02
Around the year AD 500, long before the Viking era began in the second half of the eighth century, a chieftain on the island of Vestvågøy, in Norway’s Lofoten Islands above the Arctic Circle, built himself a house worthy of his status.
(Part six of a series)
by Lew Toulmin
Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the United States.) There are no restrictions on length. 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 Nelson Burack of Melville, New York:
For our 10-year wedding anniversary, in October ’09, we decided to go to French Polynesia. About seven months before our arrival, I booked a garden room (the lowest in quality) for three nights at the Hilton Moorea. I used points I had accumulated for the Hilton.
Kimberly Edwards’ letter “Tips for Communicating in Japan” (Nov. ’10, pg. 12) contains a lot of good advice, much of which is applicable throughout Asia. From my own experience, I would add an additional suggestion: never ask a question that can be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
The reader’s contribution titled “Madrid, Prague & Budapest hostels” (Dec. ’10, pg. 29) confuses “hostel” with “hostal.” Hostal Gonzalo in Madrid is not a hostel; it is a hostal.
As the Lonely Planet guidebook “Spain” explains in the “Accommodation” section, “Spain’s 200 or so youth hostels, not to be confused with hostales (budget hotels)…” and “…places to stay are classified into hoteles (hotels; one to five stars), hostales (one to three stars)…”
Here are a few tips for backpackers who like adventure travel and the unknown.
If you can’t peel it, don’t eat it.
I read the letter titled “India Travel Tips” (Dec. ’10, pg. 51) and strongly disagree with most of the advice given on what not to eat and drink.
On a two-week trip my husband and I took to Scotland in August 2010, the last five days were spent in Orkney.