International Travel News articles from June 2003

International Travel News archives from June 2003

Boarding pass.
June 1, 2003... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 328th issue of your monthly overseas travel magazine. The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China in mid-April ordered airport staff to stop suspected carriers of Severe Acute Respiratory...

From Lima, Peru, April 14, '03. (Report Cards).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * American Airlines flight No. 917 from Miami to Lima--on time. Good service, and the food was okay. Round-trip price, $525. * I joined a French group in Lima conducted by Condor Travel (contact Armando Blondet, 249 San Isidro, Lima 27,...

From Isle of Skye, Scotland, April 5, '03. (Report Cards).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * Kyleakin Private Hire Taxis (phone 1599534452 or visit www.gael.net/skyetours)--ask for Alistair. The price was [pounds sterling]12 ($19) per hour for up to four passengers. We toured the breathtaking Isle of Skye by private car with a local...

On England, April '03. (Report Cards).(reports from travelers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * Botega de Gelato in London has the' very best ice cream! It's located at the corner of Bayswater Road and Queensway W2, across from Kensington Gardens. A dish of their homemade Italian ice cream costs [pounds sterling]1.5 (near $2.40). It's...

On Thailand, March '03. (Report Cards).(reports from travelers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * The Amari Orchid Resort, (e-mail orchid@amari.com) in Pattaya, Thailand. Some might call Pattaya a "sleazy" beach town, but my friend and I found the lobby, staff and grounds of the Amari a welcome island of sanity. Especially helpful...

From the Dominican Republic, Jan. 25, '03. (Report Cards).(reports from travelers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * US Airways nonstop flight from Philadelphia to the Dominican Republic was on time. Took a direct flight to avoid the hassles of JFK or MIA. * Hotel Delta (Sarasota Ave. 53, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; phone [809]...

Exploring the glacial habitat of South Georgia Island.
June 1, 2003... Under the Spell of South Georgia" is the subtitle of the Tim and Pauline Carr book "Antarctic Oasis." What a fitting description of the way one feels when visiting this island called "The Alps of the Sea"! The attraction My husband,...

You may already have a concierge. (Travelers' Intercom).(free concierge services, travelers' credit card firms)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... I have found a fantastic free service available to anyone with a Diners Club card or with Gold or Platinum MasterCard that has a participating issuer. Did you know they offer free VIP concierge service? Yes, free. Not only that, the...

Traveling Japan by rail. (Travelers' Intercom).(reports from travelers)
June 1, 2003... My wife and I rode the Japan Railways system extensively and without difficulty, despite not speaking Japanese, during two weeks of independent travel in October '02. We purchased 14-day Japan Rail Passes for $551 per person for the...

AmeriSpan Unlimited language study. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... As a Spanish professor in a university, I need to refresh my knowledge by going on study programs. I have participated in several language study. programs and my best experience has definitely been with AmeriSpan Unlimited (Box 58129,...

Caribbean to Guianas. (Travelers' Intercom).(reports from travelers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... We are in our early 70s and we enjoy, whenever possible, making our own transportation and lodging arrangements. In January and February of 2002 we took a 31-day odyssey of the lesser-traveled Caribbean islands--Anguilla, Montserrat,...

On money/sanitation/booking flights. (Travelers' Intercom).(information for travelers)
June 1, 2003... 1. When traveling anywhere in these uncertain times, I suggest you take along enough dollar bills to tide you over in case the electronic systems for ATMs and credit cards are not working. Travelers' checks would be a good second choice. ...

Vienna sights maps. (Travelers' Intercom).(Vienna, Austria; tourist spots)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In June 2001 I did some independent exploration through Vienna, Salzburg and Prague. Reading ahead of time is very helpful since "lots" of free time is never enough to see the highlights, eat the delicacies and at least window shop in those...

Funniest thing.(Brief Article)
June 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...

SARS and travel restrictions. (News Watch).(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Several travel advisories for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health alert notices are being distributed at U.S. airports to people arriving from SARS-affected...

China/Hong Kong SARS measures. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The CDC recommends U.S. citizens defer nonessential travel to areas with a large number of SARS cases, including mainland China and Hong Kong. Current practices with respect to SARS are subject to change in China. However, as of April 16,...

Thailand SARS screening. (News Watch).(Government takes protective measures for passengers arriving from Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Viet-Nam at Thailand points of entry )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... On April 3, due to the SARS situation, the Royal Thai Government announced the following protective measures for passengers arriving from Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Viet-Nam at Thailand points of entry (including international...

