Travelers' Intercom
A matter of public record
My sympathies are with Mrs. Patterson on the tragic death of her husband and her subsequent ordeal with bureaucracy. However, there is one point that should be cleared up.
Kenwood House
I loved A.J. Goodhead’s letter on Kenwood House and Golders Green, etc. (Feb. ’05, pg. 81); it could have been written by my husband and me.
Booking hotels in Asia
Www.hotelclub.net is the best online hotel reservation service I have found. I have reserved hotels in Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Macau through them and have gotten the best prices I could find plus total reliability.
Freighter adventures
I found the freighter travel articles in the October ’04 issue most interesting. I would like to add some comments in order that individuals contemplating going this route will have another viewpoint to consider.
LHSDGT, anyone?
Randy Keck’s article on long-haul, single-destination group tours, or “LHSDGT” (Sept. ’04, pg. 106), really hit home with me. For 25 years, when working in the corporate world, I was lucky to be able to go away for a whole week.
Vouchers and car dropoff rules differ
ITN was mailed a copy of the following letter sent by a reader to U.S. and U.K. offices of the Hertz Corporation.
Awed in Dublin
Dublin, Ireland, is a city of much charm and history. On our visit in July ’97 we walked past the impressive Custom House building and the 18th-century Bank of Ireland, which once housed the Irish Parliament. Heading up Grafton Street, we passed many excellent shops and galleries.
Luggage locks cut
I obtained through the TravelSmith catalog (800/950-1600 or www.travelsmith.com) two TSA-approved luggage locks with the red TSA-approved logo plainly visible on them. On Nov. 20, ’04, at the end of a trip, I boarded LanChile flight No. 500 from Santiago to Miami.
Seeing Hungary by car
My husband, Norman, and I were lured into visiting Hungary by the idea that it was one of the bargains left in European travel. As we found on our trip in September ’04, this proved to be correct. It has joined the E.U. but, for now, is still using the old currency (forint).
Ethiopia recommendation
I was in northern and southern Ethiopia, Jan. 9-27, ’05, and I can heartily recommend our travel guide and agent. We have traveled overseas from one to four times a year since 1981, and all three of us on the Ethiopia tour agreed that this was the best guide we’d ever had on any such trip.
Poverty in Bhutan
I visited Bhutan Nov. 4-15, ’01, fly-fishing with a guide and driver. I saw beautiful streams, few fish, beautiful country and a unique, most interesting culture and delightful people, but Shangri-la it ain’t!
Cost of medications
Did you know that prescription drugs are sometimes less expensive than over-the-counter versions?
Bangkok observations
In Bangkok, the SkyTrain continues to be a godsend for getting passengers up and out of the awful fume-ridden traffic. The SkyTrain is quite crowded during rush hours, but it’s air-conditioned, so being packed in isn’t bad.
Colorful memories of Vietnam
It was with a sense of great anticipation and adventure that we started our 3-week tour of Vietnam in December ’03. We experienced a country where the people are a delight, the scenery is exceptional and history and religion resulted in other wonderful sightseeing opportunities.
Speaking of ‘hub and spoke’
I enjoyed the article on LHSDGT (Sept. ’04, pg. 106). My idea of a great time is one location for two to three weeks with day trips out from a single location. Commonly known as the “hub and spoke” concept, it is much easier on an older population and allows for choices.
India through Worldview Tours
My wife, Georgene, and I returned Dec. 13, ’04, from a one-month adventure trip to India. We based our jaunt on the tour “Crossroads of India/Nepal” offered by Worldview Tours (Newport Beach, CA; phone 800/373-0388), with a catalog price of $6,990 per person.
Noboribetsu, the Orient’s largest spa
During my annual vacation to the world’s best-kept secret, Sapporo, Japan, I always make sure I allocate one day for a trip to the most relaxing place on Earth, Noboribetsu Hot Spring Onsen (Spa). My last trip there was in April ’04.
Speeding up security checks
In response to the request for suggestions on how to make airport security lines move along quicker (Nov. ’04, pg. 4), here are some that I have found useful:
London, Liverpool & Isle of Man
I took a trip to the U.K. in September ’04 that included a visit to the Isle of Man. Ariving at London Heathrow Airport, I chose to take the underground to the center of the city for £5.40. This took approximately 45 minutes, but it was certainly the least expensive way into central London.
Romania with car and driver
We spent 18 days traveling in Romania in September ‘04 — a truly great trip. Our itinerary included UNESCO world treasures like the painted monasteries in Bucovina plus picturesque villages and dramatic mountain scenery.