I am reading too many of these sad stories lately

It's terrible. I can't understand why some people have no regard for human life.

I have travelled alone to many different countries. I have been to both New Zealand and Australia on my own. These days I travel with my disabled son age 11 and he is in a wheelchair plus my daughter aged 9 years old. New Zealand is a very safe country and I can't understand why someone murdered the British backpacker. I read that she was using a dating site on her phone. Maybe she dated someone dangerous. She should have been there sightseeing. She met the wrong person and he murdered her. When I was in Australia in 1993 to 1994 there was a news story about a backpacker murderer. He picked up hitchhikers and then killed them. It made me totally avoid hitchhiking while there. That was in the days before Internet, mobile phones and tablets. A letter home to England took 5 to 7 days from Australia to England. The British backpacker often sent on-line messages home on her smart phone. That is why her parents in England were so worried about her. It is shocking that a 26 year old man killed her.

That is sad that dangers lurking in places that are supposed to be safe like New Zealand. But I am impressed that the case was solved and the assailant was captured immediately. For most cases like that in my place it would remain unsolved unless a witness will come out to name the assailant.

Sad stories can not be avoided unless you shut yourself off the world. The reality is that we live in a very cruel world and at any minute, any second, any one of use could be a victim of violence. In America, the victims of mass shootings can certainly tell you, if they were a love to tell you. Sad stories make me count my blessings and they also heighten my awareness of my surroundings. I don't overlook anything. I don't overlook a backpack lying on a sidewalk. I have like extra antennas and double radar. Hey! It's the world we live in.

no one should travel alone.Not safe.There are too many bad people out there.You cannot trust anyone.

Maybe meetig random strangers they know nothing about is what people should avoid?

I hate to say it, but my overall takeaway is never trust a man. Sure, men go missing. And most of the people involved in those disappearances are also men. I don't fear a woman looking at me in a parking lot. I becoming extremely alert when I see a man looking at me in a parking lot.

I look for "feel good stories" online, it is certainly more uplifting.

You cannot avoid all danger if you want to be adventurous. When in South America this young lady travelled with friends, but in New Zealand should have been as safe on her own as in her own country. Agreed - horrible things can happen in the safest of countries, but the number of times such things happen is extremely small in proportion to the number of people involved.

Australia has had its share of backpacker murders too. Some people expose themselves to danger unnecessarily.

always travel in a group and never stray from the pack.

This was really sad and a blot on humanity. I have found nine out of ten are helpful but the one who is nasty is tough to separate from the rest. It is better, especially women, to be on guard when traveling alone - siva

You are sooooo right. I dont know with some people. They look for the real thrill but they forget their own safety. We only have one life.

This is sad. Never trave alone. It’s not safe out there

It is very sad to hear these kind of stories where tourists are murdered.

This is undoubtedly every parent's worst nightmare. I travelled extensively alone when I was younger and footloose, as do many people, a great experience. It seems she and the accused contacted each other through Tinder, the dating app, so even if she had been travelling as a group, she probably woud not have taken them along on a 'date' would she? And of course the same sort of thing could easily have happened in her home town.

I agree with you. It is very unsafe for a woman to travel alone.