Guatemala roadblocks. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In Guatemala, roadblocks and other demonstrations by various groups and in multiple locations frequently appear with little notice. The success of a teachers' strike in February 2003, which blockaded both international airports and most major...

Tourists missing in Algeria. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Since late February, more than 25 Western European tourists traveling in different groups have been confirmed missing in the Sahara Desert areas of southeastern Algeria, between the cities of Ouargla and Tamanrasset. The reason for the...

Uzbekistan warning. (News Watch).(Terrorists may be planning attacks against hotels in Uzbekistan frequented by Westerners )
June 1, 2003... The U.S. Government has received information that terrorists may be planning attacks against hotels in Uzbekistan frequented by Westerners. Supporters of extremist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qaeda and the Eastern...

Central African Republic. (News Watch).(U.S. Department of State warns U.S.. citizens against travel to Central African Republic )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The U.S. Department of State warns U.S.. citizens against travel to the Central African Republic (CAR), and recommends that any Americans remaining in the country depart. On March 15, rebel forces that had been operating in the countryside...

Burundi civil war. (News Watch).(Department of State Warns U.S. citizens against travel to Burundi )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Department of State Warns U.S. citizens against travel to Burundi due to the uncertain security situation within Burundi and among the several states in the surrounding Great Lakes region. Burundi has been plagued by civil war since...

Congo-Kinshasa peace process. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Congo-Kinshasa. Despite some improvement in the security environment in Kinshasa, the capital, and recent advances in the peace process, Congo-Kinshasa remains unstable. Travel...

Hiking the mountains, gorges and forests of Corsica's western coast.
June 1, 2003... Corsica, known as the "Scented Isle," has always had an offbeat, have-to-visit-it appeal to me. Off the beaten path from most European tourist destinations, this mountainous Mediterranean island--part of France but closer to Italy in location...

Lisbon taxi vouchers.
June 1, 2003... At Lisboa Airport in Portugal, taxi vouchers are now available for visitors traveling to the city by taxi. On sale at the Turismode Lisboa counter in the terminal, the price of the voucher depends on the distance of the trip and length of...

Accommodations not as they expected. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... ITN was mailed a copy of the following letter, which was sent by a reader to International Bed & Breakfast. Mr. William Angstadt and I returned from Prague on Oct. 10, 2002, and we are very angry with you. Last July we paid you $515...

Disappointed with hotel in London. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Following a short trip to England in mid-March '03, I was catching up on my reading and noted an ITN reader's brief description of the hotel at which I had stayed in London, the Best Western Phoenix (Feb. '03, pg. 154). Although the...

Eldertreks' actions 'outstanding'. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... My husband and I were signed up for a December '01 tour to Bali with Eldertreks (Toronto, Ontario; phone 800/741-7956 or visit www.eldertreks.com). Shortly after the tragedy of 9/11, I communicated with Eldertreks regarding my concerns in...

Adventures Abroad. (Travelers' Intercom).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... We took a 3-week tour called "Malta and Tunisia" in October '02 with Adventures Abroad (Richmond, B.C., Canada; phone 604/303-1099 or visit www.adventuresabroad.com). Each country was very historic and interesting. Everything went well. ...

Jazzed about jazz cruise. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... Listening to great jazz at night while cruising the Caribbean, and stopping at tropical ports during the day: that sounded like heaven to us, and it's why we couldn't resist signing up for the "Jazz Cruise 2002" last November. It all was...

Oradour, in remembrance. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... My wife, JoAnn, and I are both interested in World War II history, primarily because we both had family members who served in the aimed forces. In reading the Michelin guide, we came across a brief story about Oradour-sur-Glane, a village near...

It all got x-rayed. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... Recently I wrote about our experiences last year taking 35mm film through security in nine airports, both domestic and international (Feb. '03, pg. 20). At the time, we were told that the film must pass through x-ray unless it was ISO 800-1000....

Fog machines and film. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... I led a photo tour to Burma and Cambodia in January '03, after the new baggage inspection rules went into effect. Some of the people in my group insisted on hand inspection of their film due to the number of airports we'd be going through. In...

Pulling off carry-on travel. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... In answer to the question posed in the letter "Carry-on Weight Constraints" (March '03, pg. 120), for the past 25 years my wife and I have traveled with one carry-on bag apiece. Each weighs 20 to 25 pounds, has internal backpack straps (very...

Backup plans. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... As one of the travelers who travel with carry-ons only, I'd like to respond to a couple of questions ITN readers have posed recently about this topic. Regarding the weight limit for carry-ons, I have never been questioned about the weight...

