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Archive for April, 2005
Adventure Travel » Exploring and reliving ancient Israel
Adventure Travel for the Mildly Adventuresome is written by Wayne Wirtanen (First of two parts) In February ’04 I spent 10 days in Israel, and five things made unexpected impressions on me. • First, I spent a couple of days each in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem completely on my own, visiting historical sites and marketplaces without seeing any [...]Focus on Archaeology » Into Iceland’s past
by Julie Skurdenis I first made the acquaintance of Erik the Red in the fourth grade. I was intrigued by this 10th-century Viking who left the country of his birth (Norway), settled in another (Iceland), then was exiled and resettled in yet a third country (Greenland). Of course, as nine-year-olds in a far gentler time — or [...]Obtaining a second passport
“Boy, did they go through fast.” We looked with envy as the European Union passport holders whisked through Immigration, while our line inched forward in tandem with the beetle on the floor. “Maybe we should get a Dutch passport,” I said to Flory. A letter to ITN from George Nastas of Haslett, Michigan, requesting an article about [...]Travel & Health » Disaster in the Indian Ocean
The earthquake off the island of Sumatra in December 2004 left its mark on 2005. The earthquake did its own damage, but the tsunami it generated did far worse, devastating lives and land for a thousand miles around. The wave continues to ripple in other ways, in terms of damaged health and lost tourism. For those [...]New on the bookshelf
by Chris Springer, Contributing Editor “The Rivers of the Mandala: Journey into the Heart of Buddhism” by Simon Allix and Benoit de Vilmorin (2004, Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0500284954 — 112 pp., $21.95 paperback). Two young explorers, their faces weathered by the elements, gaze agog at Tibet’s Mount Kailash. This book-cover image suits a work that [...]Cruising World » The best food afloat?
I often get asked which is the best ship afloat, in terms of its food. I would love to be able to give a simple answer and award a prize. However, after reviewing my experiences afloat, communicating with ITN readers and interviewing seagoing chefs, I don’t think the answer is that easy. There are so many [...]Guide in Rome
A friend and I were in Rome for a few days during October ’04, and we want to add our recommendation for a guide to that of Dorothy Smith (Sept. ’04, pg. 94). Katie Parla (e-mail katieparla@yahoo.com) did an excellent job of guiding us through the sights we wanted to see in Rome. We avoided long [...]Cost of medications
Did you know that prescription drugs are sometimes less expensive than over-the-counter versions? As I searched in the pharmacy for Imodium® 2mg, an over-the-counter antidiarrheal agent that every traveler carries, I was flabbergasted by its cost. Not only would I have to pay its inflated price, I also would have to fork over the 8.8% sales [...]Former leadfoot
I found out that many brands of shoes have a steel plate in them which sets off the alarm at airport security stations. I now wear shoes with no plates. At the end of 2004 I went through three airports in one month with no problems! JEAN CATER Dover, NJSpeeding up security checks
In response to the request for suggestions on how to make airport security lines move along quicker (Nov. ’04, pg. 4), here are some that I have found useful: Think about what you will need to do in advance. Arriving at the checkpoint and then acting surprised at the security requests is unnecessary unless you are [...]
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