Travel, travel, travel...

Bloem in Huizen, Holland writes: The advantage of Holland is that it's so small you can do virtually anything on a day trip. For example, you could go to Cologne, Germany on a day trip from Amsterdam.

From Amsterdam, take a train to either Tilburg or Den Bosch, and catch a bus to the Efteling, our #1 Dutch amusement park. You'll have tons of fun and the staff all speak English, and German, too. There are a lot of tourists, but you'll mostly see thrilled Dutchies around. Check their website. It's very sweet (http://www.efteling.nl).

If you don't like amusement parks, go to Utrecht. Visit the Dom Toren, a tower from which you can see the entire city. Go to Emmen, they have a nice zoo, or to Burgers Bush Safari, near Arnhem, a zoo with an ocean and a real bush. It's quite a lot of fun (http://www.burgerszoo.nl). If you wanted to do a lot of travel in Holland, the city of Utrecht would be the most convenient city to stay in. It's most central and you can catch a train to any place from there.

If you only have a limited amount of time but want to see as much as possible, visit Madurodam, miniature Holland. It's in Den Haag (The Hague), which is a nice city anyway (http://www.madurodam.nl). Maastricht is another cool city to visit; there's a nice atmosphere to it.

All of the above mentioned websites have an English version, though the Efteling one is still under construction, so no worries about having to learn Dutch first. Dutch people usually speak at least some English, and most have an English vocabulary you wish you'd had in your French class back in high school Have fun in Holland!

Hostel in Den Haag...

Mariana writes from the Hague in Holland: The youth hostel (NJHC) in The Hague is a great gal-friendly place to stay. It's located next to the Holland Spoor train station, close to a supermarket and internet cafe and only 20 minutes walk from the centre of town. I am staying here at the moment and it's the nicest hostel I've been to -- clean, attractive, friendly, safe, and best of all, very affordable! City Hostel Den Haag, Address: Scheepmakerstraat 27, 2515 VA Den Haag, Tel: +31 (0)70 3157878

All of these goodies can be found in supermarkets around town. They are so inexpensive you can splurge and buy extra items for your favorite people. Or, think ahead to Christmas. Dutch chocolate and cookies make great stocking stuffers.

• Droste chocolate pastilles
• Gouda Cheese
• Cheese knives
• Stroopwafels (Dutch tea cookies)
• Rademaker's orange chocolate sticks

Women's words on Holland...

There is not a richer or more carefully tilled garden spot in the whole world than this leaky, springy little country. Mary Mapes Dodge, Hans Brinker, 1865 No wonder the tulip is the patron flower of Holland. Looking at it one almost smells fresh paint laid on in generous brilliance. Doors, blinds, whole houses, canal boats, pails, farm wagons -- all painted in greens, blues, reds, pinks, yellows. Elizabeth Coatsworth, Personal Geography, 1976 The entire country is a kind of saturated sponge. Mary Mapes Dodge, Hans Brinker, 1865

Journeywoman thanks our sponsors...

All of the information in this article has been researched independently by Journeywoman.com. We thank the Netherlands Board of Tourism and KLM Airlines for sponsoring Go Alone Amsterdam and for helping women worldwide to travel safely and well.