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FROM THE EDITOR — Several months ago, Kathy Wilhelm of Cary, North Carolina, wrote, “I was very surprised by the reader’s recommendation that others ‘be prepared to spend $300-$400 per person in tips, not including the tip to the tour director, on a smarTours trip to China (“Notes from Visit to China,” June ’10, pg. 48).
by Lois Edwards, Greensboro, NC
It was easy to pick out our driver/guide, Anton Prole, at the arrivals area of Gatwick airport. He was the epitome of a proper British gentleman — ramrod-straight posture, perfectly trimmed moustache and beard, knife-sharp creases in his trousers and a twinkle in his eye.
As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 31 destinations: Saudi Arabia, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Mauritania, Chad, Central African Republic, Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Iraq, Burundi, Philippines, Nigeria, Yemen, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Mexico, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Afghanistan, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Mali, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Niger, Georgia, Algeria, Kenya and Somalia.
For details, call the State Department at 202/647-5225 or visit www.travel.state.gov.
As in the previous winter, many airports throughout Western Europe were closed and thousands of flights were grounded, Dec. 19-22, as storms brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures. France, Germany and the UK were the hardest hit, with stranded travelers sleeping in airports.
Trains, buses and cars also were unable to run because of ice and snow. Hundreds of people were stuck on trains between London and northeast England when power lines were damaged.
In Athens, strikes by unions, in particular the transportation unions, caused chaos in December. A few demonstrations turned violent, with clashes between hundreds of youths and security forces. Protesting the severe austerity measures in the 2011 budget, unions are seeking concessions and have vowed more strikes and protests in Greece.
Shark attacks are rare, but at Sharm el-Sheikh resort on the Red Sea, a 70-year-old German woman was killed and four other tourists were injured in November and early December in three attacks by at least two species of sharks.
Egyptian authorities allowed the beaches to reopen after resorts instituted watch stations to monitor the coast plus speedboat patrols, designated areas for swimmers and a ban against feeding sharks.
On Java, Indonesia, the Mt. Bromo volcano continues to spew ash and rumble, with more eruptions possible. The ash has caused periodic closures at airports.
Israel’s worst wildfire in over 60 years broke out on Dec. 2, charring 12,300 acres in the Carmel forest area, near Haifa, taking over five million trees and killing at least 40 people before being brought under control on Dec. 12. Sixteen nations, including Cyprus, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, sent crews and aircraft to help fight the fire.
In Saudi Arabia, the last major terrorist attack directed against foreign nationals took place in 2007. Since then, the security environment throughout the Kingdom has greatly improved, particularly in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, but travelers are reminded of the ongoing threat due to the continued presence of terrorist groups, who may target Western interests.
Because the Basilica of Suyapa in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, has been the site of numerous armed robberies and thefts, in October the US Embassy told its officials and their families that they could visit the basilica only with organized tour groups that provide armed security.