International Travel News articles from December 2002

International Travel News archives from December 2002

Boarding pass.
December 1, 2002... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 322nd issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. Having noted the "Ultimate Pre trip 'To Do' List" in the October '02 issue, one reader e-mailed, "It is illegal to photocopy passports It is...

Report Cards.
December 1, 2002... On-the-spot reports from around the globe The following is a sampling of reports received from ITN readers around the globe. ITN invites you to join our corps of reporters -- just drop a card in the mail while your travel impressions are...

A perfect cruise blend: French and German in Alsace-Lorraine.
December 1, 2002... Musee d'Unterlinden, Taverne Katz, fine wines and cheeses, sausages and Sauerkraut -- where were we, France or Germany? Actually, we were in Alsace-Lorraine, a charming area of France that spent many years as part of Germany. We were there...

Romania's wine regions.
December 1, 2002... The Romanian tour operator CMB Travel, based in Bucharest, offers a 7-day "Romanian Vineyard Tour" year-round with visits to Romania's top vineyards and wineries. Included are daily wine tastings; special dinners with local and regional wines,...

Travelers' intercom.
December 1, 2002... Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations Medical care in St. Petersburg While in St. Petersburg, Russia, in September '02, I had a heart problem that needed immediate care. We were referred to the American Medical Center in St. Petersburg....

Funniest thing.
December 1, 2002... 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'...

Worldwide caution. (News Watch).
December 1, 2002... In light of the recent audiotape attributed to Osama bin Laden plus other reports of threats to American interests, a Worldwide Caution has been issued by the State Department to alert Americans to the need to remain vigilant and to remind them...

Americans at risk in Indonesia. (News Watch).
December 1, 2002... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer travel to Indonesia. The bombing of two nightclubs in Bali, Indonesia, and the attack near the U.S. Consular Agency in Bali, along with the current security situation within Indonesia, puts...

East Timor caution. (News Watch).
December 1, 2002... American citizens traveling to East Timor should exercise caution, avoid large gatherings and remain alert with regard to their personal security. In particular, in light of recent attacks in Southeast Asia, Americans should exercise extreme...

Defer travel to Central African Republic. (News Watch).
December 1, 2002... On Oct. 25, 2002, the American Embassy received reports of fighting and gunfire in Bangui, Central African Republic. The security situation remains uncertain. Although the conflict does not appear to be directed toward U.S. citizens or the...

Libya concerns. (News Watch).
December 1, 2002... The U.S. Department of State reminds U.S. citizens of its June 6, 2001, warning against travel to Libya. There has been evidence of hostility to the U.S. in some segments of the population and some elements of the Libyan government. There...

25% off BritRail until Feb. 28. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... You have until Feb. 28; 2003, to purchase a pass and complete your train travel in Britain, but up to that date you can save 25% on any BritRail Classic Pass or BritRail FlexiPass, and this includes the family pass (which allows free travel for...

Access-Asia Pass. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Travel must commence by Dec. 31, 2002, but Malaysia Airlines' Access-Asia Pass lets you fly to any or all of 24 destinations in Southeast Asia for $747 per person from Los Angeles, CA, or Newark, NJ. Taxes and fees are additional, and a...

New airline to West Africa. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... A new air carrier, AFRINAT International Airlines, provides the only transatlantic service from the U.S. (New York City) to four West African destinations: the Gambia, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Cameroon. Sierra Leone will be added...

Honolulu-Rarotonga. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Aloha Airlines will begin non-stop service between Honolulu and Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on Dec. 9, 2002, aboard next-generation Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Until April 2003 service will operate twice a week, and from May through September...

Lesotho -- the Kingdom in the sky.
December 1, 2002... Lesotho, officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a nation most travelers do not visit and one many have never even heard of. This peaceful country in Southern Africa is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. In fact, it...

Christmas in England.
December 1, 2002... I knew Dickensian carolers didn't really stroll the streets anymore, and that the commercialism that sometimes overshadows Christmas in the U.S. was probably equally prevalent in the United Kingdom but, no matter, one of my long-held travel...

Accommodations worldwide.
December 1, 2002... 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...

'ITN travel clubs' update.
December 1, 2002... In the August '00 issue we brought readers up to date on the progress of several travel clubs started around the, country by ITN readers who simply announced, in ITN, their willingness to help start a club or their desire to join one....

Enjoying the diversity of Queensland. (Australia).
December 1, 2002... Although it has only 4,500 residents, the town of Longreach probably attracts more tourists than any other single place in the vast and inland area of Queensland known as the Outback. Most of these visitors avoid midsummer (December-February)...

Tourist medical center in St. Petersburg. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... On Aug. 1, 2002, British American Family Practice & Urgent Care opened in St. Petersburg, Russia. The family and emergency health-care facility provides a complete range of medical services for travelers and residents. The facility staffs...

World-Clinic[R] accesses U.S. doctors. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Using telephones, mobile phones and e-mail, WorldClinic[R] at Lahey allows, travelers overseas to consult with an experienced U.S. doctor on both routine and emergency medical concerns 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere, on an...

Medical service in the outback. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is the life blook of Australia remove and Aboriginal communities, providing medical help through regular fly-in health clinics and emergency medical services. Visitors to the Alice Springs headquarters...

Tours in Review.
December 1, 2002... Candid appraisals of group tours The following are candid. appraisals of some of the tours ITN readers have taken in the last year or so. Where possible, for comparison's sake, different readers' appraisals of a particular tour company are...

A 6-week overview of this intriguing subcontinent. (India).
December 1, 2002... It was six weeks of non-stop travel in a country with more to see than France, Germany and the UK combined. Palaces, forts, temples, churches, great mountains and inland waterways -- India does not stop. The beginning: Delhi I traveled...

Hostel in Sydney.
December 1, 2002... In downtown Sydney, Australia, a 1919 wool warehouse at 477 Kent Street was totally renovated and converted into a hostel. The 4-story accommodation, Wanderers on Kent, opened in spring 2001. Rates range from Aus$22 (US$12) per night for a...

Auroville, India: a visit to a city of tomorrow.
December 1, 2002... The core of the experience for visitors to Auroville, a remarkable some 30-year-old "utopia" in the south of India, is a reinforcement of faith. Here is living proof that dying environments can be restored, diverse people can live and work...

Singapore's China-town Heritage Center.
December 1, 2002... Chinatown is one of Singapore's most colorful historic districts, a mix of past and present. Visitors here see Chinese opera performances, relax in lush parks and visit the open-air Smith Street hawker center, which reopened in November 2001....

Last chance 2002 prices. (All Aboard!).
December 1, 2002... The Eurail Committee has announced prices for 2003, and this is a good time to remind travelers that railpasses can be validated for use anytime within six months of issue and so, if your travel dates fall in the first half of 2003, you can buy...

Art and antiques in Maastricht. (Cruise Cavalcade).
December 1, 2002... Each March, collectors, art enthusiasts and the royalty of Europe flock to the picturesque town of Maastricht in the Netherlands for the European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF), which features an array of paintings, drawings, sculpture, furniture,...

Rivers of Europe. (Cruise Cavalcade).
December 1, 2002... Peter Deilmann Cruises will offer more than 320 European, river cruises in 2003 on nine deluxe river ships that operate on the Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Rhone, Saone, Elbe, Po and other rivers from late March through early November. The...

Caribbean, Amazon at a value price. (Cruise Cavalcade).
December 1, 2002... This winter, some 668 travelers can save up to 50% on a new, in-depth cruise of the Caribbean Sea and Amazon River offered by Cunard Line. The 36-night luxury cruise, departing Jan. 22, 2003, is priced from $3,699, or about $103 per, person Per...

Galapagos update. (Cruise Cavalcade).
December 1, 2002... Metropolitan Touring has revised the itinerary of the Santa Cruz, its 90-passenger flagship in the Galapagos Islands, to add San Cristobal, the island where Charles Darwin first went ashore on his 1835 voyage to the Galapagos. Using the...

Tours.
December 1, 2002... A selection of escorted tours TOURING ABOARD THE ROYAL SCOTSMAN -- The following are among one- to 5-day tours offered in SCOTLAND in 2003 aboard the luxurious 36-passenger train: * "Scottish "Gardens" -- June 10-15. Hosted by garden...

Reviewers' corner.
December 1, 2002... The latest travel-book reviews Here are a few of the latest travel-book reviews written by ITN readers. "Routard Thailand," edited by Pierre Josse (2001, Hachette UK/Sterling Publishing, Inc., 387 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016....

In search of York's puffer billies. (Focal Point: Capturing Travel Images).
December 1, 2002... Many photographers don't limit their travel shooting to "been there" poses in front of famous landmarks. Rather than buying and lugging expensive or heavy souvenirs, collector types enjoy shooting examples of their special-interest subjects....

Tips for the solo traveler.
December 1, 2002... QUESTION: I've never traveled solo before but am considering a trip to Ireland for genealogy research and photography. I am a young 59 and recently severed from my job of 20 years, so I have time on my hands. I guess I'm looking for some...

Visiting Rio's favelas. (The Discerning Traveler).
December 1, 2002... "How about taking a favela tour this morning?" I said to Flory. "Favela tour?" "Yes, a tour of Rio's shantytowns. You remember the newspapers' reporting the murder of a number of "street children" in Rio? "Now that you mention...

Windjammer theme cruises. (Around the Caribbean).
December 1, 2002... Windjammer Barefoot Cruises has special theme cruises in 2003. On 6-day "Singles' Cruises," for singles only, the S/V Polynesia sets sail out of Sint Maarten for the French, Dutch and British West Indies on April 21 and Dec. 1. & 8 and on...

BWIA & LIAT join forces. (Around the Caribbean).
December 1, 2002... BWIA West Indies Airways has joined forces with LIAT to offer seamless, one-fare air travel throughout the Caribbean from North America and the UK. In addition to greater schedule flexibilty, this service provides travelers lower fares...

Rick Steves' Europe[C].
December 1, 2002... Hiding out in Haarlem Cute and cozy yet handy to the airport, Haarlem is a fine home base in Holland, offering small-town, overnight warmth with easy access (15 minutes by train) to wild and crazy Amsterdam. Bustling Haarlem gave...

Medieval Stockholm.
December 1, 2002... The Museum of Medieval Stockholm is devoted to the origins and history of medieval Stockholm. Permanent artifacts include a city wall built by King Gustav Vasa in the 1530s. Log on to www.medeltidsmuseet.kifstockholm.se. For further info,...

Latin America.
December 1, 2002... Lake Atitlan -- a masterpiece of nature (Part 5 of 5 on Guatemala) Lake Atitlan, the freshwater lake that Aldous Huxley once called "the most beautiful in the world," is located in the mountainous Guatemalan highlands. At an altitude...

Shangri-La, Hong Kong's cafe TOO.
December 1, 2002... The innovative cafe TOO restaurant at Island Shangri-La, Kong has seven separate cooking theaters each showcasing a different international cuisine, and a late-night supper and two-for-one drinks are offered from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. The...

Springtime in Provence, France. (Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean).
December 1, 2002... (First of four parts) Historical and majestic Avignon Early in 2002 we read a hilarious book written by Peter Mayle entitled "A Year in Provence." In it, he describes life and the people who live in this area of southern France...

Correction.
December 1, 2002... Last month's Egypt oases article in this column mentions the ruins of the Necropolis of al-Baqawat, a few miles north of al-Khargah (page 117). The necropolis actually covers an area, of approximately 300 square meters. Incidentally, the...

Where were we on 9-11-02? (Far Horizons).
December 1, 2002... --Miami International Airport, 11:18 p.m., Sept. 10, 2002... Passing through security onto the 300-foot-long Concourse E, there was not another human being in sight. With a liftoff scheduled a few minutes after midnight, my flight, UA-867,...

Driving the dusty Outback. (Kevin Keating's -- Kilroy Was Here!).
December 1, 2002... It's the saddest song ever sung in Australia: It's lonesome away from your kindred and all By the campfire at night where the wild dingoes call, But there's nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear Than to stand in the bar of a...

Low fares to Paris and Amsterdam. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... With an offer only for online bookings at www.europehotdeals.com, Sunny Land Tours has air-only specials to Amsterdam and Paris as low as $299 round trip, valid for daily departures until May 31, 2003, from 15 U.S. gateways. Some of the...

Martinair Eurodeals to Amsterdam. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Vacation packages to Amsterdam, valid for travel until March 31, 2003, and with a maximum stay of 30 days, are being offered by Martinair and IMTC, Inc. Each includes round-trip airfare between Miami or Orlando and Amsterdam, the Netherlands....

2-for-1 tickets to South America. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Passengers who purchase a business or first-class ticket with' LanChile using their American Express Platinum card will receive a second ticket free. This applies to all LanChile and LanPeru 'flights' originating from Miami, New York or Los...

Uniworld's no-hassle trip insurance. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Uniworld has introduced a Worry-Free Travel Protection plan that allows customers to cancel a tour at any time, for any reason, up to the day of departure, with no questions asked and no forms to fill out. Customers need only to notify the...

Shows at Versailles royal stables. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... At Versailles, 10 miles southwest of Paris, France, the Grande Ecurie du Roy (Great Royal Stables) is the new home of the Academy of Equestrian Arts. Its main arena, or riding ring, has been restored to its former glory, complete with wood...

Flower arranging courses in London. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Located near Harrods in London, the Judith Black-lock Flower School offers a range of courses led by Judith Blacklock (an award-winning designer and the author of five best-selling books on the subject) and her team of professional tutors. ...

InterContinental Hotels' amenities.
December 1, 2002... InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has announced new service initiatives and technology at all 140 of its hotels, and among them are the following: * Instant Money -- A pack of local currency worth about $25 in small denominations,...

North Korean rail stop. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Since 1953, along the severed cross-border railway linking Seoul, South Korea, with Sinuiju, North Korea, there had been no northbound train service for general passengers beyond Munsan Station, but in April 2002, Dorasan Station, located...

Nuremberg sites for human rights. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Since the end of World, War II, the city of Nuremberg (Nurnberg), Germany, has been virtually synonymous with the Nuremberg Trials. Commencing on Nov. 20, 1945, twenty-one leading Nazi war criminals were tried here in Courtroom 600 before the...

Auto pavilions and more. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Northwest of Wolfsburg, Germany, can be found Volkswagen's Autostadt, featuring a museum dedicated to 110 years of automobile history, with pavilions for Lamborghini, Audi, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen. In addition, there is a park...

Seoul shuttle tours. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Visitors to Seoul, Korea, can see the city's formost attractions aboard the Seoul City Tour Shuttle Bus. Two separate tour courses, each running at 30 minute intervals, are offered. One route runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and makes 21 stops;...

Gyoza Grab Bag' in Tokyo. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Do you enjoy gyoza, the tasty "potsticker" or "Chinese dumpling" stuffed with minced pork? In Tokyo, 22 restaurants selected from throughout Japan and China feature gyoza daily at the Gyoza Grab Bag Restaurant Mall in Ikebukuro Gyoza Stadium....

Ice theater in Lapland. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... * In the Rovaniemi area of Finnish Lapland, the Arctic Snow & Ice Theatre focuses not only on snow animals, snow peoples and Arctic habitats but on the study of ice and wind on snow. Itself constructed of snow, the theater is open only from...

Person to person. (Travel Briefs).
December 1, 2002... Reader-to-reader info exchange Planning a trip overseas and need specific info? Let your fellow ITN readers provide the answers. Send your question to Person to Person, c/o ITN, 2120 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail...