnight. Great for all sports, swimming, travelling, etc. FDA & Health Canada compliant. One year guarantee. We ship worldwide. Don't leave home without your "DivaCup". 1-866-444-3482 Website: www.divacup.com Email: info@divacup.com

WOMEN'S WORLD 'MAGIC CONE' No more hassles and no more queues using public toilets. Females can now stand and urinate like men without the need for cleaning the toilet seat or undressing completely which is hard and time consuming. Magic Cone, an amazing females' hygienic product is made of biodegradable water proof disposable cardboard. It snaps open when pressed from both sides to form a rigid cone, remains open and allows females to urinate in standing position. Magic Cone prevents uncomfortable feeling of sitting on the public toilets which are not clean and hygienic most of the times. Website: http://www.magic-cone.com (December 25, 2006)

JOURNALS FOR TRAVEL Chronicle all your travel adventures in unique, handmade journals designed especially for travel. Sturdy, lightweight, and compact, destination:unknown journals are loaded with travel-friendly features: plenty of pages for writing, recordkeeping, jotting and sketching; pockets for storing mementos and receipts; fun cover designs; wire binding for easy writing anywhere; and an elastic band to keep it all together. Website: http://www.destinationunknownjournals.com Email: hello@destinationunknownjournals.com.

UNSANITARY TOILETS OR NO TOILETS AT ALL? -- Avoid trailside exposure, awkward poses and wet shoes. Try Whizzy for women, and stand and "go" with ease. Stand inches from the toilet. Stay clean. Stay dry. Disposable. Fits purse, pocket or pack. Invented by a woman for women to make life a little easier. A great inexpensive bon voyage gift for the gal who will be roughing it. Visit our website for a better idea of how Whizzy works. http://www.whizzy4you.com E-mail: whizzy4you@aol.com

BABY SHERPA DIAPER BACKPACK and SHORTHAUL SHERPA BACKPACK - These ergonomically designed, technical backpacks "outpack the competition" with great features, including an integrated cooler compartment, large diaper change pad, insulated bottle holder, and abundant storage space...great for active, travelling families. Prices start at $85.00 USD. For more information, check out the website at www.babysherpa.com E-mail: info@babysherpa.com Tel: 888-333-3424

She connects with nature...

Women in the Wild is a female-centered collection of true stories of adventure and connection. The jacket cover reads, 'Meet women who foray into the wilderness, explore remote jungle rivers, climb Mt. Everest, swim across Lake Titicaca, rescue endangered animals, and survive a shark attack. These women instinctively recognize in Mother Nature a direct connection to their source of power. Their tales speak the soul's deepest language and show how travel into the wilderness can help you discover the wild woman within.' Part of the Travelers' Tales Guides. Sounds great to Journeywoman!

Grizzly Heart 'For the past six years, Charlie Russell and his partner, artist and photographer Maureen Enns, have spent summers on the northeast coast of Russia, home to the densest population of brown bears in the world. At the core of this narrative is the story of the couple's adoption of three bear cubs left orphaned when their mother was killed by a hunter, and how they've helped teach these cubs to survive in the wild.'

When you purchase your next sleeping bag, think about choosing a woman's style for added comfort. For example, check out the female-friendly Sierra Designs sleeping bag. Their Rosa 2.0 model is designed to reflect the contours of a woman's body and provides extra insulation for the "cold spots" (abdomen and feet) that females generally complain about. See: www.sierradesigns.com.

Women's words on nature...

I have stopped sleeping inside. A house is too small, too confining. I want the whole world, and the stars, too. (Sue Hubbell, 1986) Nature has been for me, for as long as I can remember, a source of solace, inspiration, adventure, and delight; a home, a teacher, a companion. (Lorraine Anderson, 1991) It is the nature of human beings not to be able to leave nature alone. (Margaret Visser, 1991) Yesterday I sat in a field of violets for a long time perfectly still, until I really sank into it -- into the rhythm of the place, I mean -- then when I got up to go home I couldn't walk quickly or evenly because I was still in time with the field. (Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1971) One of the things I like best about animals in the wild is that they're always off on some errand. They have appointments to keep. It's only we humans who wonder what we're here for. (Diane Ackerman,1991)