International Travel News articles from April 2003

International Travel News archives from April 2003

Boarding pass.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 326th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine -- in our 28th year and going strong. Some hopeful news out of Nepal -- in late January, a bilateral cease-fire was declared between the Communist...

Folk festivals in Germany. (Travel Briefs).(Directory)
April 1, 2003... Here is a sampling of traditional folk festivals taking place in Germany in 2003. * Hafengeburtstag, Hamburg May 9-11, '03 -- Celebrating the city's harbor's birthday, windjammers and dozens of historic ships will sail along the Elbe...

A sightseeing adventure over Germany's Lake Constance aboard the new Zeppelin NT.
April 1, 2003... On June 11, 2002, I took a sightseeing flight in the new Zeppelin NT (Neue Technologie), originating in Friedrichshafen on the Bodensee (Lake Constance) in Germany. It is the first passenger-carrying zeppelin in operation since the May 6, 1937,...

'Competitive' car rental deal. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... For a trip to France in September '02, we arranged ahead of time for a Renault short-term lease on a 4-door Laguna, which is about the size of a Honda Accord. The lease was for a brand-new car, and the total charge was $850 for the first...

Caveat on CDW. (Travelers' Intercom).(insurance on your rental car)
April 1, 2003... In response to the reader's letter "Rented Car and Declined CDW" (Nov. '02, pg. 14), regarding damage being covered by his credit card after an accident in France, he is. of course, correct. A word of caution, however -- most credit cards...

Berling in December. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... A reader's letter in the November '02 issue (page 15) contained many tips about Berlin which I used during my trip there with my sister, Dec. 16-19. I wanted to add a couple of comments about interesting no -charge things to visit in Berlin....

Dining delights of London's Bloomsbury. (Traveler's Intercom).
April 1, 2003... I appreciated reading Dee Poujade's Report Card on a hotel and a restaurant in London (Dec. '02, pgs. 4, 153). Ms. Poujade mentioned St. Margaret's Hotel, which is quite cozy and nice. It's where my husband and I stay when our favorite...

Chiang-Mai Tusnaporin Co. (Travelers' Intercom).(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... I read with interest the readers' letters on page 22 of the February '03 issue and would like to state we agree totally with the remarks of the reader who wrote the letter titled "Pleased with Dining Set from Thailand." Several years ago...

Tasty bargains in Prague. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In our experience, we have found you don't have to wander far from the main tourist attractions to find wonderful restaurants that are neither overcrowded nor overpriced. We visited Prague, Czech Republic, Aug. 8-10, '02 (just before the...

Funniest thing.(Tj Mahal taxi)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the U.S.,, Canada or Mexico.) The ITN staff will choose each month's...

Middle East caution. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Americans are reminded of the potential for further terrorist actions against U.S. citizens abroad, specifically in the Middle East. Citing increased security concerns, the Department of State has authorized the departure of family members...

Kuwait attacks. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In Kuwait on Jan. 21, 2003, a civilian U.S. government contractor was killed in an ambush on a car near Camp Doha. One, other private American citizen was seriously wounded. This was the third attack against Americans in four months; on Nov....

Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. (News Watch).(travel restrictions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In Israel, Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank, the situation remains extremely volatile with continuing terrorist attacks, confrontations and clashes. American citizens should avoid locations such as restaurants and cafes, shopping areas...

Bolivia travel warning. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The security situation throughout Bolivia has deteriorated significantly. Clashes between supporters and opponents of the government of President Sanchez de Lozada, including armed clashes between police and military forces, have left many dead...

Precautions in Algeria. (News Watch).(travel restrictions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to evaluate carefully considerations for their security and safety before traveling to Algeria. Although markedly fewer incidents have taken place in Algeria in recent years, random terrorist attacks...

Central African Republic. (News Watch).(travel restrictions)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to the Central African Republic (CAR) at this time and recommends that Americans in the country depart. The United States currently does not have a diplomatic presence there. ...

Salzburg Festival packages. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... This year, Austria's Salzburg Festival takes place July 26-Aug. 31. Performances by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Concertgebouw Orkest, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra are scheduled. Operas...

