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"I ve never traveled alone before"
We at The Women’s Travel Group hear this all the time from women in all walks of life, even high level professionals. Many women only traveled with a partner, friend, or family. We are older, we are not wiser when it comes to travel. Here are ways to make your first solo trip stress free:
Go with a group of only women, those are the travelers who want to make friends.
Go with a group that arranges the entire tour and most meals, no options, you want to be together all the time on your first solo trip.…
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The scariest moment of a group tour
There is a rhythm to group tours. Excited leaving home. Jumpy at the airport. Collapsed in the airline seat. Anxious departing the plane. Confused entering the airport. Nervous at luggage. Scared leaving customs. Relieved when met.
The scariest moment of a trip is leaving the customs area of a foreign airport then scanning the crowd for a sign that says WELCOME ME.
Before you leave home, have your meet and greet information with local phone number in your wallet or clearly noted in your phone with overseas calling ability.…
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Single or Share? Don't for Each Choice
Here we are in India. Join us in December 2016 for another amazing trip.
Some women prefer a single on Women’s Travel Group trips. Others want a share. What are the do’s and don’ts to make each work?Share: To make this work and it usually does work, speak frankly to your roommate about tv noise, room temperature, when you prefer to shower, and general neatness. Come to an agreement about each and again be straightforward.
Do not put any expenses on the joint room tab.…
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Can You Diet on Vacation?
Food is an essential part of travel and The Women’s Travel Group likes to eat on our trips. But can you refrain from a feeding frenzy when traveling?
Try to eat a hearty meal before you go to the airport so you don’t blow your diet on terra firma. That means, you do not empty all the good food from your pre-trip refrigerator-you might even plan a nice going away meal for yourself. Airplane meals are loaded with salt and sugar, so here you can eliminate some of this by pre-ordering a low salt low sugar meal.…
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Volunteer Trips: Help or Hurt?
Here we are on our award winning India trip, this year Dec 4-16.A new book, ‘The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering’ by Dr. Judith Lasker is a good read for women travelers. Dr. Lasker’s book is informative yet disturbing.
Dr. Lasker examines dozens of small volunteer travel organizations and finds that some cause unintended disturbance, some are choppy with poor continuity, and some are not followed through. Some sap local confidence in doing the same job but differently, and many do not analyze long term results. …
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Last Minute Travel Worries for Women
Last minute is when the worries swell and ruin your sleep. But women have different and surprising concerns. The Women’s Travel Group is sharing these with you so you do not feel you are crazy!
The clothes conundrum: did I bring enough? The right kind? Should I buy hiking shoes: answer not really. Even how many times do you wear each pair of socks? Wear what is comfortable and light, what you can wash in a sink ( use shampoo), or what does not show dirt like dark colors.…
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Why Husbands Don't Travel?
Don’t take it personally, men travel less than women, and men travel to exotic destinations less than women. Statistically, men like to return to places they liked and women prefer new adventures.
So if you decide to join a tour to say, Iran or Mongolia, you will not be the only woman. In fact we find that exotic tours from The Women’s Travel Group fill the fastest. Why is this?
Obviously most of us will not visit these places alone.…
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Dip in Tourism is Brief after Terrorism
I just returned from Istanbul with The Women’s Travel Group 19 women, and then London for a wedding. In both places, the tenor of life is very different from that in the States. First of all, people are not scared of their shadows, as they are veterans of both world wars in their backyards. Europeans do not stop traveling with each headline.
European newspapers reported in Paris, of course. However, front pages still included domestic politics, arts features, climate, etc. TV news was the same: balanced and matter of fact- not hysterical and frenzied.…
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Quick Efficient Way to find out if a Place is Safe
This question came up today from a woman who is thinking of going to Iran with The Women’s Travel Group in August 2015. So here are a few quick ways to self-comfort and hush your family/friends about travel to unusual places:
Will our general travel insurance cover you? If the insurance company will cover you, then breathe easily. (Iran by the way, is covered by major travel insurance companies including ours, Travel Insured).
Is the place on a DO NOT GO actual warning from major Western governments?…
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How To Bargain without Embarassment
Women are uncomfortable paying for something that does not have set price. Tips, discretionary donations and bargaining make us squirm. Yet 48% of all Americans tried bargaining in the last 3 years according to Consumer Reports.
A few guidelines on bargaining might help you:
Do not be intimidated by a fancy store or an aggressive salesperson. Know that in some countries bargaining is part of the normal process. Everyone wants to make a sale. In cities like Paris where we go Dec 21-28 2015, ask up front for discounts for tourists and or tax rebates.…
