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Middle Seat War
Airlines are already charging for preferred seats. Some only give good seats to those with status. When you initially look at a flight’s seating chart, you cannot tell which seats are actually available until you log in or book.
Many women end up with that hated middle seat; make the best of it. Do not be shy about doing the following:
Request to share the armrest and keep requesting each time your seat mate takes it.
Ask for a lower Ipod volume.…
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Is Your Airline Safe?
Several weeks ago, I took connecting flights. On the first intra-Europe, the door to the pilot’s cockpit was open. At the second check in, I was grilled about why I was traveling,who I worked for,how long, what was the job description and more. So which airline was safer?
Stats are that they both were!
Here are a few items to investigate:
Charters? NO Most insurance companies will not cover you on either a charter or private plane.
Code Shares: YES Code sharing airlines with US carriers are vetted by the FAA and the US carrier can be liable for its partners’ standards and safety.…
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Why Solos feel less Solo with River Cruises
If you are traveling solo, and want to experiment with a cruise. We recommend a river cruise.
Based on reality not fancy brochures, here are reasons:
River cruises dock in towns not sea ports thus enabling independent walking/shopping/snacking. Ports are often in swarmy neighborhoods and getting into town will require round trip taxis. Compare downtown Budapest on a river cruise vs. the port of Marseilles on a Mediterranean cruise?
River cruises offer walking/biking tours directly off the ship. This means immediate interaction with other passengers.…
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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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Worst Mistakes When Delayed by Weather
Delays due to weather/strikes happen. This list is what you should NOT do:
Panic, it will not help you to make sharp decisions.
Call your travel agent unless she/he booked the actual flight.
Pull out your credit card immediately.
Stand in a long frenzied line with screaming people.
Pack in luggage your phone charger; always keep it in carry on.
Here is what you SHOULD do:
Scan trip documents for the 24/7 emergency numbers of your trip. Always keep the 24/7 numbers for your flights/cruise/tour on hand.…
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Travel Chores You Should Never Delay
January is a time to procrastinate. After finishing the year. we slow down for winter and hide under the covers.
Here are a travel chores to do immediately:
Book solo specials. We get many single cabins at the double rate.They disappear. On our solo special cruises, we sell out the best deals first. July 2016 we are offering Gems of SE Europe from AMA Waterways, our favorite river cruiser. For new travelers AMA is a welcoming way to see the world.…
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Tips for Winter Spa/Fitness Getaways
Tips for choosing a winter wellness week.
Ixtapan Spa will be your 2016 gift.
- Make sure your hotel includes fitness and/or spa treatments in prices. Do not be fooled by discounted room prices. Service charges on spa treatments are usually 20% on top of the price.
- Ask what is walkable from the hotel. Everyone wants to leave the confines of a resort, no matter how lovely, and many destination resorts are remotely situated.
- Shopping? Is there shopping near. Most hotels have ridiculously overpriced shops.
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Women's Holiday Travel Dreams
I too am visiting family over Christmas and yes, I too have a holiday travel fantasy. By the way, the photo was sent in some time ago by one of the groups who went to Oman.
I get upgraded to a seat next to NO ONE.
The airplane smells like lavender.
The overhead rack is not overhead.
The pilot is a woman who narrates shopping experiences as we pass Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. She has low blood pressure and keeps the cabin warm.…
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Travel Shopping: Is it a Waste?
The women who travel with The Women’s Travel Group want to bring home something tangible. Our tours are full of experiences, sights, talks, and walks; however if there is a shopping experience truly unusual, we include it. We just added the high-quality Sabato Crafts Market to our Mexico City tour.
What are our favorite ‘worth the time’ recent stops?
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul November 2015
Handmade jewelry or fabrics spread on animal skin in Southern Ethiopia! March 2016) One spot left
Florence Central Food Market April 2016 (one room left for 1-2)
Dilli Haat in Delhi Annual India tour December 2016,
Balaaro Market in Sicily December 2014
Cashmere Markets in Mongolia ( Mongolia is part of our upcoming China trip).…
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Laughing Through a Travel Woe
Laughter should be packed in your suitcase and easy to reach. Laughter overlaid a jet-lagged face will open doors, create friendly helpful strangers and probably speed up whatever request you are aiming for.
Studies suggest that laughter causes blood vessels to dilate and thus increase blood flow and then inflammation. There are stressful moments in travel that can be assuaged with laughter.
Bargaining: in some cultures, bargaining can become aggressive if the vendor thinks you are dissing his merchandise. This happened in Turkey a year ago when I questioned the fabric of a scarf.…