Upcoming in Belize. (Travel Briefs).
April 1, 2003... * The Cashew Festival, now in its 11th year, takes place at Crooked Tree Village just northwest of Belize City, Belize, the weekend of May 3-4, '03. The celebration includes music, dancing, food, storytelling, demonstrations of cabana...

Yorke Peninsula, Australia. (Travel Briefs).
April 1, 2003... The Yorke Peninsula, Australia, has a 48-page visitor guide on the region. In Australia, call (08) 8821 2663 to learn where to pick up a copy of the brochure.

Traveling beyond Brazil's traditional sights to explore the country's ecological diversity.
April 1, 2003... Brazil is the largest country in South. America, occupying more than half the continent. The Amazon rainforest covers the northern section of the country and attracts many visitors every year. Others flock to the beaches and sun of Rio de...

Lax supervision spoiled cruise. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... We took two 14-day back-to-back cruises (transcanal and South America) aboard the Mercury, Dec. 9, '01-Jan. 6, '02, embarking in Ft. Lauderdale. The cost of this 28-day voyage was $3,215 each, including the flight. back to Miami from Rio. Tips...

Kudos to US Air. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In these times of flight cutbacks, airline bankruptcies and stricter airport security measures, it seems like everybody has a gripe -- most of them against the "uncaring" airlines who treat people like numbers. I have done my own share of...

Jaunt to Brussels. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... If you only have a few days off from work but are still itching to get away to some enticing destination in Europe, I suggest the packages offered by Delta Vacations (phone 800/872-7786 or visit www.deltavacations.com). My wife and I spent...

Wilderness Trekkers' efforts. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... I am writing this letter to commend Wilderness Trekkers (Box 1363, Lomita, CA 90717; phone 800/335-8 735 or 310/5309490 or visit www.wildernesstrekkers.com), owned and operated by Vimal Gairola. In the spring of 2001 I contacted a number of...

Ecuador sister city visit provided insights. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... When my city, Santa Clarita, California, became a sister city with Tena, Ecuador (in the Amazon Basin), I joined the group making the first visit. Our group of three went down for eight days from late November to early December '02. I...

Munich's Moderne Pinakothek. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... A mix of the familiar and the enigmatic, Munich's new Pinakothek der Moderne pays homage to a broad spectrum of modern art, graphics, architecture and design. Like the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the building itself is a great complement to...

Protecting film. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... I found the letters on the handling of film at airport security very helpful (Feb. '03, pgs. 20-21); they were typical, as nothing ever works like it is supposed to. The hint about including some high-speed film in the bag and requesting...

Pack for contingencies. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... I'm writing in response to the reader's letter entitled "Checking Luggage Offers Some Freedoms" (Jan. '03, pg. 46). While my husband and I do check our luggage through, this practice most certainly does not guarantee that our bags will...

Pointed query. (Travelers' Intercom).(travelling with scissors )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... I have been reading recent articles about people who travel with only a small bag. In most cases, my impression is that 'the bag they use is the size accepted as a plane carry-on. The people list what they pack, but I keep thinking about what...

Asserting yourself tactfully. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... Have you ever wished you knew the right words to get out of a sticky situation? Several years ago I planned a train trip that began in Portugal and continued to Seville, Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid and Paris. I was able to confirm train...

First-time trip to Turkey proves educational.
April 1, 2003... As part of an exchange program between the Friendship Force club of Izmir, Turkey, and our Friendship Force club in Sacramento, we home-hosted two Turkish women in 2000. The two ladies were charming and so much fun, and as they departed for...

Free travel insurance (limited time only)! Cancel for any reason and get a 100% refund.
April 1, 2003... In what may well be a travel industry first, Uniworld, to encourage the travel-shy, is offering free travel insurance on most of their 60 European river cruises in April and May of this year. With Uniworld's "Worry-free Travel Protection...

The World Outdoors.(group travel)
April 1, 2003... Want to plan the perfect trip for a group you're in? The World Outdoors has a free pamphlet that may help. "The ABCs of Customizing an Extraordinary Group Adventure" includes a questionnaire that takes into consideration budget, group...

