Travelers' Intercom
Theater + shopping in Osaka
Namba is the heart of the shopping and entertainment area in Osaka, Japan. On a trip in September ’05, my husband, Don, and I took the Chuo Line subway from Osaka to Honmachi, then boarded the train on the Yotubashi line (blue color code).
Bhutan’s fall festivals
Approximately 2,500 visitors visited the kingdom of Bhutan for the late September/early October festivals in 2006 — a record-high attendance. Despite full flights and hotels at capacity, the festival season was one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever experienced.
Dealing with glitches in London
Crowds everywhere. Queues everywhere. And glitches galore. Has London always been like this? Has travel always been like this?
Inconveniences, annoyances on flight
My wife and I in May ’06 flew Virgin Atlantic out of Orlando, Florida, to London (Gatwick) with a connection to Malta.
Penguins in Africa
Why go to Boulders Beach, south of Cape Town, South Africa? To see the African penguins, of course. Formerly called jackass penguins (for their donkey-like braying), they are native to South Africa, and this beach is one of their three breeding grounds.
RMS St. Helena
I have individually thanked the readers who answered my request in the November ’06 ITN for information on the RMS St. Helena, a “mail packet” which sails from London to South Africa via the island of St. Helena, and now for all ITN readers I offer the address of the current booking agent for the ship.
Getting a hotel’s best rate
In the following, I haven’t identified the hotel or hotel chain because it’s not my purpose to single them out for criticism (the hotel staff was very accommodating).
Indonesia & Cambodia with Asia Connect
My wife and I took a 3-week vacation in Indonesia and Cambodia, Jan. 11-Feb. 2, ’06. At a total price of $8,085 out of Birmingham, Alabama, all arrangements were made through Asia Connect Tours (10 Morning Watch Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470; 800/803-3656, www.asiaconnecttours.com).
Australia on a self-drive itinerary
Normally, my wife, Patricia, and I do our own travel planning, relying heavily on the Internet and reading ITN.
Quito snacks
My wife, Barbara, and I visited Quito, Ecuador, in January ’06. The places to eat are endless and we found most quite adequate.
Unspunnen in Switzerland
My wife, Mary Ellen, and I were in Switzerland for 10 days in September ’06. We stayed in Merligen, which is on Lake Thun and near Interlaken. We had been in this area before and basically were interested in hiking in the beautiful mountains of the area, which was marvelous.
Guide for Spain and Brazil
We took a trip to Brazil with Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 877/426-8056, www.elderhostel.org), Sept. 30-Oct. 20, 2006. It was a great trip with fantastic sites, excellent and delicious food, good hotels and terrific local guides.
Disappointed on QM2
This letter deals with a cruise to Mexico and Hawaii, areas that ITN does not cover, however the ports are not at matter but the ship itself, which makes voyages around the world. — Editor
Sculpture park, Lithuania
Close by the spa town of Druskininkai, Lithuania, is the strange but compelling museum Gruto Parkas Grutas (www.grutoparkas.lt).
Drying clothes in hotel room
I thoroughly enjoyed Bill Kizorek’s article, “One Shirt, 40,000 Miles. . .” (Dec. ’06, pg. 6). I have the solution to his wet socks problem.
Telestial cell phone
I am sharing with ITN readers my satisfaction with Telestial, Inc. (1804 Garnet Ave., Ste. 385, San Diego, CA 92109; phone 858/274-2686, fax 2757 or visit www.telestial.com), the international cell phone and prepaid phone card company.
Santiago de Compostela
My husband, Karl, and I took a long weekend trip to Santiago de Compostela in the far northwest corner of Spain, April 29-May 2, ’06.
Hotel + guides in Russia
With a Viking River Cruises trip in Russia planned to start on Oct. 1, 2006, my husband and I decided to arrive a day early in St. Petersburg and also stay an extra night in Moscow after the cruise.
Shipping wine in checked baggage
The recently created prohibitions for carrying liquid substances in carry-ons aboard airplanes makes shipping wine in hold baggage an exercise in creativity to prevent breakage, leakage or other calamities.