International Travel News articles from July 2003

International Travel News archives from July 2003

Boarding pass.(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 329th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. "This is the best time to fly ever. Competition has resulted in 'cheaper fares across the board": these words were spoken' recently by Simon...

Report cards: on-the-spot reports from around the globe.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... 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 the travel impressions are fresh in your mind, or e-mail...

Savoring South Africa's Winelands.
July 1, 2003... We arrived toward evening at Grande Roche, a small hotel in a former winery which was to serve as our homebase for the next few days, and the scene as we approached its driveway was breathtaking. Imagine orderly rows of vines spread across...

Travelers' intercom.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... Airport transit, Buenos Aires Ezezia and Jorge Newberry, respectively the international and domestic airports near Buenos Aires, Argentina, are 20 miles-apart. Although there are taxis and remis available, they are more expensive than another...

Funniest thing.(a cruise down the Thames )(Brief Article)
July 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...

Kenya travel warning. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Due to increased security concerns, the Department of State warns Americans to defer all nonessential travel to Kenya at this time. It has authorized the voluntary departure of family members and nonemergency personnel from the U.S. Embassy in...

The Department of State reminds U.S. citizens traveling to the Middle East, including the Persian Gulf. (News Watch: Mideast & North Africa).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Department of State reminds U.S. citizens traveling to the Middle East, including the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa, that despite somewhat lessened tensions accompanying the end of major U.S. combat operations in...

Malaysia caution. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The State Department continues to have concerns about the possibility of terrorist attacks against Americans and American interests in Malaysia. In particular, U.S. citizens traveling to the islands and in the coastal areas of eastern Sabah...

Risks in Iran. (News Watch).
July 1, 2003... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to consider carefully the risks of travel to Iran. Some elements of the Iranian government and population remain hostile to the U.S. Some areas of the country, including the Baluchistan border...

Yemen caution. (News Watch).(Department of State authorizes return of adult family members and nonemergency personnel to the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Department of State has authorized the return of adult family members and nonemergency personnel to the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen. Embassy employees have not been allowed to bring their children to Yemen since March 18, 2002; this policy...

Armed conflicts in Liberia. (News Watch).(Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Liberia)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Liberia. During the last year, rebels have clashed with government troops in a number of areas, including the counties of Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh,...

Kyrgyz Republic warnings. (News Watch).(Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is active in Central Asia)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The U.S. Government has learned that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a terrorist organization with links to Al-Qaida, and other extremist groups have become increasingly active in Central Asia, and there are indications that...

SARS in Taiwan. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In May, the Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of family members and nonemergency personnel at the American Institute in Taiwan in Taipei and Kaohsiung, based on concerns about the spread of SARS. Both the Department of...

Fighting SARS in China. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Authorities in some areas of China in May announced stringent quarantine measures which could result in the isolation of large numbers of people or entire neighborhoods. Inspection teams are conducting health checks at the airports, railway...

Current warnings. (News Watch).(travel warnings )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 30 destinations: Yemen, Liberia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Taiwan, China, Lebanon, Indonesia, Iraq, Burundi, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Algeria,...

Hamburg's 'Art Mile'. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Every year since 1997, Hamburg, Germany, celebrates its string of galleries and museums know as the Kunstmeile (Art Mile) with a special event, In 2003, on Nov. 8, six museums will open their doors from 10 a.m. until midnight. In addition to...

Sacred Music Festival in Rome. (Travel Briefs).(CIT North America offers special package)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CIT North America is offering a special package, Nov. 18-23, 2003, to the 4-day Sacred Music Festival in Rome. On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the first event takes place in St. Peter's Basilica during a 5 p.m. Mass with Gregorian chant. On...

Tuscan Sun Festival. (Travel Briefs).(Cortona, Italy)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Making its premiere on Aug. 8-17, 2003, the Tuscan Sun Festival will fill Cortona, Italy's, medieval theaters, castles and outdoor plazas with three orchestral performances, two outdoor operas, six chamber music concerts, film screenings,...

Jamaica Tourist Board. (Travel Briefs).(Restructuring)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Jamaica Tourist Board will close several of its tourist offices worldwide, replacing them with home-based marketing staff as part of a restructuring plan. Some areas could lose a JTB office altogether. No time frame has been set for the...

Free Caribbean stay for US troops. (Travel Briefs).(Sandals and Beaches Resorts launches Operation Relax)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In a show of support for U.S. troops, Sandals and Beaches Resorts launched Operation Relax, a program that offers free vacations to active members of the armed forces. Applications from interested military personnel will be accepted on a...

