Informing the international traveler since 1976.
May 2005 issue.
Boarding Pass
Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 351st issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. “. . . this publication is a gold mine of information from the well traveled that could otherwise take hours to find.” That’s what E’Louise Ondash wrote in her January 20th “Hit the Road” column in North San Diego County’s The Coast News. She continued: [...]Report Cards
On ITALY, March ’05. . . • Hotel Villa Schuler (Piazzetta Bastione, Via Roma I, 98039 Taormina, Messina, Sicily, Italy; phone +39 0942 23481, fax +39 0942 23522, e-mail schuler@tao.it or visit www.villaschuler.com) — in a convenient, central location but quiet as the villa sits in its own private gated grounds. We stayed at this hotel for [...]Immersed in the diverse culture of Vietnam
by Lee Daley, Sausalito, CA On a month-long trip in Southeast Asia, we spent two weeks of December ’04 in Viet-Nam, a time of warm and balmy weather. Our trip culminated in a festive Christmas Eve celebration in Ho Chi Minh City, still colloquially called Saigon by visitors and residents. For my traveling companion, it was a [...]Better rate for large bills
While my wife, Joan, and I were in Thailand in February ’05, our guide told us that as of that month, all Thai banks charge a fee of 33 baht (near 87¢ U.S.) for each travelers’ check cashed, so it’s cheaper to carry 100-dollar checks than 20-dollar checks. For example, one bank with an exchange rate [...]On Singapore and Malaysia
• Just once in your life you owe yourself a flight on Singapore Airlines in “Raffles Class.” We flew round trip from Newark to Singapore in February ’05 on the world’s longest commercial flight. The aircraft, service and food were far, far superior to those of any flight we had previously experienced. After the flight of [...]Railpass use in Italy and France
1. On Feb. 17, ’05, we went to Gare de Lyon in Paris to activate our multi-country saverpass (seven days, four countries, two people, good for two months) and make seat reservations for travel starting on Feb. 21 to/within/from Italy and Belgium. FrenchRail (SNCF) said they will not validate passes until the actual day of travel [...]Re Icelandair gift certificates
For our 50th wedding anniversary in June ’04, my wife and I were each given a $400 gift certificate for Icelandair travel. The gift certificate says that tickets are “to be issued in exchange for any international round trip ticket on Icelandair.” The gift certificate receipts state, “$400 good for air travel on Icelandair to [...]Loire Valley waterways
Early last spring I discovered the company French Country Waterways (Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331; phone 800/222-1236 or, in MA, 781/934-2454 or visit www.fcwl.com) while reading the New York Times travel section. Not only did their 6-day canal wine trips sound very appealing but the company was offering a special. It was a discount equal [...]Kenwood House
I loved A.J. Goodhead’s letter on Kenwood House and Golders Green, etc. (Feb. ’05, pg. 81); it could have been written by my husband and me. We go there on every trip to London — not just for the fantastic collection of art, though that is indeed phenomenal, but because the grounds lend themselves to [...]Funniest thing for May
Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.) The ITN staff will choose each month’s winner, who will receive a free one-year subscription to ITN. Entries [...]The chimpanzee experience — living with primates in Uganda
by Lillie Echevarria, Livermore, CA Africa is a mysterious continent providing diversity of culture, landscape and wildlife. May ’04 marked the start of my fifth trip back. This time the focus would be on great apes and their conservation. With a frequent-flyer ticket from San Francisco to Entebbe (via London), two rolling duffel bags, three cameras, 50 [...]Wheelchair passenger concern
I was one of a group of five relatives who took a tour of Ireland and then drove around Italy in July ’04. Our flights were on Aer Lingus as well as British Air, but to get from Dublin to Venice we had to go through London, with the leg from London’s Heathrow airport to [...]Felt rental markup was excessive