Coping with constraints. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... My husband and I have traveled half a dozen times since 9/11 and have not had problems with nail clippers, so long as they don't have an attached nail file: We, too, travel only with carry-ons; I have nail clippers in my purse/ backpack and my...

Minor inconveniences. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... In response to the letter "Pointed Query" (April '03, pg. 42), about what to do if you carry your luggage on board and cannot take objects like manicure scissors, there is quite a simple answer. Budget an extra few dollars and buy a new set of...

Staying sharp. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... A frustrated reader asked (April '03, pg. 42) how some of these people with only carry-on luggage manage without cutting utensils that are permissible only in checked luggage. I'm usually one of "these people" and just as frustrated....

Getting a taste of Barbados.
June 1, 2003... In June 2002 I had an opportunity to visit Barbados for three days. As it was my first visit to the Caribbean, I did a little research and learned that Barbados is slightly different from the rest of the islands in the Caribbean chain. ...

Accommodations Worldwide.(Listing of some of the hotels, B&Bs, etc., in which ITN readers have stayed over the past year )
June 1, 2003... Hotels * B&Bs * Homestays * Apartments The following is a listing of some of the hotels, B&Bs, etc., in which ITN readers have stayed over the past year or so plus restaurants or sights nearby. Prices are those paid at the time of the...

Cancel anytime, for any reason. (Travel Insurance).(Airlines and tour companies offer flexible terms and conditions that will allow travelers to cancel or reschedule trips easily )
June 1, 2003... Relaxed cancellation policies Reacting to the current uncertain travel conditions, airlines and tour companies have adopted (probably temporarily) flexible terms and conditions that will allow travelers to cancel or reschedule trips easily...

Exotic Burma -- a travel bargain.
June 1, 2003... I can say unequivocally that Burma (Myanmar) is the outstanding travel bargain in the world today. Where else could you have your own guide and driver. for three people for 17 days, stay in deluxe hotels with excellent food (only breakfast was...

Oldest grape vine.(Great Vine at Hampton Court Palace in London )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... At 234 years old, five feet wide and over 120 feet long, the Great Vine at Hampton Court Palace in London is not only the oldest plant in the Hampton Court gardens but the oldest- and largest-known vine in the world. The vine usually...

Southern Africa. (Tours in Review).
June 1, 2003... CORRECTION -- An incorrect e-mail address was given, in the May '03 issue, page 76, for Africa 2000 Tours, about which two readers wrote. Correctly, contact Africa 2000 Tours (P.O. Box 1204, Hilton, 3245, South Africa; phone +27 33...

Galapagos. (Tours in Review).(Galapagos Islands travel via ElderTreks )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... We traveled to the Galapagos Islands, Feb. 1-10, '03, with ElderTreks (597 Markham St., Toronto, ON M6G 2L7, 'Canada; phone 800/741-7956, e-mail info@eldertreks.com or visit www.eldertreks.com). Not including airfare to Ecuador but including...

India. (Tours in Review).
June 1, 2003... In November '02 a friend and I spent a month in northern India-three weeks on an "adventure" level tour of the Himalayan foothills and Rajasthan with a company we highly recommend, Imaginative Traveller (1 Belts Ave., Martlesham Heath, Suffolk,...

Galapagos, Ecuador and Peru. (Tours in Review).(International Nature & Cultural Adventures)
June 1, 2003... My husband and I have traveled extensively for the past 20 years. After much research, it was an easy decision to travel to South America with INCA (International Nature & Cultural Adventures; formerly INCA Floats, 131] 63rd St., Emeryville, CA...

Egypt. (Tours in Review).(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... I'm thankful for ITN's printing my review of the tour to Egypt I took with In Focus with Michele Burgess (May '03, pg. 80), but I feel that in the editing one point was was lost, making the comments unfair to Michele, whose tour was 5-star all...

Italy. (Tours in Review).(Odysseys Unlimited)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In November '02 my wife, Elaine, and I took the 16-day "Portrait of Italy" tour from Odysseys Unlimited (85 Main St., Ste. 101, Watertown, MA 02472; phone 888/370-6765 or visit www.odysseysunlimited.com). With air from San Diego, the...

Peru and Ecuador. (Tours in Review).(Overseas Adventure Travel )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... In August '02 we took an 18-day trip to Peru and Ecuador with Overseas Adventure Travel (One Broadway, Ste. 600, Cambridge, MA 02142; phone 800/221-0814 or visit www. oattravel.com). Three distinct experiences made this trip unusual: several...

