Servas – My Favorite Organization Ever
Excerpt Reprinted with permission from “Female Nomad and Friends” by Rita Golden Gelman. Copyright © 2010. Published by Three Rivers Press/Crown Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. BUY IT HERE
Being a part of Servas is like having family all over the world. It’s actually better than family. People join Servas because they want you to visit them when you are in their country. Not always the case with family. Read more
Venus Adventures is a NZ and Swiss based company which focuses on women travellers. They can help you organise your own custom trip (mixed or women-only) to Morocco! Read more
Mary “Mumbi” Kariuki has been guiding on the trails of Mt. Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and other East African mountains for 8 years – and she’s not over the hill yet. In 2001 Mary officially became the first, and only, rated female guide serving these mountains. Before she was a guide, Mary worked her way through the ranks as all African guides should have, as a porter.
Julie of Venus Adventures for women reports that that Emirates has released a special deal for those who live Down Under and who yearn for a trip to Morocco…
“Emirates have released an early bird special for sales in NZ until the 17th of December 2009. For your Morocco trip, a fare ex Auckland would be $2310 including taxes.”
Probably similar deals for Ozzies too …
So what to do now? If you are interested in the Venus Adventures for women 18 day Morocco trip starting 2 April 2010, please let me know asap so we can get you booked and looking forward to an exotic holiday. The sooner I know numbers, the better, so I can get info out to everyone.
Morocco is fabulous – I have did it last year and it is fabulously memorable - from the food, to the shopping, to the Sahara, the Atlas mountains, the people and the old cities of Marrakech and Fes!
Just do it….
Julie Paterson from Venus Adventures travel for Women writes:
Salam from Morocco!
Well, we have just completed another 14-day extravaganza of Morocco and thought you might enjoy a few photos!
Highlights of the trip were riding camels across the orange dunes of the Sahara whilst the sun set in the distance and then sleeping under an African sky, hiking up into the Atlas mountains to stay in the basic home of a Berber family and see how they live, experiencing the old medinas of Fez and Marrakech, meeting lots of friendly locals including Nezha who is a Moroccan 5W member (5W = Women Welcome Women Worldwide, an international hosting network) who lives in Fez and joined us for dinner one night. It was great to meet Nezha, who is an English teacher at the American school in Fez, and to learn more about Moroccan life from her. Read more
I got sent this advice from a travel company in Morocco, having been there, I thought most of it made a lot of sense. Source of Advice
My recommendation would be to join a small group tour – the best way to explore, be safe and have fun. Check out this calendar for tours for women to Morocco
In Morocco, male/female relationships are patterned differently than in western countries because gender roles are much more fixed. Family is the center of life in Morocco therefore it is not surprising that each sex has expectations that tie-in with raising children.
Females in Morocco are not discriminated against, however, upon reaching puberty (especially in small cities and villages) they are often separated with the intention of making sure that they stay virginal and to better prepare them for motherhood. In Morocco, getting married is considered one of the most important times in a woman’s life. Read more
Picture yourself swilling wine in a hot tub at the end of an invigorating day’s bush hike, or relaxing in a country pub having biked the classic Otago Rail Trail, or taking a dip in the turquoise waters of the glorious Abel Tasman after sea kayaking to a golden beach…
do these things sound like something you would like to experience? Well, read on, because your prayers have finally been answered!
As busy women we often have a myriad of (often feeble) excuses why we don’t do things for ourselves. But let’s face it: there is never an excuse good enough for not doing something positive for yourself – like taking a well-deserved short break somewhere!
Venus Adventures – Trips for Women – is now offering a range of short breaks within New Zealand (and Europe) for women who, well, just need a break! The breaks include anything from culture to adventures, and are always a lot of fun, and the website is a one-stop shop for short breaks for women.
The idea behind women-only trips is to help women escape their everyday roles and routines as busy mums, wives or workers, and to get away with the girls and have some fun!
“More and more women are realizing the importance of getting away from it all and letting someone else do all the organizing for a change”; says Julie Paterson, founder and owner of Venus Adventures Trips for Women. “Women naturally bond and network easily. Doing a trip which gets you out of your comfort zone a little is easier in a supportive women’s group. It’s a great environment in which to try new things. But, depending on the trip, we also indulge in fun things like spas and a little retail-therapy! Age also doesn’t matter as long as the spirit is there!”
All you have to do is get yourself to the trip starting point and all the rest is taken care of. So what are you waiting for? Your next adventure is just a mouse click away…for more information visit www.shortbreaksforwomen.com.
By Julie Paterson
Venus Adventures – Trips for Women
www.venusadventures.travel
www.shortbreaksforwomen.com
Haggling for rugs
OK, so have found yourself in a fabulous Arab bazaar in some hot, sandy and exotic country. It is a maze of twisting alleyways crammed with people and intriguing shoplets selling bright and alluring handicrafts: colourfully decorated carpets, lamps, clothes, leather and metalware.
Trapped in shopping heaven, you almost pass out with excitement. Sweet, musky incense wafts through the air, and as you saunter along in the heat, handsome swarthy men try to entice you into their shops with cheesey one-liners “Madame, can I ask you something…?” Read more
Have just been searching You Tube for Women travel pieces – and discovered this YouTube Channel – Women Travel for for Peace,
Women Travel for Peace brought five intrepid women to Senegal to work with local farming women. Together we built a well for the women’s farming plot. As a result of our contribution, the local women now have water year-round to farm their crops, and they are able to work a shorter workday. When you work 365 days a year under the African sun, a shorter workday makes a vast difference.
The latest from Venus Adventures Tours for Women – Ethiopia
I am just back from a quick trip to Germany where I went to meet up with Firew Ayele, our Ethiopian guide. Firew is an intelligent, interesting man, who is passionate about his country and people – it is a privilege to have him on a trip, and anyone who meets and spends time with him is usually deeply impressed.
Read more
