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Women travel so very differently from men

By STEVE HUETTEL, Road Life
Published January 9, 2008

Aneighbor guy and I packed up four kids, three scooters, in-line skates and bottled water for the trip to Tampa's Al Lopez Park, figuring we were good to go. Not two minutes after we parked, my 9-year-old daughter wiped out on the sidewalk. Water worked well for washing her scraped knee, but wasn't the level of first aid expected of supposedly responsible parents. A mom, likely suppressing a "duh," offered Band-Aids from the kit in her minivan. So, I was reminded again of a fundamental truth:

Women travel so very differently from men.

They generally bring more things out of necessity, comfort and style, on trips short and long. But it's not just about stuff.

Seasoned women business travelers hone routines to stay safe in unfamiliar places. Many arm themselves for battle with germs in airports, planes and hotel rooms. Some observe rules of etiquette foreign to many men.

Here are a few observations and tips from frequent-flier friends - female and male - and participants in the women travelers forum of the FlyerTalk.com, the authoritative and chatty travel Web site.

In the Bag. Female road warriors are carrying fewer cosmetics, lotions and fragrances. Women on business are as likely as men to fly with only a carry-on. So, they can pack only as many bottles of liquids and gels as they can squeeze into the quart-sized, government-sanctioned "freedom baggie."

But inside you'll find all sorts of things a guy would never take on a trip. Clorox wipes for hotel bathrooms. Over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, just in case. Scented candles. Blankets and pillow cases from home. And from a FlyerTalk contributor, a packable vase for flowers.

One last concern: the bag itself. Luggage that's too heavy can slow you down in a rental car lot or throw you off balance during a robbery. Which leads to ...

Safe and Sound. Security is the biggest concern for women traveling alone, and they need to be especially vigilant at hotels. If a desk clerk announces your room number at check-in, veteran travelers say, demand a new one.

Some women ask for a room above the ground floor. Those who don't feel safe entering a dark room request in advance that housekeepers leave the lights on. A friend of mine keeps the television on so anyone lurking outside might think she has company.

Don't leave a room-service tray in the hallway, warns Evelyn Hannon, editor of the Web site JourneyWoman.com, which delves into travel issues, many country-specific. That could tip off someone that you're alone.

Though not technically about safety, some women say they routinely check the hotel bed for clean sheets before climbing in. Can you imagine a guy ever doing that?

Missed Manners. A few observations from women travelers about men on the road:

When she sets aside parts of her newspaper at the airport, says Donna Murray of Tampa, men always ask before taking a section. Women just grab one, she says.

A FlyerTalk contributor called exbayern says male passengers shove her out of the way in elite-flier lines at airports because they can't believe a youngish woman could be a top-tier passenger. "I joke about wearing my 'invisible suit,' but it really does get annoying," she writes.

Another contributor to the Web site forum, a frequent flier in New York named kboo, says men in coach try to claim the armrests - no matter what seat they're in. Note: Frequent flier etiquette dictates that armrests go to the middle seat occupant.

"I don't let them. I play water polo with men and I know how to claim my space," she writes, ending with a smiley face symbol. Be careful out there guys!

Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3384.

[Last modified January 8, 2008, 22:57:41]