International Travel News articles from June 2001

International Travel News archives from June 2001

Boarding Pass.
June 1, 2001... Dear Globetrotter: ITN subscriber Emmy Anderson of Grand Forks, ND, shown above with her husband, Duane, wearing their ITN hats, sent the following note: "This picture was taken by my sister, Anna Jonsdottir, in August 2000 in a summer...

'Golden Fleece' cruise.
June 1, 2001... The mention of Greece has long conjured up visions of ancient ruins, towering mythological creatures, bright sunshine and casual relaxation. Now, for me, the images are even more powerful, after having taken a Greek Islands cruise with Globus...

Back from Athens.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... I had a 6-week stay in Athens, Greece, Feb. 10-March 28, '01. Here are a few observations. The new additional subway system in Athens has changed the entire complexion of thc city. I would note, especially, the subway station at...

Phone and cash cards didn't work.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... I was on a solo bike trip along the Donau (Danube) River in Germany in August-September '00. For those who use an MCI card for phone calls, BE WARNED. I was able to make one call, and, then no more would go through and I was disconnected. ...

Used a France Saverpass.(tour of Alsace Region)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... For our France vacation in summer '00, my wife and I wanted to combine an independent visit by rental car to the Alsace region (an area of France with great tourist interest that seems to be largely ignored by U.S. tour operators) with a...

New Zealand -- beautiful and economical.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Choosing to see New Zealand in March '01, another photographer and I decided to rent a car for three weeks. This proved to be an excellent decision that allowed us to travel at a leisurely pace and tour both islands. We had no trouble...

Rented car in Turkey.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... We are independent travelers and avoid tours, so in planning for Turkey in July '00 I got a car rental quote. For 18 days' rental of a Renault or a Ford Escort, with a stick shift but with air-conditioning, Auto Europe gave a quote of $1,088,...

Leasing vs. renting a car.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In the March '01 issue, page 191, a reader planning a trip to France asked about the pros and con of auto leasing versus renting. We have leased cars in France several times. We have rented several times too, mostly before we learned the...

Thailand touring.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In planning my November '00 trip to northern Thailand, I used the services of W.W. Travel in Chiang Mai (log on to www.chiangmai.direct.com). They arranged my train ticket from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and met me at the station. We also...

Arrangements in South India.(Swagatam Tours and Travels Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... A recommendation in ITN (Oct. '00, pg. 119) prompted my husband and me to contact Swagatam Tours & Travels, Ltd. (401 Keltron Chambers, 18/7 Arya Samaj Road, New Delhi 110 005, India; e-mail swagatam@vsnl.com or visit www.indiamart.com/stt), as...

'A time and place for McDonald's'.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In the January '01 "Accommodations Worldwide," a reader laments seeing so many McDonald's restaurants in France. (page 62). She is right about the number of McDonald's in Europe, particularly in Spain and France, but, don't forget, they would...

Assumed they had coverage for entire trip.(travel insurance)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... On Sept. 22, '00, four of us left on a riverboat trip from Amsterdam to Budapest with Uniworld, returning Oct. 10. We paid full price for travel insurance, but four days before departure we found out that we were covered only for the boat trip...

Charged more than quoted rate.(Holiday Inn King's Cross)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... I had a problem with the Holiday Inn at King's Cross in London in summer '00. Searching the Internet prior to our trip, I found that the Holiday Inn-King's Cross offered a "Select Rate" of [pound]103 for a double room, including breakfast...

Seats configured too close together.(airline seats)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... A warning to big people about American Eagle ATRs out of Barbados... We flew out of Barbados to San Juan on March 15, '01 -- a 2-hour flight. I am six feet tall and weigh 240 pounds and I could not, I repeat, could not get into the seat....

Wrong name on ticket.(Delta Airlines Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Editor's note: So that some of you may not unnecessarily miss an international connection because of a similar oversight, ITN is printing the following letter, a copy of which was sent by a reader to Delta Air Lines. I recently booked a...

Senior women see the Czech Republic.(Mary Jane Smith)
June 1, 2001... (Mary Jane Smith continues now with the description of her May '00 visit to the Czech Republic. - Editor) After three days in Prague (May '01, pg. 133), we left for our countryside tour. This was one of the exceptional treats on our trip,...

Expense of pulling out of a tour.(Intrav Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... We booked a 14-day Egypt/Jordan tour plus a 4-day post-extension to Israel with INTRAV for Nov. 27-Dec. 14, '00. The cost was $6,260, which included $890 for the Israel portion. We also purchased trip-cancellation insurance with Access America....

