Travelers' Intercom
‘What makes Tauck trips so great’
My wife and I took a wonderful cruise-tour, “Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat,” and I want to share some of the things that made it such a great trip.
The Global Greeter Network
This is in response to the subscriber's request for websites that list private guides and drivers, either throughout the world or in specific areas (April '19, pg. 17).
Vermeer Center in Delft
Despite the fact that it houses not a single original painting by Johannes Vermeer, the Vermeer Centrum Delft (Voldersgracht 21, Voldersgracht 21, 2611 EV Delft, Netherlands; phone +31 15 2138588, www.vermeerdelft.nl/en), in Delft, offers a fine experience to visitors.
Recommends St. Ola Hotel
In the article “Spectacular Scotland (June ’19, pg. 6), the author referred to the St. Ola Hotel in Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland, and wrote, “I would not recommend this hotel,” but I would have to strongly disagree.
Displeased with lodgings on Madagascar tour
My son, Bret (then 54), and I (82) took the tour “Highlights of Madagascar,” Sept. 1-13, 2018, run by G Adventures (Toronto, Ont., Canada; www.gadventures.com).
Parking fine in Scotland
About five weeks after my husband, Steve, and I returned home from a June 2018 trip to the Scottish isles (June ’19, pg. 6), we got an unwelcome letter in our mailbox.
Advantages of higher tour category
The subscriber’s letter titled “An Assessment of Costsaver’s ‘Cossack Explorer’” (July ’19, pg. 24) reminded me of a practice from which I’ve never deviated during my years of international travel.
Taste of Boi Bumbá Fest in Brazil
According to a Brazilian legend, a rich land owner’s favorite boi (ox) was slain by a farmer whose pregnant wife had a craving for beef tongue.
Hertz rental price discrepancy
For a trip to Mexico City with my wife, Arlene, Feb. 17-25, 2019, I reserved a car online with Hertz (www.hertz.com) in January. I was given a total cost of $192, which would equal MXN3,694.
Confusion in Tarifa
While sitting in the ferry terminal of Tarifa in Andalucía, Spain, on my way to Morocco on Nov. 15, 2018, I had an experience from which we all could learn.
Pickpocketed in New Delhi
I was in India with a group on a surgical mission in May 2019.
Motion sickness medication reminder
Before we left Ushuaia, Argentina, for our expedition-ship cruise to Antarctica in December 2018, our guide Sebastian held a meeting with our group of 23. By that time, he had already made this trip many times, but he shared an experience with us that had occurred on his first trip.
In the event of a death at sea
As I began preparing for an 80-day cruise around South America that was scheduled to start on Jan. 4, 2019, I became interested in what would happen to my remains should I not succeed in finishing the journey. (86 at the time, I turned 87 this May.)
BofA debit & credit card safety
In his letter titled “Protecting a Bank Account from Theft” (July ’19, pg. 38), Stanley Mui wrote about precautions he uses when traveling with both debit and credit cards. We use a Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card as well as a Bank of America debit card.