The Women’s Travel Group shares information to help you to explore some of the most enthralling places on earth: travel to Asia.
1 Tackling, surviving and even enjoying long distance flights. Travelers are anxious before a major trip. Flying to Europe is usually at night; we know we are in for a restless partially sitting up 7-9 hours. We know we will be tired, hungry at the wrong times, awake with the moon.
There are pleasant surprises when you fly N. America to Asia. The flight is longer; but if you leave at night, you arrive in the morning and wow, a day earlier. Jet lag in that direction makes you tired at night and up early, a schedule perfect for touring. ( It will be different If you grab a Qatar Airways deal, you’ll have a free few days in Doha to adjust).
2 Another surprise is the ease of meals in Asia. Hotel breakfast caters to a global clientele. Look for eggs and bacon, sushi, stuffed Indian paratha, croissants. By Day 3 you’ll be testing every delicious item on the buffet. On our Asia trips, hearty local meals are more than food. They are presented with ceremonies, flowers, local music, even circus shows. You dine on boats, terraces, roof tops, in homes during festivals. You are served by Geisha clad apprentices, street food sellers, Indian family members, elegant raj garbed waiters.
3 There is a lot to learn and contemplate. There are complicated inconsistencies like tranquil temples pulsating with prayer sounds, adjacent to crowded streets with loud hawkers. A Delhi hotel hosts an incredibly exotic wedding;while upstairs you are in a calming Ayurvedic scented room. The store in the lobby seems to inventory all the gorgeous scarves in the world. A few steps away, a street vendor shows you unidentifiable fruits from ‘Mars’. You buy a bracelet and the seller asks for your lipstick as part of the sale. You fall in love with gold bangles, rich colored silk jackets, recipes for miso soup, smiling children. You are confused yet fascinated by Asian beliefs
4 You visit ancient sites many branded ‘UNESCO’: Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Christian are in and around remote lakes and dramatic hills. Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Taj Mahal wait for you. Bangkok’s Royal Palaces, Jaipur’s Wind Palace,Tokyo’s Imperial Palace? Dark 20th century history, ancient civilizations, incomprehensible practices, all part of the experience that changes you.
Everything in this experience is new. That is except for the cool sheets and heavenly pillow that greet you each hotel night. We still have space left on some of our Asian tours for women. Happy to chat or answer emails about our exciting travels: 646 309 5607 or Phyllisnycity@gmail.com or https://thewomenstravelgroup.com/contact.