A family vacation in Sicily with our grown children.(Palermo, Italy)
June 1, 2001... A couple of years ago, when our daughter, Nancy, asked that as a gift for her 30th birthday in March 1999 we take a family trip and include our 32-old-son, Robert, we were excited but also nervous at the idea. It had been many years since we...

Baku Azerbaijan - Central Asia on the Caspian.(touring Baku, Azerbaijan)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... "Azerbaijan is not an easy place in which to travel. (Mark Elliott, "Azerbaijan with Georgia" [sec below]). Add to that it's unlikely you'll want to visit this small country..." (Excite.com under travel [greater than]destinations [greater...

Special charter to fly over both poles.(North and South Poles)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... South African Airways will operate a specially chartered Boeing 747-400 that will fly around the world over both the North and South poles. This flight will commence on Nov. 17, '01, and will attempt to break the old record of 54 hours, seven...

Safaris in Tanzania.(correction: December 2000 issue, page 50)(fortes@africaonline.com.tz)(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2001... In the December '00 issue, page 50, a letter of mine was published in which I recommended Lucas Fortes of Fortes Safaris in Tanzania. I've just learned that his e-mail address has changed to fortes@africaonline.co.tz. LYNDA HOWLAND ...

Check your speed in France.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... I appreciated the timely reminders about the right of the police in France to confiscate the licenses of drivers exceeding the posted speed limits by 40 kph (Feb. '01, pg. 163 & April '01, pg. 132). The legal limits arc as follows: in towns...

Note from a Slavophile.(Czech Republic )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... As Czech-Moravian Texans, we are proud of the cultural and artistic beauty of Praha (Prague) and the Czech Republic. We took a 19-day tour to the Czech Republic and Rome in March '00. The tour was for the Jubilee 2000 in Rome and was in...

Americans remembered in Plzen.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... My husband and I read with interest the article "An American in Pilsen -- on May 8" by Sandra Hoffman (April '01, pg. 50). What a screndipitous time for her to arrive in Plzen, Czech Republic! And what a thrilling time it must have been for...

Funniest Thing.(traveling in a foreign country)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (I TN prints no info on destinations in the U.S., Canada or Mexico.) The ITN staff will choose each month's...

Americans of Chinese origin held in China.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The Ministry of State Security (MSS) of the People's Republic of China has recently taken into custody several American citizens and U.S. permanent residents of Chinese origin. Of these, at least two Americans were still, at press time, being...

United Kingdom update.(hoof-and-mouth disease)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... As reported in the March '01 issue, page 32, the United Kingdom is experiencing an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. While there is virtually no risk to humans, it is a highly contagious, degenerative viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals,...

Protests in Bolivia.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... American citizens traveling to or residing in Bolivia should be aware that several groups have been staging marches, setting up road blocks and organizing strikes in protest of various Bolivian Government policies. These groups include an...

Be aware in Zimbabwe.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Zimbabwe should be aware of continuing conditions that could affect their safety. These include ongoing incidents of political violence and intimidation in both urban and rural areas. The National...

Fiji politics.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Fiji has experienced a period of political uncertainty following the May 19, 2000, seizure of Parliament by George Speight. On Sept. 15, 2000, an improvised explosive device was disarmed at a popular hotel in the general vicinity of the...

Bangladesh violence.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In early April 2001 there were a number of hartals (general strikes) in Bangladesh that resulted in violence. A molotov cocktail was thrown at a bus near the U.S. Embassy, and the parked car of a foreign diplomat was firebombed. In some...

Bosnia-Herzegovina warning.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the potential danger of travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina. There have been recent outbreaks of mob violence against American citizens and other members of the international community, particularly...

Current warnings.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... As ITN went to press, the State Department had travel warnings on 26 destinations: Guinea-Bissau, Colombia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Somalia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Israel, the...

AswanAbu Simbel road reopens.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... After being closed for more than three years, the highway road from Aswan to Abu Simbel was reopened by the Egyptian Government on Feb. 16, 2001. Travelers now have a choice of visiting Abu Simbel by plane or bus. The highway is equipped...

Goodwill Guides in Japan.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Goodwill Guides arc volunteers in Japan who have an interest in helping overseas visitors enjoy their trip through language assistance, by providing local area information and by acting as guides on walking tours. There is no charge for a...

