wanderlust and lipstick Newsletter - February, 2007
Dear Traveler,
I’ve just returned from a fabulous month in India. No surprise that it was filled with memorable events and activities including eating some of the best food on the planet (idli, dosas and thali), visiting over-the-top architectural sites built by kings and emperors and listening to explosive farts from men sharing our sleeper train cabin on long overnight trips (I didn’t say all the memories were great).
It’s good to be home to a reliable hot shower (yes, madam, there is 24-hour hot water - not), fresh air and sidewalks free of rickshaw drivers and shopkeepers vying for my business. Despite the comforts of home, I was very sad to leave India behind.
If you didn’t keep up with my trip while I was away, fear not, you can still read all about it on my two blogs found on my personal website and on the Seattle Post Intelligencer website.
In other news, my book, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, has been garnering media attention while I’ve been away. Here’s what Foreword Magazine had to say:
With her persuasive tone, Whitman could convince an agoraphobe to consider a trek to the pyramids or the Great Wall of China. In addressing fears, she’s less a cheerleader than a wise guide, calmly smoothing anxieties as she goes.”
Look for more reviews and highlights in forthcoming issues of Seattle Magazine, travelgirl Magazine and Transitions Abroad. Beginning in April, I will be speaking and doing author signings at numerous locations in the Pacific Northwest including Wide World Books & Maps, REI, Third Place Books, The Savvy Traveler in Edmonds and Elliott Bay Books.
You can order your autographed copies of Wanderlust and Lipstick directly through me by downloading a PDF order form.
Share the Love
Forward this newsletter to your travel-loving friends so they, too, can stay updated on travel issues and information for women.
Each monthly newsletter contains recommendations for a travel book, world music, a movie recommendation and perhaps a word or two of wisdom from the road.Book Recommendation
From the Land of Green Ghosts, a Burmese Odyssey by Pascal Khoo Thew. It took me awhile to get into this book, perhaps because of the author’s non-native English or perhaps because the content was simply so foreign to me. About a third of the way through, however, the book picked up and became a fascinating memoir from this refugee, the first Burmese tribal villager to graduate from Cambridge. What makes this such a heart-wrenching tale is that Khoo Thwe’s experiences in Burma are not unusual and are certainly not “history”, meaning that the Burmese are as repressed by the government today as they were when he was growing up there in the 70’s and 80’s.
World Music
Today by Raul Malo. Frontman for the Mavericks, a Miami-based “country” band (they seem far more Tex-Mex to me), this album is Raul’s first solo effort. He’s got the velvetiest smooth voice of any singer and he shows it off fabulously on this CD. From the Latin swing tune that’s the album’s title song to the fun-loving “I Said I Love You” (I didn’t mean to), every song is a hit and will get you chair dancing in no time at all. Viva la Malo!
World Film
The Queen starring Helen Mirren. An impressive take on the Queen’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death nearly ten years ago. What was so startling to me was the complete disconnect between the Queen and “the people”. As an American, it’s difficult for me to imagine the strict and vast class lines that are so well portrayed (albeit sadly) in this movie. The acting was well done and the movie well paced with footage of Diana as herself.
Hot Travel Tip
The best item that I purchased during the India trip was a combination lock. Many hotel room doors could only be locked from the outside by using a clunky lock and key provided by the hotel. A metal bar held two half doors together and the lock slipped through a clasp and ring, securing the door. Notices at the hotel reception desks recommended using your own lock to prevent theft by hotel employees, this included even mid-range hotels, not just backpacker lodging. A combination lock was the perfect answer. No key to carry and no worries that the hotel staff would enter uninvited.
All the Tea in China Tour
I am very excited to announce a tour I’ll be leading to China through World Trade & Exchanges. Come join me on this cultural exchange which will focus on the growing tea industry. This is an exclusive opportunity to meet with tea professionals, partake in tea ceremonies at local tea shops, source and purchase unique teas and see iconic cultural sites such as the Great Wall. Space is limited. For more details, please email me at beth at forwomentravelingsolo dot com.
New Subscribers
If this email was forwarded to you, don’t miss next month’s issue. Subscribe by emailing newsletter at forwomentravelingsolo dot com or use the easy submit form on my home page.
Til next month,
Happy Travels!
Beth