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 not chosen cannot be acknowledged.
This month’s winner is RUTH ERICKSON of Arlington, Virginia:
Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 349th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. With this issue, ITN begins its 30th year of publication.
After spending three months trying to put together a 3-week trip to Turkey, I was ready to throw in the towel. It seemed there was a choice of either packaged tours or backpacking but little in between. I knew I wanted a car and driver (but did not want to pay the small fortune I was being quoted — it would be cheaper to take my own car at those rates) and knew most of the places I wanted to see, but I was having severe difficulty putting it all together.
We are extremely interested in history and enjoy visiting different cultures. In August ’04 we visited Bulgaria. After spending 10 days in this largely unknown jewel of the Balkans, we wanted to tell our friends that Bulgaria has everything anyone would expect for a perfect vacation.
Our trip was planned by Balkan Travel & Tours in New York City (phone 888/763-4288 or 212/594-9000 or visit www.balkan-travel.com). It cost $1,115 per person, with additional airfare from LOT Polish Airlines of about $740.
Many years ago I took my first trip with a travel company (which shall remained unnamed) and learned some hard lessons. It was a frustrating and expensive process, but it did pave the way for many other successful trips with very few unpleasant surprises.
As a single female traveler, I initially ask the tour operator questions on three subjects.
Les Gains bed-and-breakfast (home of Diana and Kit Wordsworth, 61310 Survie, Exmes, Normandy, FRANCE; phone 0033 [0] 2 33 36 05 56, e-mail
The Black Sea has always interested us, so in May ’04 my husband, John, and I flew from London to Istanbul to join the ship Minerva II for a cruise called “Grand Baroque to Grand Bazaar,” May 22-June 5.
The plane had been chartered by the ship line, Swan Hellenic Cruises (U.S. office at 631 Commack Rd., Ste. 1-A, Commack, NY 11725; phone 877/219-4239). We like visiting London so didn’t mind the added airfare and overnight hotel.
by Rob Sangster, Nova Scotia
On GREECE, December ’04. . .
Dear Globetrotter:
Welcome to the 348th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine.