“It’s porn for women -- he’s naked, and loading the dishwasher.” (Follow with peals of laughter from everyone at our table.)
This is a line from our recent women’s travel group in the San Juan Islands. While it’s not typical for our guests to carry nude shots of their honey on their camera, it certainly IS normal to find a group of women all laughing around the dinner table!
Adventurous Wenches on the San Juan Ferry
In the past few years, women’s travel has become a burgeoning segment of the travel industry. More and more women are flocking to tours that are organized specifically for the fair sex. But who does this? And why?
Solo travelers find such groups ideal. It’s easier, safer, and more fun, than going alone. The number of adult women in the US who are single is now greater than the number that are married, for the first time in history. Many of these women want to travel, and why let the lack of a husband stop you? Of course you could go by yourself, but a lot of women don’t feel comfortable, or don’t enjoy, traveling alone. And if you burst out laughing when you’re dining at a table for one, others in the restaurant may look at you oddly!
You never know when you'll meet a penguin ...Patagonia
Divorced women. Just because you don’t have a husband to travel with doesn’t mean you can’t go! In fact, quite the contrary. Often, through the married years, a woman finds that she does what her husband wants. Now, moving into a new single life, she’s free to do the things she’s always longed to do. Greek Islands, here I come!
Widows. No matter how happy the marriage was (or wasn’t), you’re making a new life on your own. Getting out and seeing the world with a group of women is a great way to do that. You may be able to travel with your niece, but it’s funny how often relatives expect you to pay their way, too...
Married women. Lots of couples don’t share the same ideas about vacations, and this is a way you can both feel good about separate vacations. Perhaps you’ve been dreaming of Italy, but he only gets excited about vacations with fishing rods. That’s OK -- now you can be admiring Michelangelo’s David, while he’s admiring a halibut.
Single women. If you’ve ever been the lone single person on a group tour full of couples, you know what it’s like to be the odd woman out. And maybe you’re not looking to meet Roy from Sheboygan on a singles cruise -- you don’t want a mate, you just want a good vacation!
Girlfriend getaways are another big area. Take some good friends, and head out for a women-only trip where you can all let your hair down, and enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes this is the best way to talk about the things that really matter. Other times, it’s all about the laughs -- nothing serious about it!
Distant friends. College roommates from years ago, who meet up every summer. Sisters who live across the country from each other, but manage a few days together now and then. Getaways like this are a fabulous way to keep those important connections alive.
The girls. So you already live in the same town -- you can still use a getaway. Leave the families at home for a couple of days, while you head out with best friends for a spa weekend. It’s wonderfully restorative, and not just because of that hot rock massage!
Mother - daughter. If you want to see your mom in a new light, try a vacation with her, and spend some time when she’s not trying to keep everybody happy at a big family gathering. My mom came on our Costa Rica trip, and I loved seeing her adventurous side -- she even did the zip-line!
The fact is that the atmosphere on a women’s trip is different. The conversations are different. There’s camaraderie and not competition.
As our kayaking guide said, “Women’s groups do fine, but sometimes couples… They’re supposed to be on vacation, enjoying the kayaking, but they’re just squabbling the whole time out there.” Who needs it? Maybe a women’s tour is in your future!
Hiking Sedona
Deanna Keahey founded Adventurous Wench to help women explore the world and have fun. You’ll find their women’s tours at www.AdventurousWench.com.
We welcome Deanna to Connections For Women and look forward to collaborating with her in the future.
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