Travelers' Intercom
Took grandkids to Ecuador and Peru
With our two grandsons, Louis and Victor, ages 14 and 12, my wife, Monica, and I took a trip to Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands, and Peru, particularly the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, in March ’05.
Dining in Bergen
On a 5-day cruise down the coast of Norway in May ’06 (part of a 17-day Grand Circle Travel trip that included Finland), we ate on our own two nights in Bergen at relatively affordable prices.
Dazzling Antarctica
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the orchestra was playing “Auld Lang Syne” as we sailed the South Atlantic on our way to the White Continent aboard M.V. Discovery.
Trip Mate insurance
My wife, Shirley, and I would like to report a happy experience with the insurance company Trip Mate (Kansas City, MO; 800/888-7292 or www.tripmate.com).
Turkey with FLO USA
The ad in ITN for FLO USA, Inc. (4044 W. Lake Mary Blvd., Unit 104-339, Lake Mary, FL 32746; 888/435-6872), caught our eye. My husband and I had been in Turkey in 1994 as part of an independent ’round-the-world trip and had often talked of returning.
Photo tip
When taking a picture and confronted with snow and ice, there is an easy way to have a camera’s white balance capture the brilliant white and not make the photo gray.
Tips for a London visit
As I’m a more frequent traveler to London and Dublin these days, and having most recently visited both cities in December ’05-January ’06, I thought I’d pass along some tips and information to my fellow ITN readers. In this letter, I’ll write about London.
Jewelry shopping
I have loved to shop for jewelry most everywhere I’ve traveled! • I bought a wide, choker-type necklace made of camel bones in the medina in Tunis, Tunisia.
Uganda wildlife
I was saddened to read in the “News Watch” section of the January ’06 issue about the shooting of the tourist on Nov. 8, 2005, in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. I had completely missed any mention of it in my local newspaper, The Washington Post, so I looked it up online.
Seeing Antarctica outweighs line imperfections
My son and I took an Antarctic cruise, Jan. 10-22, ’06, on Orient Lines’ Marco Polo. We paid a total of $6,026 each for the cruise.
Visiting a travel fair
The New York Times Travel Show this year was held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, Feb. 25 & 26. It was worth attending, and I would like to give ITN readers an idea as to what goes on at a travel fair.
Fending off diarrhea
My method for avoiding intestinal problems when traveling involves a lot of little pink bismuth pills (Pepto-Bismol is one brand name).
Haarlem, Paris and London
We spent a great 2½-week vacation in Haarlem (Netherlands), Paris and London in May ’05.
Cozy Lake Constance
For 15 days one August, my husband, Jack, and I biked around the shoreline of Lake Constance, also known as the Bodensee, which covers an area of 163 square miles, 210 miles around, and is bordered by Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
Srpska, past and present
My wife, Arlene, and I were visiting Belgrade in Serbia & Montenegro for a week in June ’05 and decided to take a day trip to the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Srpska is off the usual tourist itinerary but well worth visiting because of its natural beauty and geographic location in the Balkans.
Cameras in Antarctica
The January ’06 article by Janet Denninger on photography in Antarctica made me recall a trip my wife and I made there several years ago (pre-digital cameras).
Sweet Confections: Bariloche chocolate
With all the people writing about chocolate in the May ’06 issue, I can’t believe no one mentioned Bariloche, a total chocolate town, which I encountered on the lake crossing between Argentina and Chile. One only has to inhale to gain weight, and there are samples to be had in almost every shop.
Thailand jewelry
Jewelry has always been my souvenir of choice on our many trips abroad. In each country, I try to find a unique gold piece that is representative of the culture and craftsmanship.
Great Polish guide
During the program “The Arts of Central Europe” with Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 877/426-8056 or www.elderhostel.org), Oct. 17-24, ’05, my husband, Maurice, and I had the good fortune of having the Polish segment described by Grazyna Rychlik (e-mail gsp@guidingpoland.pl).
Antarctica ‘beyond expectations’
I departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on Dec. 20, ’05, for a 10-day expedition cruise on the MV Polar Star. I had always wanted to experience Antarctica, and in August ’05 I received a 70th birthday gift from my wife and mother-in-law in the form of a check to cover the cost of the trip.