International Travel News articles from January 2006

International Travel News archives from January 2006

Boarding pass.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Scooter, the ITN Graphic Designer's office assistant. Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 359th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. The world is keeping an eye on overseas outbreaks of bird flu. So far, fortunately,...

Travel tidbits.
January 1, 2006... A very surprising highlight for us on our trip to New Zealand was Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World in Auckland. It features an excellent aquarium walk-through, a polar theme ride and a museum, all situated underground...

Guatemala exploring the land of the Maya.
January 1, 2006... Guatemala, after suffering years of civil war, is now beckoning. Peace accords were signed with the guerrillas in 1996, and they have held to today. In the hope of attracting more high-end travelers, new hotels have been built in the...

JAL joins Oneworld.(Japan Air Lines Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... In October 2005, Japan Airlines agreed to join Oneworld, a global airline alliance whose members include, among others, British Airways, Iberia Airlines, LAN and Qantas. JAL was the last of the world's 20 largest airlines to join an alliance....

Burma's center.(governmental offices to be relocated)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Myanmar (Burma) is relocating many governmental offices to centrally located Pyinmana, situated in the jungle 373 miles north of Yangon (Rangoon). Nine ministries have begun the move to a compound there that includes a parliamentary...

Tips for East Europe travel.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Here are a few tips from our travels in late April-May '05. We spent seven days in Budapest, three in Krakow, seven in Praha and five in Berlin. Use ATMs to get local currency. Don't get too much, because in getting rid of excess money you...

Libya denied entry to Americans.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... In October-November '05, Americans arriving on ships were being denied entry into Libya and Libyan waters. Despite proper visa applications, the ships Sea Cloud, Le Levant, Le Ponant and Marco Polo were told . not to enter Libyan waters since...

Kudos for Caravan-Serai Tours.
January 1, 2006... In September '05, my wife and I began a trip that was supposed to last six and a half weeks and cover Jordan, Egypt and Libya. The arrangements were made by Rita Zawaideh, president of Caravan-Serai Tours (3806 Whitman Ave. N., Seattle, WA...

Osaka shuttle.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... I'm writing in response to the reader's letter "Call for Airport-Ship/Hotel Transport," regarding the exorbitant charges made by cruise lines for transit to and from airports (Nov. '05, pg. 16). On a cruise we took in October '02, we...

Airport Transit Guide.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... My husband, John, and I have been on over 30 cruises, usually arranging our own transport to and from the ship rather than buying the cruise line package. In June-July '04 we did a 35-day freighter trip out of Southampton, England, to...

Florence info.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The Florence tourist office (Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche, Borgo Santa Croce 29r, 50122 Firenze, Italy; phone 055 2340444 or visit www.tours-italy.com/florence/tourist_offices.htm) was really helpful when I wrote in March for maps to help me...

Preparing for Japan trip.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... In preparation for my trip to Japan, I wrote to the Japan National Tourist Organization offices in Los Angeles, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Their responses were in the form of pamphlets, maps and a valuable Japan Rail timetable. The offices in...

Where to stay in South Africa.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... South Africa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There is a rumor that every other house in South Africa is a B&B. We are sure this is an exaggeration but only a slight one. There are literally thousands of B&Bs,...

Indian and Greek in London.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... On our trip to London in May '05, we enjoyed the following restaurants. * For a good Indian meal in London, we would highly recommend the Punjab Restaurant (80 Neal St., Covent Garden, London WC2H 9PA, U.K.; tel. 020 7836 9787 or 020 7240...

Pastries in Picton.(Traverler's Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... One of the best bakeries we found in all of New Zealand's South Island on our visit in April '05 was Picton Village Bakery (46 Auckland St., Picton; phone 64 [0] 3 573 7082). It's on the corner of Dublin and Auckland streets, about two blocks...

Funniest thing.
January 1, 2006... 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, Mexico or the Caribbean.) The ITN staff will choose...

'Unrest' in France.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... On Oct. 27, 2005, in "the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, police officers attempted to conduct I.D. checks of a group of teenagers playing football. Allegedly, three of the young men ran and hid in a power substation, where two of them were...

Bombings in Jordan.(News Watch)
January 1, 2006... On the evening of Nov. 9, 2005, bomb explosions occurred at the Radisson SAS, Hyatt and Days Inn hotels in Amman, Jordan. Over 50 people were killed and over 100 injured. The bombs were carried to the hotels by pedestrian suicide bombers. There...

