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Drinking Dangers when Traveling
Admit it most of us drink alcohol, wine, at least, when we travel. Wine is part of the meal experience and on some trips like Paris for the Holidays we include it. Drinking alcohol when you are traveling, comes with some serious cautions!!!!!
Some Do’s and some dangerous Don’ts.
Do enjoy a drink on the plane if it helps you relax. Secure important items like money, passport, docs, ipad so no one can intrude if you fall asleep. That might mean actually pushing your money container inside your pants and locking up your ipad in your overhead bag. …
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How to Get Better Airplane Seats
This topic is covered everywhere with all kinds of complicated information along with sites promising you will almost sit on the pilot’s lap. How about some simple ways to improve your chances of a better seat from The Women’s Travel Group?
- Join the frequent flier program of the airline you are using, even if you will rarely use it again. You might have to book, then join, the go back to your booking for your seat.
- Know what your PNR is.
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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.…
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Who hates Reading Lists?
The Women’s Travel Group usually supplies a list of recommended books plus movies filmed in the area we are visiting. This is not school, so why bother?
Some books like The Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo open up the under belly of a Indian community that the tourist might not notice. Others celebrate a historic Indian Raj romance that brings history to life: Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.
Some are fictionalized versions of real events: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghes, set in Ethiopia, and others are straight history: Charles King’s The Black Sea about Turkey.…
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Craziest Airline Meals
Some years ago, a Women’s Travel Group member ordered a vegetarian meal for her flight. Here is what she got: a snickers bar and an apple! Well the trip was to our favorite spa, Ixtapan Spa, and she joked the entire time about ‘selling her snickers’ bar to us dieters’. Joking aside, how to make the most of lousy airline food is not impossible.
Lets start with what NOT to eat. Airplanes make you gassy so avoid any foods like broccoli,onions,beans, carbonated drinks that already do that effectively.…
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Planning Travel With an Ill relative at Home?
Women sometimes tell us they want to book a trip and sorely need a vacation, but have an ill husband or family member at home. They feel uncomfortable about leaving a needy person but know their own health and fitness matter equally. Travel insurance will protect trip money as long as you take it out within 21 days of your deposit. It will protect $ even if you have an ill relative at the time you purchase it. Cover the full trip cost + pay for the insurance on time then breathe easily.…
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Embarrassing Reasons Women Don't Travel
The other day we wrote about traveling for the first time after losing a partner.The response was 2500 looks, likes and referrals. WOW Here is that post if you still wish to refer to friends: https://thewomenstravelgroup.wordpress.com/widows-your-wanderlust-and-wishes/
The response made us think deeply about other very personal reasons women refrain from traveling even in a supportive group like ours: The Women’s Travel Group.
You are very overweight and self conscious. How many times can we say: No one cares! All we all want from travel companions is punctuality and a smile.…
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Myths about Credit Card Travel Insurance
This article is paraphrased from Travel Insured, The Women’s Travel Group adds real life examples. The examples are not guarantees, but real women in real dilemmas.
Popular myths about travel insurance are the reason travelers do not invest in insurance. Some of you tell us your credit card will cover you. Not entirely true.
Myth #1
If you have a credit card you don’t need to buy travel insurance.Travel protection through credit card companies usually covers certain accidents and only costs paid with that card.…
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Airlines Ready to Bash Us Again
In the last years airline fuel dropped 24% and fuel surcharges have not dropped 1%. So what is going on here?
Airlines are profiting from keeping surcharges which were as high as $600 round trip NY-London. Airlines now call these ‘international fees’ but they are the same old fuel surcharges. Airlines are still nickel and dime-ing us on checked baggage, food, lounge access; they are practically weighing us.
I have flown American on Business Class to Mexico City from NY many times.…
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Airlines and Reduced Carry-On Rules
Global airlines are moving towards reducing the size of allowed carry- on. That means your 22 inch bag will no longer be in the overhead rack. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recommends a smaller bag of 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches. Not all airlines will concur with the new standard, but here are 5 things you should never pack:
Money, jewelry (even good junk jewelry), electronics, medicine and your printed trip information. Especially if you are traveling solo.…
