Travelers' Intercom
Water bottle Aquaclip®
My wife, Jo, and I took a trip to Borneo in February ’09 with smarTours, and there was a couple in our group with their water bottles on Aquaclips®.
Buying gas in Europe
My wife and I spent September ’09 driving in France and Italy.
Leases Europe autos with Kemwel
The subscriber’s letter about leasing a car for 30-plus days in Italy (Nov. ’09, pg. 51) led my husband, Klaus, and me to contact the agent at bonvoyagebycar@yahoo.com. The agent claimed he could get us a better price than we would with a lease/buyback via Peugeot or Renault.
Uncomfortable in Moscow
My two daughters and I traveled to Moscow in October ’08. Via the Internet, we had arranged for an apartment with Uncle Pasha, aka Paul or Pavel or Pasha Voytinsky (www.unclepasha.com). His website was attractive and he quickly answered our e-mails.
Bruges guest house
In Bruges, my husband, Lewis, and I stayed at Huis ’t Schaep (Korte Vuldersstraat 14, 8000 Bruges, Belgium; phone 00 32 [0] 5 03 40 630, www.huishet
Luggage tagging
My husband, Ed, and I always have an ID on our suitcase carrying handle plus another luggage tag taped onto either the bag or on the pull-behind handle. Why two luggage tags? In case our luggage is lost and one tag has been pulled off, there is still another one to be read.
Dazu Wheel of Life
Dazu was one of the stops on our fabulous month-long trip to China with China Focus Travel (San Francisco, CA; 800/86
Geneva Transport Card
I had an interesting experience when I did a day layover in Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 10-11, 2009. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at the Geneva Airport. When I asked the front desk for travel information into the center of town, they handed me a Geneva Transport Card.
Adriatic ports a unique combo
For years I toiled to put together for myself a land tour that would include Bosnia & Herzegovina plus Montenegro and Albania, but the inaccessibility of air flights between these countries combined with border crossing technicalities made the process too complex.
Bill shock in Dubrovnik
We had a surprise in Dubrovnik, Croatia, that hopefully others who read this can avoid. My husband took me out for a belated birthday dinner in May ’09 at Restaurant Nautica (Brsalje 3, 20 000 Dubrovnik, Croatia; phone +385 [0] 20 44 25 26), an excellent restaurant just outside the city walls.
Guide in Armenia
For a stay in Yerevan, Armenia, the week of Sept. 13-20, 2009, I hired a private car (Mercedes) and driver from Beau Monde Service (Republic Square, 1 Amiryan St., Yerevan, 0010 Armenia; phone 374 10 59 99 64, fax 99 65, www.rentcar.am), located in the Marriott Hotel where I stayed.
Booking flights for a tour
My wife, Joan, and I travel all the time, and on some of those trips we use tour companies, but we also fly independently and book tours once we arrive at our destination. We find either option acceptable, although I suppose it does depend on one’s comfort zone.
Lost money for unused part of rental
For a stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in December ’08, my husband, Roger, and I rented a flat for 13 nights on Anchorena. During our stay, Roger had a medical emergency that required us to leave early.
In London and Kent
My husband, Tom, and I were in London the second week of September ’08 and stayed in the southern suburb of Penge in an old home turned B&B: Melrose House (89 Lennard Rd., London, SE20 7LY, U.K.; phone 0208 776 8884, e-mail melrosehouse@supanet.com or visit www. melrosehouse.com).
Rail fares lower in person
I read the subscriber’s letter “Venice to Munich by Train” (Aug. ’09, pg. 40) lamenting the fact that, for a first-class DB Bahn rail ticket from Bolzano to Munich, she paid €93 by ordering it while in the US instead of getting it in Italy for €75.
Vicenza, Marostica & Bassano del Grappa
In northern Italy, the communes of Vicenza, Marostica and Bassano del Grappa are commonly touted as “very wealthy.” Well, I wouldn’t know about that part, but in early May ’09, after a week’s stay in Venice, I was certainly happy to have discovered all three.
Royal rumble through Rajasthan
While in India for five weeks in February-March ’09, my companion, Frank, and I decided to experience the northwestern state of Rajasthan, land of maharajas, palaces and ancient forts.
Getting into Bethlehem and Palestine
I traveled to Israel/Palestine under the auspices of the United Methodist Church, so I am writing not to recommend a tour company but to urge travelers to see all of this beautiful and historical area — not just what the Israel Government Tourist Office wants you to see.
Christmas gratuities
My mother and two sons will be taking our third Christmas cruise in 2009 and would like to share a method that works very well for giving the staff a holiday gift.