Ten ways to pass an hour or two in Geneva.
July 1, 2003... If you, like me, travel on business frequently, you've probably had a few hours to while away between appointments or before a flight. The time available is usually too short for a major excursion, so travelers end up sitting in their hotel...

Exploring Bergen on foot and cruising along Norway's coast.
July 1, 2003... In late October 2002 I arrived in Bergen, Norway, just as the trees began dressing in their autumn garb and the air became crisp and sweet smelling. For $8 I took the Flybussen (airport bus) to the town center, then I walked 15 minutes to...

SARS and travel insurance, plus websites and more.
July 1, 2003... SARS AND TRAVEL INSURANCE Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has added a whole new dimension to international travel. This is a significant concern for mature travelers, as it has been reported that the fatality rate of patients over...

Owl House. (Accommodations Worldwide: Great Britain & Ireland).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In Shropshire, ENGLAND, northwest of Birmingham, we rented a delightful cottage through our English travel agent and English Country Cottages (phone 44 [0] 8700 78110, e-mail ecc.enquiry@holidaycottagesgroup.com or visit...

Hotel St. Germain. (Accommodations Worldwide: Europe).
July 1, 2003... My wife, Vern Elizabeth, and I stayed at Hotel St. Germain (88 rue du Bac, 75007, Paris, FRANCE; phone 01 49 54 70 00, fax 01 45 48 26 89, e-mail info@hotel-saint-germain.fr or visit www.hotel-saint-germain.fr) for eight nights, Sept. 25-Oct....

La Casona Real. (Accommodations Worldwide: Latin America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In Cusco, PERU, La Casona Real (Calle Procuradores No. 354, Cusco, Peru; visit www.cuscopperu.com/lacasonareal) is only 50 yards from the Plaza de Armas. This hotel is outstanding! Located in a 15th-century monastery built atop an Incan...

Marilu's B&B. (Accommodations Worldwide: Latin America).(Santiago, Chile)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... In January '03 I stayed four nights at Marilu's B&B (246-C Rafael Canas St., Providencia, Santiago, CHILE; phone [56] 2 2355302, fax [56] 2 2643318, e-mail tradesic@intermedia.cl or visit www.chile-travel.com/marilu.html). This B&B is...

Hiking the Inca Trail plus visiting Peru's Lake Titicaca.
July 1, 2003... The pre-Columbian empire has always fascinated me, and it was my plan in 2001 to trek for a week in Huascaran National Park and then take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. However, some major surgery in June of that year deemed it prudent to do...

Adventures Abroad. (Tours in Review: United Arab Emirates and Oman).
July 1, 2003... A friend and I took an excursion to UAE and Oman, Feb. 20-March 7, '02. Persis Sturges of Adventures Abroad (2148-20800 Westminster Hwy., Richmond, B.C. V6V 2W3, Canada; phone 800/665-3998 or visit www.adventuresabroad.com) arranged our trip,...

Africa 2000 Tours. (Tours in Review: South Africa and Botswana).
July 1, 2003... Graham and Gill Maskell of Africa 2000 Tours (Box 1204, Hilton 324S Natal; South Africa; phone +27 33 343-3911 e-mail info @Africa2000tours.co.za or visit www.africa2000tours.co.za) arranged our perfect Southern Africa trip in July 2001. ...

All Asia Travel Co., Ltd. (Tours in Review: Viet-Nam and Cambodia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... I placed a query in ITN's "Person to Person" and had many responses (that wasn't the first time I've had such a generous response). The advice was most helpful in planning a wonderful trip to Viet-Nam and Cambodia I took Jan. 5-24, '03, with...

Bel Sogno Tours. (Tours in Review: Italy).
July 1, 2003... After two trips to Italy with a small, independent tour company, my wife and I want to share with our fellow ITN readers what we think is a great way to spend 11 to 14 days in the Emilia-Romagna. and Tuscany regions of that country. The...

Diethelm Travel. (Tours in Review: Indonesia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Diethelm Travel (14th floor, Kian Gwan Building 11, 140/1 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; phone +66 2 255 9150, fax +66 2 256 0228, e-mail oc@dto.co.th or visit www.diethelm-travel.com) arranged for us an independent private tour of...

