Travelers' Intercom
Venezuela visa change
On March 15, 2015, I had just competed back-to-back group tours and was continuing traveling on my own, scheduled for a 5-day adventure at Angel Falls. (I fly a lot in premium class, and putting many trips together saves airfare.)
Wasn’t impressed with US Air’s Economy Choice seats
Through a travel agent, my wife and I scheduled a US Airways flight for Nov. 19, 2014, traveling from Detroit to Philadelphia and then to Rome, with the return along the same route on Dec. 3.
Guyana & Suriname with Wilderness Explorers
Having traveled to more than 100 countries, my wife, Jane, and I were looking for an exotic, off-the-beaten-track destination.
REI’s Stuff Travel Pack
I returned from a month-long holiday in Argentina in January 2015, and an item that I took along for the first time will be a constant in my luggage on future trips.
Driver in Harbin + ice festival
In northeastern China, my wife, Meg, and I visited Harbin, Jan. 19-25, 2015, to attend the International Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival (Jan. 5-Feb. 25, 2015).
The choice of no pets
I read the letters in the last few issues about how travelers have their pets cared for while they’re away. After our cat died 15 or so years ago, we made a pact to have no pets so we could be free to travel anytime with no worries.
Moulin de la Ville in Dordogne
In the Dordogne region of France, my wife and I had the privilege to stay for seven nights at Moulin de la Ville (Le Village, Beaumont-du-Périgord, France; phone +33 5 53 22 47 35, www.moulindelaville.com) in September 2014.
Navigating Frankfurt Airport
Arguably, the best gateway for trips to continental Europe is Germany’s centrally located Frankfurt Airport (FRA) (www.frankfurt-airport.com).
B&Bs in France
In a rental car, my husband, Bernard, and I toured the Loire Valley and Normandy beach areas of France in September 2014, staying in two excellent B&Bs. You’ll want to have GPS to locate these.
Toll roads & Visitor’s e-PASS in Australia
Along with two other couples, my husband, Scott, and I arranged to rent a van in Sydney, Australia, for a week, March 20-26, 2014. We would drive east to the Blue Mountains and then north as far as Port Macquarie before returning the van in Sydney.
Drying washed socks
I want to thank Elizabeth Pugh-Zaleski for her travel tips on drying clothes more quickly after washing them (Feb. ’15, pg. 47). I’ve found that the hardest things to dry are men’s socks, for which a hair dryer works very well.
Russian space program museum
My wife, Dee, and I began our trip to Russia on May 8, 2013, when we flew Delta Air Lines from Fort Myers, Florida, to New York, then took Aeroflot to Moscow.
Rome hotel plus Angel Tours
Before arriving in London, my adult son and I visited Rome, Oct. 24-29, 2014.
Austrian motorway vignettes
We enjoyed reading Steve Jones’ article with tips on driving in Europe (Feb. ’15, pg. 43).
Will get tickets at the source
My wife and I enjoy attending classical music concerts when traveling internationally. Purchasing tickets for these events can be problematic, however.
Accessible transport in London
I was very impressed by Kathryn Tisdale’s description of her Europe trip and her tips for the mobility impaired (Jan. ’15, pg. 18). However, I do have a couple of related suggestions for London, which I last visited in December 2014.