Travelers' Intercom
In London’s Belgravia district
As a solo traveler, I enjoy the hospitality of a small hotel or guest house, and in central London the Lime Tree Hotel (135-137 Ebury St., Belgravia, London, England, SW1W 9QU, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 20 7730 8191) was excellent in this
Traveling with grandchildren
My wife, Hazel, and I enjoyed reading Chloe Winston’s article about planning and taking trips with her grandchildren (Nov. ’13, pg. 50).
Shore tours and the mobility impaired
In the article “Things To Do Before You Cruise,” in his August ’13 “The Cruising World” column, Lew Toulmin recommended prebooking ships’ excur
Rooms for shoestring travelers
While I am no longer trying to get the cheapest place in town on trips, five accommodations stand out as great bargains. You can find these places on Google and TripAdvisor or in Lonely Planet guides.
Drake Passage — sail, fly or both?
CLARIFICATION — Regarding the article “Awed by the Pristine Beauty of Antarctica” by Nancy Tardy, subscriber Kenneth Crosby of Laredo, Texas, wrote, “The statement in the August 2013 issue that air/sea tours of Antarctica are less e
Australia and Eclipse Traveler
When I finally decided to visit my last continent, Australia, I picked Eclipse Traveler (Lake Mary, FL; 800/276-1168) primarily because of their itinerary offering a chance to see a total solar eclipse north of Cairns.
Apps and Web access
I have not used a language-translating app overseas, but a very important question to ask about such apps for smartphones is ‘Does it need to be connected to the Internet to work?’
Aquabike Adventure in Bora Bora
While sailing in French Polynesia on the Paul Gauguin (800/338-4962) in September ’13, I took advantage of one of the ship’s excursions in Bora Bora: the “Aquabike Adventure.” The excursion cost a total of $299 for two people.
Northern Ireland house rental
My wife and I used Portrush, a resort town on Northern Ireland’s beautiful Antrim coast, as our base for almost two weeks of exploring the area, July 13-27, 2013.
Nice-airport-to-Riviera bus
In France, check out the cheap bus transportation between the Nice-Côte d’Azur airport and Riviera towns.
Proof of flu shot
I suggest every traveler, especially anyone who is older, get a flu shot for protection at home and while abroad.
Philippines’ broiled chicken
Bacolod-style broiled chicken is comfort food for Filipinos and for me as well.
Moroccans vs. cameras
I recently reread the travel journal I wrote when my husband and I took a trip to Morocco in 1992. Even then, Moroccans did not want their photos taken.
Cook Islands stopover
The Cook Islands is a lovely vacation destination in the South Pacific, but in early April ’13 my companion and I used the Cooks as a stopover for three days, recovering from our 9-hour flight from Los Angeles before continuing on to New Zealand.
Rating foreign tour companies that customize tours
In ITN, I especially enjoy reading travelers’ write-ups about countries on the list of places my husband, Juergen, and I want to visit.
Sapporo Autumn Fest 2013
Sapporo, Japan, has 1.9 million people and is the centerpiece on the northern island of Hokkaido, known in winter for its skiing and in summer offering golfing and hiking.
Denise’s in London
When, after an absence of several years, I walked into my favorite London restaurant, Denise’s (79 Southampton Row, London, Greater London, WC1B 4ET, U.K.; phone +44 20 7436 1562), I was warmly greeted by the owner, who n
Ethiopia tour did not go as planned
My husband, John, my daughter, Dorie, and I booked a private tour of Ethiopia for Jan. 16-Feb. 1, 2013, with someone whom friends of ours had used two years before, Daniel Damtew Aseffa of Glory Ethiopia Travel & Tours (P.O.
Private guide in Bulgaria
We traveled in Bulgaria with a private guide, Patrick Peneff (phone +359 887 364 711), July 27-Aug. 9, 2013, and had a wonderful time.