Travelers' Intercom
Guide in Israel
On a tour to Israel with Overseas Adventure Travel, Sept. 2-16, 2008, we had a guide named Marina Schiff (Jerusalem; cell phone 00972 52 3056467, Skype marina.ergas.schiff or e-mail maschiff@gmail.com).
LEGOLAND Village family hostel
My 7-year-old son, George, was, in his own words, “really into LEGO.” Knowing he would be a little boy for only a little while longer, my husband, Skip, and I decided to indulge him and took him to Denmark’s LEGOLAND in June ’08.
Airport Q Ratings
A reader requested that ITN collect data from travelers to compare wait times at international airports. Here is the second batch of readers’ Q Ratings (see June ’08, pg. 46).
Super OnePass service
I called Continental OnePass (800/344-1411) in December ’08 to book two tickets from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti, using award points. I was told the economy-class tickets would be 100,000 points each, for a total of 200,000 — much higher than I anticipated.
Specialized travel agencies
This is in response to the reader’s letter on code-share tickets (Feb. ’09, pg. 30).
Memories of Trieste
I read every issue of ITN and it seems to me that there are frequent stories about Venice and the eastern Adriatic, for example, Yvonne Horn’s feature “The Adriatic Coast — in the Wake of the Winged Lion” (Feb.’09, pg.
Zeiss binoculars
A short time ago I decided to evaluate a range of upper- to middle-price compact binoculars best suited for travel. My final choice was the quality, ultraclear Zeiss Conquest Compact, 8x20 model.
Wildlife on African safari
In November ’07, my wife and I traveled to Botswana, Zambia and South Africa on a private trip for just the two of us organized by Rothschild Safaris (Denver, CO; 800/405-9463, www.rothschildsafaris.com).
Dental coverage lacking
I took a tour of Morocco with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) in April ’08. It had many excellent features, including a special guide. During the post-trip extension to Marrakech, two days before we were to leave, I fell while climbing to see a waterfall.
ChildSafe International
I read the reader’s letter “Coping With and Fighting Poverty During Travels” (Dec. ’08, pg. 56).
Three days in Johannesburg
Prior to a 3-week tour of Botswana, Zambia and South Africa, my husband, Maurice, and I flew in three days early to Johannesburg and met our guides, Gill and Graham Maskell of Africa 2000 Tours (P.O.
Guide in St. Petersburg
On a stop in St. Petersburg, Russia, during a September-October ’08 river cruise, instead of taking the ship’s tours we engaged a private guide to show us the city and countryside.
Off the beaten path in China
My wife, Joan, and I are inveterate independent travelers with 45 years’ international experience. We usually travel by car or rail, with vaguely planned itineraries and seldom with prebooked overnight accommodations.
Tour companies and single supplements
James Sibley of Houston, Texas, wrote (Dec. ’08, pg.
Finding kindness in Moscow
I just finished reading the reader’s letter titled “Impressions of Russia” (March ’09, pg. 32) and disagree with his evaluation of Moscow as dirty, expensive and unfriendly.
Couldn’t avoid AA’s booking fee
Around Oct. 31, 2008, I went online and tried to get an award ticket on LAN Airlines from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to São Paulo, Brazil, using American Airlines AAdvantage miles.
Iwo Jima in WWII
Japan opens the island of Iwo Jima to visitors one day each year, usu
Offsetting poverty
In her letter on India, Martha Spring asked how other ITN readers “respond to poverty on their travels” (Dec. ’08, pg. 58).
Britain driving more difficult
What’s one thing we would do differently if we were to take our last trip over again? (See Oct. ’08, pg. 2.) After our experience in late April and early May ’08, we would not drive ourselves in England again.
Assumed cabin was booked
In January ’08 I reserved a cruise to Norway for May 31-June 11, 2008, with Taitbout Voyages. I sent them a check for €1,180 (about $1,636) for the basic price and added €346 ($480) for a single cabin.