Travel Briefs

October 2011 issue

Britain bike route cards

Those exploring Britain by bicycle can use a collection of pocket-sized map cards called “Cyclist’s Britain in a Box” (2011, Interlink Publ,. ISBN 1566568579 — 50 cards, $19.95).

Each card has a cycling route fully illustrated, with directions, plus info on transportation and points of interest. Routes vary in difficulty, and many begin near transportation hubs in towns.

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September 2011 issue

St. Patrick’s trail

A downloadable brochure lists 15 sites associated with Ireland’s patron saint along a 92-mile driving route in Northern Ireland. Among sites are Armagh, where Patrick founded his main church, Struell Well, blessed by Patrick, and Down Cathedral, his gravesite.

Including a map, descriptions of each stop and 14 two-for-one entry vouchers, it’s available free from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board website.

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August 2011 issue

Immunizations app

The Healix Travel Vaccination app (compatible with iPhone, iTouch and iPads) lists all of the immunizations required of and recommended for visitors to any country. Information on health risks is included. The free app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store.

July 2011 issue

HK junk cruises

Departing from Stanley, Hong Kong, 30-minute sailings in a 28-meter junk around Victoria Harbour are run by Aqua Luna (Pier 1, near the Cultural Center, & Pier 9, Central Ferry Terminal; phone +852 2116 8821).

Afternoon sailings (HKD150, near $19) Tues. & Fri. at 1:30 & 2:30 p.m. Evening sailings (HKD190) daily every hour from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with “Symphony of Lights” harbor show sailing (HKD240) at 7:30.

December 2011 issue

Nouvel Orsay

Paris’ Musée d’Orsay (62, rue de Lille; phone +33 [0] 1 40 49 48 14) unveiled, in October, the results of its 18-month-long, €20-million renovation. The Pavillon Amont now has four new levels of gallery space, while the museum’s fifth-level Impressionist space has been redesigned, with pieces rearranged.

The exhibition “The England of Oscar Wilde” runs to Jan. 15, 2012, followed by “Akseli Gallen-Kallela, A Passion for Finland,” Feb. 7-May 6, and “Degas & the Nude,” March 13-July 1. Open 9:30-6 Tues.-Sun. General...

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June 2011 issue

Orangs with Orion

Along with primatologist Dr. Biruté Galdikas, up-close interactions with orangutans in Borneo are featured with three sailings to Indonesia by Orion Expedition Cruises (New York, NY; 877/674-6687).

Dr. Galdikas, who founded the Orangutan Foundation 40 years ago, is guest lecturer, and passengers may spend two days at her base in Tanjung Puting National Park.

The 10-night cruise departs Bali Sept. 30 and Dec. 29, 2011, and Jan. 8, 2012, visiting Kalimantan, Tanjung Puting and Gunung Palung national parks, Kuching and Sarawak, ending in Singapore. Cruise prices run $6,930-$13,...

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October 2011 issue

‘Antarctic Wildlife’

The first third of “Antarctic Wildlife: a Visitor’s Guide” by James Lowen (2011, Princeton University Press. Stiff, large-format paperback, 240 glossy pages, $22.95) has general tips on spotting wildlife, then it lists plant, sea and bird life by geographic regions. Densely illustrated with photos (both juvenile and adult animals), the rest tells how to identify varieties of seals, whales, dolphins, gulls, penguins, ducks, etc., with short text descriptions of their behaviors.

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September 2011 issue

Goa, India, dress code

Goa is a popular beach resort area in India known for its relaxed atmosphere, but some tourists have been sightseeing at nearby churches and temples inappropriately dressed (some women even in bikinis). Priests, monks and some worshipers have protested the lack of respect for the sanctity of the religious sites.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus contains the remains of St. Francis Xavier (one of the founders of the Jesuits) and is a well-known pilgrimage location. As of September 2011, it is enforcing a dress code. Women showing too much skin will be loaned a shawl. Two Hindu temples in Goa...

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