Travelers' Intercom
Winging it to Estonia + a German wedding + Iceland
My wife, Mary, and I traveled to Germany in September 2015, as we had been invited — as family — to attend the wedding of our former exchange student.
Files claims only for big medical bills
I read about the traveler who, while on a hiking tour in New Zealand, came down with a respiratory illness, left the tour and took a bus back to Queenstown but did not seek a physician because it was Saturday afternoon (Feb. ’16, pg. 16).
Citadines apart’ hotels
A subscriber recommended the apart’hotel Citadines Sainte-Catherine Brussels (www.citadines.com), in Belgium, noting “Citadines is a new chain of hotels” (March ’16, pg. 49).
AA lounge-access restrictions
My wife and I take frequent trips to foreign locations. We regularly travel business class because the additional room and services we receive are worth the extra cost. We also value the fact that, when taking an international flight in business class, we can use the business-class lounge before departure.
The preexisting-condition waiver
When I purchase travel insurance, I always get a policy that includes a “preexisting-condition waiver,” as my principal purpose in purchasing the policy is to have coverage if I need to cancel or interrupt a trip due to an accident or illness.
Croatia with Cromotion
While my husband, Pete, and I were in Croatia, Sept. 20-Oct. 6, 2015, we spent six days touring from Zagreb to Split. Our arrangements were booked through Marina Juras, who owns Cromotion (V.
Seek hotel’s help
Regarding the hiker in New Zealand who said she did not seek medical attention because it was late on a Saturday (Feb. ’16, pg. 16), she could have talked to the manager at her hotel and asked him to find a doctor who would make a hotel/house call. If not that day, then the next.
Portabagagli at Venice bridge
The only thing I was dreading in May 2016 about my umpteenth visit to Venice was the Calatrava Bridge (aka Constitution Bridge). What? That stunning structure of Istrian stone a few steps from Piazzale Roma?
‘Die-hard fan’ of British Air
Many travelers return home annoyed or furious with their recent airline experiences, but I have to share with you my very positive experience with British Airways (800/247-9297, www.britishairways.com).
Hotel Takachiho dining
During our 6-week koyo (autumn foliage) trip to Japan in November-December 2015, my husband, Clyde, and I took many of our dinners at small, family-owned restaurants and izakayas (taverns), also exploring the side streets and back alleys where such places abound.
Enjoyed Bulgaria
I was in Bulgaria and, briefly, Romania for ten days and nine nights during the last half of May 2016. I joined a week-long tour but first spent two days in Sofia, adjusting to the time zone and also going on a day tour to Rila.
Memorials in Rwanda
At the end of a July-August 2015 trip that my daughter and I took to Rwanda to see mountain gorillas (July ’16, pg. 30), we visited the country’s Kigali Genocide Memorial (KG 14 Ave., Kigali), which commemorates the Rwandan genocide.
Biking honeymoon in France
After I remarried in 2015, my wife, Barbara, and I spent our 3-week honeymoon in two parts of France in May: Provence and Paris. Most of our time in Provence would be on bikes. Because Barbara hadn’t biked as much as I had, we chose what we thought would be easy day trips.
Travel insurance, step by step
A few days prior to my taking an Odysseys Unlimited trip to Spain and Portugal in September 2015, I was sickened with a blood infection that required a 5-day hospital stay followed by several weeks of IV therapy and monitoring.
Central America with SITA
Like many travelers, my wife, Patti, and I had been to only a couple of the seven countries in Central America. We had been hesitant to go on our own after hearing all the reports of crime and gangs, not to mention, most recently, the Zika outbreak in many tropical countries.
Central America with SITA
My wife, Patti, and I had already been to a few Central American countries when we were attracted by a tour advertised in ITN by SITA World Tours (Encino, CA; 800/421-5643, www.sitatours.com).