October 2005

I wish to add something to the readers’ excellent advice about protecting valuables (Jan. ’05, pgs. 78-79).

I read in the January ’05 issue the letter about a reader’s unfortunate experience with a purse snatcher in Barcelona (page 32) as well as the very helpful letter on protecting valuables while going through airport security (page 78). I would like to see ITN readers address the wider issue of keeping valuables safe while visiting foreign cities. Here is what we do.

My wife and I booked a transatlantic cruise on Celebrity’s Galaxy, sailing from Galveston to Civitavecchia (for Rome) in May ’05. The crossing was uneventful, we found it even boring, during the five consecutive days at sea. Except for a complete breakdown in our dining arrangements and a final billing error, the food and service on board were very good, although not up to the standards we had experienced in two previous cruises aboard their sister ship Mercury.

We cruised to Easter Island on Discovery World Cruises’ Discovery in February ’05. Dissatisfied with the excursions being offered by the ship, I arranged in advance for two half-day tours of Easter Island for our party of six. I had a list of eight sites I wanted to visit and allowed enough time to explore and photograph.

Anne Short (Box 101, Henley-on-Klip, R.S.A. 1962; phone 016 366 0603 or mobile 072 220 8325 or e-mail anneshort2003@ yahoo.co.uk) is a tour guide “extraordinaire.”

My husband, Al, and I traveled through Holland and Belgium, April 18-May 6, ’05, at the peak of the spring flower season.

Jennifer Petoff, Yardley, PA

A delightful adventure: that was what I had on the “BORNEO Adventure” from smarTours (501 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1402, New York, NY 10017; phone 800/337-7773 or visit www.smartours.com). My trip, 15 days plus a 3-day Penang extension, took place Jan. 9-26, ’04. (The 2005 price for this tour is $1,899 from Los Angeles plus $299 single supplement and $299 for the Penang extension.)

I took an 11-day trip with Overseas Adventure Travel (347 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210; phone 800/493-6824 or visit www.oattravel.com) that included six nights in a small boat traveling on the upper Amazon in Peru. It was the May 27, ’04, departure and cost $2,790 from the Southeast.

I had an excellent 9-day escorted motorcoach tour of Northern Ireland in June ’05. There were 12 in our group (the maximum number allowed on this company’s tours) in a comfortable coach with seating for 24.

The trip was run by Journey Through Ireland (Box 65229, University Place, WA 98464; phone 800/828-0826 or visit www.irelandtouring.com). The land price (from/to Dublin) was $2,599 plus $859 single supplement.

Anyone interested in specifics may e-mail me c/o ITN.

— EMILY KILLIAN, Palm Beach, FL