Helene Schechter of Livingston, New Jersey, described having been unhappy with the flight arrangements that Overseas Adventure Travel had made for her and her husband for a tour; they ended up with a 7-hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany (May ’08, pg. 29).
Well over a year before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, my wife, Margi, and I discussed the possibility of attending. Never having attended any Olympic event but having some familiarity with China, we felt this might be a unique opportunity. We signed on with CoSport (Box 905, Far Hills, NJ 07931; 877/457-4647 or 908/766-2227, www.cosport.com), the official ticket agent for the United States.
We redeemed 120,000 Chase Flexible Rewards points for 100,000 frequent-flyer miles on United Airlines recently. Since 100,000 miles per year was the limit for any one frequent-flyer number, we put 50,000 on my wife’s number and 50,000 on mine.
In the Winelands on the Western Cape of South Africa, my husband, Maurice, and I stopped in Tulbagh for lunch, ordering the tasty traditional dish bobotie (spicy minced meat topped with egg). Tulbagh is noted for its classic Dutch architecture; the oldest building, the Oude Kirk (Old Church), was built in 1743. The Slave Bell that announced slave auctions is still intact. The community’s sense of pride is evident in its scenic streets with well-maintained white buildings accented by black woodwork and cheerful flowers cascading from window boxes.
We’d wandered much of the world since retirement but never within Central Asia. Samarkand beckoned.
On a trip to Peru in October ’07, I went to Cruz del Cóndor, an observation point where the magnitude of the Colca Canyon can be appreciated. It is the best spot for seeing the spectacular condor.
My wife, our 23-year-old daughter and I took the tour “Best of Africa: Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia & South Africa,” June 5-22, 2008, with Vantage Deluxe World Travel (Boston, MA; 800/322-6677).
The cost, including airfare from Philadelphia for our daughter and from Houston for my wife and me, was $5,751 each (which included $195 in taxes/fees and a $357 early-payment discount) plus a $500 single supplement for one of us. Overall, we felt this was a good value.
While my wife, Paula, and I didn’t find Lugano, Switzerland, to be the most exciting or interesting of destinations, the city is the southern terminus of two of Swiss Rail’s most scenic train routes: the William Tell Express and the Bernina Express. That is its primary attraction for many travelers, but its mountainside location on picturesque Lake Lugano (shared with Italy) provides another good reason to visit.
