Travelers' Intercom
Getting the most from guides
On a trip to Viet Nam and Laos, I was so distressed by overly loquacious and hard-to-understand guides that I am reluctant to take any more guided tours. Listening is tiring, especially for those of us with hearing problems and for everyone who has difficulty understanding speakers with foreign accents.
Bus lacked promised rest room
I went on the tour “Imperial China & the Yangtze River” with Go Ahead Tours, Oct. 5-22, 2007. Go Ahead’s hotels, riverboat and Chinese guide Jonathan all were very good. The buses, however, were not.
Re tours’ expected hotels
My wife and I have been either traveling or living abroad for nearly 50 years. With rare exceptions, we have always traveled independently.
Novel Approach: Mongolia
For people who would like to learn more about Mongolia, I recommend the book “The Blue Sky: A Novel” by Galsan Tschinag (2006, Milkweed Editions. ISBN 9781571310552 — 192 pp., $22). It is the story of a nomadic shepherd boy coming of age during the l950s in the Tuva Valley in upper Mongolia.
‘Petra By Night’
I visited the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra, Jordan, in October ’07. A daytime visit is a long and hot walk but definitely worth the effort. For me, however, the highlight was the lesser-known night trip to the Siq and Treasury.
Planning a Cyprus trip
A friend and I took a 10-day “Discovery of Cyprus” trip with Homeric Tours (55 E. 59th St., 17th Fl., New York, NY 10022; 800/223-5570, www.homerictours.com) in October ’07.
Keeping in Touch
Libraries for Internet I, like Nancy Tan (Dec. ’07, pg. 54), have had problems finding Internet cafes in the UK.
Is your prescription the right one?
As usual, two weeks before embarking on my upcoming trip, I collected and counted all my medications, throwing in a few extra pills of each kind, just to be safe.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda plus Tanzania
Gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda was an adventure, an adrenaline rush and the thrill of my life.
Wished private meeting space
On two sailings of Oceania Cruises’ Nautica — to Thailand, Viet Nam and China, Jan. 19-March 5, 2007, and to Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan, March 16-31 — I have run into the same problem.
Lighting the way
Great idea to carry lightbulbs for sufficient reading light (Dec. ’07, pg. 88)! We have been doing that for years.
Hurdles in Russia
My wife, Barbara, and I enjoyed a trip to Russia, Estonia and Finland, Sept. 3-28, 2007, and have some advice for travelers to Russia.
Best airline to/from the U.S.
Of all the airlines you’ve flown between the U.S. and a foreign country in the last three years, which airline’s flight(s) did you most appreciate? That’s what we asked readers to write about, using the following parameters.
A single’s travel options
First off, I do not use a travel agent; I’ve had bad luck with them. They have trouble understanding I don’t want the local Hilton but something a bit lower on the food chain.
Giant’s Causeway
In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, we visited the Giant’s Causeway. Ancient volcanic activity created this ruggedly dramatic coastline, which has been sculpted by wind and water. Huge columnar structures of black basalt appear to be stepping stones fit for a giant.
Re guidebooks’ accuracy
Keep in mind that prices quoted in travel guidebooks can quickly become outdated.
Miho Museum near Kyoto
What to do on a free day in Kyoto? On our trip “Japan’s Cultural Treasures” with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/221-0814, www.oattravel.com), Oct. 10-25, 2007, we decided to try something other than temples, which certainly are abundant in the area.
Impressed with Australia arrangements
My wife and I took a 6-week trip to Australia and New Zealand, Sept. 9-Oct. 22, 2007.