Travelers' Intercom
Shortchanged in Egypt
I’d like to mention some things that happened during a 17-day Egypt tour I took in Cairo, Sinai and along the Nile in December ’06-January ’07.
Road signs in Japan
In the article “Traveling Solo in Tokyo” (Jan. ’07, pg. 46), the author states, “As you get farther outside of Tokyo, the signs all switch from Romaji to Japanese characters.”
Immersed in Peru’s jungle
My friend, Patricia, and I traveled to Peru’s Amazon Basin during the high-water season one March. We found the surroundings so foreign that adjectives don’t suffice.
JTB Sunrise Tours in Japan
My wife, Paula, and I visited Japan for the first time in October ’06. Wanting to travel independently (as usual) but being a bit intimidated by the language barrier, we compromised by using a series of four all-day guided tours to cover much of our sightseeing.
Not a locksmith but. . .
Several articles have mentioned the TSA-approved locks. My wife and I had been using the plastic cable ties instead of locks, as the locks put a great deal of strain on the loops of the zippers and have even caused some of the loops to break off.
Frequent-flyer-miles Catch 22
An impossible situation occurred in September ’06 while I was booking a February ’07 air trip. My wife, Tina, and I would fly Delta from New York to Amsterdam, then take KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Hong Kong, take a cruise, then fly out of Bangkok to Amsterdam and back to New York.
Italian language schools
I began learning Italian in my late 50s by taking a class at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. However, I did not really start learning and using the language until I began attending a variety of private and state language schools in Italy, taking classes in Rome, Puglia and Sicily.
Private tour of Myanmar
I took a 2-week vacation to Myanmar, Nov. 27-Dec. 9, 2006, and had a wonderful time. Mr.
Air France, SF-Paris
I have been a big fan of United’s nonstop from San Francisco to Paris, but it has been dropped, so this time (Feb. 14 and 26, 2007) we went Air France.
Mobal ‘the best buy’
I was looking for an international cell phone to rent for my summer 2006 trip to Romania and the prices were outrageous. After a lot of research to find the best buy, I discovered Mobal Communications’ GSM world phone (New York, NY; 888/888-9162 or www.mobal.com).
Not-so-safe safe
Siem Reap is the town nearest to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, and on my visit to the famous temple, Jan. 11-14, 2007, I stayed in one of the town’s smaller hotels (about 30 rooms). The room had an in-room electronic safe into which I put some U.S. dollars, my passport and a few travelers’ checks.
Poor pinotage
In the article on East Africa in the March ’07 issue, on page 45 the author gave a description of the wines he tried in Zimbabwe: “. . . some of which was drinkable and some of which was truly horrible (e.g. something called ‘pinotage’).”
Scouting out a flight Georgetown-Paramaribo
My wife and I have traveled to much of the world, but what stumped us was how to go by air from Georgetown, Guyana, to Paramaribo, Suriname. When we plugged the flight into the usual search engines, no answers appeared.
‘Superb’ guide in BA
The owner/operator of a taxi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pablo Menendez (phone 15 5613 4386 or e-mail pablo336menendez @hotmail.com), was superb in transporting my husband, Dave, and me from the international airport to the domestic airport and, on our return, to our hotel in March ’06.
Japan’s Ainu
The island of Hokkaido, Japan, conjures up images of wild land and misty mountains where wild bears once roamed. However, on the Muroran, Hokkaido, port stop of our September-October ’05 cruise aboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess, what we first saw were tunnels.
Beautiful Ljubljana
Stunningly beautiful: that is how we found Ljubljana, Slovenia, on our trip there in May ’05. Every building was eye candy, tinted in lovely pastels, embellished with contrasting adornments.
Needed more info than website had
With quality tour guides, land arrangements and itineraries plus value pricing and intensive mail solicitation, it comes as no surprise that Vantage Deluxe World Travel is enjoying popularity.
Hotel Room Woes: Go up the chain
I’m writing in response to the situation posed in the January ’07 issue, page 115, in which a hotel guest reported a malfunctioning television and mini-bar to the desk and nothing was done. ITN asked what steps should have been taken.
Guide in Cameroon
I wish to recommend an excellent French- and English-speaking guide in Cameroon: Titang George Ndong (National Tour Guide, P.O. Box 19 Saa., Centre Province, Republic of Cameroon; e-mail titanggeorge@yahoo.fr).
Swiss Pass a bargain
On a 2-week Christmas trip to Switzerland, Dec. 23, 2006-Jan. 4, 2007, my wife, Anita, and I had a wonderful, exciting time while using the Swiss Pass (www.sbb.ch) exclusively. We had read in ITN and other sources about this remarkable bargain but previously had always rented a car.