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A subscriber wrote (Dec. ’10, pg. 33) that, while visiting Amsterdam on a European tour, several members of the group purchased marijuana legally but carried it with them as the tour coach continued to more countries. One tour member obtained what the subscriber assumed were prescription pain killers and openly shared them with tour members. The subscriber also witnessed one tour member shoplift a dish towel from a sidewalk stand.
by Kimberly Edwards, Sacramento, CA
We are pleased to present, below (in random order), the winning entries to the essay contest announced in the February ’11 issue (pages 48 and 85). The topic was “I Prefer Paris” and the challenge was to communicate that in no more than 300 words.
Each winning entrant will receive a 50-dollar gift certificate for Magellan’s Travel Supplies (800/962-4943).
Barbara Glavish of Incline Village, Nevada, wrote, “Many readers have mentioned that they travel all over the world with just one carry-on bag. I do wonder how they cope with the rule prohibiting carrying greater-than-three-ounce containers of liquids, gels and pastes.* Do they carry lots of little bottles of body lotion, shampoo, face cream, toothpaste, etc? Do they purchase toiletry items on the go?
by Larry Taylor; Fullerton, California. Photos by Gail Taylor
On a 46-day cruise of Spain, Africa and the Caribbean aboard the Prinsendam of Holland America Line (Seattle, WA; 877/932-4259), we stopped in Lüderitz, Namibia. On our walking tour, we saw Goerke House, whose turreted roofs soar right out of the windswept craggy stones.
My wife and I were assigned Juan B. Padilla (mobile phone [505] 86641048 or e-mail juansinmiedo44@hotmail.com) as our guide on four days of our visit to Nicaragua, Dec. 27, 2010-Jan. 3, 2011. We were using a package of hotels and day tours purchased through Tara Tours (Miami, FL; 800/327-0080), which advertises in ITN.
My husband, Norman, and I knew we wanted to hire a tour guide to show us the major sights of Panama City in August 2010, and our trip’s best find was Alvamayita (Alva) Pinzón (cell phone 507 6676 4147 or e-mail alvamayita@yahoo.com).
My husband, Bill, and I took a great tour to Panama, “A Continent Divided, Oceans United,” with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/493-6824), April 18-May 1, 2010. A good value — the 11-day trip cost $3,495 including air from San Francisco, and a pretrip cost $595.
We saw a great deal of the country, from the skyscrapers of Panama City to the village of the Embera Indians. On a beautiful catamaran with 12 cabins, we took a three-day cruise through the canal that included overnight stops at Portobelo, Gatun Lake and Toboga Island.
My wife, Ione, and I highly recommend the 14-day “Crown Jewels of India” tour from Vantage Deluxe World Travel (Boston, MA; 800/322-6677). Land costs and internal air plus three optional tours, visa fee and optional travel insurance cost $5,760 per person.