England. (Tours in Review).(Parish Holidays)
June 1, 2003... Having been to England a number of times already, my traveling companion and I had little hope of finding a group tour that would not duplicate earlier trips and that would provide the depth of exploration we are able to accomplish as...

South Africa. (Tours in Review).(S.A. Adventures)
June 1, 2003... S.A. Adventures (6075 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, GA 30328; phone 800/999-7180, e-mail johnburrell@saadventures.com or visit www.saadventures.com) specializes in South African trips. John Burrell, the company's managing partner, is 'very...

Japan. (Tours in Review).(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2003... CORRECTION -- In the write-up of our trip to Japan with TBI Tours (May '03, pg. 83), it should read, "My wife and I took a wonderful trip in October '02." I think that a trip in November is a little late in the season.

SARS and the risk for travelers.
June 1, 2003... Not three years ago the United States was invaded by a germ from Africa: the West Nile Virus. It caused a disease never seen before in our hemisphere, and we can easily remember how alarmed we were. As time has passed, West Nile has become...

General Tours suspends China tours.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Due to concerns over the SARS virus, General Tours is fully refunding all customer payments on its travel programs to China and Hong Kong until Dec. 31, 2003. Viet-Nam had been included, but at press time the CDC had amended its warning against...

Crossing Australia by train plus a visit to Tasmania.
June 1, 2003... My wife and I had planned to spend a week on Midway Island in February 2002. Ten days before departure we were notified that the Midway Phoenix Corporation had decided to suspend operations at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, citing "an...

Visiting Antarctica by air. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... After visiting our sixth continent eight years ago, my wife, Peg, and I had always wanted to visit Antarctica, but we did not want to spend. days bouncing around the Drake Passage in an icebreaker ship. We considered the Qantas Airways...

Aleutian Islands and Siberia. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... The chain of volcanic islands known as the Aleutian Islands divides the Bering Sea from the Pacific Ocean. Eight hundred miles south of the Arctic Circle, this bleak outpost stretches 1,000 miles. With little snow or rainfall, there are no...

The art of Napoli. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... If you love beautiful art, you must visit Napoli (Naples). Some of the most wonderful works of art have their home in southern Italy. At the Capella Sansevero, the "Veiled Christ," a masterpiece of Neapolitan sculptor Giuseppe Sammartino,...

On the British Heritage Pass. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... If you are considering buying the British Heritage Pass, here are some things to consider. On a trip in the summer of 2000 our group of seven each purchased the pass and thought it to be a very good value. The price quoted for advance...

Denied VAT refund in Ireland. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... After reading Rick Steves' article on VAT refunds (Feb. '03, pg. 123), I thought I was well prepared for travel. In Dublin, only one day into an "Irish Pub & Folk Tour," March 2-9, '03, my old Pentax IQ Zoom refused to advance film. The...

Credit card currency conversion fees. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... I had already read the article on credit card companies in the New York Times, but the mention in ITN's April '02 "Boarding Pass" made me think again. The people who have "free" credit cards (versus those of us who pay a yearly fee on...

Noting. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... I have just been made aware that Mark and Elizabeth Stoddard have opened up shop under a new name, Fun for Less Travel (392 East 12300 South, Ste. D, Draper, UT 84020). For those who may not remember, these are the same people who managed...

Note re Turkey. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... After returning from my latest visit to Turkey in the last week of March '03, I noticed in the April '03 issue a delightful article in which the author refers to Kemal Ataturk as a sultan (page 45, last paragraph). Kemal Ataturk was not a...

Retable in Colmar. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... The article on Alsace-Lorraine in e December'02 issue mentions the Issenheim Altarpiece at the Musee d'Unterlinden in Colmar, France. The famed Retable d'Issenheim is a multipaned painting designed to be placed behind the altar of a...

Dining in Nicaragua. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... In February '03 my husband and I enjoyed dinner at the Restaurante Mediterranco on Calle E1 Caimito in Granada, Nicaragua. Its owner is an interesting and charming transplanted Spanish woman. The food was so good, we went back the next...

Western food in Hanoi. (Travelers' Intercom).
June 1, 2003... While in Hanoi, VietNam, in January '03 we had a meal at what was, for our location, a most unusual restaurant. After 23 days of Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese fare, we could not resist the lure of Western food. The Al Fresco restaurant at...

All aboard!(traveling to Rothenburg, Germany, on the Romantic Highway)
June 1, 2003... Medieval Germany's Romantic Highway You can take a local train to the small branch station outside the city walls of Rothenburg ob der Tauber ("above the Tauber River"; visit www.rothenburg.de), Germany, but I have a better idea. Use your...

