“Travel writer’s life not that glamorous, says Dena Kaye”
Wisconsin State Journal – Feb. 7, 1982
By: Victoria McGlothren (of the State Journal)
Before beginning her talk Saturday at the Inn on the Park, journalist and world traveler Dena Kaye addressed everyone’s premiere curiosity.
When looking at the only child of entertainer Danny Kaye and composer Sylvia Fine, most people see these famous parents first. Before 700 members of the Madison Civics Club, Ms. Kaye cleared the air in order to move on to her own area of expertise.
“My father said to me once, ‘People are going to ask you a lot of questions about me, and you must decide how you are going to answer them.’”
Her answer is sheer grace and aplomb spiced with wit.
“I am proud to be their child,” Ms. Kaye said, “because they encouraged me and they are terrific. My interest in travel makes it obvious that I am their child. My father, as many of you know, traveled extensively for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). He used to come home and teach me folk songs in Japanese and Afrikaans, which is the language of South Africa.”
Ms. Kaye said she began her career as a journalist with the “Saturday Review” where she was assistant travel editor.
“It’s not as glamorous as you might think. You might be sent to Rio de Janeiro for a day and a half to cover the opening of some hotel. If you came back with a tan, everyone knew you hadn’t been working.”
Ms. Kaye, author of “The Traveling Woman,” described her recently published book as a practical guide to travel.
“Whatever any of you think about the women’s movement—and God knows I’m not a bra-
Ms. Kaye named Italy, India, Iran and China as a few of the places she has visited, and cited the language barrier as a primary concern among American travelers. She pointed out, though, that fear and embarrassment are the real barriers.
“I am not proud. I will make every grammatical error in order to communicate. You can’t worry about verbs when it’s late and you need a hotel. I always take a phrasebook with me. I study it, and use it, and I don’t care if I look silly. It works.”
A problem peculiar to women traveling solo is dinner in a good restaurant. She said the belief that women are not taken seriously in fine establishments could be remedied by dining sans briefcase and books.
“If you decide to eat in a good restaurant, make it an event. Dress up and don’t arrive with your books and post cards. Call ahead, and make reservations. Let them know you will be dining alone, and are interested in a fine meal. Women often say they don’t get good service in restaurants, but they arrive with briefcases, so it looks as though they are interested in work, not food.
“There is nothing wrong with doing nothing. We seem to be programmed to be doing something every minute. That’s just crazy.”
When asked about safety, Ms. Kaye pointed out the difference between fears real and imagined, the latter being the belief that travel is necessarily dangerous for women.
“Common sense is your best protection. Don’t walk around in areas you think might not be safe. If you are alone in a strange city, visit the local tourist office. They can tell you where you can safely go and where you cannot.”
Ms. Kaye added that conservative clothes are an important safety feature for women travelers.