Travelers' Intercom
Maps of Australia
Regarding the supposed unavailability of Australian maps in Australia (Oct. ’06, pg. 4), first, both of Australia’s major book chains (Dymocks and Angus & Robertson) have an extensive selection of maps, and one or the other (or both) are in most sizeable towns.
Tailored Travel in NZ
We had a fabulous 3-week trip to New Zealand in February ’06. I wanted to pass on the name of our guide, as he was the best we have ever had in all of our travels.
Re: passengers smoking on cruise
We took a 12-day cruise from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand, on the Diamond Princess, Feb. 24-March 8, 2006. We were disturbed by the cruise line’s lenient no-smoking policy, which is the most lenient of any cruise ship we’ve recently been on.
Treated at a Hong Kong hospital
I spent two weeks in Shenzhen, China, in July ’06 during my husband’s 10-week stay on business. This is a huge city with nothing to brag about. There is a 5-story “copy” mall for those interested in purchasing fakes. I’m not a shopper.
Reason to smile
While on a tour in France in the fall of 2005, my husband and I feared that we were going to run out of toothpaste before we got home, so we went to a pharmacy and bought a tube of toothpaste called Elmex. Even though we couldn’t read French, we could see that it had fluoride in it. The price was a little over $6.
Credit cards
I have been reading with great interest readers’ reports about credit card/debit card use while traveling.
Around Croatia
We spent two weeks in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia, July 5-18, 2006, on the motorcoach tour “Crossroads of Cultures & Contrasts” with Brendan Worldwide Vacations (21625 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311-5833; 800/421-8446, www.brendanvacations.com). The cost was $1,623 per person, land only.
Amsterdam Canal Tours
I think of Amsterdam as a painter’s palette with a variety of colors to dip into. There are the vibrant rainbow shades of the famous floating flower market complemented by the subdued ochre tones of old city buildings bordered by blue canals.
Australia pleasantries
I’m responding to the reader’s comment, “Anyone considering traveling in Australia should get a good road map in the U.S.” (Oct. ’06, pg. 4).
Around the world in 80 days
My husband and I have taken several trips around the world.
Exceeding posted limits
A reader recently “fumed” about speed traps in New Zealand after receiving a $25 fine for exceeding the posted 100 km/h speed limit by 10 km/h (Oct. ’06, pg. 79).
Heathrow-London transport
After reading glowing letters in ITN regarding London Shuttle (Sept. ’01, pg. 16), for a trip in July ’04 I tried unsuccessfully to contact them by phone. My husband finally reached them through their website, www.londonshuttle.com.
Kudos for passenger
When traveling out of Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines, my husband, Steve, always goes to our favorite airport sandwich shop, Capriotti’s, and buys us each a sandwich for the flight. On Christmas eve 2004 he ordered an extra Italian sub for the crew on the plane and told the guy behind the counter what it was for.
A Massage to Die For
Where have you, in the last few years, had a great massage overseas (outside of North America and the Caribbean)? In a first-class hotel? A spa? An airport lounge? Tell us where it was (include contact info, if possible), when you were there and approximately how much it cost (discuss the gratuity too).
Uganda’s Murchison Falls
I would like to correct a statement made in the letter titled “Uganda Wildlife,” regarding “the shooting of the tourist on Nov. 8, 2005, in Murchison Falls National Park. . . within the park boundaries” (Aug. ’06, pg. 83).
Viking Surkov to Moscow
My wife and I started planning in the summer of 2005 to take one of the Russian ships of Viking River Cruises (5700 Canoga Ave., Ste. 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367; 877/668-4546).
Custom tour with MIR Corp.
I noticed while reading the letters submitted for the piece “The Good or Bad Tour Guide” (June ’06, pg. 50) as well as some comments printed in “Travelers’ Intercom” that many writers offered ways to augment their tour experiences.
Am fib be us
The caption for the picture on page 69 of the September ’06 issue reads, “The smallest frog in the world is this Golden Mantella. It is found only in Madagascar.”
Taking intercity buses from Quito
On our 2-week visit to Quito, Ecuador, in January ’06, my wife, Barbara, and I found intercity buses to be easy to use and cheap.