Most of us hate our passport photos; most of us at The Women’s Travel Group do. We take them in a vending booth, Staples, Fedex office or some other commercial space where we muster up a smile in front of strangers. Now here is the news: paper identification like a passport or license is moving to image recognition. Some of you already use images to open your smart phone.
Source TSA
Image recognition might also be familiar if you use Clear.…
If there is a special event, restaurant or museum exhibit you wish, book it now. Europeans are raring to travel; so far a 14% increase. A Vermeer exhibit in Amsterdam was sold out months in advance. A revival of Guys and Dolls in London same situation. I am not a believer of Skip the Line tickets; seems elitist. If the ticket relates to your dreams, then go ahead.
There is a room share available on Northern Italy/ Switzerland trip in July1 Here is how to deal with a room share on a WTGroup trip. Hotels charge exorbitantly if one person is in a room. From their revenue point of view they sell ‘real estate’. One person (versus two persons) takes up the same square footage as two, uses the minibar and room service less, tips porters less and buys a one half breakfast. Thus the single supplement as high as 100%. …
When I was a banker, HR chose 5 star hotels. 5 star business hotels are not always female friendly. If in commercial neighborhoods, streets are dark at night. A majority male population might mean loud guy-friendly bars. Today with The Women’s Travel Group, we chose differently.
Some of us cringe when landing. Some are glued to the window. Others realize they should have used the bathroom. Here are some magnificent views to enjoy as your plane descends.
Source VisitParis
Paris. Landing in Paris is beyond gorgeous. From the air, Paris has an unmatched elegance. Domes like that of Sacre Coeur and Napoleon’s Tomb/Les Invalides are easy to site (photo left is from Wikipedia). Churches like Notre Dame and Saint Sulpice might be visible.. Boulevards criss cross star shape from the Etoile (star in French) .…
I have a great new mirror. It is a high magnification mirror as a gift for a woman traveler. It is bigger than compact size and not hand held. It is fragile and could break into sharp pieces? (Hopefully not). Can I carry it on the plane? The real life answer will come in 3 weeks when I fly. The mirror will be packed carefully in carry on luggage. Cliff hanger result to be continued….
The official TSA answer is yes a mirror can be carried on the plane. …
Please admit it, we women travelers sometimes need help. We don’t always feel comfortable asking for help. Ask or not? Tip or not?
Requesting a wheelchair for the airport is common. Since 1986 US law has required wheelchairs in US airports. There is no needed proof of disability, some able bodied travelers take wheelchairs in order to skip lines. This makes wheelchairs scarcer.
Procedure: call your airline at least 48 hours before departure. (Some airlines have a request link on their site). …
When a woman walks into a restaurant alone, the Maitre d’ might have one of the following reactions:
He/she looks behind her to see if there is another diner.
He/she asks: Are you expecting someone else?
He/she takes you to a table often near the kitchen, or service area.
Some background information. It is a statistical fact that men diners tip more than women tip. Larger groups of men tip eve more, when wait staff is female and young.