Columns

by Sandra Scott

In Thailand, at the mere mention of the name Chef Yingsak, people break into a smile. The flamboyant chef, owner of the Thai & International Food Academy (1004 Rama III Road, Bangpongpang, Yannawa, Bangkok, 10120, Thailand; phone +66 [0] 2682-7644, e-mail center@yingsakfood.com), is the best-known chef in Thailand and hosts his own TV cooking show.

Friends in Thailand had recommended Chef Yingsak’s school, so when my husband, John, and I were in Thailand in...

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by Philip Wagenaar (Last of nine parts)

In the June ’11 issue, I recounted our entry into Oman, which my wife, Flory, and I visited in November 2009 as part of our ’round-the-world tour. In this issue, I continue relating our experience in Oman, where our touring arrangements were all-inclusive of hotels, vehicle and driver/guide.

Muscat to Sur

After two more round trips, with Muscat as our base, we left on our fourth day for Sur, a city in the northeast. Rath ser than...

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by Rick Steves

Tracking down decent public toilets in Europe can be frustrating. I once dropped off a tour group in a town for a potty stop, and when I picked them up 20 minutes later, no one had had any luck. Most European countries are short on public restrooms, but I can teach you how to sniff out a biffy in a jiffy.

If you ask for a “restroom” or “bathroom,” you’ll get no relief. Instead, say “toilet” or “WC” (short for “water closet”). These terms are direct, simple and...

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by Julie Skurdenis (Second of two parts)

I traveled with my husband, Paul, on a private tour of the three Caucasus countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia in May/June 2010. Last month I wrote about the top archaeological site visited in Azerbaijan and in Georgia and selected a handful of other highlights in each country as well. Armenia remains.

In Azerbaijan, the archaeological site selected was a mountainous area riddled with caves containing petroglyphs. In Georgia it...

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by Randy Keck (Third of three parts, go to part one or part two)

The final portion of my February-March 2011 exploration of Kenya and Tanzania began with a drive from Ngorongoro Crater to Olduvai Gorge, where Mary and Louis Leakey painstakingly excavated the remains of some of the first humans to ever walk the Earth in an upright position. Many of their fascinating finds are on display at a small museum overlooking the gorge.

We continued on to the Serengeti, Tanzania’s...

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Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 424th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.

The US Department of Transportation has strengthened airline passengers’ protections, or “rights,” in several small ways. The new rules for the airline industry were announced on April 20, with most changes to take effect 120 days later, around Aug. 20. Here’s a rundown.

• Airlines now will have to include all government taxes and fees in every advertised price. This applies mainly...

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by Lew Toulmin

I never thought I was prone to motion sickness until I sailed on a brigantine from Fiji to Vanuatu, in the so-called “Pacific” Ocean, in 2003. The highly experienced New Zealand crew strongly recommended I take the antiseasickness pill Stugeron. They said that, over a period of 10 years on that tall ship, this medication had worked best for the most crew and passengers, with the fewest side effects.

I was reluctant to take anything but finally obeyed orders just...

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by Philip Wagenaar, M.D. (Part eight of a series)

In the March 2011 issue, I described the Indian tribal markets that my wife, Flory, and I visited as part of our ’round-the-world tour. This month, I continue with a story about our travels in Oman.

Before checking in with Oman Air in Mumbai, India, we had thrown away the few sleeping pills we normally carry, as the Omani website listed them as prohibited imports and made it clear we could be jailed or deported if the drugs were...

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