Travelers' Intercom
4-star’s rooms all not equal
During the week of March 13-20, ’04, we stayed at the Karl Schranz Hotel in St. Anton, Austria. We went with a group of six couples, booked by Alpine Adventures.
Insured by Access America
In the many years my husband, Ted, and I have traveled around the world on ship, on tours and independently, we have booked travel insurance about two-thirds of the time. We have seldom needed to use it and always questioned the expense of bothering with it.
Tips for driving in Britain
Many visitors who in their home country drive on the right-hand side of the road can find driving on the left in Britain a daunting task, but with a little insider information, and by following a few golden rules, they usually get by unscathed.
Thailand, Cambodia guides
We took the “Discover Thailand” tour, plus the optional pre-trip visit to Angkor Wat, Cambodia, with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/955-1925 or www.oattravel.com) in February ’05.
Too few to process visas in Brazilian port
My traveling companion and I were on a cruise aboard the Pacific Princess, Sept. 22-Nov. 19, ’04, with a stop at Fortaleza, Brazil, on Oct. 2. As required, we had to go through Immigration.
From reefs to treetops, finding thrills in Roatán
Roatán, a well-known destination in the scuba diving community, is an undiscovered jewel in most other circles. Part of Honduras’ Bay Islands chain, which consists of three islands and 60 islets and cayes, Roatán is the largest island, situated in the Caribbean 35 miles north of the Honduran mainland.
Wieliczka
The Wieliczka Salt Mine (www.kopalnia-wieliczka.pl/english) in Poland is still a working mine, but not the part where tourists are allowed. The section we saw on our trip in August ’97 is a museum with figures carved in salt.
Set for Paris
My husband and I had a week’s vacation in Paris in March ’05. For the second time in five years, we used Go-today.com for our travel arrangements. They offer a package with flight and six nights in a hotel plus breakfast for very reasonable rates.
Accolades for Rothschild
I read the article on visiting Southern Africa during the rainy season (Jan. ’05, pg. 36). The writer’s trip was arranged by Leora Rothschild of Rothschild Safaris (1685 S. Colorado Blvd. #197, Denver, CO 80222; phone 800/405-9463 or visit www.rothschildsafaris.com).
South Island guide
In New Zealand, the word “brilliant” is used frequently as an adjective, as in, “brilliant food, brilliant view, brilliant idea.” My husband and I spent two weeks in South Island in March-April ’05. Our driver/guide, Malcolm Latta, was brilliant. What a superb trip we had.
Enjoy horchata
My wife and I took a short holiday in the Valencia region of Spain in September ’04 and bring good news for those suffering from cholesterol problems! Let me introduce you to a popular drink called horchata.
EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan
Nestled in the hills outside of Nagoya, Honshu Island, Japan — and running through Sept.
Re altitude sickness
Only those who have witnessed Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) will fully appreciate Dr. Larry Baratta’s May ’05 “Travel & Health” column on that subject.
Analyzing credit card ‘rewards’
A reader mailed ITN a copy of a letter sent to Capital One Services on Nov. 18, ’04, as follows.
Visiting can help Sri Lanka recover
December 26, 2004, is a day Sri Lankans will not forget in a hurry. In fact, it might take a couple of generations, considering the number of children left without parents because of the devastating tsunami.
Reviewers’ Corner
Here are a couple of the latest travel-book reviews written by an ITN reader.
Australian visas online
I had seen a couple of mentions (Dec. ’01, pg. 33 & Feb. ’02, pg. 111) about getting Australian visas electronically for a fee of $15 (visit www.eta.immi.gov.au). I don’t mind paying the fee, but the website did not seem to me to be secure, as I did not see any padlock.
Grim impression of Ethiopia
I returned from a 3-week tour of Ethiopia on Feb. 7, ’05. Imagine my surprise the next morning to find that a featured article (Feb. ’05, pg. 52) in my new ITN was about the Omo Valley, where I had just spent a week.
Handicapped put off ship
My wife and I were passengers on a River Explorer cruise, beginning in Bucharest on Sept. 1, ’04, and scheduled to end in Amsterdam on Sept. 25, with Vantage Deluxe World Travel. Halfway through the trip, when the ship arrived in Vienna late on Sept. 13, we were told to leave the ship early the next day.