Favorite foreign recipes and seasonings.
April 1, 2003... Enjoying new foods is one of the serendipities of travel. ITN asked if there is a favorite recipe that you discovered overseas (outside of North America). If so, we requested that you send it in, also telling us where, how and when you found...

Engelberg attractions. (Travel Briefs).(Switzerland)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Engelberg is one of the oldest vacation and health resorts in Switzerland. Only 30 minutes from Lucerne, it offers skiing, snowboarding and more. A new winter walking path links the Gerschnialp with the Trubsee summit station, offering a...

Busan City Tour bus. (Travel Briefs).(travel to Busan, Korea)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... New Busan City Tour buses take in the major attractions of Busan (Pusan), Korea. Each of the deluxe buses holds 28 persons and is equipped with an information system in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. Two routes are featured. Each...

A 'royal' crossing to Southampton on the QE2.(personal experiences of sailing on the QE2)(Column)
April 1, 2003... I held my breath, afraid that the funnel of the QE2 was so tall that it was going to collide with the span of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge ahead. Other passengers gathered around and gasped. It looked very tight. We all involuntarily ducked......

Accommodations worldwide.
April 1, 2003... Hotels * B&Bs * Homestays * Apartments The following is a listing of some of the hotels, B&Bs, etc., in which ITN readers have stayed over the past year or so plus restaurants or sights nearby. Prices are those paid at the time of the...

Egypt. (View Finders).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Sailing aboard Silversea's Silver Shadow, part of a 68-day journey from Rio to Athens in February-May 2001, we departed Mombasa, Kenya, crossed the equator and headed for Safaga, Egypt. We disembarked for an overnight excursion to Luxor and...

Amelia International. (Tours in Review: Tunisia, Malta and Cyprus).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... We took an excellent trip to Tunisia, Malta and Cyprus, July 10-28, '02, planned for us by Amelia International (176 Woodbury Rd., Hicksville, NY 11801; phone 800/742-4591, e-mail info@ameliainternational.com or visit...

Bella Italia. (Tours in Review: Italy).
April 1, 2003... A friend and I had the most wonderful trip to Italy in June '02. We chose Bella Italia (9114 West Sixth Ave., Lakewood, CO 80215; phone 800/231-0747, e-mail itlgroup@ix.netcom.com or visit www.itlgroup.com). Gianfranco Russo, a native of...

Trails of Romansch Switzerland. (Tours in Review: Switzerland).
April 1, 2003... June-July '02 we took a 14-day walking tour, "Trails of Romansch Switzerland" with Elderhostel (11 Ave. De Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111-1746; phone 877/426-8056 or visit www.elderhostel.org). The trip was exceptional, both for value and...

InTours Corporation, or InTours Canada. (Tours in Review: Russia).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... After a lot of searching and pricing, I booked a conducted tour of St. Petersburg with the Canadian branch of Intourist, In Tours Corporation, or InTours Canada (2150 Bloor St. West, Ste. 308, Toronto, Canada M6S 1M8; phone 416/766-4720, e-mail...

The 10-day/9-night "Livingstone" mobile camping safari with Karibu Safari. (Tours in Review: Botswana/Zimbabwe).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In September '02 we took the 10-day/9-night "Livingstone" mobile camping safari with Karibu Safari (Box 35196, Northway 4065, KZN, South Africa; phone +27 [0] 31 5639774, e-mail contactus@karibu.co.za or visit www.karibu.co.za). At a land cost...

MIR Corporation. (Tours in Review: Russia).
April 1, 2003... Winston Churchill called Russia "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." In June '01 we traveled to St. Petersburg and Moscow on an independent tour package arranged by MIR Corporation (85 5. Washington St., Ste. 210, Seattle, WA...

