The Women’s Travel Group was in Central America, and checking into our lovely hotel. Shock of all shocks !! To complete check in, we needed all the passports. One was gone along with the entire back pack. Misplaced no? Stolen passport, yes. In front of security and our full group, someone walked off with a bag. It contained what we describe as herlife.
What do you do at this point with a stolen passport? Let’s make it simple. Start with a check list and go from there.…
A headline that got me thinking about women who travel with The Women’s Travel Group. Today’s paper announces an innovative air pod which automatically translates foreign languages via AI. For those of you who travel a lot, you know that cultures use the same words differently. So how will this AI get the nuances? Time will tell.
When the US Dollar was volatile years ago, overseas vendors began asking for cash in Euros. We travelers were unaware of th loss of confidence in our currency. For incidentals, we carried what we deemed hard ‘greenbacks’. Today, the Dollar is sinking vis a vis many currencies. So how should you shop overseas with a rusty Dollar ? Travel Tips from The Women’s Travel Group.
Travel tips from The Women’s Travel Group Are you a TC or FF? The TC’s or Travel Conspiracists are active. Hopefully you’ll be a FF or Fact Finder once you read this article. Below are some common travel conspiracies and the facts that debunk them.
Today a woman on our Umbria trip asked if I recommend a carry on or checked suitcase. For myself: I check bags to the destination, but sometimes carry on, returning home. Here are the pros of carrying on:
1—You never lose sight of your belongings. That is,until you fall asleep on the plane. Common times for theft are during meal service, sleep periods and during boarding and disembarking.…
About a week ago, I flew Los Angeles to New York. I am a frequent flier for The Women’s Travel Group. The plane was new, I booked a great seat and the entertainment system worked so I could watch The Accountant2 ( former bankers love financial films). I sat down in the window seat. A young man secured his seat in front of mine. Then he placed his carry on meal and 20 oz drink down. Unbeknownst to me, he had placed the drink on the middle armrest of his row.…
Just back from a miserably humid and hot New York sidewalk power walk. I re-started walking during my first visit to Ixtapan. A former runner, walking was boring, so gradually I stopped altogether. At Ixtapan, the daily walk is 7AM during cool sunrise-August is cool. No hot pavement, minimum humidity and wide open mountainous vistas. What is sublime, is someone else has coffee and a recently picked banana ready at 6:30AM. Some guests do not walk, but if you enjoy it, read here. …
Yikes my favorite suitcase’s handle broke on a Women’s Travel Group tour! In investigating for a replacement, I came up with a primer on choosing a suitcase for schleppers with bad backs.
The Women’s Travel Group suitcase tips
Size: If you want carry on, don’t just trust a sales tag. Bring A tape and measure before you buy. 22 x 14 x 9, is official max carry on size for most airlines. This includes wheels, and handles. For Einsteins, calculate what are called linear inches; 62 linear inches is the max for a carry on. …
Recently I flew in ‘the back of the bus’ from from New York to London. This is a trip that should be 6 hours or so, but is usually delayed a bit on the tarmac. The delay makes it 7 hours West to East and 8 East to West. I usually upgrade if not too $$$, but this time, I went coach.
While on trips with The Women’s Travel Group, some ladies dream about living abroad. A glass of wine on a Florence balcony? A view of Mt. Blanc from your new Swiss apartment?
Moving and living overseas is not a piece of French cake. But if you are flexible and understand the compromises and limitations, living in another country is fabulous and life changing.
Be aware of the following warnings for US citizens moving abroad.
Women overpack. Real reasons: weather in your destination is iffy? Your trip is during ‘shoulder season’? Temperatures seem to be higher this year? Rain is always unpredictable?. What if you drip coffee on the one ‘dress up’ shirt?
Upfront questions? Are dinners included and are they dressy or casual- our group is casual. Do guests dress in finery while staying at your hotel?…
Europe or in Mexico or of TSA? USA Today reports that people are increasingly anxious crossing borders, especially if they have unusual visas or complicated paperwork issues. Since 911 border officials have been more vigilant and that continues to today. …
What is Ixtapan? This is our favorite COOL SUMMER mountain getaway. 1/4 the cost of the Rockies. Ixtapan Resort is an all suite, all balcony resort rebuilt in 2019 to a high standard. A one week package in August includes spa treatments- literally head to toe. Hair treatments, facials, daily massages, body scrub, volcanic mud wrap, foot reflexology, mineral water baths. A full service salon is included, with mani, pedi, hair styling etc.…
Today I read that the iPhone is 18 years old. Many senior women own new or newish iPhones but still cannot use them for basic travel needs. Five baby skills to learn today are:
Where to store travel documents. Too many women tell us they cannot find documents they received by email? Most smart phones allow you to put a star next to an important email, say the 24/7 number for our Paris Cruise in May. Do it. Better and quicker, if you need the document: download the attachments. …
The press reports that flights are dropping in costs, especially international flights. This drop is due to fewer overseas visitors and other factors. Major airlines like American and Delta have non US partners. Examples: American has British Air and Delta has Air France, KLM. Therefore incoming tourists chose both US and non US carriers for their travels.