Lebanon concerns.(travelers warned)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The Department of State advises U.S. citizens that recent events in Lebanon underscore the need for sound personal security precautions. On Feb. 14, 2005, former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb attack in which 22...

Attacks in Uganda.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The Department of State advises U.S. citizens against travel to northern Uganda following a series of recent attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) that have killed foreign nationals and Ugandan citizens. In fall 2005, elements of the...

Zimbabwe turmoil.(travelers warned not to head the country)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The Department of State reminds U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Zimbabwe, a country in the midst of political and economic turmoil. Zimbabwe's economy is in a protracted state of decline, with extremely high rates of unemployment...

Central Asia caution.(terrorist groups plan to attack)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... The U.S. Government continues to receive information that terrorist groups in Central Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against U.S. government facilities, Americans or American interests. Previous terrorist attacks...

Pirates attack liner.(Seabourn Cruise Lines ship attacked)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Seabourn Cruises' Seabourn Spirit was attacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia on Nov. 8. None of the 151 passengers were hurt and only one of 161 crew members was slightly injured. Approaching in two small boats at...

Yellow fever watch.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... At press time, yellow fever had been reported in the additional countries of Sudan (404 cases, including 118 deaths, in South Kordofan State as of Nov. 16); Senegal (two deaths from yellow fever in the district of Goudirij and nine cases of...

Polio outbreaks.(News Watch)
January 1, 2006... According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as of Nov. 1, 2005, 11 previously polio-free countries had reported poliovirus cases in 2005: Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mali, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. ...

Current warnings.(News Watch)
January 1, 2006... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 27 destinations: Haiti, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Liberia, Yemen, Cuba, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire; Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somalia, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Iran, Iraq,...

London tube fares.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A ride on the underground in London now costs 50% more than in 2005 for those paying in cash. Officials hope more people will use prepaid electronic Oyster cards, which are much cheaper and speed up passenger turnover. In zone one, a...

Brisbane bridge climb.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Not to be outdone by Sydney to its south, Brisbane also offers climbs to the top of a bridge, the Story Bridge: Billed as a more "intimate city climb" and "one of only three bridge climbs in the world," the walk to the summit 74 meters above...

UNESCO world heritage sites: how are they chosen? How many are there? How can you find out more?(cultural and natural values)
January 1, 2006... How are they chosen? How many are there? How can you find out more? I continue to be amazed at the number of people who travel a lot and are still unaware of UNESCO's designated World Heritage Sites. ITN readers are undoubtedly exceptions,...

Felt markup was 'excessive'.
January 1, 2006... ITN was mailed on Aug. 13 a copy of the following letter, sent by a reader to Latin Tour Dimensions on June 21, 2005. I first contacted you on July 19, 2004, because your 800 number was listed in "Frommer's Spain" for making reservations at...

Know your coverage.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Since our retirement, every year we save for an international vacation. We always take out travel insurance. In November '04 we went to Guatemala, and while at a friend's country home in a remote area my wife slipped over some rocks. Where we...

Tanzania safari.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... When we decided to see the wildebeest migration in Tanzania, we researched different companies online and in ITN and decided on Africa Dream Safaris (4825 Torrance Blvd., Ste. 14, Torrance, CA 90503; phone 877/572-3274 or visit www.africa...

West Africa arrangements.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... My wife, Charlotte, and I (in our 70s) had a wonderful, unforgettable trip to Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin in January '05. I had searched the Internet and contacted all of the reputable travel agents in Bamako, the capital of Mali, and the only...

Customized NZ tour.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... I spent two wonderful weeks on the South Island of New Zealand in March '05. On the Internet, I found South Sea Mermaids, Ltd. (55A Townsend Rd., Miramar, Wellington, North Island, New Zealand; phone [from the U.S.] 01164 973 0675, e-mail...

Romania, Moldova & Bulgaria tour.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... Having read another traveler's comments (April '05, pg. 35), we engaged a tour operator in Romania who turned out to be exceptional. Her name is Costela Petcu of AKS Tours (phone +40 21 313 6338, cell +4 0744 294 373 or e-mail...

Guide in Romania.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... My wife and I would like to second Harriet Hughes' warm endorsement (Nov. '05, pg. 93) of Cristian Florea of Crif Tours (phone 40 722 606 610, e-mail remtours@digicom.ro or visit www.discoverromania.ro). We traveled through Romania with Cris on...

Driver in Hungary.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Based on a reader's recommendation (March '05, pg. 87), we hired Gabor Stern to drive us on a Danube Bend trip in Hungary in May '05. We took the trip at a leisurely pace--nine hours--and spent slightly less than if we had taken a group tour:...

Czech Republic guide.(travel tips)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... We took a wonderful trip to the Czech Republic in July '05. Since my husband's hobby is genealogy, this theme has directed our last several trips. We found, through ITN, a wonderful guide for our days in Prague. Sarka Pelantova (tel....

Ireland driver-guide.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... My wife and I took an excellent "Splendor of Ireland" tour with Harp & Shamrock Tours, June 7-19, '05. (We opted for a 4-day extension, and our actual return was on June 23 because Aer Lingus had a mechanical problem that caused us to remain in...

Guide in Cambodia.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... My sisters and I traveled to Siem Reap, Cambodia, independently in February '05 and used Bun Pao Smith (e-mail bunpaosmith@yahoo.com) as a guide and driver. He charged $25 a day for van transportation around Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. (We...

Angkor Wat worth the climbing.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... When we toured Cambodia's Angkor Wat, we first spent an entire afternoon in the temple complex. Later, we went to see the sunset on a famous hill. You can climb the hill up a very rough, rocky (actually boulders) path or take an elephant ride...

Volcano vistas in Kamchatka.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... In the central volcanic range in Russia's Siberia, the town of Esso is on a tributary of the Kamchatka River. When we visited in July '03 the streets were unpaved and without sidewalks. Nearly everyone was using most of their yard for a...

A few packing suggestions.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... A few years ago, in the August-October '02 issues, ITN printed "what to take along" lists. I would like to add my two cents' worth about what to pack for a trip plus offer some trip suggestions. My wife and I can easily travel for 20 days on...

Packing decisions.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... For a world cruise on Holland America's Rotterdam, I packed just two suitcases for the 99-day trip. Here's what I included: five pairs of shorts, 21 tops, 10 pairs of slacks, four formal outfits (for the 33 formal evenings), six pairs of shoes...

Confessions of an overpacker.(Column)
January 1, 2006... I admit it. I am an overpacker. I used to read stories of how to pack light, but within a few paragraphs I would begin skimming the contents--looking not for helpful hints on how to slim my stack but for new items I might need to add. I do...

Social icebreaker.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Following on the "Thoughtful Gift" letter from ITN reader Charles Treadgold (Nov '05, pg. 44), I offer this. During the last two years, my travels have taken me on tours to Central and South America. Usually, a half day of each itinerary...

The South incredible India.(traveling)
January 1, 2006... Continued from last month... After saying good-bye to our Philadelphia travel companions with whom we toured North India, my husband, Chuck, and I flew from Mumbai to Kerala at the southwestern tip of the country. The next two weeks of our...

Flying around the world.
January 1, 2006... After Nancy Stott of Walnutport, Pennsylvania, asked readers to write about their experiences arranging around-the-world itineraries with airline alliances, we received a number of responses and printed several in last month's issue. One reader...

Scotland's Orkney Islands.(traveling)
January 1, 2006... Having completed a cruise on the Caledonian Canal, the Woods' Scottish journey continues with an Orkney Islands extension. The Orkney Islands Following a tour of the lovely city of Inverness, a group of 10 of us boarded a 37-passenger...

Never too young.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Visit Britain and Lonely Planet have developed a youth guide to traveling, studying and working in the U.K. The 96-page "Experience Britain" highlights 14 cities in Great Britain, has a "Top 5" list of things to do and see in the countryside...

WWII theme cruises.(World War II)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... World War II sites are the focus of two cruises this spring of the 122-passenger M/S Clipper Adventurer. The 8-night "Italian Campaign" tour, May 17-26, explores the Mediterranean islands and shores where Operation Husky was fought. From...

Chef to cruise.(Travel briefs)
January 1, 2006... Aboard Silversea Cruises' all-suite Silver Wind, July 1-8, 2006, chef and Phoenix restaurateur Eddie Matney will lead wine and culinary demonstrations, host a gala dinner and escort guests ashore to markets and spice bazaars. The 7-night cruise...