"Paradors and Manor Houses: Landmarks of Iberia" tour with Elderhostel. (Tours in Review: Spain and Portugal).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... On Sept. 6, '02, my husband and I began a 15-day "Paradors and Manor Houses: Landmarks of Iberia" tour with Elderhostel (11 Ave. de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111-1746; phone 877/426-8056 or visit www.elderhostel.org). This was a 5-star tour...

Rutahsa Adventures, Inc. (Tours in Review: Bolivia).
July 1, 2003... Want soft adventure with lots of cultural interaction in a small group led by a Ph.D. in geology with a strong interest in archaeology and history? I had the pleasure of traveling in a group led by Prof. Ric Finch, director of Rutahsa...

Worldview Tours. (Tours in Review: Indochina).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... My wife, Norma, and I traveled to CAMBODIA, VIET-NAM, LAOS and BURMA (Myanmar) with Worldview Tours (Box 11417, Newport Beach, CA 92658; phone 800/373-0388, e-mail nino@worldviewtours.com or visit www.worldviewtours.com) on a well-organized...

Favorite cities overseas.
July 1, 2003... ITN asked readers to name the three cities they most enjoyed visiting outside of North America. We wanted to know what in each made it such a treat for you and what makes it a great place for travelers general. Following are responses we...

A serendipitous traveler in Rome.
July 1, 2003... Forget that it may take an eternity to plumb the depths of Rome. My husband, Paul, and I now live with chronic "next time" syndrome.; On earlier trips we had failed to investigate some places. Our trip in early 2001 was an excursion to fill in...

Tours: a selection of escorted tours.
July 1, 2003... METHODIST HERITAGETOUR--8-day tour of ENGLAND departs Oct. 27, '03. Extensions available to SCOTLAND, IRELAND, northern England and London. Celebrates 300th anniversary of the birth of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, and 25th...

"The Rough Guide to Romania". (Reviewers' Corner).(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... "The Rough Guide to Romania" by Tim Burford and Dan Richardson (2001, Rough Guides/Penguin Putnam, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. ISBN 185825702 -- 409 pp., $17.95). The Chicago Tribune calls it "authoritative and opinionated" and I...

"Sandra Gustafson's: Great Sleeps in Italy,". (Reviewers' Corner).(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... "Sandra Gustafson's: Great Sleeps in Italy," fourth edition, by Sandra Gustafson (2002; Chronicle Books LLC, 85 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94105. ISBN 0-8118-3113-2 -- 386 pp., $14.95). I am a big fan of the Gustafson "Great Sleeps" and...

"Tokyo: Knopf City Guides". (Reviewers' Corner).(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... "Tokyo: Knopf City Guides" (2001, Alfred A. Knopf, 299 Park Ave., New York, NY 10171. ISBN 0375709630 -- 168 pp., $14.95 paper). I actually used the 2001 edition of this guide during a trip to Tokyo, a trip on which I took 16 different...

"Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town". (New On the Bookshelf).(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... "Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town" by Paul Theroux (2003, Houghton Mifflin Publishing, 215 Park Ave. So., New York, NY 10003; www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com. ISBN 0618134247 -- 472 pp., $28 hard cover). Theroux's latest...

Afjording Norway. (Europe).(Travel Scandinavia; related article "Eating cheap in Norway")(Column)
July 1, 2003... Norway is much feared as Europe's most costly corner. But it's not. By taking advantage of the current favorable exchange rate (7 kroner/$1) and some strategic sleeping options, Norway doesn't have to be more expensive than the rest of Northern...

A desert odyssey in Namibia.(Travel Africa)(Column)
July 1, 2003... An old John Denver song had a line that said, "You fill up my senses like... a storm in the desert." This seemed an odd concept, but one night, in the great sand dunes of Namibia, we understood the meaning of those words. This vast desert...

Norway's Oldtidsveien: road to the past. (Focus On Archaeology).(Travel Scandinavia)(Column)
July 1, 2003... For me, Norway has always been the land of towering mountains, capped with snow, of deep fjords indenting the coastline, of tiny fishing villages 'wedged between mountain and sea. It is a country ..of awe-inspiring natural beauty, but I had...

Transylvania and Sinaia. (Far Horizons).(Travel Eastern Europe)(Column)
July 1, 2003... (Part 2 of 2 on Romania) The second portion of my trip to Romania last fall concentrated on the scenic, historic and cultural treasure trove of enticing Transylvania. Indeed, the region is known far and wide as the home of the...

Finding friends in Paris and Brittany. (Kilroy was Here!).(Travel Europe www.crownblueline.com; related article "Planning for Paris?")
July 1, 2003... When the French government voiced strong oposition to our military intervention in Iraq, France-bashing became fashionable in several corners of the globe. I sent a couple of reporters to Paris to see if the French people still welcome...