Spa does not mean hungry. Fitness does not mean exhaustion. Yoga does not mean cramps. Our most popular Summer cool weather trip is to Ixtapan Spa Fitness and Yoga Resort, In the majestic Sierra Madre Mts. This famous resort benefits from Cool Summer weather breezes over stunning scenery.
Who goes? Mainly but not all women, mainly guests coming alone in our discounted group, and mainly women coming alone from all 50 states and Canada who like our group.…
More than ever, we women travelers, need to protect our hard earned funds, set aside for travel. Here are some common scams/errors. I was caught in a few of these.
New documents for travel to the UK and EU. I applied on line for the UK Electronic Travel Authorization. One website says Official Site ETA but it is a visa service, another says Visa Application, also a private service. I hunted down the one that says gov.uk…
Rivers flow in one direction; from higher elevations downstream. The direction of the river is your compass to identify the right bank and the left bank. Now you know what the Right and Left Banks of Paris are and what it means.
Traveling with us on our Festival Celebration India Trip? To Greece with us? OR on our Seine and Paris River Cruise? Or other tours in 2025? Here is how to survive inside and out. After flights, you will feel dried out from your head to your toes. Nails might crack. Hair feels dusty. Your face has difficulty smiling. Arms and legs are tight and dehydrated. These effects are worst for senior women. Why? Planes are usually at 20% humidity vs normal of 50% for most other us.…
Who likes their passport photo? Who likes their facial recognition photo? Im guessing no one likes their passport photo or the facial recognition photo that stares at you in the airport departure line. You are in synch with 9 out of 10 people who also did not like their passport photos. Worse they deemed themselves un-photogenic.
I love to eat but am not what you might call a “Foodie”. Foodie usually means someone who has a strong interest in food, as in creating a hobby around food.There are some foods which drive me directly to book a trip. There are others I must bring home. There is a third category of affordable food gifts.
Start with India: some women are concerned about spiciness or about raw foods.
Here are the surprises: Up front breakfast at the quality hotels we stay in has European, often Japanese, Indian and American breakfast.…
The Women’s Travel Group does not include shopping on our trips. You will have some time to do it on your own. Kitchenware is the go -to for shoppers. European kitchenware is of the best made. Items are usually better designed, cheaper, and serve uses you did not know existed. Since European decor is different, colors of kitchenware are also different. And, of course, there are special items for special foods. You can shop budget wise at what we recognize as Woolworth type stores.…
I have traveled a great deal, lived abroad and after returning to the US. This article is a ‘look back at travel experiences during ‘uncomfortable’ or ‘new’ political climates. How will a “change of government” effect our enjoyment as tourists?
True facts and tips from tour operator, The Women’s Travel Group. As you enter an airport, you will likely lose your mind. Your grey matter stays stuck on undone chores for your home life. You are still unsure of efficiency for the new trip. You drag a suitcase, with cash squeezed in a pouch against your ribcage. Your forgot to put on lipstick or comb your hair? Where did you put house keys? Where is the boarding pass you printed at home? …
The Women’s Travel Group summarizes what the experts expect for the next 4 years. Are they right? Optimistic or Pessimistic? Do they all agree? A broad brush of the Administration’s general policies: less regulation? more monopolies? privatization? tight immigration rules?
Industry experts like the newsletter Skift write that restrictive visa and immigration policies might reduce in bound tourism. For us traveling Americans, fewer seasonal laborers damage travel services in airports and train stations, in restaurants and related services.…
When I graduated from Business School, I opted for a special gift: not an attache case or fancy pen. I opted for a trip to India. Films like “Gandhi” by David Attenborough and A Passage to India by David Lean displayed uniquely Indian scenery of hills and palaces, camels and cows, colors of silk and spices. Backgrounds included the tempting markets of bangles and semi precious stones, textiles, pottery and gold jewelry. There were unusual characters and wandering animals. Uniforms both simple and regal.…
Hotel check in, packing/unpacking, foreign bathrooms and signs? Love to travel but want to avoid the double whammy of jet lag and touring? River cruises are your answer. Did you drool over Parisian scenes during the July Olympics? Join our group and enjoy stress free travel to Paris and Normandy from our special solo river cruise. Toss in Norman countryside, shore line villages and ‘voila’ you have a French experience.…
The Women’s Travel Group teaches you to say NO.Air travel is not as disruptive as hyped by press, or, as home made videos record. There are times when you have to tolerate bad behavior; there are times when you need to say NO.