My husband and I spent a week in the quaint little village of Katzenthal, Alsace, France, in a very charming, one-bedroom apartment filled with country antiques. In a superb location, less than 30 minutes from Colmar, Apartment Stewla is one of the apartments in The Vineyard House, one of several properties owned by the Klurs, a [...]AESU smooth recovery
Seeing the news item titled “Carmen in its Natural Settings” (Dec. ’03, pg. 21) prompted us to contact AESU, or American European Services Unlimited (3922 Hickory Ave., Baltimore, MD 21211; phone 800/638-7640 or visit www.aesu.com), to learn more about it. The cost for the package (three nights each in Madrid and Seville, three performances in Seville, [...]Separate credit cards recommended
Betty Patterson’s letter titled “Coping With the Red Tape of an Overseas Death” (Feb. ’05, pg. 16) was very helpful as well as disturbing. The part about cancellation of the business AmEx card prompted me to call American Express for clarification about what does happen in the case where a couple has personal cards and [...]Anticipating death overseas
I don’t know when I have been so moved by an article in ITN as I was by the one penned by Betty Patterson concerning the death of her husband (Feb. ’05, pg. 16). Not only did my feelings go out to this lady who had to confront all of the European bureaucracy, but I [...]Insured for medical evacuation
I was deeply moved when I read the letter titled “Coping With the Red Tape of an Overseas Death.” It was incredible to read about the obstacles Mrs. Patterson had to overcome after her husband’s sudden demise. I offer my sincerest condolence. I would like to add the following to Mrs. Patterson’s recommendations. Be sure you know [...]Important documents
Thanks to Betty Patterson for the description of her experiences in France when her husband died. While I thought my wife and I were well prepared with copies of our passport declarations pages, medical evacuation coverage, phone numbers, etc., upon reading her report I immediately dug out and made a copy of our wedding certificate! KENT [...]A matter of public record
My sympathies are with Mrs. Patterson on the tragic death of her husband and her subsequent ordeal with bureaucracy. However, there is one point that should be cleared up. Government officials do not ask for the original marriage license or certificate; they want a certified copy of the public record of the marriage. This is easily [...]Beautiful tent camps in Zimbabwe
We had received an offer of “Take a Companion Free” on a photo safari, “Focus on Zimbabwe,” with David Anderson Safaris (30 W. Mission St., Ste. 7, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; phone 800/927-4647, fax 805/563-7953 or visit www.focusonafrica.com or www.onsafari.info). The only requirements were to submit the names of five prospective travelers and to send [...]Victoria Falls overview
We loved Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and came away thinking there are two things you must do there: 1) attend the “Magic of Africa” show at night (then $20 per person for about 1½ hours) — outstanding — and 2) take a helicopter ride over the falls. We recommend the helicopter from the Zambia side. They [...]Exploring Brazil’s coastal towns by bus
by Jane B. Hanrahan, Woodbridge, VA Brasília, Copacabana Beach, Amazonia, Iguazú Falls: these Brazilian attractions I had enjoyed in past years. However, when I arrived in Fortaleza in November ’03, I chose to explore a central section of Brazil’s coast instead of specific points of interest. Slicing southward on a map from Fortaleza to Salvador cuts off [...]Whittle while you wait
What do you do to pass the time in an airport waiting for a flight? Have any insider tips to make the interval more pleasant? ITN asked readers those questions. Responses appear below. If you have further ideas to contribute, write to Whittle While You Wait, c/o ITN, 2120 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or [...]Internet cafés overseas — a link home
