Travel Briefs

May 2009 issue | Appears on page 79

Rome carriage ban

The City Council of Rome voted March 4 to ban horse-drawn carriages on streets in the city center except on weekends. Monday to Friday, the city’s 44 botticelle (carriages) will be permitted to work in public parks such as the Borghese Gardens.

The city had attempted to regulate working conditions for the approximately 90 carriage horses, including mandating a 30-minute break after each trip and no work 1-5 p.m. during the hot months of June-September. These conditions were “routinely...

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May 2009 issue | Appears on page 79

Feejee Experience

In Fiji, the tour company Feejee Experience (Fiji International Airport, Nadi, Fiji; phone +679 672 5950 or 672 3311, fax 672 0097, www.feejeeexperience.com) offers hop-on, hop-off bus itineraries to take at one’s own pace.

A minimum number of nights of accommodation are provided, and extras can be purchased at a discount. Each itinerary includes some meals, guided tours, cultural events and activities such as rafting. The basic pass is good for 12 months from purchase date.

...

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May 2009 issue | Appears on page 80

Flight crews’ travel guide

The “SAS Crew Guide 2009” is filled with tips from flight attendants and crews of Scandinavian Airlines System, Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, TAP, bmi and LOT Polish Airlines. It includes the best places to eat, drink, shop and relax in 32 cities on five continents.

It costs €15 (including postage worldwide) and can be purchased from the SAS Group AB (SE-195 87 Stockholm, Sweden) or online at http://p1qs017.futurize.net.

May 2009 issue | Appears on page 80

Crocosaurus Cove

In Darwin, Australia, Crocosaurus Cove (58 Mitchell St.; phone +61 8 8981 7522, www.crocosauruscove.com) tells guests to bring shorts or swimsuits and swim in the separate pool alongside the croc enclosure. Entry, AU$28 (near US$18) adult, AU$22 senior, AU$16 child (4-14).

But to get up close, they offer the Cage of Death, a transparent acrylic cage in which up to two participants are suspended above a saltwater crocodile enclosure and slowly lowered in for a stay of about 15 minutes...

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May 2009 issue | Appears on page 91

Deals in Germany

In Berlin, admission to museums is free on Thursdays four hours before closing. In Düsseldorf, you can take a one-hour Rhine cruise for $8; visit http://stadtfuehrungen.duesseldorf-tourismus.de.

The German National Tourism Office (New York, NY; 212/661-7200, www.cometogermany.com) offers more money-saving touring tips on its website.

Its webpage “Saving $$$ in Germany” lists itineraries that include hotel and meals for $100 per day or less. Also find cost-saving ideas, like the...

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May 2009 issue | Appears on page 91

Nohi Bus

Nohi Bus (www.nouhibus.co.jp/english), which serves Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Takayama, Japan, has translated its website into English. The line runs express buses from city to city and regional buses to smaller towns and tourist attractions. The website shows route maps, timetables and fares.

May 2009 issue | Appears on page 91

Travel toesocks

The Travel Performance Toesock from Injinji provides light compression (to prevent deep-vein thrombosis) and has antimicrobial silver microfibers to prevent odor and a moisture-wicking fiber to keep feet dry. The design separates toes to decrease the likelihood of blisters and to allow more natural walking over uneven terrain. From www.injinjistore.com, the socks cost $24.95 plus $7.45 shipping.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

Waterford Crystal closes

The Waterford Crystal factory in Waterford, Ireland, closed on Jan. 30, 2009. The company is looking for a buyer or financing. Workers at the factory staged a sit-in protest over the closure.

When it was open, more than 300,000 visitors a year took the factory tour. Strangely, at press time, the Waterford website (www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com) did not indicate the closure.