Once your boarding pass and/or face are scanned, is there a check that you sit in your assigned seat? Here is a new word: seat squatting. Seat squatting is defined as taking an airplane seat that is not assigned to you.…
The most awkward meal ever. The dinner was in Munich Germany; I could not read German but did know the word for ‘dumpling’: knodel (with accent marks). Who doesn’t love dumplings? I ordered knodel. Time passed, the waiter brought 2 grapefruit sized beige balls. I started uncontrollably laughing; German diners looked at me with shock. Clearly I did not know German knodel.
We were 3 ladies on a Women’s Travel Group tour. In the Tokyo Airport, we noticed a couple enjoying what looked like delicious pasta.…
Success for one from The Women’s Travel Group. !!! I applied for the new UK ETA ‘Electronic Travel Authorisation’ needed to enter the UK after January 8 2025. A similar application will be used for entering the European Union after January 8 2025. Consider applying before the crush….
There is bad news for senior women travelers. Worse news for senior women who travel solo. Lets hope 2025 brings travel industry improvements for the 77 million women over 65, who FYI hold most of the discretionary $$. (Source: AARP). Here are suggestions for the industry who might be anxious for the $7000 we each spend on travel annually. These are cheap solutions.
Arrive at your airport 3+ hours before scheduled flight times. Make sure you put your email and cell numbers into the airline app. With those contacts, you get notices of delays, cancellations, gate changes, even baggage movements (Some Airlines provide the latter Delta and SW). …
Holidays are around the corner. The Women’s Travel Group offers both Thanksgiving and Christmas trips. Thanksgiving is waitlisted this year. Christmas Rhine cruise might have space. Contact us asap. Holidays create emotional unwrapping of memories and of loneliness. Many of us especially, women who are single, miss families and friends.
There are some terrific surprises for you, ladies, with overseas travel during Christmas.
Money when traveling overseas. Should you carry cash? Award winning tour company, The Women’s Travel Group says yes. A qualifier, carry only unmarked and un torn US bills. ( No coins. It is impossible to exchange coins overseas.) This cash is for incidentals, ie airport shops might accept a dollar for bottled water. Or you want to give a small tip to a porter? Or donate to a charity box? For most travels, $50 is the emergency cash you might need. …
Can you do the trip physically? Try walking a mile, which is 20 times the length of Saks Fifth Avenue’s famous 6th Floor shoe department. We are not talking run or rush, just walk.
Can you drag your suitcase from the taxi/car to airline check in? Next time you load up on Tide pods at your supermarket, push the wagon with one hand?…
Are countries dangerous during election? This November, European visitors are asking this question about our country. Election disruptions can be a travel issue. 20 European countries had or will have elections in 2024.
Unpredictable for us travelers is that election dates are scheduled differently in each country. Some are predictable, like that of the US, others are unpredictable and can be announced with little advance notice.
Some are peaceful. Some are not peaceful. Some elections come with restrictions on what a visitor can and cannot do on election day.…
Even on an inclusive trip, an extra cost can be water. A liter of bottled water in Europe averages 5 euros in a store and 10+ in a restaurant That means $100 a week to quench your thirst. When should you drink H2O from the hotel sink, when not?
Airplanes dehydrate, travel is tiring, water at meals might not appear. Most of us are shy about asking for tap water, especially while watching Europeans order the bottled stuff. …
If you are a big traveler, you suffer a stone in your stomach, as you say Good Bye to your passport. You drop your beloved passport into the black hole of the mail box. You feel a lost at sea imbalance.
Another love it or hate electronics. You can now renew your US passport on line. This update/innovation means no mailing of a passport to the State Department and no paper application. Plus no worry that an interloper will masquerade as you on their journey to Rome.…
Women like to scratch their shopping itch when traveling abroad. Here are a few items to reconsider.
