Travelers' Intercom
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.
Tended by Voyages of Discovery
I signed up for the April ’10 “Egypt & Eastern Mediterranean” cruise with Voyages of Discovery (Ft. Lauderdale, FL; 866/623-2689). It cost $6,238 including air from San Diego, two nights in London, one night in Istanbul and my single supplement.
Guide in Rio
My husband and I had 10 hours between disembarking a cruise ship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a late flight to Miami on Dec. 10, 2009.
Tour options for super-senior travelers
For Barbara Johnson of Sierra Vista, Arizona, ITN printed her plea for names of companies offering overseas tours geared to active octogenarians and nonagenarians (Jan. ’10, pg. 56 & April ’10, pgs. 32 & 69).
Funniest Thing for July '10
Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the United States.) There are no restrictions on length. The ITN staff will choose each month’s winner, who will receive a free one-year subscription to ITN.
Viking and the volcano
My husband and I took the eight-day “Paris & the Heart of Normandy” cruise with Viking River Cruises (Woodland Hills, CA; 800/304-9616). Excluding air, we paid $5,211 for two plus, for a three-day pretour in Paris, $1,398.
CroTouring in Croatia
My husband, Carl, and I toured Croatia privately, Sept. 9-24, 2009. For the first part of our trip we used CroTouring (Milutina Baraèa 20, 51000 Rijeka, Hrvatska, Croatia; phone +385 51 277 086). Their guides made it not just a good trip but a great one.