With the appearance of free online dating websites such as www.himherdating.net, single men, single women and personals are turning to online dating. Everyone who meets someone online and falls in love looks ahead to the day they finally get to meet their online lover. You start imagining how perfect it would be like as you make preparations for your trip. But as the day you've set to meet comes closer there is that certain fear that comes with this new step in your relationship.

You begin to worry that your first meeting may not be as pleasant as you imagined it to be. You worry that your lover may not be as you expected and vice versa. All these fears and doubts are normal, even if you seem to know each other very well online. Some first meetings may end up as a disaster, but there are some who actually say it's a dream come true. Here are some pointers from the book "The Rules for Online Dating" by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Shneidder on what to do for your first meeting with your online lover.

Meeting Online Dating Site Partner

Although you think you know this person you are about to meet, you still have to take the necessary precautions for your safety. Sadly there are many instances of deception and even crimes connected to meeting people from online dating sites. I know you may feel that you love and trust this person you are running off to meet, but be smart and be careful.

Tell a friend about your Online Lover

Before flying off to wherever you are to meet your online lover, inform a loved one or a close friend of your planned trip and tell them where you are going and when you plan to return. And of course, in case you don't come back on time, instruct them to contact you and even come look for you when that happens. This step is not to scare you; again it is just a precaution for your welfare.

Bring a cell phone when meeting online date

Everyone has a cell phone handy all the time these days. But for this special trip, make sure you have a loaded and well charged cellular phone. May it be for contacting your lover or for you to call home, keep it in hand for easy communication. You don't want to be stuck in a foreign land with no one to help you, right? A phone with a GPS would also come in handy so you will never get lost and you would be able to find you way anytime.

Profile check of your Online Lover

Before getting out the door, make sure you have made a thorough profile check of your online lover. He or she may not be a serial killer or swindler but you also have to check if your lover is really single. A lot of married people join online dating sites and pretend to be single. Unless you don't want to be the other lover, you better make sure he or she is clean. Go scan your lover's Facebook profile and look at the photos. If you find something suspicious, don't go.

Meet in public with your online Date

The first meeting would be the most awkward moment of this trip. Set it at a public place like the airport or a mall. Don't go straight to your lover's house or hotel room. This way, if things aren't what you wanted them to be, it would be easier to walk away. On the other hand if things are the way you have hoped for, you can always go elsewhere together, right?

Expect the worse on a Date

I am sure you are wishing for everything to be perfect. But remember, no one is perfect. No relationship will ever be perfect. So before you meet your online lover, expect the worse to happen. Your online lover may not physically look the way you hoped him or her to be. They can always be older, thicker, shorter, and smellier or whatever you find unpleasant for a mate. But if your relationship has been a deep and meaningful one, the physical won't be a deal breaker for you. Give the person the benefit of the doubt and look out for the good points as well. Things may not go as bad as your worst case scenario, but at least you won't be disappointed if you've already thought of it as a possibility for things to go wrong.

Hope for the Best on a Date

Taking all the precautions in mind, all you can do is hope for the best. Hope that the person you are to meet is the same person you have been chatting with and have learned to like and love. Hope that your first meeting will be the first of so many more days together as a couple. Hope that this chance be the one chance you have been waiting for all your life; the chance to love and be loved by the one made just for you.