Travelers' Intercom
Train to Rome airport
A month before my husband, Thom, and I took a trip to Italy, April 16-May 10, 2013, we bought Italy train passes from the Rick Steves website; Eurail passes must be purchased in the US and, within six months of purchase, must be validated in Europe before your first train ride.
Adventures Abroad ‘runs great trips’
The subscriber who wrote the letter “On Canceled Tours” (June ’13, pg. 26) was disappointed at not being able to take several tours with the company Adventures Abroad.
Sunrock Guest House in Johannesburg
En route to any of a dozen destinations in Africa, chances are you’ll need a layover in Johannesburg.
OAT’s ‘Route of the Maya’
I took a tour of El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and (mostly) Guatemala called “Route of the Maya” with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/955-1925), Jan. 2-18, 2012.
Unexpected costs for Kutrubes tour
The following is ITN’s summary of a more-than-a-year-long investigation. — Editor
To see in London
While in London in March 2013, I visited mainly free museums (donations welcome), and one that stands out in my mind is The Wallace Collection (Hertford House, Manchester Square, London, England, W1U 3BN, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 207 563 9500).
Myanmar with Odysseys Unlimited
My husband, Earl, and I toured Myanmar with Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765), Nov. 27-Dec. 10, 2012. There were 24 members in our group.
Tips from a traveler
Always pack an umbrella. Often they’re difficult to find or can be quite expensive. While I was in Miami in April ’13, heavy rain was predicted. Umbrellas at Target cost $14 plus tax! They weren’t worth $2.
Biking along the Fulda
My husband, Fred, and I cycled from Gersfeld to Hannoversch Münden, Germany, April 28-May 3, 2013, on the 4-day, 5-night “Fulda River Bicycle Path” tour offered by BikeToursDirect (Chattanooga, TN; 877/462-2423).
Managing Madrid airport
After a couple of weeks in Spain, my wife and I were heading for the Madrid airport on May 1, 2013, for our flight back to Boston.
Trans-Siberian rail in winter
I read the article “The Great Train Journey — Vladivostok to Moscow” by Jack Ogg (March ’13, pg.
Dalí day trip from Barcelona
My husband, Loren, and I decided in August to fly into Barcelona a few days prior to a cruise starting Jan. 4, 2013.
Dining in Spain
Like many travelers, I research restaurants at my travel destinations, but on a trip to Spain in February ’13 I found two outstanding restaurants by accident.
Cape Town guide
Looking for a guide in Cape Town for our May ’12 trip to South Africa, my wife, Jane, and I saw that Denise Dick (denised@yebo.co.za) was recommended by ITN readers as a very competent guide (
Highlights of Verona
On my first afternoon on a revisit to Verona, Italy, May 11-14, 2011, I met a woman from Sydney in my hotel. She had never been to Italy before, and we decided to spend the following day together.
Morocco tour ‘amazing’
My husband, Gerald, and I took a 2-week humanitarian trip to Morocco with Friendship Force International (Atlanta, GA; 404/522-9490).
Traveling and giving
I would like to know what others do in the way of traveling to other countries and taking helpful gifts to leave behind — a type of humanitarian tourism. I do not mean joining a church group or medical or dental group that is going specifically for that purpose.
Living it up in Peru
My wife, Berdine, and I took an independent trip to Peru, Feb. 21-March 3, 2013. We flew on LAN, nine hours nonstop from San Francisco to Lima on a Boeing 767. Business class had flat beds.
Black Madonna quandary
A subscriber wrote about his day trip to Montserrat, Spain, to see the Black Madonna (April ’13, pg. 46). He and his companions had purchased their tickets at a tourist information office near the harbor in Barcelona, below the Christopher Columbus statue.