Palm Island: a 'small package' delight.
June 1, 2001... Beach vacation. The very words conjure up visions of powdery white sand, turquoise water and lazy days in an idyllic setting of palm trees and grass huts. Palm Island, a speck of land in the Caribbean, delivers on nearly all counts....

'Aida 2001' at the pyramids.
June 1, 2001... On the occasion of the centennial anniversary of the death of the Italian composer Verdi, the Cairo Opera House will present the production of "Aida 2001" beside the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Oct. 12-17, 2001. Prices range from $300 for a...

Bremer Freimarkt.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Harkening all the way back to 1036, the Bremer Freimarkt in Bremen, northern Germany, is the country's oldest festival. It is the port city's traditional embrace of fall and is known locally as the "fifth season" for the jubilant spirit it...

Night of pubs and music in Leipzig.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Since 1994, musicians and night owls have met twice a year in Leipzig, Germany, for the Honky Tonk, a big pub-marathon that turns the city into a joyful madhouse for hours with more than 130 bands in about 100 places: pubs, clubs, bars, cafes...

Taipei Chinese Food Festival.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Explore Chinese cuisine in Taiwan at the 2001 Taipei Chinese Food Festival, Aug. 23-26, 2001. Between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., various pavilions will feature themed exhibits on pasta, mushrooms, health and traditional Taiwanese cuisine. There...

Tokyo museum card on the Web.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Through March 2002, the Tokyo "Welcome Card" Museum Guide with Discount Coupon will be Offered in printable form off the Internet. The Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) currently offers this card for 15 museums in Tokyo; it entitles...

HKTA renamed Hong Kong Tourism Board.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... On April 1, 2001, the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) was officially renamed the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The name was selected to reflect the organization's new constitutional structure, under which the Hong Kong Tourism Board has...

Zagat lists best hotels, resorts and spas.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Zagat Survey, the provider of consumer survey-based dining, lodging, and leisure information, has published its first "Survey of Top International hotels, Resorts & Spas." Nearly 12,000 frequent world travelers (who averaged a full month...

Precariously perched Villages of Provence.
June 1, 2001... "Imagine your backyard full of bloodthirsty barbarians clamoring to get into your house." The proprietor of the small wine shop spoke in soft French-accented English and emphasized with a wave of his arm: "That is why my ancestor chose to have...

Great Britain & Ireland.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Gable End Guest House in Horley, ENGLAND (23 Church Rd., Horley, Surrey, England, RH6 7EY; phone [1293] 783-679; e-mail gable-end@supanet.com or visit www.gable-end.com) -- located near Gatwick Airport. Often recommended by ITN readers,...

Europe.(independent travel)
June 1, 2001... My wife and I vowed early on that we'd NEVER take a tour, and since 1968 we have done independent travel. By doing this we have been able to stop when, where and for how long we wanted on some 20 European trips with no problems. That is, until...

Latin America.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2001... In December '00 my husband and I flew from Chicago, IL, to Santiago, CHILE, on American Airlines for a long weekend. All flights were on time. I would like to highly recommend the Hotel Carrera (Teatinos 180, Santiago, Chile; phone [56-2]...

Travel insurance, travel safety and State Department advisories.
June 1, 2001... Trip-cancellation/interruption coverage Will your trip-cancellation policy pay if you cancel a tour prior to departure because you feel uneasy due to political unrest or threats of terrorist problems? The short answer is no. To be...

TUNISIA.(Company Business and Marketing)
June 1, 2001... In May '00 we took an 8-day trip to Tunisia with Amelia Tours (176 Woodbury Rd., Hicksville, NY 11801; phone 800/742-4591 or 516/433-0696, fax 516/822-6220 or visit www.amelianinternational.com). The land-only cost was $855, double occupancy,...

CHILE AND EASTER ISLAND.(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2001... I booked a wonderful trip to Santiago, Chic, and Easter Island, Nov. 8-16, '00, through Anitours (1151 Freeport Rd., PMB 144, Pittsburgh, PA 15238; phone 800/243-8264, e-mail anitours@concentric.net or visit www.anitours.com). This was a trip I...

PORTUGAL.
June 1, 2001... My husband, daughter and I enjoyed traveling to Portugal in July '00 with Cobblestone Small Group Tours (757 St. Charles, Ste. 203, New Orleans, LA 70130; phone 800/227-7889 or visit www.cobblestonetours.com). We had traveled previously with...

