Travelers' Intercom
Trattoria in Rome
My trip to Italy in October ’05 included a stay in Rome. Before going, I jotted down the address of the Trattoria Otello alla Concordia from an earlier issue of ITN (April ’05, pg. 4). I’d eaten at that restaurant on an earlier trip and loved it!
Florence pizzeria
In Florence, Italy, in October ’05 we came across a pizzeria/spaghetteria with a varied selection of dishes at reasonable prices. Gusto Leo (Via del Proconsolo, 8-10/r) is located diagonally across from the Cavour Hotel.
Hebridean Island Cruises
For those who fervently believe that “less is more” and “smaller is better,” we recommend Hebridean Island Cruises, Ltd. (Griffin House, Broughton Hall, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3AN, England; phone 44 [0] 1756-704704 or visit www.hebridean.co.uk).
Republic of Georgia
My visit to the Republic of Georgia, May 13-June 19, ’05, was the perfect trip. The temperature was around 50º-68ºF. I would suggest taking a light, waterproof jacket and an umbrella, as rain can occur (although on this trip it was not heavy enough to interfere with sightseeing).
Know when and where with a Geochron
The Geochron is a global time indicator with a moving map driven by a clockwork mechanism and backlit with internal shutters. There are scales on the bottom to show the day of the week anywhere in the world and scales across the top to indicate the time of day anywhere. A separate scale gives the month and date.
Costa del Sol stay
I prefer to travel solo, so when Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/221-2610 or www.gct.com) offered their “Classic Costa del Sol” program with no single supplement, I was hooked.
Restaurant in Bratislava
In the main shopping and tourist area of Bratislava, a fun restaurant with great regional Slovakian dishes is Staroslovenska Krema (Michalska ul. 14-16, Bratislava, Slovakia; visit www staroslovenskakcrma.sk).
Credit card vs. ATM vs. travelers’ checks
My wife, Glenda, and I traveled in Central Europe for a month in fall 2005 and used two credit cards for purchases and services (an American Express card and a Citibank MasterCard) and one debit card for ATM cash withdrawals (a Visa card obtained from our credit union).
Off-hours car rental fee
While on a Princess cruise from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we stopped in Falmouth, England, on Sept. 25, ’05. I had confirmed reservations for a rental car from Europcar.
St. Petersburg guide
I was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on business and some pleasure in October ’05. I was guided on a tour through the Hermitage by an excellent, knowledgeable guide, Anna Getmanskaya (Museum & Palace Tours, St.
Southeast Asia arrangements
My husband and I took a 23-day trip to Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia in October-November ’05 based on recommendations made by ITN readers.
Friendly Heron Island
Heron Island Resort (write GPO Box 478, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia, fax +61 2 9299 2477, e-mail bookings@voyages.com.au or visit www.heronisland.com) is wonderful and right on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, about 40 miles from the shore of Queensland.
Ensuring credit card usage overseas
For several years my wife, Paula, and I have used the same airline-affiliated Visa cards without incident, traveling to Malaysia, Chile, Slovakia, etc. Recently, the airline began transitioning to a MasterCard issued by a different bank than the Visa issuer.
Lessons from an apartment stay in Italy
For a trip to Italy a few years ago, for 17 days we rented an apartment in Ronciglione, an hour’s drive north of Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. There were advantages and disadvantages to having a base and making day trips.
Gourmet meal, London
Our goal was to find an adventurous cuisine experience in London on Christmas Eve 2004. Some visitors to London say, “Impossible!”
Pink dolphins in Brazil
My wife, Dona, and I traveled to Brazil, Jan. 10-22, ’06, to search for the pink dolphins that inhabit the Rio Negro where it joins the Amazon near Manaus, Brazil. Yes, there really are pink dolphins!
A typical safari?
My wife, Dorothy, and I had been on safari in Africa on two previous occasions. The first was to Kenya and Tanzania, and it remains the best trip we ever experienced — and we have toured all the continents and over 60 countries. Our second was a walking safari through Zimbabwe and Zambia.