ITN printed a number of letters on the subject of using the Internet while traveling. These appeared in the October ’03 through January ’04 issues. A few more have been received since then with useful information. Here they are. On a trip to the U.K. in November ’03, in Edinburgh I noticed they had telephone kiosks [...]Accomodations Worldwide
Europe When I saw that their e-mail address was “frogetrosbif,” I knew we’d enjoy staying at La Belle Demeure (Le Bouscot, 24250 St. Cybranet, FRANCE; phone 5 53 28 57, e-mail frogetrosbif@wanadoo.fr or visit www.labelledemeure.com). “Frog” is English slang for the French, and “rosbif” is what the French call the English, so I could tell our [...]‘Czeching’ out the local language — a little goes a long way
In the cinderblock lobby of Prague’s Diplomat Hotel (Evropská 15; www. diplomatpraha.cz), my husband, Joe, was exchanging introductions with our guide, Petr, while I waited for my first foray into the Czech language to begin. I was mentally rehearsing my opening line, a difficult one to pronounce, when Joe gave me my cue: “This is [...]Hiking Hadrian’s Wall with UK Contours Walking Holidays
United Kingdom Contours Walking Holidays (Gramyre, 3 Berrier Rd., Greystoke, CA11 0UB, United Kingdom; phone +44 [0] 17684 80451 or visit www. contours.co.uk) handled the arrangements when my husband and I hiked the new Hadrian’s Wall Path from Tynemouth (on the North Sea) to Bowness on Solway Firth, April 3-11, ’04. Officially it is 84 [...]Uruguay with Elderhostel
“Uruguay’s Colorful Birds and Gracious People” was a fine trip which my husband, Don, and I took with Elderhostel (11 Ave. de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111; phone 877/426-8056 or visit www.elderhostel.org), Nov. 4-16, ’04. Though we are not serious birders, this was a chance to get away from the cities and into the countryside, primarily the [...]Japan with General Tours
I want to thank all the ITN readers who answered my “Person to Person” request for tips regarding an economical way to visit Japan. I chose General Tours (53 Summer St., Keene, NH 03431; phone 800/221-2216 or visit www. generaltours.com) and took their 9-day “Japan Sampler” tour, Sept. 18-26, ’04. Tokyo, Hakone (for Mt. Fujiyama), Osaka [...]Bhutan with Lingkor Tours & Treks
We took a most memorable 8-day tour of Bhutan in September ’04, thanks to the efforts of Lingkor Tours & Treks (P.O. Box 202, Thimphu, Bhutan; phone 975-2-323417, fax 975-2-323402, e-mail trepatsang@aol.com or visit www.lingkor.com). A Buddhist monk referred us to Lingkor and through e-mail we set up a customized itinerary with Tenga at Lingkor [...]Scotland with Rabbie’s Trail Burners
We would second the recommendation (Aug. ’04, pg. 67) of Rabbie’s Trail Burners (207 High St., Edinburgh EH1 1PE, Scotland; phone + [0] 44 131 226 3133 or visit www.rabbies. com). We took the 5-day/4-night trip which include Iona, Mull and the Isle of Skye, June 14-18, ’04, and had a wonderful experience viewing the [...]Cruising along the fjord-filled coast of Norway
by Patricia Arrigoni, Fairfax, CA It was 4:30 in the morning and I had been up since 3 a.m. My natural time clock was completely confused by the bright sunshine pouring through my cabin window, for I was in the Land of the Midnight Sun in northern Norway. It had taken me four days and four flights [...]The Turkish bath experience
The Cagaloglu Hamami (Turkish bath) is the oldest bath in Istanbul — over 300 years old — and I arrived at about 3 o’clock one afternoon in July ’04 after a day of sightseeing and shopping in the Grand Bazaar. First things first. The hamami is not a spa. It smells a little musty (think hundreds [...]Western Scotland
On a trip to lesser-known territory of the U.K, Sept. 11-24, ’04 (April ’05, pg. 16), my travels took me to western Scotland. I made the journey from Douglas, Isle of Man, to Belfast, Northern Ireland, by the Steam Packet Company fast catamaran at a prebooked fare of £14.70 (near $28). Since I had no prebooked [...]Re ‘credit hold’ on a cruise
Editor’s note: The following letter refers to the January ’05 “Cruising World” column in which Dr. Lew Toulmin wrote about a woman who, in advance of a cruise, objected to signing a document authorizing the line to put a “hold” of a certain amount on her credit card to ensure there was sufficient credit to [...]Restaurants in Turin
