July 2010

The Angel Hotel (15 Cross St., Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales, NP7 5EN, U.K.; phone 01873-857121) is a great hotel located in the market town of Abergavenny. My wife, Rose, and I were introduced to the Angel by our English friends Betty and Alan Madden, who stayed with us there in May ’09.

On a custom tour our family took to Panama in June-July ’09 (Oct. ’09, pg. 32 & Nov. ’09, pg 31), we stayed in BOQUETE at Finca Lérida (P.O. Box 0413-00146, Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama; phone/fax +011 [507] 720-2285), a small hotel on a gorgeous coffee plantation on the mountainside outside of town. Although the hotel was outside the city, a taxi to/from town cost only $5.

“The Flying Sauna” was what we dubbed the 16-seat puddle jumper that flew us from Belize City to Placencia. My mother, brother and three-year-old nephew, Daniel, and I were on the last leg of the flight that began our 8-day vacation in Belize, April 21-30, 2010.

We’d flown from San Francisco to Houston to Belize City. Now, en route to Placencia, everyone was sweating inside the hot, humid interior of the plane, but we enjoyed gorgeous views of the blue waters of the Caribbean and the lush, green, tropical landscape of Belize.

My husband, Bernard, and I were part of a 15-member “Iraqi Kurdistan” tour in October ’09 with Distant Horizons (Long Beach, CA; 800/333-1240). The land price for the 12-day/11-night trip was $5,860 per person.

For Barbara Johnson of Sierra Vista, Arizona, ITN printed her plea for names of companies offering overseas tours geared to active octogenarians and nonagenarians (Jan. ’10, pg. 56 & April ’10, pgs. 32 & 69). Barbara wrote, “I’m an 84-year-old, healthy, active woman, and I would love to know about tours that cater to those about my age who are well traveled and always eager to learn more.

by Joyce Bruck, Ocean Ridge, FL

In regard to Rick Steves’ article on shopping and souvenirs (April ’10, pg. 63), I would like to add my favorite souvenirs.

To keep clothing smelling fresh on a long trip, place opened bars of soap throughout your suitcase or intersperse scented fabric-softener sheets throughout the clothing items.

In Delhi, India, I recommend the splendid Spice Route Restaurant in the Imperial Hotel (Janpath, New Delhi 110001, India; phone +91 11 2334 1234). The venue itself is like visiting an art gallery.

We were there in January ’09 and the Thai food was outstanding. It was a little on the expensive side for India but well worth it.

JUDIE KESSON

Coronado, CA

An Express Lunch at The Spice Route costs INR2,000 (near $47) per person.

I spent six weeks traveling in India in February-March ’10 (June ’10, pg. 27). Here are some tips based on that experience.