Travelers' Intercom
Bulgaria private guide
When my wife, Kim, and I first started thinking about where to go in Europe in 2017, the idea of Bulgaria and Romania came to mind. After doing some research, we realized that there is so much to do in Bulgaria, it deserved to be our only destination for our trip, Sept. 1-17, 2017.
Mileage-award-ticket secrets
I earned my first airline-mileage-award ticket in 1990 and have been fairly successful in obtaining many award tickets since then for the dates and routings I’ve needed.
The case for do-it-yourself travel
In May and June of this year, my wife and I spent four nights in London, took the Eurostar (business class) to Paris, spent four nights there and then took off in our rental car (with GPS) for 14 nights in eastern France, Switzerland, the French Alps, Lake Annecy, Beaune, Dijon, etc.
Where airline’s responsibility ends
For our Icelandair flight from Reykjavik (Keflavik), Iceland, to Seattle, Washington, on July 21, 2017 (following a 10-day cruise around Iceland), we were among a couple hundred people who checked in, made it through security and were in our seats before the takeoff time of 5 p.m.
Short stay in Singapore
I wanted to add something to the information offered in “Thinking of Singapore” (Oct. ’17, pg. 53).
Walks for all with HF Holidays
Several years ago, in an article in ITN titled “Walking the English Countryside” (April ’10, pg. 52), I read about guided walking tours on which, every day, each tour member could choose an easy, medium or harder route to take.
Alpha Flight Guru
I started flying business class on international flights around 2001 and have used several different companies for finding discount fares. While I haven’t used the company recommended by Deanna Palic´, Yourbusinessflights.com (Oct. ’17, pg.
Reimbursed after having to cancel
For a tour of England and France that was to take place May 26-June 21, 2017, my wife and I purchased travel insurance with Travel Guard (800/826-1300, www.travelguard.com). We paid $428 for Travel Guard’s Gold Policy.
How Viking responded to curtailed cruise
For many years, my wife and I have gone to Europe over New Year’s. Early in 2016, we spotted a trip called “New Year’s in the Mediterranean,” Dec. 27, 2016-Jan.
‘Exceptional’ B&Bs in UK
My husband and I normally travel independently and are used to arranging our own accommodations, flights, itineraries, etc.
Satisfaction from Squaremouth
My wife, Marguerite, and I had booked a 50-day cruise leaving in April 2017, and on the day the cruise was booked, Feb. 23, we purchased an insurance policy through Tin Leg (844/240-1233, www.tinleg.com) that included a preexisting-condition waiver.
Bumped by Avianca
While at the Lima, Peru, airport trying to check in for an Avianca flight to Cuzco on Dec. 23, 2016, my wife and I were told that we could not check in — even after we showed them our seat confirmations — because groups and continuing passengers were being given priority.
Outpatient visit in Vietnam
Thirteen days into our 15-day tour through Cambodia and Vietnam with Gate 1 Travel (Fort Washington, PA; 800/682-3333, www.gate1travel.com), March 5-19, 2017, my husband, Michael, experienced bladder retention due to an enlarged prostate that he’s had for 20 years but which had “acted u
Traveler’s power strip
Mark Gallo’s article on adapter plugs (Aug. ’17, pg. 52) is the sort of reminder we all need about staying connected when we travel the world.
Patagonia & Travel Vision Journeys
A few days after commenting to a friend, “We have no idea where we’re going to travel next year,” the October 2016 issue of ITN arrived, and on the “Tours” page a photography tour was mentioned called “The Best of Patagonia,” offered by Travel Vision Journeys (
Getting an accurate feel for a place
I read the subscriber’s article about a “180-day ’round-the-world cruise” (Aug. ’17, pg. 46).