SOUTHERN AFRICA.
June 1, 2001... In September '00 my husband and I took a 17-day trip to Africa arranged for us by Bert du Plessis of Fish Eagle Safaris (11191 Westheimer, Ste. 349, Houston, TX 77042; phone 800/513-5222 or 713/467-5222, fax 713/467-3208, e-mail...

RUSSIA AND THE BALTICS.(Company Business and Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... My wife and I took a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia and the Baltic capitals, Sept. 7-21, '00, with Odysseys Unlimited (85 Main St., Ste. 101, Watertown, MA 02472; phone 888/370-6765 or 781/370-3600, fax 781/370-3699, e-mail...

BORNEO.
June 1, 2001... I joined a Smithsonian Odyssey Tour to Sabah, a MALAYSIAN state on the northeastern tip of the island of Borneo; it was arranged through Saga Holidays International (222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116; phone 800/343-0273 or visit...

BORNEO.
June 1, 2001... I traveled to Borneo, Sept. 5-18, '00, with Saga Holidays International (Boston, MA). The cost of the trip was $1,899. Our group was 95% British. Our flight was long, 26 hours. After 14 hours of it we had one stop for an hour and a half in...

SPAIN.
June 1, 2001... My husband and I along with 35 other seasoned travelers toured northern SPAIN, Oct. 23-Nov. 5, '00, with Tauck World Discovery (Box 5027, Westport, CT 06881-5027; phone 800/468-2825 or 203/226-6911 or visit www.tauk.com). The cost was $2,990...

PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
June 1, 2001... We had the good fortune to be on a trip to Papua New Guinea in August '00 to see the Highland Show. Except for the show, our program was much the same as that covered in the "Focus On Archaeology" column in the February '00 issue if ITN. ...

Himalayan panoramas and elephantback in Chitwan.
June 1, 2001... The show at Nepal's Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge starts at 5:30 a.m. and I was on time. On a hilltop less then 20 miles from the Himalaya Mountains, I watched the first golden rays of dawn slowly move across the sky. One shaft of early sunlight...

Cruise on 'River of Gold' in Portugal.(Company Business and Marketing)
June 1, 2001... As two senior citizens in search of a holiday, and mindful of Yogi Berra's admonishment about fashionable vacation spots ("Nobody goes there anymore -- it's too crowded"), we sought an atypical sojourn with the odd combination of adventure and...

Feels "'Celebrity' falls short".
June 1, 2001... We have taken three cruises with Celebrity Cruises in the past two years; one was for a week on the Century in the western Caribbean in June '98, one was a 2-week cruise out of Puerto Rico and up the Orinoco River on the Zenith in...

A week on the world's largest cruise ship.(Royal Caribbean International)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... What is it like? With all those passengers, will it seem crowded? These were among the questions we had on Feb. 3, 2001, as we flew from Philadelphia to Miami to start our 7-day cruise aboard the Voyager of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in...

All's well that ends well.(Caribbean cruise)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In July '00 I booked a Caribbean cruise for my wife and myself with Holland America Line through Costco (the national warehouse store chain, www.costco.com) and their agent, the Travel Store, for Nov. 19-29, '00. What I did not know at the...

'QE2' transatlantic.(cruise ship 'Queen Elizabeth 2')(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... When I first received the flier in the mail advertising a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2 (known affectionately as the QE2), I casually tossed it aside.' It wasn't until a month later that my wife drew my attention to the particulars: an...

Excavate dinosaur fossils in the Gobi.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Join paleontologist Dr. Philip Currie on an expedition to prospect for and excavate fossils in the Nemegt Basin and at the "Flaming Cliffs," two of the world's premier fossil sites in Mongolia's Gobi Desert. Working under the auspices of...

View finders.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Share your special travel photos In September 2000 I traveled the trains-Siberian train from Moscow to Beijing on a tour out of London with 22 people. We went with Intourist Travel, Ltd., (Intourist House, 219 Marsh Wall, London, E14 QPD,...

All Aboard!(railroad travel)
June 1, 2001... Royal Scotsman takes the West Highland Line On my way to my writers' meeting in Wales, Abercrombie & Kent, the specialists in luxury and adventure travel, invited me to be one of the writers for a 4-day land cruise aboard the famous Royal...

