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The 'get rid of travel anxiety' pill
A professor of psychology in California studied stress levels of people who watched excessive news reports about the Boston Marathon bombers. She compared their anxieties against those of people who were at the Marathon. Those who overdosed on news were much more stressed than those who attended the Marathon. The article where this study appeared is about the nation’s hysterical reaction to 2 cases of ebola on our shores.
If you want to live a normal but adventure filled life, don’t watch the news on television.…
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What is the best first solo trip?
Let’s face it, many readers of our blog and Facebook page do not actually travel solo, but are dreaming of doing it. Here is what we think is the best first trip and some guidelines to adapt to your mind set.
A single stay trip might be less work than a multi city tour. Our March 21-29 Tuscany luxury farmhouse trip is an example of an easy adjustment: staying in a beautiful farmhouse,with wifi, free laundry, snacks and drinks in the kitchen etc.…
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Nervous Nellies Read Here
A personal note from Phyllis Stoller. “My father started life as a traveling salesman. He started a business and worked a 24/7 schedule, before that was the thing to do. Of course, that meant rarely going on vacation and never taking trips. Well, he did play golf all the time. My mother outlived him by 15 years in good health and with financial security, thanks to Dad’s constant work schedule.
Here is what she told me in her very short list of life’s regrets: I wish I had traveled.…
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What Not to Do on a Plane
Five don’t for long distance travelers:
1-Don’t brush your teeth in the bathroom on planes,nasty water dirty area.
2-Don’t take a sleeping pill. You will still be jet lagged and sleeping through a long flight creates a risk for dehydration and worse: clots.
3-Don’t leave valuables unattended even if you have them on your person-rest on them like the Princess and the Pea.
4-Do not treat yourself to the salted snacks or that second glass of wine.
5-Do not let others bother you; it is better to ask neighbors to lower music or windows or conversation than to suffer for hours.… -
Women Permitted Finally
St. Andrews, the bastion of men’s golf in Scotland, announced that they will permit women to play. Here is how golf and travel intersect.
Men concentrate on their golf scores. Women measure the connection to others they are playing with. Men and women can be equally competitive, but our ultimate score includes the level of friendship we begin and end the round with.
Men bet $$. Women. Women players finish the gold game, not with money exchanges, but with family/friend/goals/health conversations.…
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Healthy Travel While Seasons Change
For those traveling this Autumn, here are a few tips to save you from colds, wet feet and or sleep deprivation.
Temperatures change rapidly this season: today it is 65 in New York and Sunday it will be 81- very hot for this time of year. Layering is the answer and sizing is another. Layering is not just about putting one garment on top of another. You also need to consider what sweaters for instance are too tight for undergarments. Same with coats which might pull with too many sweaters beneath the surface. …
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Family Pressure and Your Travels
Three months ago, I fell down the stairs in my old house which has steep painted wooden stairs. Everyone in my family warned me about wooden stairs and better “concentrated bannister use”. Did I sell the house? Install an elevator? Stop using the second floor? NO. I forced myself to go up and down repeatedly until there was only a frisson of fear left. My family was concerned but I…
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Why a Private Villa is a Perfect Trip
In March 2015 we return to our private farmhouse in Tuscany for another week of sightseeing, cooking, eating and laughing. The villa is 40 minutes from Pisa, has 11 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, 3 living rooms,with tv and comfy furniture, several wonderful farmhouse tables for our meals, wifi, and acres of vineyards and forest. All the rooms are charmingly decorated, and huge for solos--the trip has no single supplements- we all get single rooms.
We never saw a boar, but were assured they were our neighbors.…
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Solo Scares on Large Cruise Ships
Today we have choices of all sizes of ships, from riverboats of 100 guests to cruise ships of 1,000’s. What is best for women who are serious travelers? Why should you avoid the temptation of cheap fares on huge ships?
Large cruise ships need ports for docking. That means you often arrive far from the actual place you wish to see. For example from its port city, Livorno to Florence, the drive is a minimum of 90 minutes each way. You have to get up very early for the tour than when you arrive in Florence, you find yourself surrounded by cruisers blocking the very things you came to experience. …
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Last Minute is Not Tomorrow
Last minute is used by tour companies to wake you up. Most companies call last minute 90 days before arrival. Why? Because if you travel with a big group, hotels and airlines require deposits ahead of time. However if you travel with a smaller group like The Women’s Travel Group, last minute is only 2-4 weeks away. We once booked a woman the day before a trip!
Our last minute trips include:
Canyon Ranch Health Resort, Lenox MASS. October 9 arrival for 4 nights or October 10 arrival for 3 nights. …