Cruise cavalcade: upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises.
June 1, 2003... Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering Summer Sale savings of 30% to 50% on sailing s to the Baltics, France/Spain, Norway's North Cape and the western Mediterranean. Cruises range from nine to 16 days, and prices...

Tours: A selection of escorted tours.
June 1, 2003... "SCOTTISH FLING"--9-day/7-night tour, Aug. 16-24, '03. Highlights: Tickets to Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Tattoo; also, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Thistle Chapel and St. Giles Cathedral, the 18th-century-furnished Georgian...

The discerning traveler.(Benin)
June 1, 2003... Ganvie, the stilt village in Benin The two motorcycle policemen looked like magicians. Gesticulating wildly with both legs and one arm, they waved all vehicular traffic on the busy highway toward the shoulder, ensuring a clean sweep for our...

Food festivals in England. (Brit Bits).
June 1, 2003... The grounds of two of England's finest stately homes will be the settings for Family Festivals of Food and Drink this summer. They take place at Blenheim Palace, Oxford-shire, July 18-20, and at Powderham Castle near Exeter, Devon, Aug. 23-25....

Britain marks 100 years of flight. (Brit Bits).
June 1, 2003... The centenary of the first powered flight is being marked by several events at museums and air shows in Britain in a program being coordinated by the Royal Aeronautical Society, founded 37 years before the Wright brothers made their historic...

'Go Further in London'. (Brit Bits).
June 1, 2003... The London Tourist Board is offering the guide "Go Further in London" to encourage visitors to explore lesser-known areas around the Thames as well as some of London's hidden gems once reserved for locals. Buy discounted Burberry in Hackney,...

The Lake District and unspoiled England. (Britain).
June 1, 2003... Last month having covered the Manchester area, in this second of two parts Marge continues relating her travels in northern England. During our time in England, we stayed with a friend who lives in the parish of Bleasdale, Preston....

Traveling Europe with teens. (Rick Steves' Europe).
June 1, 2003... When our kids were still in their single digits, our family travel was consumed with basic survival issues, such as eating and sleeping. Now that my son, Andy, is 16 and my daughter, Jackie, is 13, the big challenges are making our trips...

Historic sites in Britain.
June 1, 2003... More than 2,000 historic houses, castles, gardens and other heritage sites open to visitors in Britain are detailed in the 2003 edition of "Hudson's Historic Houses and Gardens." The 608-page guidebook features the location, opening times,...

Timeless roads of the Mideast & Mediterranean.(Akdamar Island in Lake Van, Turkey)(Column)
June 1, 2003... Akdamar Island in Lake Van, Turkey Lake Van is a large mountain lake in eastern Turkey filled by waters from the surrounding area's harsh winter's snowpack. But instead of being bright blue, as are most mountain lakes, Lake Van is slate...

Far horizons.(Travels in Romania)
June 1, 2003... Bucharest and Bucovina (First of two parts on Romania) In September 2002 I had the unexpected opportunity to travel as a part of a group of six journalists to Romania. The trip was hosted by the Romanian National Tourist-Office in...

Kevin keating's kilroy was here!(Musings about wine)
June 1, 2003... A taste of the grape... Some of my friends think I'm a travel writer. I'm not. I'm a writer who travels. There's a big difference. That's a way of saying that a person who makes a living splitting infinitives and polishing wooden...

Attend the beatification of Mother Teresa. (Travel Briefs).
June 1, 2003... Regina Tours, a company of pilgrimage tour operator FAR & WIDE Travel Corporation, is offering several itineraries that will include attendance at the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Oct. 19, 2003, in Rome, Italy. The Pope will...

Eclipse over Antarctica. (Travel Briefs).
June 1, 2003... Join Sky & Telescope and TravelQuest International on an exclusive charter flight, to witness the total eclipse of the sun over Antarctica on Nov. 23, 2003. Flying out of Punta Arenas, Chile, participants will experience two minutes and 26...

The Madrid Card. (Travel Briefs).
June 1, 2003... The new Madrid Card provides free entrance to 40 museums, monasteries and cultural institutions in Madrid, Spain, and its environs; complimentary use of public transportation (five trips); unlimited use of the "Madrid Vision" tour bus for a...

Person to Person.
June 1, 2003... Reader-to-reader info exchange Planning a trip overseas and need specific info? Let your fellow ITN readers provide the answers. Send your question, to Person to Person, c/o ITN, 2120 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail...