September 2012

In his August 2012 column, Philip Wagenaar stated that El Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba Island in Tunisia was destroyed by a bomb attack in 2002. This is inaccurate.

CORRECTION — The item about the death of Lonesome George in the Galápagos islands incorrectly stated that he died on Pinta (Aug. ’12, pg. 15).

George was the last of the Pinta Island subspecies of giant land tortoise; however, he was removed from Pinta in 1972. He died on Santa Cruz Island at the Charles Darwin Research Center.
I was on Santa Cruz and had planned to walk to the center to see him on June 25, but he died the day before. I did get to see his two girlfriends.

Thanks to a recommendation from an ITN subscriber (Feb. ’11, pg. 34), my wife and I found Merta Wyn (mertagct@telkom.net), who provided us with guide services in Bali, Indonesia, in November ’11. We made our arrangements with him about two months before the trip, and he was enthusiastic about tailoring a trip according to our needs.

His English was excellent, and his car was modern, clean and air-conditioned.

When packing, I include a bag with a few items of office supplies: a small magnifier, extra pens, paper clips, yellow sticky pads, a small stapler, scissors (for cutting hair) and a few safety pins.

The topic of the essay contest announced in the April issue was “My Mania is Tasmania.” From the entries submitted, ITN staff have chosen the winner. It is RAY FEILER of Cincinnati, Ohio, who will receive a 50-dollar gift certificate from Magellan’s Travel Supplies (800/962-4943). Mr. Feiler’s essay appears below.

by Fritz Oelrich; Stafford, Va.

We asked you to write about a restaurant, shop or other business housed in a historic, unique, spectacular or interesting building (outside of the US) that can be entered without paying an admission fee. We weren’t looking for a place like the Hard Rock Café that just has pictures and antiques everywhere; if it is a café, however, the architecture should be as much the experience as the meal. Or it can be a working library in a castle. Or a butcher shop in a cathedral.

Joellyn Ross of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, asked for recommendations of ATM cards that can be used in other countries without incurring exorbitant foreign-transaction fees. Subscribers’ selections and advice appear below.

Before you travel, it’s always wise to check with your financial institutions about charges you will incur when using an ATM in a foreign country. There are three types of charges to be aware of.

by Michael Kasum; Gulfport, FL

The Immigration official handed our passports back to my wife, Pat, and me with the visas for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, issued on arrival, pasted inside.