'All Belgian Stations' Thalys fare.(Travel Briefs www.raileurope.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... A new fare lets travelers going between Paris and Brussels on a Thalys ticket to connect to any Belgian destination on the same day for only a' fraction of the usual cost. Available year-round, the "All Belgian Stations" fare' costs only...

Eurostar fare cut. (Travel Briefs).(Rail Europe Group)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Rail Europe Group is offering a 30% reduction in prices of Eurostar trans-Channel fares between Paris and London through 2003. In fact, all Leisure round-trip, 60-day-advance-purchase, standard-class Eurostar trains are reduced in price. The...

Seabourn's free business-class air. (Travel Briefs).(Seabourn Cruise Lines, www.seabourn.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Seabourn Cruise Line is offering free round-trip business-class airfare from five Eastern * North America gateways to 26 different 2-week European. cruises aboard their ultraluxury yachts. The offer could save a couple over $8,500 on airfare...

Crystal Serenity cruises. (Travel Briefs).(www.crystalcruises.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Due to security concerns, Crystal Cruises has eliminated visits to Turkey and ports of call in the Black Sea on two Crystal Serenity sailings, Aug. 26 and Oct. 1. It also is offering lower prices on the ship's inaugural Mediterranean. season,...

Budget-conscious Antarctic cruise. (Travel Briefs).(G.A.P. Adventures www.GAPadventures.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... G.A.P Adventures has chartered a 100-meter ice-strengthened passenger cruise ship for a 12-day sailing to Antaretica in 2004, departing March 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina. The autumn departure coincides with the most favorable whale-watching,...

Discounts on Europe barge cruises. (Travel Briefs).(The Barge Lady Inc. www.bargelady.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Owners of barges on the canals and. rivers of Europe are offering discounts of up to 25% on selected sailings through November 2003. Barge cruises are typically six nights and seven days and, before the discount, prices normally range from...

Save on cruises with Travel Design. (Travel Briefs).(Travel Design (Santa Clara, California))(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... For individuals and couples who would rather cruise with a group than by themselves, Travel Design Associates has announced the Cruise Together program of hosted group cruises. Cruise Together groups feature discounted pricing as well as a...

Marriott senior discounts. (Travel Briefs).(Marriott International Inc. www.marriott.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Marriott International is offering the "Marriott Senior Discount," with guests age 62 and older eligible for 15% off. Participating are J.W. Marriott Hotels, Resorts & Suites worldwide and the company's other brands: Courtyard, Fairfield...

Austrian Airlines Smart Packs. (Travel Briefs).(www.austrianair.com, www.europevacationcenter.com)
July 1, 2003... Austrian Airlines, together with Austrian Airlines Vacation Center, offers new Summer 2003 Smart Packs vacation packages to cities throughout Europe as well as a special fly-and-drive vacation package in Austria or Germany. * The Starter...

William Morris' house to open. (Travel Briefs).(Red House, London, England www.nationaltrust.org.uk and www.kelmscottmanor.co.uk)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Red House, former home of the Victorian designer William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement, has been taken into the care of The National Trust, which is opening it to the public in summer 2003. The house, set in a 4-acre...

Modern tower to ancient site in Burma? (Travel Briefs).(to view Pagan Buddhist temples and stupas)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... At the ancient city of Pagan, Burma (Myanmar), is a spectacular collection of thousands of 11th and 12th-century Buddhist temples and stupas. The site will soon be joined by a 60-meter-high viewing tower, if the government carries through with....

On the Paris skyline. (Travel Briefs).(hot air balloons, www.aerophile.com)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... It was in Paris, in 1783, that the first manned hot-air balloon ascent took place. In the year 2000, the largest tethered gas balloon in the world (as recognized by the "Guinness Book of World Records") was installed on the grounds of Andre...

Crop circles in Wiltshire. (Travel Briefs).(www.cropcircleconnector.com, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Aside from how and why its prehistoric monument, Stonehenge, was built, there is another mystery in the southern England county of Wiltshire: why do crop circles -- those artistic formations that appear overnight, carved out of crops in the...

Person to Person.(various travel tip requests)
July 1, 2003... Reader-to-reader info exchange * My husband and I are traveling to England in September '03. We will arrive at Heathrow Airport and will stay in Dover for several days prior to leaving on a cruise. Is there a convenient, reasonably priced...