Olde Ipswich Tours. (Tours in Review: Italy).
April 1, 2003... My husband and I took the 13-day "Small Group Gourmet Tour" of Tuscany and Umbria, Sept. 24-Oct. 7, '02, with Olde Ipswich Tours (8 Herrick Dr., Ipswich, MA 09138; phone 877/356-5163, e-mail jean@ipswichtours.com or visit www.ipswichtours.com)....

The gorgeous Hilton Hanoi Opera. (Tours in Review: Viet-Nam and Combodia).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In February '02 I took an 18-day trip to Viet-Nam and Cambodia with Orient Odyssey (1385 Gulf Rd., Ste. 203, Point Roberts, WA 98281; phone 800/637-5778 or visit www.orientodyssey.com). The price of $2,980 included, all airfare (eight flights),...

Pacific Delight Tours. (Tours in Review: Myanmar/Singapore).
April 1, 2003... In December '02 my wife and I took the 14-day "Singapore and Myanmar Focus" tour with Pacific Delight Tours (205 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10017-5706; phone 800/221-7179 or visit www.pacificdelighttours.com). The base cost was $2,250,...

Patty's Places. (Tours in Review: Ireland).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... My wife, her brother and his wife and I took a 20-day tour to Ireland in June '01 with Patty's Places (1251 NW 195th St., Seattle, WA 98177-2705; phone 800/775-3861, e-mail patty@pattysplaces.com or visit www.pattysplaces.com). Patty...

Scotwalk, Ltd. (Tours in Review: Scotland).
April 1, 2003... My 12-year-old grandson and I took the "Family Walk" in June '02 with Scotwalk, Ltd. (Traquair Mill House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, EH44 6PT, Scotland, UK; phone 44 [0] 1896 830515, e-mail info@scotwalk.co.uk or visit www.scotwalkco.uk). ...

SmarTours. (Tours in Review: Australia, New Zealand and Fiji).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... We took a 21-day vacation to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, June 6-27, '01, with smarTours (501 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1402, NewYork, NY 10017; phone 800/337-7773 or visit www.smartours.net). The price was $2,699 from Los Angeles. Our hotels...

Eastern European cities with smarTours. (Tours in Review: Eastern Europe).
April 1, 2003... In November '01 I took a wonderful tour of several Eastern European cities with smarTours (501 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1402, New York, NY 10017; phone 800/337-7773 or visit www.smartours.net). The price of the 15-day "Great Cities of Eastern...

I traveled with smarTours. (Tours in Review: Viet-Nam and Cambodia).
April 1, 2003... I traveled with smarTours (New York, NY) to Viet-Nam, including an extension to Cambodia, Jan. 13-31, '01. With the Viet-Nam portion costing $1,799 plus add-on airfare from New York ($100), single supplement ($299), travel insurance, departure...

Vietnam Discovery Tour. (Tours in Review: Viet-Nam).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... We visited Viet-Nam, Oct: 18-Nov. 11, '02, with smarTours (New York, NY) on their "Vietnam Discovery Tour." The cost for this 15-day trip was $1,799 from Los Angeles and I paid an additional single supplement of $299. We began with three...

Sunbeam Tours. (Tours in Review: South Pacific).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In March '02 we took the 19-day "South Pacific Odyssey" trip to FIJI, NEW ZEALAND and AUSTRALIA with Sunbeam Tours (1669 East Lincoln Ave., Orange, CA 92865; phone 800/955-1818 or visit www.sunbeamtours.com) The price was $2,961 from Los...

Independent traveler opts for an escorted tour of Hong Kong.
April 1, 2003... I do not travel well with groups. I get impatient, am not a big shopper and want to see more than is planned on an organized tour. But there have been exceptions. One exception was a trip to Hong Kong and Thailand I took in March of 2001. ...

Cruises critiqued: reader comments on ships, boats and cruises.
April 1, 2003... Following are write-ups of various cruises -- ocean, sea, river or whatever -- that readers have taken in the last year or so. Please note that, with the exception of the Cruises column by Bill Bennett, ITN does not cover cruises that take...

Adventures on Dominica. (Travelers' Intercom).(Caribbean island)
April 1, 2003... While arranging a trip for myself, my 48-year-old nephew and his wife, I looked for an island that would offer more challenges than most by way of snorkeling, hiking and bird-watching. The Caribbean island of Dominica, with its rainforests,...

The charm of Havana. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... I want to comment on the letter "Destination: Cuba" (Nov; '02. pg. 88), regarding a reader's trip to that island in April '01. I went on a tour to Cuba in October '02 with Cross Cultural Solutions (47 Potter Ave., New Rochelle, NY, 10801;...

Arrangements for Tibet and Bhutan. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... April-May of '02 three menus and I traveled to India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. We made arrangements for the Tibet and Bhutan segments of the trip with tour companies in Nepal and Bhutan. Our 11-day private tour of Tibet was arranged by...

Sub-Saharan Africa. (Travelers' Intercom).
April 1, 2003... In October-November '02, on our eighth trip to sub-Saharan Africa, my husband and I again toured and safaried in the Republic of South Africa and Zambia, this time with the additions of Swaziland and Mozambique. As is our preference, we...

Country-of-origin pricing. (Travelers' Intercom).(South Africa)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In the January, '03 issue on page 42, a reader alerts us to a pricing scheme which gouges Americans. Mr. Christian Grosch of the Shongololo Express, Johannesburg, South Africa, bluntly (and, in my opinion, insultingly) tries to defend the...

Support the Balinese. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Regarding the news item "Americans at Risk in Indonesia" (Dec. '02, pg. 24), I'm glad ITN printed the State Department release in its entirety. * Those who took the time to read it would note that Bali itself was not included in the areas of...

Impressed with guide in Bali. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... G.L. (HAL) MEROW On Jan. 8, '02, we had the privilege of assisting Great American Travel (3200 N. Central, Ste. 825, Phoenix, AZ 85012; phone 800/929-8638 or visit www.greattravel.com) by acting as the escorts for a special, one-day, group...

Unique guide at Fatehpur Sikri. (Travelers' Intercom).(travel to India)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... If anyone is traveling independently to India and visiting Fatehpur Sikri, I would like to recommend a guide we had there on a tour during November '02 with The Imaginative Traveller (Suffolk, UK; phone 0208/742-8612 or visit www....

Guide in Chile. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In the February '03 edition of ITN was an article on a trip from Mica to Iquique, Chile. In March '02 my traveling companion and I were aboard the Marco Polo when she docked in Arica for a day visit. My traveling companion is a professor...

Driver guide around Romania. (Travelers' Intercom).(Bogdan Curea)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Anyone traveling to Romania or Bulgaria or Eastern Europe in general couldn't do better than to hire Bogdan Curea, a native. of Bucharest. A most personable young man with good English skills, he knows a lot about his own country as well as...

Light a candle. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Regarding the "Dresden controversy" of recent issues, my view is that nearly all deaths in nearly all wars are tragic, wasteful and unnecessary. However, those who light candles for Hiroshima should also light candles for Pearl Harbor. Those...

Provence villages. (Travelers' Intercom).(travel to France)
April 1, 2003... In September 1997 I joined a walking trip entitled "The Perched Villages of Provence" with British Coastal Trails (aka BCT Scenic Walking, 6183 Paseodel Norte #2 70, Carlsbad, CA 92009; phone 800/4731210 or 760/431-7306, fax 760/431-7782 or...

Brasserie in Paris. (Travelers' Intercom).(Flottes, France)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Brasserie Flottes (2 rue Cambon, 7500 Paris, France): in June '02, my friend and I had a really fabulous "French" luncheon at this beautiful restaurant. It was opened in 1966. The "feel" is art deco, with stained glass. The food was a...

Chance encounters. ('Small World' Dept.).(travels to Europe)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... * In 1990, our Grand Circle Travel group was chatting in a hotel lobby in Poland about unusual accidents that we had seen. One lady described how some years before, a waiter had dumped a pitcher of very hot coffee in the lap of a group member...

European railpass roundup 2003. (All About!).
April 1, 2003... New railpasses introduced in 2003 give you some good options to make your train travel more convenient this year. Starring roles go to the expanded Eurail Selectpass program, which now additionally offers 4- and 5-country passes, and the new...