Cruises.
June 1, 2001... Oriana continues a great tradition Upon boarding the great cruise liner Oriana in Vancouver recently, many fond memories of a past cruise aboard the venerable Canberra flooded back to mind. Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company,...

Mediterranean half-price for youths.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Almost one million more North Americans took a cruise last year, an increase of 16.8%, according to thc Cruise Lines international Association. The Mediterranean is a popular itinerary and Swan Hellenic is offering -- in July and August --...

Children sail free in Europe with KD.(KD River Cruises of Europe)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Children under 14 sail free when accompanied by at least one adult during July and August on KD River Cruises of Europe's sailings on the Rhine and its tributaries, and on the Danube and the Elbe. During those months, the line operates 17...

"Barcelona & Catalonia" from Eyewitness Travel Guides.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... * "Barcelona & Catalonia" from Eyewitness Travel Guides (1999, DK Publishing, 95 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. ISBN 0-7894-4620-0 -- $19.95, 176 pgs.). I like the Eyewitness Travel Guide series a lot, having four of them in my library....

The Rough Guide To Scandinavia.(Review)
June 1, 2001... * The Rough Guide To Scandinavia (2000, Penguin Books, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. ISBN 1-85828-517-8 -- $23.95, 742 pgs.). This book would probably be of most use to the independent traveler who is traveling by air or rail. I would...

Tips for the Solo Traveler.
June 1, 2001... In response to the February 2001 column on solo travel in Ireland, readers wrote in with comments and suggestions. I wanted to share them with you. Marilyn N. of San Rafael, CA, wrote, "I would like to suggest yet another option (for...

The Discerning Traveler.
June 1, 2001... Impressions of China (by e-mail) (Second of four parts,) October 10, 2000 Dear children: Thank you for your last e-mail. I am happy to know everybody is happy and healthy. YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE Today, I am continuing...

Rick Steves' Europe[c].(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Proud Siena, Italy's red-bricked hill town Siena seems to be every Italy connoisseur's pet town. Its thriving historic center, with red-brick lanes cascading every which way, offers Italy's best Gothic city experience. While Florence,...

European Potpourri.
June 1, 2001... Harking back on 11 years of 'European Potpourri' The list of 10 selected contributions appearing here in the April '00 issue, page 163, was from the first decade of this column (1989-1999), and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that one...

Timeless Roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean.
June 1, 2001... Iran today Impressions of Tehran (First off five parts on Iran) As our Lufthansa flight prepared to land at Tehran last October, the pilot announced that all women must cover their heads when leaving the plane. This was the beginning...

Far horizons.
June 1, 2001... Torres del Paine National Park (Second of two parts on Patagonia) The 4-day optional extension of my International Expeditions' Patagonia adventure would turn out to be a very different experience than my just-completed 7-day cruise on...

Kilroy Was Here!(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Road less traveled... My friend, Larry Dingus, is a retired attorney who adores adventure travel. He is most content when he's crossing the Himalayas by yak back or sleeping in a ger on the Mongolian desert. He traveled through...

EL AL fares to Asia, Africa, Mideast & Greece.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... EL AL Israel Airlines is offering round-trip fares for travel between the United States and any one of six cities in Asia and Africa plus the Greek islands of Larnaca and Paphos. These fares are available for travel through March 14, 2002, to...

France's high-speed TGV Med.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... With France's newest high-speed train, the TGV Mediterranee (TGV Med) from Paris to the south of France, travel times will shrink, frequency will increase and passengers will enjoy new and renovated stations and train equipment, but there will...

'Good-Buy' packages to Europe.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Again this summer, Swissair and Sabena, together with IMTC/Pegasus, the Atlanta-based European land operator, have created a number of packages for travel to the following European capitals: Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Budapest, Prague and...

Explore Switzerland.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Europe Express is offering land-only, independent vacations to Switzerland. * Beginning with self-drive packages with a private car, the "Alpine Road Self-drive" itinerary is round trip from Zurich with stops along the Italian and Swiss...

Stomp grapes at Tuscan 'festival'.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... A small group of travelers will have fun stomping grapes at a harvest festival all their own in Tuscany this October with Country Cottages. Decked out in traditional grape-treading regalia, they'll join locals (customarily, only locals are...

Danube by bike and ship.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... You can take a bicycle trip along the Danube without baggage worries with "Danube-Exclusive by Bike and Ship," a new program from the specialized Upper Austrian cycling tour operator. Austria Radreisen. It began April 14 and runs through...