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The Best $9.99 Christmas Gift
For some of you out there, please go buy yourself a world MAP. Why do we say this as we end our 25th year at The Women’s Travel Group? Besides enthusiastic and upbeat travelers who join us, there are women who are shockingly and narrowly informed about our world.
A woman called who did not book Russia because of “the wars”. We asked her what wars? She said, “my family says there are wars there”. Unless she is related to John Kerry, our US Secretary of State, I don’t think her family is privy to secret information about ‘wars’.…
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What the 20 to $1 peso means to Women
Here is most of the group in Uxmal, UNESCO heritage site, Yucatan MexicoOur group of 15 returned from The Yucatan last night, full of chocolate, taco chips, fine food, and memories. Besides visiting Mayan sites, villages, Merida and Campeche, we did some shopping here and there.
Here is what you can buy in Mexico these days with such a low Peso:
Turquoise heart necklace: $16
Blouses embroidered by the woman selling them to you: $5-6
Artisanal chocolate, large bars with chili?…
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How to Travel with "Bad Knees"
Every week, we at The Women’s Travel Group hear this: ‘I have some knee problems ‘….knees being a metaphor for limitations. We all have limitations, as our mechanics deteriorate, we just jog too much or we are nervous travelers going solo for the first time.
A few ideas to measure if you can travel with our group:
Do you walk every day for normal errands?
Can you put aside your nerves, lose sleep but learn to travel again in a group?…
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Why Do Married Women Travel Solo?
Photo is of Phyllis in Khajurahu, on our India trip.Phyllis started The Women’s Travel Group in order to travel. She had 5 weeks vacation in her career as a banker; her husband had 2. She loved travel; he was indifferent. She wanted to see ethnic exotic places; he liked London, Paris.
There are many reasons why married women travel with The Women’s Travel Group. Some of the obvious ones are like Phyllis’. Less obvious:
He is not well. We have elderly parents/young children and one parent must stay home.…
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Must Words for Thanksgiving in Italy
We still have space on our Rome, Naples, Amalfi Coast Thanksgiving extravaganza Be prepared with some Italian words:
Turkey Tacchino…. and here is why it tastes better in Italy:
Chestnuts Castagna Chestnuts have a long history in Italy. Homer and Pliny both mentioned them. Chestnuts have bee a staple for both aristocrats and peasants all over Italy where they are still roasted in a ceramic container over the fire.
Pumpkin Zucca Pumpkin is cooked so beautifully in Italy, filling ravioli, risotto, pasta with pumpkin and bacon, gnocchi and even in bread.…
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Are You Scared of Your 1st Solo Trip?
…Today we received a beautiful email from one of the women who went with our group on the AMA cruise to SE Europe in July/August. She was thrilled to find instant friends on board with our group and they apparently connected up with more women for dinners and more. This was Bev’s first trip alone, well alone in our group. She wrote to us that she even made tentative plans to join some of the new friends on another trip in November.
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Is Naples Scary or Scrumptious
Safety and Mafia are Naples brand to many. But act smart as you would anywhere and enjoy these surprises on our Thanksgiving trip: Rome-Naples-Amalfi Coast.
Naples is the Holy Grail of pizza. Did you know the Margarita Pizza was designed as the first pizza presented to the Queen of Italy in 1889. Red, white and green are the national colors.
Naples’ pizza restaurants have a certificate of authenticity approved by an official committee.
Many carved nativity scenes come from Naples which has been called Christmas all year around.…
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Why Exotic Trips are Easier than Europe
Why exotic travel can be easier than European jaunts?
Many trips to Europe involve a lot of city walking, stairs and marble museum floors. You are tempted to even when tired to wander the neighborhood of our centrally located hotels for some shopping, snacks or photo ops. Oh, those aching feet. In addition, some of us use the fitness area after a day of sightseeing and airplane rides, without thinking to stretch beforehand. Then finally, to save money, we will carry wine back to our room for in-room parties with the group.…
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What Phyllis Learned on Vacation
Just returned from my personal vacation, and here is what I learned:
The world is still traveling. And tourist sites are full of happy, unworried travelers. Airports are as busy, flights fairly full. Families smiling and excited about their vacations.
You will notice that immigration is slower and more thorough on both ends. There is the obvious, customs employees are also on family vacations. There is the newsworthy, they are being careful and methodical. There is the season, summer is peak which is why our group trips are mainly off season.…
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Travel Bullying
Facebook comments about solo Holiday Travel. We are especially touched by hospice nurse, Ms. Baha, reminding us life is short. So why are we women travelers allow bulling by others?
Single women travelers secretly feel we are losers. I know the feeling myself. You look at brochures and see happy couples or groups of friends? You call friends, try to get them to join you, get rejected and find yourself rereading your guidebook.
Single travelers worry they will alone. Most of the women who travel with us or other women’s groups are coming alone but find instant travel companions.…
