Travelers' Intercom
BofA ATM-only cards no good overseas
I was reviewing my old copies of ITN to tear out and file articles for future reference when I came across Alan Groudan’s letter (March ’16, pg. 12) regarding his Bank of America ATM card failure in Europe in July 2015.
Praise for Falkland guide
Several months before a Celebrity Infinity cruise that would stop in the Falkland Islands, I wrote to the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (www.falklandislands.com) asking for a recommendation of a tour guide who was knowledgeable about birds.
Restaurante Botín in Madrid
Returning from Morocco with family members in October 2016 (March ’17, pg.
China Travel Service offers ‘good value’
My husband and I were in China for 2½ weeks, Oct. 10-28, 2016. We visited Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an and Lhasa and went on a Yangtze River cruise.
Volcano boarding in Nicaragua
Cerro Negro, an active volcano outside of León, Nicaragua, is one of the only places in the world where an adventure-junkie can volcano board on a wooden sled at speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour.
Challenges & rewards of Bangladesh travel
Most Americans know nothing about Bangladesh, although some may remember the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh (organized by Ravi Shankar and George Harrison) that provided aid to that country, wh
Rome circa 312, in Germany
I went to an exhibit in Pforzheim, Germany, called Rome 312 (Hohweisenweg 6, Pforzheim; phone +49 7231 7760 997, www.gasometer-pforzheim.de/en) in March 2017.
Gelato in Venice and Bolzano
In the Santa Lucia train station in Venice, Italy, be sure to visit the gelato counter GROM (www.grom.it). It’s dead ahead of you when you walk up the ramp on the left and through the station door.
The Qatar Airways experience
I flew from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Los Angeles in business class on Qatar Airways in February 2016, purchasing the flight with American Airlines miles. I just had to write about it.
Bay of Fundy and tidal bores
In his article on Nova Scotia, Stephen Addison mentions Waterfront Park in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, as a good place to observe the tides in the Bay of Fundy (Dec. ’16, pg. 6).
‘Wonderful’ guide in Mexico
During a visit to Zihuatanejo, Mexico, in January-February 2017, my husband and I used the services of Ketavi Tours (Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico; phone +52 [755] 55 9 30 23, ketavi.com) for airport transfers and a scenic tour to several of the beaches north of Zihuatanejo, including Playa Linda and
Around the world in (almost) 80 days
Early in my life, I learned how much fun it is to travel. I’ve decided that a love for travel must be a genetic condition; my mom and dad both loved to travel.
Online tickets pros, con
I cannot agree more with Rick Steves’ advice (Nov. ’16, pg. 53) regarding how to avoid waiting in line at various attractions throughout the world.
Caucasus with Kutrubes
My husband, Gerald Liedl, and I made a trip to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Oct. 5-15, 2016, with Kutrubes Travel (Boston, MA; 800/878-8566, www.kutrubestravel.com).
‘Great service’ from Tour Beijing
Two family members and I had a long layover scheduled in Beijing, China, on Nov. 28, 2016, and we wanted to pack in about eight hours of local travel in the city. I tried arranging transportation with several companies, but their rates and availability were all over the place.
Breaking a leg in the bush
Nearing the end of a 50-day African holiday, my husband, Roger, and I arrived at Ruaha National Park in Tanzania on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016.
‘Locomotives International’
A publication that covers truly offbeat railways, focusing on historic places and equipment, is the British bimonthly magazine Locomotives International (Wiltshire, England; phone +44 1275 845 012, www.mainline andmaritime.co.uk/pages/welcome-to-locomotives-international).
‘Sunny Portugal’ with Collette
I booked “Sunny Portugal” through AAA Vacations (800/922-8228, ww1.aaa.com); the 10-day tour was run by Collette (Pawtucket, RI; 800/340-5158, www.gocollette.com). Its cost, including air, single supplement, insurance and optionals, came to $3,854.