In Sept, I travelled through the Sahara in Niger as part of an expedition with a travel company. Having always travelled independently, this was my first sojourn into the "tour group" experience. I survived...but it is safe to say that not only was it my first tour, it was probably also my last. lol

While my fellow paying companions discussed TV and movies for a month (seriously..they did)...I was absolutely entranced by the landscape. I was also interested in the hows and wheres of obtaining fuel, water, food, as well as vehicle maintenance, payoffs etc. I was limited in my ability to probe these aspects however, because apparently, this amounted to be treated as "special" from the others. It was very frustrating to be treated as "tourist". I loved the desert though..absolutely loved it.

Since returning home in early October, I am obsessed with returning to the Sahara. I would like to cross independently, and am devouring everything I can find to read. I am considering crossing by motorcycle (or 4x4 if I can come up with the money) and am planning to continue on to other parts of Africa as well. I am finding little though on women's crossings of the Sahara. I would love to have feedback on the following:

1) Can anyone direct me to recent written accounts of womens experience crossing the Sahara?
2) Any thoughts as to issues/feasibility of solo crossing in general?
3) Any thoughts as to issues/feasibility of women solo crossing?
4) Thoughts on how manage security and safety? (21 tourists were captured by bandits in Niger 2 weeks before my expedition began).

I am open to all possiblities. I recognize that the sane thing to do is to travel with others....