-
Is travel for Octogenarians??
Arthur Frommer is back at the helm of his travel book empire which inspired many of us to travel to “Europe on $5 a day”. Yes, I did and (except for inevitable shopping) did Madrid on $5 a day and lodged and ate pretty well.
Frommer, long ‘a friend’ of The Women’s Travel Group and supporter of women travelers, is the owner once again of 340 excellent guides and other travel books. With Pauline, his charming and delightfully smart daughter, Frommer offers books that enhance your experience while being honest about safety, value, and trends.…
-
Tipping and Women's Angst
Today in the New Yorker there is a cartoon of two people checking into their hotel room. One says to the other: “How much are we supposed to tip the guy who followed us to our room and flicked on the light switch?”. Ironically it is the man asking the woman of the couple.
Women angst over tipping: amounts? when? and how? I am not sure why this is, but suffer from it myself. I think somewhere as accomplished and professional as we are, tipping still brings out our insecurity.…
-
Travel Medicine: Too Much? Not Enough?
We are getting questions about what shots and precautions for our upcoming India trip, Oct. 25-Nov 4 and for other trips to more exotic places. These questions bring up several themes:
The obvious one for us as tour operators is we are NOT medical advisers and are not equipped professionally to give out medical advice. We can tell you what one of us does for our personal health, but this is not a guideline for yours.
The second comment is that what you will need depends on what season you are visiting a country.…
-
White Sneakers & Other Travel Do Not's
We used to say: Do not wear white sneakers as it labels you as an American tourist not good for bargaining in markets). Now we say: Can you even buy white sneakers anymore? A shopping excursion for new sneakers for our December 2014 Sicily trip and its walking on Greco-Roman ruins, unveils that sneakers today are neon colored, often psychodelic wild. However many are ultra light in ounces, making them easily packable.
We usually suggest comfy walking shoes, and packing lightly so guess we’ll go with the hot pink Nikes.…
-
Hotel Bars and Do Not's for Women Travelers
After a long day working, don’t you wish the hotel bar were less intimidating and less noisy? Tips to find the right hotel with the right amenities for women:
Living Lobbies: these are lobbies that incorporate the bar into a larger living space. So you can sit away privately from the bar and have your glass of wine.
Magazine and newspaper racks: these say, come relax and read without being bothered.
Armchairs in bar areas: armchairs let you sit alone and enjoy your drink; they insinuate you wish to be left alone.… -
How to Complain about Airline Crew
As we are not allowed to carry liquids on planes we suggest you, at least bring an empty bottle. You can then be more vigilant about staying hydrated during the trip. Crew serve water/juice etc in those tiny cups and even two at a time is not enough. Drinking more for the 48 hours before your trip is also a smart idea. We have heard that some travelers have carried on frozen water as a non liquid; truly do not. Each time travelers play around with the rules, we put the airline in jeopardy of fines.…
-
5 'Do Nots' for Spa Trips to Ixtapan Spa and Canyon Ranch
—-Do not pack your sneakers! Buying new ones at a spa can be both expensive and impossible if your luggage is delayed.
—-Do not buy new spandex work out clothes! Wear what is comfy for you, spend the money on something more important.
—-Do not plan your time before you go, you will find surprises and other things to do you were no aware of: Lecture at Canyon Ranch? Walk into town in Ixtapan de la Sal? Special service like acupuncture at Ixtapan Spa?… -
A non-group with The Women's Travel Group
Sometimes we obtain specials which we like to share with you. Many women come with us for the group dynamics and group dining. But sometimes, women come for the discounted prices we offer at famous spas and fitness hotels. If you are interested in Ixtapan Spa or Canyon Ranch Health Resort, and want the special price but not the groupie business, that is fine with us.
We also offer AMA Waterways, which is valuable as we have blocks on hard to get Burma and Tulip cruises.…
-
Spas at a discount with www.thewomenstravelgroup.com
We offer Ixtapan Spa at a group discount annually and our next group is pretty full on Feb. 9-16 2014. We are also offering Canyon Ranch Lenox with a group May 1-4 or stay until May 5. Please contact us for both of these deals-saving money is also good for you health and stress level.
The most important reason to go to a spa is to re-tool and re-boost yourself with a number of continuous days of fitness and good eating.…
-
The cheapest gifts in Ixtapan De la Sal near Ixtapan Spa
Here are the ‘budget’ gifts usually bring back from Mexico, and they are sold in Ixtapan de la Sal
(home of Ixtapan Spa):
1- Vanilla. Vanilla is cheap in Mexico, not as sweet as the Asian one but rich and fantastic in things like rice pudding and other creamy foods. Cost: $3 ish
2- Tajin: a mix of sea salt, chili, and desiccated lime. Makes the dullest food taste amazing with a slight pop and a lime aftertaste. All-natural. Cost $1 more or less.…