Shoes. Shoes in Western Europe, especially Portugal, Spain and Italy are mouth-wateringly attractive and cheap. Bear in mind the following: the ‘last’ used in European shoes can be different from the ‘last’ used in shoes made for the American market. European shoes can be narrower, with sizing based on centimeters not inches. The difference in measurement can alter the shoe fit.…
Even in a group tour like The Women’s Travel Group, you might want to book an extra goody, with guaranteed transportation. You can use a concierge; but be aware they might get a commission and might only offer expensive suggestions.
Some apps we use in North America can be used overseas. Uber is the best example. When in another country, your Uber app works, debits your credit card with a fair US exchange rate. Not sure Uber is available? Click on the app and it will show asap if it works in say Tokyo or Bangkok.…
The Women’s Travel Group shares information to help you to explore some of the most enthralling places on earth: travel to Asia.
1 Tackling, surviving and even enjoying long distance flights. Travelers are anxious before a major trip. Flying to Europe is usually at night; we know we are in for a restless partially sitting up 7-9 hours. We know we will be tired, hungry at the wrong times, awake with the moon.
Some women experience travel anxiety because of bad experiences. A cancelled flight, going to the flight with an expired passport (full disclosure it was me in August 2024). Experts say most worry is not connected to specific experiences; worry rests somewhere in our grey matter.
The Sleep Foundation lists reasons for sleeplessness: fear of flying, anxiety about problems during the trip, packing, arrival time worries, motion sickness, long flights, chance of delays or interruptions, inability to sleep sitting up, dryness and germs on planes.…
How likely are senior women to load electronic travel apps on smart phones? I say: highly unlikely. Most of us are half in the modern and half in the non-electronic world. We love sending photos with phones; we hesitate to manage flights on the smart phone airline app.
Travel advertising is a turn off to us senior women. Brochure photos show clothing often associated with hiking, and the outdoors. Jackets by Patagonia? Shirts by Columbia? Parachute pants by LL Bean? Women travelers often analyze clothing especially shoes to assess the group. Women travelers do not relate to groups wearing fly fishing outfits. In sum, travel clothing in industry brochures is a turn off to senior women. We are retired or still working professionals; we need to be a teeny bit of a slob on the road. …
Some European cities are magical. From high up they are fantastical. I hate heights, but panoramas tell a story like no other. Watching the Paris Olympics made me reconsider climbing or riding to heights to catch the best views. From the air, wow’s are wow er.
In Paris you can climb up to the basilica of Sacre Coeur for views from the highest natural point on a hill. You can climb the Arc de Triomphe for a panorama of the ladder like boulevards.…
The Women’s Travel Group hears from women who have not traveled since Covid. They are worried, unsure of new regulations or documents, masking or not, health insurance and more. So if you have not traveled since Covid, here are some changes, some improvements, and some warnings.
No vaccination card needed anymore. However we always recommend you bring a list of your own prescriptions in the generic and vaccinations. Generic can be read overseas; US brands sometimes cannot be read.…
There is a pre-travel disease called panic. It might be worse for women travelers. Here is how to travel panic free from The Women’s Travel Group, an award winning tour company.
Lunch on our Italy trip. www.thewomenstravelgroup.com
Step 1 is plenty of extra time for every stage. Have with too much time at the airport. Airports can be crowded, stand on line and ignore the line crashers. Airports have amenities: restaurants, bathrooms, ample seating, electrical outlets, USB ports. Most have free public wifi.…
There were 31,030 handbags and wallets, 28,910 pieces of clothing, 14,098 watches and jewelry, thousands of shoes, electronics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. There were dangerous toys, even sketchy candy. …
Thanksgiving is around the corner. So you are not electronically savvy but need to learn if you are going on our single special river cruise in July? Bribe your grandchildren at turkey time, and upgrade your travel app skills.
There are a few bits to learn, that is if you intend to travel and have a smart phone.
1—-Go to your airline site via google on your phone. Do not click a site other than the official one. Example, delta.com is the official site for Delta.…
Who isn’t nervous when going on a first trip that includes fitness? spa? yoga? Who doesn’t feel heavy after the Holidays? Tempted by Ozempic? Try a week at Ixtapan Spa.
I was nervous booking my first spa/fitness trip. Were others mountain climbers or marathoners? Did guests count steps at meals? Were they all thin? Were my son’s high school sweat pants too shabby? Basically was I going to fit in and benefit?
Delays and cancellations are the number one fear. If you are worried about delays or cancellations and need solace, follow this list. Check the incoming plane’s ETA for your flight on any flight tracker type site. Several are FlightAware, Flightradar24 or links to flight tracking on your local airport site. …
