Travelers' Intercom
Smithsonian Journeys’ Travel Adventures vs. Signature Tours
My husband, George, and I went on a 16-day Smithsonian Journeys tour, “Treasures of Angkor Wat and Vietnam,” March 19-April 3, 2007.
Biking Germany, Austria and Hungary
I read about biking down the Danube in the March ’04 issue, phoned the writers for more info and began a 2-year planning effort.
Airport driver lots
A quick comment on cell-phone parking lots at U.S. airports, mentioned in the September ’07 issue, page 2. . . In July ’07 we had occasion to try the lot at Orlando International Airport while collecting some members of the London Symphony Orchestra for the Florida International Festival in Daytona Beach.
Fake bills in Buenos Aires
My wife and I visited Argentina in August ’07. Upon our arrival at Buenos Aires’ airport, in nearby Ezeiza, we passed through Immigration into the baggage-claim area and went to a money-exchange kiosk run by Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.es).
IAMAT medical care abroad
One of the perils of international travel is dealing with illness or other health emergencies when in a foreign country.
Quick passport processing
In the letter titled “Avoid Passport Glitches” (Aug. ’07, pg. 33), tour company owner Bob Parda provides important information about passports. I travel frequently and, due to the visa-page considerations he mentioned, have always requested a 48-page passport.
Southern Africa by rail
My husband, Jim, and I took a trip from Cape Town, South Africa, to Chobe National Park in Botswana by way of Victoria Falls, Feb. 19-March 5, 2007.
Driver in Dubrovnik
While on a Mediterranean cruise with Holland America in May ’07, one of our stops was Dubrovnik. We were fortunate to have hired, online, a wonderful driver, Tomislav Radulovic (e-mail tomislav@taxiservicedubrovnik.com).
Legroom medical concerns
In the letter titled “Economy Class Syndrome” (July ’07, pg. 16), the reader’s recounting of her husband’s pulmonary embolism demonstrates the dangers of the airline’s present policy of cramming more and more people into less and less space on their flights.
Pines for a past Princess
My traveling companion Arlene and I took a one-week cruise aboard the Star Princess, Jan. 20-27, 2006. Our cruise was in the western Caribbean, departing from Ft. Lauderdale, but the ship travels worldwide. We paid $1,069 each, double occupancy.
How much to tip on tours
Richard E. Smith of Long Beach, California, opened up the topic of tipping on tours (April ’07, pg. 4).
Early dining in Paris
Well off the usual tourist track in Paris is a very French restaurant that serves wonderful 4-course meals for €24 (about $32). It is À la Biche au Bois (45 avenue Ledru Rollin, Paris; phone 01 43 43 34 38), located in between Métro stops Gare de Lyon and Ledru Rollin.
Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
My husband, Peter, and I joined 12 other snorkelers on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for two weeks, Nov. 7-25, 2006, on a tour led by Ann Fielding of Island Explorations (Box 1107, Makawao, HI 96768; 808/572-8437, www.maui.net/~annf).
Athens day tour
My wife, Margaret, and I, during a September ’05 trip to Greece, took a day tour of Athens with Dimitri from Spiros Taxi (Athens, Greece; phone 011 30 6944 285 686 or visit www.athenstaxi.net).
Tips on visiting northern India
We wish to commend Margo Wilson on an excellent report, “The South of India — a Good Choice for the First-time Visitor?” (June ’07, pg. 44). Also for the first-time traveler, our comments apply mainly to northern India.
Israel desert sights
Timna Park, in Israel, is huge; it reminded us of Big Bend National Park in Texas. It is the site of 6,000-year-old Egyptian copper mines. You can see the slag from the copper mines and the remains of the smelting ovens.
Luggage lessons
We were booked to take United Airlines flight No. 899 from Los Angeles to Narita, Japan, on Oct. 16, 2006. We checked our luggage, then checked in for boarding.
Street food a risk
The reader’s letter titled “Chancing Street Food in India” (Aug. ’07, pg. 71) provokes a response.
Day tour from Cairo
Flamengo Travel & Tours has a branch in Cairo International Airport run by a pleasant man, Mr. Said Atia (phone 012 212 6291 or 224 3587, fax 586 1621… or at 1 a El Sherifein St., Cairo; phone/fax 023931044).
What to do with travel slides
G.F. Mueden of New York City wrote about his boxes of thousands of travel slides — mostly of landscapes, city scenes and architecture, some with handwritten labels — and asked readers for suggestions on good uses for them (July ’07, pg. 16).