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Junk Fees and Women Travelers
If you travel, you now face all kinds of surprising junk fees. They are activated by “drip pricing”. There is little you can do to avoid junk fees. See end of this article for what you can do! These are travel tips from award winning, The Women’s Travel Group.
Give it a try: locate junk fees added to hotel bookings. To hide the real hotel cost and get a top spot on an online booking engine list, hotels add junk fees to basic room costs.…
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1st Solo Trip? 1st Gynecological Exam?
Every day we hear the same: This is my first solo trip. I’m not sure I can do it.
Practical concerns are flights: what if delayed? (fewer are than you think) What if stuck in an airport? What if my transfer is missing in action? Finally, what if I get sick? Or what if I use a bathroom more than the other women?
Emotional concerns: Will the tour manager be helpful with my many questions?…
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Danger in Street Markets
Is the fun of buying fakes in street markets gone? The Women’s Travel Group says Yes. Customs might confiscate your Hermes-ish bag. Two days ago it was announced US Customs seized $2.98 billion of fake goods, entering this country, way up from$1.5 billion in 2019.
There were 31,030 handbags and wallets, 28,910 pieces of clothing, 14,098 watches and jewelry, thousands of shoes, electronics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. There were dangerous toys, even sketchy candy. …
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Upgrade or Chanel?
Is the cost of upgraded airplane tickets worth it? Some thoughts from The Women’s Travel Group.
In the last few years, travelers have become obsessed with airline status and their seats. This frenzy is, in part, caused by airlines themselves. There is branding / selling status by airlines. Who doesn’t want to be ‘special’ ‘elite’ ‘first in line’, ‘envied’ and ‘fussed over’.
Lets start with the special bit. Anyone who can afford to fly is already special.…
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Spain,a President’s trip
The Women’s Travel Group is famous for unusual ‘smart’ itineraries. What Makes Spain a Different Travel Experience so that Phyllis Stoller, President of The Women’s Travel Group chose to go with the Spain Tour?
Most women take their first European trip to England, France or, Italy. Why does Spain fall into a lesser category for Americans? One obvious reason is our heritage: more often English or Italian. Madrid is too distant for a train ride to another city (like Paris to London or Amsterdam to Paris). …
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First Solo Trip, Where to Go
What are the best places to go for a first solo trip? Travel tips from The Women’s Travel Group.
My first solo trip was to Geneva, Switzerland. I was 15 going to a French speaking school near the Chateau de Chillon on Lake Geneva. In those days, Americans, especially teens, were exotic. With the 3 other Americans I met at the Institut, we acted fearless and, truth be told, naughty. (There is a doctor somewhere in Italy who, as a teen, gave me a first grown up kiss).…
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Things for Double Taking When Packing
Travel packing tips from The Women’s Travel Group. Saline, bottles are tiny and can fall into an airplane seat. Dry eyes are exacerbated by the dryness in airplane cabins. Flying to Santa Fe with us May 1? You’ll need saline in high deserts also.
Chargers for phone and iPads. Hoteliers say chargers are often left in the wall, bathroom socket or behind a bureau or end table. …
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Travel Apps, bribe your grandchildren
Thanksgiving is around the corner. So you are not electronically savvy but need to learn if you are going on our single special river cruise in July? Bribe your grandchildren at turkey time, and upgrade your travel app skills.
There are a few bits to learn, that is if you intend to travel and have a smart phone.
1—-Go to your airline site via google on your phone. Do not click a site other than the official one. Example, delta.com is the official site for Delta.…
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Cheapskates’ Wifi on Vacation
How to be cheap/smart/bargain hunter/whatever from The Women’s Travel Group. Paying for wifi overseas on top of paying a crazily expensive phone bill at home is a nasty burden. Before we start, any public wifi is insecure unless you purchase a VPN line. VPN lines are cheap but might not work on sites like Paypal or your financial sites: Bank, Stocks. Those sites usually need to identify your phone, computer or ipad.
Most hotels offer what they call free wifi; it is not really free as it is included in your room costs, or in junk fees added to that rate.…
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Market Mania in Paris
What to grab at Parisian Street Markets
Here are some of the most engaging street markets in Paris; we walk by some on our trip. Some are food with mountains of cheeses and breads, some are herbal with soaps and personal products, some sell objects and antiques. We only listed those which are easy to locate during our November Paris week. Look down each street and alley, you will find others.
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