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Volunteer Trips: Help or Hurt?
Here we are on our award winning India trip, this year Dec 4-16.A new book, ‘The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering’ by Dr. Judith Lasker is a good read for women travelers. Dr. Lasker’s book is informative yet disturbing.
Dr. Lasker examines dozens of small volunteer travel organizations and finds that some cause unintended disturbance, some are choppy with poor continuity, and some are not followed through. Some sap local confidence in doing the same job but differently, and many do not analyze long term results. …
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Do Newspapers Think we are all Millionaires?
Comment from The Women’s Travel Group Articles about travel gear inevitably list ultra luxury items. The NYTimes just wrote about Beauty Picks for Summer Travel:
Simple Micellar Makeup Removers: $799
Charcoal Eye Mask $23
Clay Volumizing Brow and Hair Powder $25
Dior Addict Lip Glow $33
Chanel Parfum Spray $98
Sephora Vacation Lipstick $42Here are The Women’s Travel Group’s Best Picks for Summer Travel:
Ziplock Bags 25c and bring lots of them
Trader Joe’s Moisturizer with SPF15 $3.99
Shampoo from any hotel $0 You can repair hair in 2 shampoos when you get home
Vaseline $2
Small duct tape $4
Ricki’s Beauty Supply root crayon and other cover ups $7-15
cosmetics.…
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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.…
