Addendum

About a month or more ago someone looking for encouragement to travel on her own (and hitchhike) in the Middle East, asked me about my experience (I attach an excerpt from her letter below). I thought I might publish my answer here.

Some of the questions I could go into much more elaborate detail according to the different countries, but with the following guidelines any female one should receive the basic information:

Hitchhiking is no problem, very easy, I'd almost say any car coming past will stop. I personnally chose (mostly) to accept only lifts with women in the car (and was showered in hospitality and generosity). When you see a car approaching only stick your thumb out when there are several people in the car. The probability that there will be a woman is much higher with this technique, since women rarely drive on their own over thee. If it turns out that there are only guys in the car, you can just refuse the lift. Not like they aren't usually going to be perfect gentlemen though. The likelyhood of a guy on his own being prone to accost you is much higher, to be honest.

As a traveler you don't usually have to be super paranoid about this, it is more for living in the middle east as a western woman, or doing unusual stuff like hitchhiking: In general in the Middle East, I found it expedient not to be too friendly with "new" men, to show my distance in the beginnning. When hitchhiking and inside in a car, make it a point to converse with the wife even if she doesn't speak a foreign language (you won't get round learning a bit of the local lingo anyway).
With accumulated experience I can say for sure in any of those situations a lot of the men will come on to you. But if you behave in this way they'll be gentlemen and superhospitable.

"Based on the specific of the area I felt forced in a way to do this with a guy…."

Actually, I strongly disrecommend this.
If you travel with someone else I recommend you to travel with another woman. Travelling with a guy in most Muslim parts of the world and Africa, Muslim or not, results in the locals basically ignoring you. For them, this is a way of respect, but for us Westerners it can be infuriating. If you just want to go and see the stunning historical places and landscapes, by all means, go for it, take your man with you. But if you want to learn about the culture and experience hospitality, leave him at home, seriously.

Yes, it is absolutely unusual for the local women to travel on their own or even in pairs, but make no mistake: the local women harbour such dreams, so they will understand (and envy) you. No small number will ask you if you'll come along on a future trip!
There are some practically insurmountable cultural differences, like telling them that you live with your boyfriend without ever thinking to marry. That is definetly too much for them (even the women); but, yes, men and women in the Middle East understand that Westerners have a different culture and if you explain it in a sensible way, they understand your solo trip (especially when you keep complimenting their beautiful country).

When hitchhiking, I actually oftentimes pretend that this is not the general way that I travel. I make something up along the lines of "I'd take the bus, but the next one is only in an hour". Feel free to tell people about your tactic of only hitching with women. They will understand your precautions and fall over themselves trying to show you what nice people they are.
In case I have been in any way ambiguous, let me make it very clear that I absolutely encourage you to go.

Also check out girls.hitchbase.com for hitchhiking tout court.

Andreea wrote:

Hi Iris,
….I mean I was planning to HH in that area and based on the specific of the area I felt forced in a way to do this with a guy….and I never meet somebody to change my opinion. But if YOU did it…Is great!!! Now probably will be useful to know if you recommend this to other female to do it? I mean of course I’m interested to know how this experience was for you; the positive and the negative parts and also how easy was. How long did you travel? How was with the religious aspects; how the man or the people related to you and your choice for travelling? (did you know the language?) ...