May 2004

My two adult daughters and my wife and I returned from three magnificent weeks in Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), Vietnam (Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City) and Cambodia (Siem Reap and Angkor) on Jan. 19, ’04.

Initially, we contacted several travel companies with a desired general itinerary; however, eventually we had our tour set up by Phuong Chi of All Asia Travel Company (274 Cong Quynh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; e-mail allasia@hcm.fpt.vn).

I would like to commend a tour company that “stepped up to the plate” when plans went awry.

I always have Adventure Center (1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryville, CA 94608; phone 800/228-8747) arrange my air tickets when I book air and land together; it may cost me a few bucks more, but it is well worth it!

As I was traveling last year for 10 months, Adventure Center had to fax me in New Zealand when my upcoming tours (air too!) to Bhutan and Nepal were canceled. When there are any changes or cancellations on the air tickets, Adventure Center takes care of these at no cost to me.

I enjoyed reading Dr. Wagenaar’s account of his journey on the Blue Train through South Africa (March ’04, pg. 99). One fact which may be of importance to ITN readers, however, is that the Blue Train apparently can cancel its train journeys at any time. This happened to my wife and me, who were scheduled to begin a Blue Train journey from Cape Town to Pretoria June 21, ’02.

During a trip in Japan, I rode on Haruka train No. 7 from Kyoto to Osaka Kansai Airport on the rainy morning of Oct. 13, ’03. The train stopped at Hinero Station. I saw everyone get off the train and I got off too, however my intended destination was the airport.

Have you ever wondered if you really got a full tank of gas when you left the airport rental car parking area? Our recent experience with Avis at Milan, Italy’s, Malpensa airport is a classic case in point.

For a trip to Kangaroo Island, Australia, in October ’03, I rented a car for three days from Hertz. Booked for pickup on Oct. 4 and dropped off on Oct. 6, it was part of a package deal with Emu Airways (General Aviation Terminal, Kel Barclay Ave., Adelaide Airport, S.A. 5950, Australia; phone 08-8234-3711 or visit www.emuair.com.au).

by Lei Chatfield, Contributing Editor

Imagine: nomadic yurts, incredibly beautiful tiled mosques, medieval architecture and an ultramodern city created by a dictator “president” with portraits of him and his family at every turn. This mosaic is Central Asia.

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 or Mexico.) 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 JOHN LUDEMANN of Palm Desert, CA: