International Travel News articles from January 2002

International Travel News archives from January 2002

Report cards.
January 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...

Boarding pass.
January 1, 2002... Dear Globetrotter: ITN readers are still on the road. Here's a sampling of our recent mail. Oct. 26 -- "I have just returned from a tour of eastern Turkey with Cultural Folk Tours of San Diego, CA. They did a most professional job,...

'Less is more approach to England.
January 1, 2002... Less is more" is a guide I use in planning an itinerary, and when I planned our 3-week (trip to England in June 2001 with my daughter, Jean, and 15-year-old grandson, Nicholas, we decided to see and experience "more" by restricting our...

Travelers' intercom. (Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations).
January 1, 2002... People of Scotland and Ireland 'fantastic' We returned Sept. 20, '01, from a great golfing vacation in Scotland and Ireland. It was untimely interrupted by the September 11 happenings, and I must admit it was very spooky not to be able to get...

Bolivia unrest. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Embassy of the United States in La Paz, Bolivia, advised in early November 2001 that a coalition of antigovernment groups had called for a campaign of civil unrest in Bolivia. In the past, these campaigns have resulted in large and...

Solomon Islands travel warning. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to the Solomon Islands. Americans currently in the Solomon Islands, particularly those in and around the capital of Honiara, should make preparations in the event there are extended...

Current warnings. (News Watch).(from the State Department regarding travel to 28 countries)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 28 destinations: Afghanistan, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Central African Republic, Solomon Islands, Macedonia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran, Sierra Leone,...

Burgundian tapestries in a new light. (Travel briefs).(at)(Historical Museum of Berne, Switzerland)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A collection of 12 splendidly preserved 15th- and 16th-century Franco-Flemish tapestries will be shown in a special exhibition through April 21, 2002, at the Historical Museum of Berne. Exceptionally, the light intensity in which they will...

Netherlands happenings. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Following are just a few of the major events taking place in Holland in 2002. "The Mystery of the Young Rembrandt" (Feb. 20-May 26) -- How the young Rembrandt reached his early maturity as an artist in the space of just a few years is one...

Euro arrives in 2002. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... As of January 2002, the euro replaces the national currencies of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. There is a transition period of several months, during which time both...

Germany by bike. (Travel briefs).(Discovering Germany by Bike, bicycle touring guide)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and the German Cycling Federation have published a 2001/2002 catalog, "Discovering Germany by Bike." Germany has over 200 long-distance cycle routes and over 40,000 kilometers of long-distance,...

Shopping spree in Yangshuo.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... I like to travel light and can go through an entire country without buying even a postcard. But, in April '01 the shopping bug bit in Yaugshuo and a week passed before I noticed the need for more luggage. By that time I was feeling sorry for...

BritRail refunds, discounts. (Travelbriefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... BritRail passengers originally booked to depart Sept. 11 through Sept. 30, 2001, were able to obtain full unconditional refunds on their BritRail product purchases. Those scheduled to travel within the next six months but who have postponed...

Savings on Eurostar. (Travelbriefs).(railroad pass)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Traveling from London to Paris or Brussels via Eurostar, the high-speed Channel Tunnel train, is more affordable in 2002 with Rail Europe's two new advance-purchase round-trip fares in standard (second) class. The new "Leisure Roundtrip...

France Saverpass. (Travelbriefs).(RailEurope Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Rail Europe, a subsidiary of the French National Railroads, has a special offer. Until March 31, 2002, two to five adults traveling by rail in France for any four days within one month can buy a first-class France Saverpass for $147 each. This...

Changes on Vietnam Airlines. (Travelbriefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Vietnam Airlines intends to install locking mechanisms in its aircraft cockpits; these will seal the cockpits from the rest of the aircraft in the interests of security. The airline has also stopped using stainless-steel cutlery for its...

Funniest thing.
January 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...

Guayaquil's metamorphosis.(travelling in Ecuador)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... "Stay away from Guayaquil," experienced travelers warned me in 1993. When I arrived, my city-tour guide took me to a bank museum and to an artist's home. Period. She emphasized, "Don't go near the Southern Market and be very careful along the...

Travel insurance complications due to the September 11, 2001, attack.
January 1, 2002... How did the travel insurance industry respond to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and how did this affect travel insurance coverages for this period and for subsequent travel? Shortly after September 11th, a few travel insurance...

Accommodations Worldwide.
January 1, 2002... Hotels B&Bs * Homestays * Apartments The following is a listing of some of the hotels, B&Bs, etc., 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 visit and...

Holland and Belgium by river cruiser.
January 1, 2002... After cruising on large ships stopping at big ports, it was refreshing to find ourselves on a small boat visiting small villages at a leisurely pace. We found the MS River Navigator, one of Vantage Travel's three luxury river cruisers, quite...

Korea travel info in hand. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Handheld PDA devices, which provide immediate access to a variety of information resources helpful to travelers, now can be rented by visitors in Korea. Tourist sites are listed, and information and reservation services are available for...

Remember 1330 in Korea. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... When visitors travel to outlying areas of Korea, it may not be easy to communicate with local people in English. Therefore, the Korea National Tourism Organization and 16 provincial government offices have established the 1330 Korea Travel...

Money changers monitored in Bali. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Indo.com reports that the money changers association in Bali, Indonesia, is taking a hard line on money changers who cheat visitors. Visitors are asked to report any dishonest money changer to the local authority (a village head), who will...

Icehotel in the Arctic. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Every winter 200 kilometers (160 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, a new Ice-hotel is built in the village of Jukkasjarvi on the banks of the Torne River in Sweden. Fifteen of the 60 rooms are sculpted by selected artists. Guests, who...

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Malta's prehistoric temples.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Standing inside the walls of a megalithic temple took my breath away. The prehistoric temples of the Maltese Islands have been lumped together for inclusion as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Surviving through 5,000 years and virtually every...

Chile and Easter Island. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... My husband and I traveled to Chile and Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Feb. 5-16, '01, with Anitours, Inc. (1151 Freeport Rd, PMB 144 Pittsburgh, PA 15238; phone 800/243-8264, e-mail anitours@ concentric. net or visit www.anitours.com). It was...

Italy: "Heart and Soul of Italy" trip, Sept. 20-Oct. 5, '01, with Brookfield Travel/ American Express. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... ITALY We took the "Heart and Soul of Italy" trip, Sept. 20-Oct. 5, '01, with Brookfield Travel/ American Express (19045 W. Capitol Dr., Ste. 100, Brookfield, WI 53045; phone 800/486-0860 or 262/373-1000 or visit www.brookfieldtravel.com). All...

Tahiti packages. (Travel briefs).(Tahiti Vacations)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Tahiti Vacations has some super prices on their air/land specials to Tahiti. (Prices are per person, double occupancy, and valid Jan. 5-March 31, 2002.) The Moorea, All Inclusive Almost" program offers six nights at a beachfront hotel,...

Yacht dive package in French Polynesia. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Islands in the Sun has created an 8-day live-aboard, shared yacht dive cruise for experienced divers who want to explore French Polynesia's lagoons and waters. Included in the package price are seven nights on board, all meals and a minimum of...

The Fondue Tram in Berne. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The Fondue Tram will operate in Berne, Switzerland, Tuesdays and Thursdays from Jan. 15 to April 25, 2002. Built in 1935, the vintage tram has been fitted with a table for 16 especially for these fondue trips, which begin with an aperitif...

The lure of Queenstown -- for the less-daring.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... While Queenstown is known as New Zealand's center of thrill-seeking adventure, there are many other reasons for a visit. Our younger son, Andrew, who lived in Queenstown for more than three years, was able to guide us to many activities that...

Ireland: The Celtic Traveler. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... IRELAND For anyone interested in Irish culture and history, I highly recommend The Celtic Traveler (Box 7006, York, PA 17404; phone 717/764-6667 or fax 717/764-1845). The cost of my 10-day tour of Ireland was $1,895, which included...

Greece: OPA Tours Greece. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... GREECE Five trips to Greece in 12 years? You bet! And all were with OPA Tours Greece (137-B Genoa St., Arcadia, CA 91006, phone 800-OPA-7155 or 626/446-4221, e-mail opatours@aol.com or visit www.greecetravel.com/opa), run for 17 years...

Jordan: Royal Tours through Royal Jordanian Airlines. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... JORDAN The snow was over three feet deep alongside the drive -- no signs of spring. We needed sunshine. An advertisement in Archaeology magazine for a tour called "Jordan -- An Arabian Adventure" caught my eye. My wife and I had been to Jordan...

New Zealnd: Sunbeam Tours. (Tours in Review).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is a feast for the eyes and fresh air for the soul. It's one of the most beautiful countries we have ever visited. On June 23, '01, we left on a 12-day "New Zealand Independent Highlights" tour with Sunbeam Tours...

All Aboard! Berlin's new bus No. 200.(sightseeing bus)
January 1, 2002... Shortly after double-decked bus No. 100 leaves from the bus stop in front of West Berlin's Zoological Garten Train Station, a similar new bus bearing the designation "200" pulls into the stop. Both buses take you on a sightseeing trip...

Cruises: The effect of the tragic occurrences.
January 1, 2002... While a small, evil and aberrant offshoot of a great and peaceful religious group has brought terrible devastation to our world, it must be remembered they are a minuscule part of the billions of the world's people. They will be found and...

"Italy for Dummies". (Reviewers' Corner).(Review)
January 1, 2002... "Italy for Dummies" by Bruce Murphy and Allesandra de Rosa (2001, IDG Books Worldwide, 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Ste. 300, Foster City, CA 94404; log on to www.idgbooks.com. ISBN 0-7645-6198-7 -- $19.99, 548 pgs.). I have mixed feelings...

New on the bookshelf. (Reviewers' Corner).
January 1, 2002... "The Amateur Historian's Guide to Medieval and Tudor London" by Sarah Valente Kettler & Carole Trimble (2001, Capital Books, Inc., Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605. ISBN 1-892123-32-0 -- $20.00 paperback, 309 pgs.). This guidebook not only...

The Discerning Traveler: Rambling on La Guadelloupe and La Martinique.
January 1, 2002... La Guadeloupe It was lovely weather when we picked up our rental car at the old le Raizet airport in Guadeloupe. (The new terminal is at les Abymes.) Noticing that the gas gauge showed the tank as only one-fourth full, I questioned the...

Parrot Cay resort. (Caribbean Corner).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos, British West Indies, beachfront villas have been built for Bruce Willis and Donna Karan on private lots, and there are still a number of acres available for purchase. When villa owners are not present, these 3- to...

St. Barth 'Sail and Stay'. (Caribbean Corner).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... St. Barth Properties is offering a 7-day "Sail and Stay" package through the spring of 2002. It begins with a 4-day stay in one of the villa pool suites at Les Jardins de Gustavia, where guests can enjoy peaceful sunsets, shopping, yacht...

Golden Jubilee events in England. (Brit bits).(50th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In honor of the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne, London is throwing a year-long celebration in. 2002, the Golden Jubilee; for info, visit www.goldenjubilee.gov.uk. The main celebrations will take...

Double-decker-bus B&B tours, England. (Brit bits).(Hotel on Wheels)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... For six year now, a double-decker bus converted into a B&B on wheels has been taking travelers on tours of the English coutryside around Yorkshire. Fully equipped for eight passengers, the Hotel on Wheels has four twin cabins, bunk beds,...

Rick Steves' Europe: Safeguarding our travel dreams.
January 1, 2002... Remember when terrorism was a "European problem"? Now we've seen what happens when airliners are turned into bombs over American skies. Over the past three decades, terrorism has become part of every traveler's pre-trip reality-check. As...

Africa: Tantalizing tidbits from Africa.
January 1, 2002... ABOUT BOTSWANA Worried about safety since September 11? Top-drawer tour operator Ker & Downey is suggesting that travelers should consider Botswana in Southern Africa. They point out that Botswana has never had a war or even a hint of one....

Far Horizons: A call to travel (Revisited).(Column)
January 1, 2002... A month after writing my last column, entitled "A Call To Travel," in late Septeamber for the December 2001 issue of ITN, I feel compelled to revisit that subject matter. We are, after all, living a period of history for which there is no...

Kilroy Was Here!(Column)
January 1, 2002... All the ships at sea... Carlos Afre runs the Golden Age Travel Club at Pier 27 on San Francisco's Embarcadero. He's my cruise expert. So I asked him about the state of the industry since the tragic events at New York's World Trade Center...

'It's Time To Go!' with General Tours. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... General Tours, along with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, has created a host of full-service, air-inclusive "It's Time To Go!" vacations with "the lowest tour prices in history" on new tours to China's Yangtze (eight days, from $999),...

Tahiti spa vacations. (Travel briefs).(offered by Islands in the Sun)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Islands in the Sun is offering travelers a 7-day "Idyllic Moorea" and an 8-day "Heavenly Bliss" vacation. Priced at $2,895 and $3,595 per person, respectively, the deluxe, all-inclusive vacations provide round-trip airfare from Los Angeles;...

Prague and more. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Nordique Tours/Norvista is repeating its 7-day winter package to Prague. Including a round-trip transatlantic flight from New York, five nights at a tourist-class hotel, breakfast daily, a city tour and transfers, the price is $499 per person,...

Spain self-drive itineraries. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Petrabax Vacations is offering self-drive itineraries in Spain featuring paradores. Paradores are mostly historic structures from medieval times that the state has restored and converted into elegant inns; others are built in contemporary...

Costa Rica getaways. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Hotel Milvia, a bed-and-breakfast just outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, is offering families a package at $295 per adult and $75 per child that includes airport-hotel transfers; three nights' accommodations; hotel taxes; daily breakfast; guided...

Villas in Tuscany. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Tuscan Way has added a villa-rental program throughout Tuscany to its assortment of cooking-course vacations and tour packages. Some properties are within cities and hill towns, but most are near or in traditional villages. There are 98...

Cooking in the Umbrian countryside. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The package "l'Amore di Cucina Italiana" ("Love of Italian Cooking"), for both novice and experienced cooks, boasts a combination of cooking, dining, shopping and touring in the Italian region of Umbria. Each one-week program includes five...

Only live once. (Travel briefs).(Maison Blance in Paris offers fine French food)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Okay, penny-pincher in Paris. For dinner you've been eating peanut butter on baguettes for a week now. Good. You've saved up enough money to enjoy the finer things of life. . and that is Maison Blanche, located on the top floor of the Theatre...

Accolades in Rome. (Travel briefs).(some hotel restaurants offer great food)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Many travelers totally avoid dining in hotel restaurants. However, there appears to be a notable exception to that prejudice: in Rome, La Pergola at the Cavalieri Hilton is gathering exuberant praise. Michelin has awarded it two stars, the only...

Cheese dairy in Switzerland. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Daniel and Alice Studer have operated the Dorfchaesi (village cheese dairy) in Hatswil, Canton Thurgau, eastern Switzerland, for 13 years. Makers of Appenzell, Thurgau, raclette and other cheese specialties, the Studers have introduced a form...

For the active visitor to Germany. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The brochure "Impressions Unlimited: Germany -- Youth on Tour" describes numerous outdoor sporting activities throughout that country, including rock climbing in the Bavarian Alps, mountain biking across the Swabian mountains, ballooning over...

Korean food demystified. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Popular Korean dishes like kimchi and bulgogi have been fully explored in the brochure "The Wonderful World of Korean Food." The 40-page, color brochure details the customs behind Korean dining and provides an overview of some of the more...

SkyPorter traveling golf bag. (Travel brief).
January 1, 2002... SkyPorter is a full-featured golf bag that protects your clubs from being damaged while traveling. Constructed of a lightweight, high-compressed plastic body surrounded by a padded layer of waterproof synthetic leather, SkyPorter weighs...

The Steri-Pen. (Travel briefs).
January 1, 2002... The Steri-Pen[R] is a portable water-sterilization unit (about the size of a small electric toothbrush) that uses a high-frequency ultraviolet lamp to quickly destroy microbes in drinking water, one glass at a time. The user immerses the...

The DeGERM-inator[TM]. (Travel briefs).
January 1, 2002... The DeGERMinator[TM] is a lightweight lamp, about 6"x2"x1", that uses ultraviolet light to sterilize objects. Shining the light on any hard or semiporous surface, such as telephones, restaurant utensils, hotel bedding, faucets, toothbrushes,...

Renew your vows atop Table Mountain. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Esplanade Tours is offering a unique place to say, "I do": on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. The cost is $750 per person and Esplanade will do the planning. The arrangements consist of a marriage officiator (minister!...

Steel plant our Down Under. (Travel briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... An hour and a half south of Sydney, Australia, in the coastal Illawarra Region of New South Wales, you can take a "behind the scenes" tour of the iron, steel and support industries of the area. Highlighting the nation's industrial heritage,...

The ultimate packing list.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... It's easy to forget something when you're packing for a trip. People have even been known to leave their passport at home! Thus, making a list of essential items can prevent inconvenience and even rescue a trip. This month We're asking you...