Cca Travel

Archive for the ‘Vacations for Women’ Category

The women of today are venturing out and traveling more globally then at any time in history. Female travelers, whether traveling alone or as a group, are encountering different cultures, religions, and societies.  With this freedom comes some risks that men may never encounter. It is therefore a good idea for women to learn how to handle themselves when vacationing, studying abroad, or traveling on business.

Here are some things you can do that may help you have a safer as well as a more enjoyable travel experience.

If you are traveling, or on vacation, your best protection is to understand the local culture and customs of the country you are visiting.  What you observe when you watch how the local women behave and dress will give you valuable clues on how to avoid sexual harassment.

When the local women cover their hair and their arms and legs then you should do that also.  Don’t  wear  bikinis, swimsuits, or short shorts in towns where the local women are all covered up.  It’s prudent to dress conservatively.

Be sure to avoid direct eye contact with men as they might think you’re flirtatious.  Do not speak, smile, or wave at strange men who may smile or say hello to you.  If a man begins to follow you, cross to the other side of street.  If this tactic doesn’t work, find a policeman, or go into a store and ask for help. 

When you need to ask directions, always ask a woman.  And, if you are traveling by bus or train, you should always sit with other women.

A great idea is to always carry a versatile head scarf in your handbag just in case you need to cover your head and arms.

You may want to wear a fake wedding ring to help ward off and discourage any unwanted male advances if you are not married.

Don’t forget to wear a referee’s whistle around your neck under your blouse.  It might come in handy.

Consult guide books on the countries and areas that you are traveling to or through to give you a heads up on what to expect.  Also, carry a foreign language phrase book with you to help you communicate with people when you get there.

It’s not a good idea to wear expensive looking jewelry, watches, carrying cases digital cameras, or even designer handbags.  You don’t want to attract any muggers or robbers.  Pack a conservative outfit to wear in case you need one for certain occasions.

If you are going to travel alone, it’s better to travel light.  For one thing you will be more mobile if you aren’t loaded down with luggage.   If it’s not too small for your belongings, a wheeled, carry-on bag, or a backpack may be you best bet.  It is important to try and have one hand free at all times.  Having two hands free is even better.  You should take a shoulder bag that has a strong, wide strap that can fit over your head.  Wearing the shoulder bag in this way can help prevent a thief from grabbing the bag and running away with it.   Also, the bag should have secure, zippered pockets.

Infused with the latest facilities, impeccable services, and rejuvenating therapies, the Caribbean is the perfect spa destination. Women seeking a getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life and worries can lay back, kick off their shoes, and indulge themselves in the spas dotting the various islands.

Offering breathtaking views of the sea, the Kai en Ciel spa at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia’s Anse Chastenet Resort comprises of a boutique spa and a fitness studio. High-ceilings in the treatment rooms create an open and cool ambiance. Holistic services based on the principles of Ayurveda are offered in the spa premises or in the privacy of guest rooms.

The Coral Reef Spa at the Coral Reef Club in Barbados with its aesthetically designed multipurpose treatment rooms, shaded cabanas, and an outdoor hydro-pool set amidst landscaped gardens creates a serene ambiance. Therapies based on Mediterranean and ancient Pacific techniques using the renowned Natura Bisse line comprising local ingredients are rendered by trained personnel.

With the beach as a perfect backdrop, the spa at the 5-star Dreams Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic offers water-based treatments using signature skin care products. Guests can opt to have their treatments in the Zen gardens, beach cabanas or spa rooms.

Set atop a cliff at Caneel Bay in the US Virgin Islands, the Self Centre in Rosewood Resort renders therapies that redress the mind, body, and spirit. Incorporating Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, and Chinese therapies, they address both physical and mental fatigue and stress. Meditation therapy based on guidelines developed by Deepak Chopra and David Simon are especially popular.

The 30,000 square foot ESPA at the Palmyra Resort in Jamaica’s Montego Bay, is set amidst picturesque gardens, with indoor and outdoor areas that provide a soothing ambiance. Treatments are based on Ayurveda and philosophies from around the world. Customized therapies using signature in-house products and personalized training sessions are also offered.

Sure, vacations can be hazardous to your health: Beachgoers get sunburned, campers get poison ivy, air travelers get headaches. But stay home, as record numbers may be doing this summer, and your health could suffer much more.

 

“Vacation deprivation,” as it has been dubbed by Expedia.com, has been spreading for years as Americans’ vacations get shorter or are skipped entirely. But this year’s high travel costs, flying hassles and spooky economy may be creating a “perfect storm” that keeps people hunkered down as never before, says Geoffrey Godbey, professor emeritus in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at Pennsylvania State University.

 

(Even before the summer of $4-a-gallon gas arrived, a record-low 39% of Americans said in April that they planned a vacation trip in the next six months, says the non-profit Conference Board.)

 

The possible health toll:

 

•More heart disease and death. Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease were 20% less likely to die of any ca use and 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations, a study published in 2000 in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found.

 

 

 

•Poorer sleep. People not only sleep better during vacations, but they also keep sleeping=2 0better afterward, some studies show.

 

•More tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin, published in 2005 by researchers from the Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic.

 

“Vacation is not a frill,” says Joe Robinson, a life coach and author who founded Work to Live, a group that advocates for more leisure time.

 

But one in four American workers get no paid holidays or vacation time, a 2007 study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research showed. The average worker gets 14 paid days off but works three of those days, an Expedia survey found. That survey found Europeans also give up a few vacation days but have more to squander: 26 in Great Britain, 33 in Italy and 37 in France.

 

The vacation gap has been proposed as one reason Americans are not as healthy as Europeans.

 

Why vacation might have that power is not clear. But studies do show “people walk more, they watch TV less, they read more and they talk to each other more” while on a trip, Godbey says. Some eat better, too. And vacationers literally slow down: They stroll along the golf course instead of racing through it; they stop and taste the berries at a fruit stand instead of rushing through a supermarket.

 

Studies have to yet to show how long a vacation must be to boost=2 0health. Also unknown: the benefits of a “staycation,” in which people take time off at home. “The idea makes me cringe,” Robinson says. “If you stay home, it’s not a vacation.”

 

Cathy McCarty, the researcher who led the study of rural Wisconsin women, isn’t so sure. One friend, she says, takes off one week each summer just to garden. “That’s absolutely a vacation for him.” She is more worried about the 20% of women in her study who had no vacation in six years.

 

Godbey says he just hopes people with tight budgets will consider low-cost options — such as Tours to Africa or Mexico to beat the high euro— before staying home this summer: “The people who need a vacation most may be most likely to cancel.”

 

 

 

Have a travel question or story? E-mail robert@lojtravel.com Please include your name, city and phone number. Selected questions will be answered and stories published online.

 

 

 

READERS: When was the last time you took a vacation? Do you think time off is a matter of physical or mental health? Share your views and experiences below.