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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 DAVID RIEGERT of Reno, Nevada:
Being a widow and loving to travel, I sometimes have the problem of finding a suitable travel partner. I usually go with my daughter or one of two friends, but on occasion all three of them are unavailable for a trip.
A couple of years ago, after I had two trips canceled because my usual travel partners had complications, my daughter found www.leisurelinkup.com (Edgewater, MD; 410/956-3552).
On a Grand Circle Travel trip to Lapland, we saw these graves. The white “flowers” that cover them are actually lichen. — GRACE NEWMAN, Ponte Vedra, FL
I read Rick Steves’ 2007 “Scandinavia” guidebook looking for tips on transportation between Norway and Sweden. I decided to try the train, booking passage from Oslo to Stockholm (a 5-hour journey) for July ’07.
Via the Internet, from ACP Rail International (www.acprail.com) I purchased standard-class tickets for two adults for $105 per person. My son (under 12) traveled for free.
I have concerns as to the value of the State Department warnings for travelers going to certain countries. My case in point is the warning on visiting Syria. Having completed my sixth trip to Syria in March ’08, I question their advice.
The wording of the warning seems to indicate that violence and danger are a constant in Syria. From my experience, nothing could be farther from the truth.
For purchases and obtaining cash while traveling, I use www.bankofinternet.com and have for years. The senior (50+) checking account gives me 3.4% interest, free checks and an ATM card where up to $8 a month is reimbursed for fees charged by other banks.
I also use this card for point-of- sale purchases, including hotels and restaurants, because the amounts taken from my bank account are based on the daily exchange rate without the fee of 3% or more charged by most credit card companies.
I traveled to Bali, Indonesia, May 14-26, 2008, and the island of the gods remains one of the cheapest destinations on the planet, just the opposite of my trip to Iceland and Norway last October.
I took a trip to London in July ’08 with my mother and two sons and wish to highly recommend the area around Earls Court tube station both for restaurants and for the accessibility to Heathrow from there. There are a number of 3-star hotels in the area, as well.
We enjoyed our stay at the Best Western Burns Hotel (1826 Barkston Gardens; www.burnshotel.co.uk). A hot English breakfast was included in the rate of £98 (near $183) for a double room. This was a pay-ahead, nonrefundable rate; the walk-in rate was £165 per double.
by Roger Canfield, Contributing Editor
In San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the highlight, for us, was the Museum of Anthropology & History (corner of 3a Avenido and 4a Calle N.O. — open 9-4 Monday-Saturday and 9-3 Sunday; closed Tuesday. Admission, HNL10 [near 50¢]). Many of the exhibits bore captions in English. A few blocks away from the museum was Guamalito Market, with many opportunities to purchase crafts and souvenirs. — GENE McPHERSON, Sturgis, SD