Travel Tips Blog and Statistics
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Duty Free Deals or Slippery Shopping?
The facts from The Women’s Travel Group:
- You are already burdened by carrying stuff you should have checked.
- Duty Free items can be boring: liquor, tobacco, perfumes, accessories, food, electronics.
- Merchants do not pay duty/taxes so items might be cheaper inside an airport. But not necessarily!
Women from The Women’s Travel Group with a new friend What is a deal then? If there are branches of local stores, you might find deals unavailable at home. Examples: Boots cosmetics and medicine in UK airports. …
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ABC’s of Travel for Women Traveling
A is for Air conditioning vs Climate Control.
In Europe Climate Control rather than Air Conditioning is common.
Ixtapan Resort high in the mountains https://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com/tours/ With air conditioning you can usually set exactly how cold you want your room. (That is once you figure out the controls on the wall). With climate control, the hotel system sets the temperature. You can chose your level within a range of hot and cold.
When setting temperatures, take into consideration the altitude. Desert climates as in our Saudi Arabia trip or mountains as in Mexico August trip means much cooler evenings that you might expect. …
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What Women Carry On Planes
I have a great new mirror. It is a high magnification mirror as a gift for a woman traveler. It is bigger than compact size and not hand held. It is fragile and could break into sharp pieces? (Hopefully not). Can I carry it on the plane? The real life answer will come in 3 weeks when I fly. The mirror will be packed carefully in carry on luggage. Cliff hanger result to be continued….
The official TSA answer is yes a mirror can be carried on the plane. …
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Get help without looking pathetic.
Please admit it, we women travelers sometimes need help. We don’t always feel comfortable asking for help. Ask or not? Tip or not?
Requesting a wheelchair for the airport is common. Since 1986 US law has required wheelchairs in US airports. There is no needed proof of disability, some able bodied travelers take wheelchairs in order to skip lines. This makes wheelchairs scarcer.
Procedure: call your airline at least 48 hours before departure. (Some airlines have a request link on their site). …
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Who are those royal people at airports
Do you feel like a Tiny Tim peering in a window, when in line at the airport? Others travelers are in the TSA Precheck or Clear Line. You are even below the traveler who elbows you with a meek apology that he/she in a rush.
So what are these elite lines.
Source: TSA.govhttps://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com TSA Precheck is the most common and has been in use for longer. Here is government’s the pitch ‘experience a smoother screening process – no need to remove shoes, belts, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, or light jackets’.…
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Breakfast in Heaven for women travelers
The Women’s Travel Group loves to eat well overseas. Start your first day on our Paris tour (early bird $300 off until April 1) like this:
Official Paris Tourism Website A croissant with sweet French butter. Croissants served in Paris are a marvel, better than the best you have eaten in North America. Why? More croissants are consumed in France; so they are fresher and hotter. Ingredients: the croissant is made of 1/4 butter. French butter is higher in fat that its American equivalent.…
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Guaranteed Superb Treatment- Women Dining Alone
When a woman walks into a restaurant alone, the Maitre d’ might have one of the following reactions:
- He/she looks behind her to see if there is another diner.
- He/she asks: Are you expecting someone else?
- He/she takes you to a table often near the kitchen, or service area.
Some background information. It is a statistical fact that men diners tip more than women tip. Larger groups of men tip eve more, when wait staff is female and young.
As a result, women solo diners begin with a sexist disadvantage. …
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Flight changed! One woman asks why?
How can there be two of the same flights with the same flight number…that leave at different times but arrive at the same time. This is not a trick question. I recently booked 2 Virgin Atlantic flights JFK to London Heathrow- one in March 2023 and one in April 2023. The March flight leaves at 9:15AM and arrives at 8:05PM. The April flight leaves at 8AM and arrives at 8:05PM. What is going on here? Are we stopping mid Atlantic for tea and scones?…
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Ten Pictures Worth a 1,000 Travel Complaints
The Women’s Travel Group spoke to a lady last week who could use her phone camera. However she did not know how to attach a photo to an email. Here you go: take your picture. The picture is filed automatically in a camera roll or photo app. In smart phones, you select the photo you wish to share, add a check mark to it, then share it- text? email? whatspp?.
Here are 10 situations where a photo will save you money, time or more white hair. …
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Worst things to lose on a trip
The two worst things for a woman to lose on a trip, that is besides your passport, medicine, and your composure are here.
On a trip to Rome, I forgot 2 items. Replacing them became an annoying time wasting errand. Not a credit card or medicine. Nor was it a trip document or phone charger. It was a hair brush and lip balm.
You might feel lousy when you awaken up the first morning overseas. Sleep was spotty, the bed different and and jet lag interrupted sleep.…
