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Asiana Airlines: where was the crew?
I was on an American Airlines Boeing 767 years ago, where there was an engine loss over the Atlantic. The crew was everywhere helping, talking, comforting, holding passenger hands when needed. They were amazing, putting their training into action. In the Times article about Asiana this morning, this crew/pilot assistance is missing according to passengers interviewed.
A frequent flyer on the Asiana route, a Mr. Levy, describes how he opened the emergency door, helped 30-40 passengers leave the plane and never saw or heard a crew member.…
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Choose a Travel Guide in 2 Minutes
—-Check the publication date; the information inside will be a year older than that date.
—-See who wrote the book: some guides written by locals deliberately omit great places (we did when I worked on guides abroad, as who wants a bunch of tourists in their special restaurants.)
—-Check if the book has information on women travelers: Lonely Planet has a section on issues for women
—-What is the budget level of the restaurants and hotels?… -
Why I Still Use Tripadvisor & Like It
If you have any brains, you can tell when someone is a fake reviewer on TripAdvisor. Similar to email spam, fake reviews have misspellings and inaccuracies. Like the person talks about a family vacation but their profile is a solo travler. Duh
In any case, you can contact reviewers via the site. I have found that the few bad reviews I have read about one hotel I follow, have reviewers who never answer your outreach to them. It is almost as if negative reviewers are happy to blast a hotel or service then hide when you need more information.…
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shopping tips overseas for women
Shopping Tips from The Women’s Travel Group
Pack heavy tape; boxes and bags are easy to find, but not tape. Same with bubble wrap if you plan to buy ceramics.
Check on Ebay or other, for US prices of foreign goods, then gauge from there for your prices.
Bargain with Dollars and Euros; the latter are more acceptable in many parts of Europe and elsewhere.
Do not change money on Fridays; banks add margins to their rates to protect against weekend fluctuations.
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Why Professional Women Make Awful Travel Groupies
We know it all and do not let the guide do his/her job.
We worry about scheduling even though it is done for us.
We spend time analyzing the trip, not enough smelling the roses.
We allow our office needs to interrupt our vacations.
We do not know how to treat ourselves and have lost spontaneity.
We do not recognize the personal value of getting away from it all and coming back refreshed.Welcome smart women to www.thewomenstravelgroup.com and our blog.…
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How to Measure Weather Below the Equator
As many have asked, the weather is not the same in Buenos Aires or Capetown as in NY or Boston, which have reverse seasons, being North of the Equator. As much as BA or Capetown look equidistant from the Equator as NY or Boston, they are not.
Buenos Aires and Capetown have weather more like that in Los Angeles, even though they appear on the map to mirror NY or Boston. Rainy seasons are also different. Buenos Aires has rain spread out all year.…
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Why Your Credit Card Overseas Might be Rejected
Most of the articles are written about fees for foreign credit card transactions. Few mention that a PIN is required for many credit card expenditures in Europe. If you plan on spending using plastic, bring Amex which does not require a pin. Amex is not accepted everywhere as merchants say it is more expensive, that is a forewarning. If you have to pay cash and use the ATM, try to avoid Fridays as the dollar/foreign currency rate is highest before a weekend.…
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Traveling in 2013 vs 2006 When Our Club was Sold
We are all 7 years older, which means packing more ibuprofen and comfier shoes. We have more time to travel, but less patience. We are wiser, more money conscious and probably bargain hunt with more gusto. We are more reluctant to get up early for tours. But for travel at 7 years older, here are a few rules:
Don’t race on your first day; give yourself time to adjust, even if no jet lag as in our Argentina trip in August.…
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South Africa : Drama, Drums, Delights: WTG Tour March 2021
Our next newsletter carries the itinerary. No other tour has both the highlights, private game preserve, drumming experience, gritty history, and NO tourist shopping days. Plus time in neighboring Botswana, and at Victoria Falls.
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