Travelers' Intercom
Panama City guide
Through the recommendation of our hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton, we were fortunate to have the guide services of Emilio R. D’Angelo (phone +1 507 659 829 41 or e-mail emilio.tours@hotmail.com) on one day of our Jan. 13-19, 2010, trip to Panama.
VAT lesson in Namibia
On a birding trip to Namibia in March-April ’10, my wife, Kathy, and I had to purchase some safari clothing.
Orion cruise in NZ
To see various regions of New Zealand without the hassles of driving, my husband, Keith, and I decided that the expedition-style ship of the Australian company Orion Expedition Cruises (New York, NY; 877/674-6687) was what we were looking for.
River cruises and stairs
ITN asked for advice for mobility-impaired cruisers (Feb. ’10, pg. 68). After I stopped being able to negotiate stairs without excessive pain, I stopped going on river cruises.
No chip-and-PIN but no problem
In May and June 2010, I visited southern Spain and Barcelona with friends. In all locations, I used US-issued credit cards with no difficulties. Restaurants, shops and hotels all accepted these cards without question.
France hotels
Here are hotel recommendations from our trip to France, May 19-June 1, 2009.
No phones ringing
I read the letters about “getting away from it all” and not maintaining contact when traveling (Nov. ’09, pg. 52 & Feb. ’10, pg. 58).
‘Shop on your own!’
Everyone knows that the first rule of travel is ‘Don’t drink the water,’ but on my trip to Egypt and Jordan, Feb. 23-March 12, 2010, I was amazed at how few people had learned the second rule: ‘Don’t shop where your guide takes you!’
Found parts of Turkey tour offputting
The following is a greatly edited version of a subscriber’s letter.
Northern Lights in Iceland
For our winter getaway, my husband, Jerry, suggested we go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. Although Iceland sounds so cold, the average temperatures in February aren’t worse than New York City’s, and when I read up about the lights, I was hooked.
Long line into Bali
When my friend and I landed at the airport in Bali, Indonesia, on April 29, 2010, it was 12:15 a.m. and the temperature was about 90°F with very high humidity. The wait to get through Immigration was in excess of two hours, and there was no air-conditioning, nowhere to sit and no way to get a bottle of water.
Three days in Wales
My wife, Rose, and I along with our English friends Betty and Allan Madden spent a few days in Wales in May ’09.
Root canal in Colombia
While staying for a month in the city of Medellín, Colombia, in January ’10, I started having a toothache.
Airport-Rome transit tip
The train from Fiumicino Airport to Stazione Termini in central Rome cost €14 (near $20) per person in May ’10.
Lacked chip-and-PIN card
When traveling, I have always depended upon getting funds in the local currency by using my ATM card, a debit Visa card with a local credit union.
Festival of Santiago
Pilgrimages fascinate me — the ritual, the pageantry, the dedication of the pilgrims, their willingness to undergo hardship and their sense of fulfillment upon the achievement of their quest. My own “pilgrimages” have been secular.
India travel tips
I spent six weeks in India in February-March ’10, traveling through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Rajasthan, with brief visits to Ahmedabad, Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi (June ’10, pg. 27 and July ’10, pg. 30).
Flight arrangements for a cruise
We take a couple of cruises a year and like to make our own flight arrangements. The key is to leave a few days early and not only get our jet lag under control but have time to see the port. Leaving early also helps if weather causes delays or luggage is lost.