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How to get a cheaper ticket to unusual destinations
Here is a way to experiment with an on-line search for airline tickets. I needed a ticket to Pisa for our Italian Cooking Tour March 29-April 5, 2014. Pisa is not a major airport but it is served by British Airways an American Airlines code share in One World. I searched first on American as I am a fflyer and prefer to have the miles added there. AA schedules with British Airways, so I could get there easily on the aa.com…
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Five Steps to Get Through Delays and Cancellations
Five Steps to Get Through Delays and Cancellations
Some of us do not use travel agents or our agents are not available at the moment of crisis!
1. Immediately call your travel insurer and ask verbal permission to change flights. Often if a flight is cancelled or delayed, they will give you this verbal permission even if the price is high.
2. Know which number is the 24/7 number of your agent or tour company. Often when the glitch happens, we realize we have not jotted down this important number!… -
Tips for Mother-Daughter Travel
When You vacation with your Boomer Mom: It’s Travel in the Slower Lane, or is it?
The Women’s Travel Group has some Mother-Daughter Combos though most of our women travel solo. Here are suggestions for you if you are thinking of asking Mom to join you:
Budget an additional 10% expense to trip for taxis not just for walking but more for luggage weight.
You be the Treasurer and the easy way to do this is to both put money in a ziplock and pay each shared bill from it.…
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When Not to Take a River Cruise
I just returned from the most fabulous Christmas Markets Danube cruise on AMAWaterways. The trip was perfect. In some places, we suggest a land trip as the major sites are not on the river.
The Women’s Travel Group has chosen to visit Vietnam and Cambodia, not on a cruise. The places of greatest interest are on land. We are staying in fine luxury hotels, going to famous restaurants, and have included both the glorious and gritty history of the area. Our shopping times are saved for the fine stores recommended by friends, not for tourist traps.…
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Holiday Gifts for Women Travelers
Here are our choices for Holiday Gifts for Women who Adore Traveling.
A lesson in using your phone as a camera. A smart phone has many applications which are free or close to free. But for electronic idiots like me, they can be hard to understand. Many camera stores, libraries and Apple stores give lessons. I learned how to take quick unnoticed photos without clicking the aperture! Women travelers are less likely to be electronically savvy.
Better suitcase: the best suitcases for us women are those that swivel so you can drag or ‘walk’ your case.…
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Most important item women forget to pack for Holiday Travel
One pair of loose slacks! We all gain weight at Thanksgiving and yet forget to bring along one pair of looser slacks. There is nothing so uncomfortable as traveling in tight clothes especially those which are binding around the waist.
In addition blood clots can form if you cut off circulation. If you think you can unzip once you are seated, remember few domestic flights carry blankets anymore so you will need some Houdini moves.
So to be comfortable on the way home, pack that generous pair of trousers, along with non-elasticized socks and eat and cheat all the way home.…
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Avoiding the Single Supplement
Catherine Hamm of the Los Angeles Times published an article about The Women’s Travel Group’s unique room share guarantee. She asked me why women would share and how do we explain this guarantee when women call us.
Here goes: more women share today than ever, because of the rising cost of hotels and related cost of single supplements. Hotels will not waive this cost so the discussion of getting rid of supplements is a poof in no one’s ears.
We guarantee everyone who asks for a share, that she will get one.…
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Carrying gifts on Airplanes
Like many of you, I will be bringing gifts for my family next week and on that super- crowded Thanksgiving flight. Yes, even we professional travelers end up on the most overbooked flights! Here is my conundrum: how do I pack the gifts so they do not disappear at the TSA scanner? Ideas welcomed from all of you.
So far, I will triple wrap the small things in other containers.
I have alas larger ‘objects’ for the guys in the family.…
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Morocco books and trips
This book merits a blog post. Besides the scenery from films like Lawrence of Arabia, filmed in Morocco There is one weird and wonderful book to read. The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles.
Morocco sits on the doorstep of Europe, West Africa and the Atlantic route to the Americas. It’s position and natural scenery make it exotic yet close to North American shores. Morocco is the perfect first travel experience to a non-European area. We say this because while scenery and sites are exotic, language is French, roads modern, souks welcoming and bursting with bargains, and hotels/food to our standards.…
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New Health Plans and Overseas Travel?
Medicare does not cover Americans overseas so I contacted the new government site for the Oct. 1 launch of federal health care. This is what I got from the Live Chat on the federal site? And I do believe in national health care options….With an answer like this, I’ll still buy Travelguard for myself and recommend it to you when you travel!
Upcoming India and Morocco tours have $Solo $Savings for solo travelers and travel insurance from Travelguard is still available.…