“Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage.” Paulo Coelho I recently visited Kona, Hawaii for two weeks. It was my first vacation since developing a severe allergy to peanuts and tree nuts and I was nervous. Now, I’m not typically daunted by the prospect of exploring new places. I’ve traveled alone to Culiacan, Mexico and to Bogota, Columbia, for heaven’s sake! However, while many Americans imagine those places to be fraught with danger (“You could be kidnapped and held for ransom!”), travelling to Hawaii, the macadamia nut capital of the world, truly was dangerous for me (more about that in a later post). As a frequent solo female traveler, I find that doing my research well in advance of my travel date, is crucial. I like to talk to people who have recently visited or lived where I’m looking at going to. This is particularly important when traveling outside the country you live in. If you don’t speak the language where you’re planning to go, that’s going to require a bit more …