Travelers' Intercom
Guadalajara B&B, tours
My wife, Sandy, and I are snowbirds who spend the winters in Puerto Vallarta. Each year we explore a different part of Mexico, and in March ’11 we made a six-day, five-night trip to the Guadalajara area.
Reducing camera shake
In his January ’11 “Departure Lounge,” the publisher discussed reducing camera shake. He included pictures of someone holding a camera and wrote, “In picture No. 2, the photographer is tucking her arms in and using her body as a brace.
Wheelchair passenger’s airport experience
I have a heart condition and need to use a wheelchair in airports.
A Lesotho overnight
My one-day trip to Lesotho in September ’10 started with a one-hour flight on South African Airways from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Maseru, Lesotho’s capital. No visa is required for US citizens, and there are several flights each day, which makes a short trip very easy.
Stugeron for motion sickness
Great article by Lew Toulmin in the June ’11 issue! My wife and I have crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans numerous times. We are in our 60s, and she usually gets motion sickness the first full day out.
Danube cruise with GCT
My friend Eileen Mine and I took the 13-day “Eastern Europe & the Black Sea” river cruise with Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/959-0405), May 1-13, 2010. Including round-trip air from Raleigh-Durham airport, it cost $3,564 apiece.
Birding in China and Malaysia
I went on a birding trip to China called “Birds and Culture,” April 16-May 1, 2011, with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, or VENT (Austin, TX; 800/328-8368). The land price was $7,175 per person, all inclusive.
Tips for an NZ visit
My partner, John, and I spent the month of March ’11 touring New Zealand.
Turkey with TEO
Eight female friends and I took a private, nine-day tour of western Turkey, Nov. 2-10, 2010. The itinerary, organized by TEO World Culture Tours (New York, NY; 888/444-1110) and conducted by Tamer Teoman, was thrilling.
Camera support
I read the advice about reducing camera shake (Jan. ’11, pg. 85) and agree with Mr. Noble to a point. I think that another solution would be to tuck the arms in but hold the camera so the shutter button is on the top.
Security through the Mideast
I have some observations about the security we experienced during our May 4-24, 2011, cruise from Dubai to Italy, including a transit of the Suez Canal and port calls in Oman, Jordan, Egypt and Israel.
Medical Needs Overseas: Blood-thinning medication
A subscriber mentioned the complications of taking the blood thinner Coumadin (aka warfarin), used by many of us traveling seniors with atrial fibrillation (May ’11, pg. 44).
Istanbul hotel
My husband, Ed, and I stayed in Hotel Yigitalp Istanbul (Gencturk Cad. Cukur Cesme Sok. No. 38, Sehzadebasi, Istanbul, Turkey; phone +90 212 512 98 60) in October ’10.
Galápagos and Tip Top IV
For our 30th wedding anniversary, my wife, Janie, decided she wanted to tour the Galápagos Islands. After quite a bit of research on the Internet, we booked with Galápagos Travel (Aptos, CA; 800/969-9014). We could not have chosen a better organization.
Journey Through Ireland
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful trip through Ireland and Northern Ireland, Aug. 7-28, 2010, orchestrated by Conn O’Scannlain, owner of Journey Through Ireland (University Place, WA; 800/828-0826).
China Highlights
My nephew, David, and I took a private tour of China, March 17-April 4, 2011, arranged by Karen Yang of China Highlights (No. 11 Binjiang Rd., Guilin, GX541002, P.R. China; phone toll-free, in China, 800/8793-007 or, in the US and Canada, 800/268-2918).
Kumasi, Ghana, inn
For travelers to West Africa seeking an accommodation in Kumasi, Ghana, the Four Villages Inn (Box KS 3374, Kumasi, Ghana; phone 233 51 22682 or mobile 020 766 7559) is an excellent choice — an inviting B&B in a quiet but very accessible neighborhood.
Curbing motion sickness
I read with interest the article by Lew Toulmin about motion sickness (June ’11, pg. 59). I have always been prone to motion sickness, though it has lessened with age, as he mentioned it would. (However, I’m not sure it’s not picking up again.)
Port times cut short
I read with interest the subscriber’s letter “Assigned Cabin Too Small” (March ’11, pg. 26), about his experience with Hurtigruten (Sunrise, FL; 866/552-0371).
Buenos Aires park in decline
I read the subscriber’s letter about pickpockets at Plaza San Martin in Buenos Aires, Argentina (April ’11, pg. 56). I witnessed this during my stay, Nov. 24-27, 2010.