HAL's Prinsendam (new acquisition) on sailings to Alaska. (Cruises).(Holland America Line 's passenger ship)
April 1, 2003... Each Alaska/Canada summer season sees many changes in that large and important cruise market. Among the offerings for this year is a new program of 14-day round-trip Alaska sailings from San Francisco. The vessel for this series is a...

Voyager debuts in Europe. (Cruise Cavalcade).(Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' Seven SeasVoyager ship)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In April '03, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' 700-guest, all-balcony-suite Seven SeasVoyager sails her maiden voyage: 12 nights from Monte Carlo to Venice (cabin prices range from $5,755 to $23,195 per person, double). She will be the first to...

Stella Solaris' 30th season. (Cruise Cavalcade).(Royal Olympia Cruises' passenger ship)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Royal Olympia Cruises' 620-passenger Stella Solaris celebrates her 30th Anniversary Season with a series' of European cruises ranging from seven to 21 days, May through October '03. The summer program will feature new Northern European...

Sotheby's at sea. (Cruise Cavalcade).(Sotheby's Institute plans at-sea lectures during Crystal Cruises voyages in 2003)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Experts from the world-renowned Sotheby's Institute will give at-sea lectures on antiquities during seven Crystal Cruises voyages in 2003. With titles such as "Faberge: Master of Magnificence," "The Glory of Irish Cut Glass" and "Harem!...

Tours: a selection of escorted tours.
April 1, 2003... "ICELAND: LEGENDS & LANDSCAPES" -- 11-day tour. Departures May-September '03. Tours departing May 23 & 28 coincide with annular solar eclipse visible from Iceland (weather permitting). Highlights: Eiriksstad, former home of Erik the Red...

Let's Go City Guides--Amsterdam. (Reviewers' Corner).(Book Review)
April 1, 2003... "Let's Go City Guides -- Amsterdam," edited by Karen Kiang (2002, Let's Go/St. Martins Press, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010. ISBN 0312284586 - 323 pp., $16.99). This book is definitely aimed at the young or the "young-at-heart"...

Hostels: France & Italy. (Reviewers' Corner).(Book Review)
April 1, 2003... "Hostels: France & Italy" by Paul Karr and Martha Coombs (2001, Globe Pequot Press, Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437; visit www.globe-pequot.com. ISBN 0762708697 -- 327 pp., $14.95). As an independent traveler and frequent hosteler, I opened...

New on the bookshelf.(Bruce Northam's 'Globetrotter Dogma: 100 Canons for Escaping the Rat Race and Exploring the World')(Book Review)
April 1, 2003... "Globetrotter Dogma: 100 Canons for Escaping the Rat Race and Exploring the World" by Bruce Northam (2002, New World Library, 14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949; phone 800/972-6657 or visit www.newworldlibrary.com. ISBN 1577312613 -- 160 pp.,...

Focal point capturing travel images.(travel to Switzerland)
April 1, 2003... Photographing the Alps from train, bus (First of two parts) Ever since my engineer grandfather gave me a ride in the cab of his diesel locomotive more than 55 years ago, I have yearned to see railroads from that vantage point again....

The discerning traveler.(travel to Russia)
April 1, 2003... A Russian cruise on the MS Kirov (Third of three parts) Last month I gave my impressions of Russia's past .and present economies. In this issue I will continue with details of our June 2002 Moscow-to-St. Petersburg itinerary. ...

Hong Kong from the beginning.(The Hong Kong Story exhibition at Hong Kong Museum of History)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... "The Hong Kong Story," a multimedia exhibition opened in mid-2001 at the Hong Kong Museum 'of History, takes visitors on a sweeping journey of the city's 400 million-year history. Archeological findings have traced its geological age to the...

Rick Steves' Europe[C].(tips on purchasing travel shoes)
April 1, 2003... Smart soles Few items bog down a backpack like big, clunky shoes. So smart packers make do with just one pair -- which means they'd better be good. While we all have our own foot fetishes, quality travel shoes have some common...