Travelers to Turin, Italy, who stay at the Holiday Inn Express will find a clean, modern, comfortable hotel at a reasonable price (€75, or about $97.50, per night for two, including a lavish breakfast), but it is located rather a ways from the center of town and in a neighborhood surprisingly bereft of restaurants, trattorias [...]Beauty in Burma
I was in Burma (Myanmar) in November ’04. In Pagan (now Bagan) there was a very pretty young girl selling postcards at the Ananda Temple. She was appealing and vivacious without being pushy, so I not only bought a strip of postcards but took her photograph. In the USA, a girl of similar age would have [...]The Cruising World » Cruise industry trends and how to take advantage of them
by Lew Toulmin Cruising is hot! According to the Cruise Lines International Association, or CLIA (80 Broad St., Ste. 1800, New York, NY 10004; phone 212/921-0066 or visit www.cruising.org), 2004 was a banner year for the cruise industry in terms of new builds and passenger growth. Last year, CLIA cruise lines capped a record-setting 5-year building [...]Reviewers’ Corner
“Cycle Europe, 20 Tours, 12 Countries” by Jerry Soverinsky (2004, MBI Publishing Co. ISBN 0760318697 — 400 pp., $19.95 paper). When you are motivated to spend a couple of weeks on an adventure on wheels through Europe, this is the “bible” you must take with you. How does this book differ from other guidebooks? It is [...]Travel & Health » Acute Mountain Sickness: it comes with the territory
by Dr. Larry G. Baratta Travel brochures offer dreams of pristine, idyllic settings: an azure-blue lake rimmed with tall pine trees accented by a backdrop of jagged, snowcapped summits; mountain trekkers, campers and adventurers seated at an inviting picnic spread, or a fisherman displaying a striking rainbow trout ready for the frying pan that will satisfy [...]Tips for the Solo Traveler » Catching flamenco performances in Sevilla, Spain
by Linda Ledray QUESTION: I am planning a trip to Spain in the near future. I expect I will be traveling alone, as my friends don’t travel much these days. It’s a shame. I love flamenco music and dancing — watching, that is. I just don’t feel comfortable going out to a nightclub alone but cannot [...]The Discerning Traveler » How to obtain the necessary entry visas
(First of two parts) “How can I possibly get our passports back in time?” l said to my wife, Flory. “What is the problem?” she asked. “Our cruise ship stops in five ports, each requiring its own visa, which means that I will have to send our passports to five different consulates.” “That is a predicament.” I was reminded of [...]Notes on Africa
by John Chatfield Elewana Afrika has opened three new luxury properties in TANZANIA: Arusha Coffee Lodge, Tarangire Treetops and Serengeti Migration Camp. These camps will remain small and intimate with an emphasis on personal attention, hospitality and fine dining. Arusha Coffee Lodge is a boutique-style lodge with 18 individual plantation-style villas, each with a fireplace and private [...]Focus on Archaeology » An Emirates archaeological sampler
Malaysia Airlines’ ad sounded almost too good to be true: $999 would take us halfway around the world to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s cosmopolitan capital. To that we could add as many (or as few) as we wanted of the dozens of destinations Malaysia Airlines flies to in the Far East. We’d be using Kuala Lumpur [...]Adventure Travel » Exploring and reliving ancient Israel
(Second of two parts) Reliving a day in the life of ancient Israelis Many cities around the world have touristy “old towns.” They usually have costumed “players” demonstrating traditional crafts and acting out the details of daily life from a previous era. The ones that I have visited in the U.S. attempt to recreate time capsules from [...]Far Horizons » Experiencing Santiago like a local
(Part 1 of 2 on Chile) On a visit to Chile in February 2005 I had the opportunity to stay at a friend’s apartment in Santiago and enjoy many of the lifestyle attractions experienced by locals. The apartment is located in an upmarket district of the city known as Providencia, an area of primarily highrise apartment and [...]
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