London for students.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A 20-page brochure, "Study London," offers advice to students from abroad. The "Launch your Career" section offers advice for students of business, finance, engineering, art and design. In addition, lists of annual celebrations, places to eat,...

Spice museum, Hamburg.(Travel briefs)
January 1, 2006... At Spicy's Spice Museum in Hamburg, you can touch, taste and smell more than 50 spices in 500 exhibits that cover the utilization, cultivation, production, quality and history of .spices. Historic tools and machines are also on display. ...

Led by the blind.(Dialogue in the Dark)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... A unique experience for visitors in Hamburg is Dialogue in the Dark, in which small groups are led by visually impaired guides through specially constructed darkened rooms. Sounds, scents, wind, temperatures and textures convey various...

Tourist office directory 2006.(Directory)
January 1, 2006... The following is a list of foreign countries/ destinations and their tourist information offices in the United States. Where available, the address, phone number and website of each are included. Some countries have no tourist office in the...

101 tips.
January 1, 2006... "101 Tips from Adventurous Travelers" is a booklet of travel tips from Overseas Adventure Travel compiled by frequent travelers and OAT staffers. Chapters include "Pack for your Adventure," "All About Money," "On Your Adventure" and more. For...

Black Watch cruise appraisal.(Cruises Critiqued: reader comments on ships, boats and cruises)
January 1, 2006... My wife, Carol, and I booked a 54-night Cruise on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Black Watch, leaving Jan. 5, 2005, from Southampton, England, and arriving Feb. 28 in Sydney, Australia. We booked this cruise because of the ports of call: Malaga,...

Cruise to St. Helena.(Royal Mail Ship St. Helena)
January 1, 2006... My wife,' Eileen,' and I enjoyed a holiday on the remote island of St. Helena, one of the last outposts of the British Empire, in the South Atlantic Ocean. We traveled July 13-Aug. 11, '05, on the part-cargo and part-passenger vessel Royal Mail...

Peter the great cruises.(Cruises Critiqued: reader comments on ships, boats and cruises)
January 1, 2006... My husband, Ken, and I visited Russia for the first time, Aug. 19-Sept. 3, '05, taking the river cruise between St. Petersburg and Moscow. After doing much research on the Internet and reading appreciatively the readers' comments in the March,...

Bulgaria--embracing tradition with an eye on the future.(traveling)
January 1, 2006... Having completed a tour of Romania, Judith Rosen continues her month-long trip with a visit to Bulgaria. Veliko Turnovo Following our visit to the Thracian tomb at Sveshtari, it was another 160 kilometers through varied countryside to...

Cycling in Sweden.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... The upside of high gasoline prices in Sweden is that it encourages people to bike to school, work or shops. And since southernmost Sweden, the region known as Skane, has so many cyclists, it has developed an extensive system of bike lanes and...

Enjoyed Benasque.(Restaurante Ansils)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... In the Aragon region of Spain, we spent three days in Benasque, Huesca Province, in July '05. This lovely town, surrounded by the highest peaks in the Pyrenees, is accessible only by car and provides a very interesting experience. The...

Paris find.(Cafe des Musees)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... On a trip to Paris in April '05, we came upon a small restaurant with terrific food and ate dinner there every night. It was the Cafe des Musees (49 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France; tel. 01-42-72-96-17), open every day. My companion...

Money in Russia.(traveling)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... If you are traveling to Russia, here are some things I learned during my trip in October '04. Take lots of single dollar bills. You will need them for tips and small items in flea markets and at stalls. But take ONLY new or almost-new...

Card limits.(traveling with cash)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Before traveling to Italy in October '05, I phoned my local bank, through whom I have a combination debit/credit Visa card, to let them know I'd be using my card in Italy for the next four weeks. The information I received (and I hadn't...

For your safety or control?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... I believe the September '05 "Boarding Pass" column has inadvertently pointed out the truth of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration): the TSA is not so much about passenger "safety" as it is about control and power over a, now, much...

Double time.(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... I read with interest the tidbit by Iris Bing on carrying a second inexpensive watch to keep track of the time at home as well as where you are (Nov. '05, pg. 4). I have done that for years but with an inexpensive Timex watch that has two time...

Can that pill hurt you?(Travelers' Intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations)
January 1, 2006... Marilyn Chase, in her article "Buying the Wrong Medicine Overseas," in the Aug. 16, 2005, edition of the Wall Street Journal, warns about buying brand-name prescriptions abroad. She states, "Several drugs in foreign countries sometimes have...

Travel clubs bulletin board.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... I would love to be part of a travel club in the DENVER, Colorado, area. If anyone knows of one, please let me know. If there is not a travel club already established, I would be interested in starting one. Anyone who is interested in...

Crosswalks for safety.(traffic rules)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... When you are in small towns, remember that you are making it hard on some of the locals by not using crosswalks or following traffic rules. You may have all day to tarry, but locals don't. I remember trying to walk across a street in...

Springing a young hawker.(Cairo, Egypt)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... At the base of a pyramid near Cairo, Egypt, in January '05, a young boy approached my wife, Mary, and me and asked if we would buy souvenirs. We smiled and said "No." He thanked us for not ignoring him, gave Mary a small turquoise beetle and...

Pendolino to Tampere.(Hameenlinna, Finland)
January 1, 2006... While you feel the acceleration of your $220 Pendolino to Tampere leaving Hameenlinna, Finland, look left for one of the most impressive sights you can see from a mainline train. The view across the narrow lake reveals the redbrick Hameenlinna...

Vast model railway.(Miniature Wonderland Hamburg)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... One of the biggest model railways in the world can be found at the Miniature Wonderland Hamburg. On and around 15,000 yards of track and digitally controlled, there are over 450 railway carriages (HO scale 1:87) with more than 7,000...

Tragedy fuels debate re Antarctic cruising.(The Cruising World)
January 1, 2006... The tragic death of popular cruiser, explorer and businessman Stephen Glyn Thomas in a hiking accident in Antarctica has fueled debate about the future of cruising and tourism in that region. Stephen Thomas, 51, of Cambridge, England, was a...

Tours: a selection of escorted tours.(traveling)
January 1, 2006... "PARIS CULINARY TREASURES"--10-day tour, May 4-14 and Oct. 5-15, 2006. Highlights: Daily multicourse gourmet meal/wine tasting at a Paris wine bar/lunch at elite culinary school/ cheese tasting with a master fromager/ Paris neighborhoods...

Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2006... "Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers" by Candy Harrington (2005, Demos Medical Publishing. ISBN 1932603093--292 pp., $19.95 paperback). Now in its second edition, this book comprehensively covers...

Act III in Patagonia: People and Wildlife.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
January 1, 2006... "Act III in Patagonia: People and Wildlife" by William Conway (2005, Island Press. ISBN 1559635185--326 pp., $29.95 hardcover). Patagonia, the windswept southern cone of South America, seems too expansive and forbidding to be jeopardized by...

Dealing with Avian Influenza.(Hysteria does not help)
January 1, 2006... The President recently made an alarming statement that if Avian Influenza, or bird flu, reached our shores, infected Americans would be quarantined and, if necessary, military troops would be used to enforce this. Naturally, this has scared...

Antarctica--penguins on ice.(travel photography tips)(Column)
January 1, 2006... ITN reader Donna Judd asked for tips on getting good shots in Antarctica and Alaska. In this column I'll discuss Antarctica, as most visitors go there in the Austral summer, November to March, and many of the techniques apply to both...

Statistically safest.(air travel and fears of flying)(Column)
January 1, 2006... In last month's issue I introduced myself and invited readers to submit travel questions. The deadline for this month came along before anyone had a chance to respond, so, rather than answer the kind I get every day, like "How far in advance...

Creating TV in Italy's Cinque Terre.(Rick Steves' Europe[C])
January 1, 2006... In crafting episodes of my public television series, I've spent a good deal of time exploring the pleasures of Italy. While an entire show on Rome or Florence can be a montage of great sights, doing 30 minutes on the Cinque Terre--a...

Hadrian's Wall bag transfers.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... For you walkers following the Hadrian' s Wall Path National Trail, an 84-mile path linking England's east and west coasts, there is a service that will pick up your luggage each morning from your inn or B&B and transfer it to your next...

Nicaraguan archaeological gems.(Focus On Archaeology)
January 1, 2006... Nicaragua, wedged between Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south and with both an Atlantic and a Pacific coast, was a serendipitous discovery. I'm always on the prowl for archaeological sites and artifacts. Nicaragua did not...