International Travel News articles from March 2002

International Travel News archives from March 2002

Boarding pass.
March 1, 2002... Dear Globetrotter: Welcome to the 313th issue of your monthly overseas-travel magazine. You may have noticed a slight change among the pages in the front of last month's issue. Just as we were going to press, we received a notice from...

Report cards: On-the-spot reports from around the globe.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The following is a sampling of reports received from ITN readers around the globe. ITN invites you to join our corps of reporters -- just drop a card in the mail while your travel. impressions are fresh in your mind. To obtain your ITN Report...

Made-to-order private tented safari. (Tanzania).
March 1, 2002... When my husband, Ralph, and I started planning our African safari almost two years ago, it was to fulfill our dream of taking our 12-year-old son with us. This would be Ralph's eighth safari and my fourth -- Ralph is a professional nature...

Travelers' intercom: Readers' opinions, tips & recommendations.
March 1, 2002... Net loss on transactions in St. Petersburg I was in St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 14-25, '01. Down the street from the Nevsky Palace Sheraton Hotel (about two blocks east, on the same side of the street) was a store that sold CDs and records and...

Funniest thing.(reader relates funny story from his visit to Kyoto, Japan)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the U.S., Canada or Mexico.) The ITN staff will choose each month's...

Zimbabwe elections caution. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Zimbabwe should be aware of continuing conditions that could adversely affect their personal security in the period preceding, during and possibly immediately after the presidential election scheduled...

Kyrgyz Republic safety concern. (News Watch).(Department of State cautions United States citizens travelling in the Kyrgyz Republic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... While the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has been helpful in ensuring the safety of U. S. citizens, the presence of indigenous militant groups (including a group designated. by the Secretary of State as a foreign terrorist organization) and...

Madagascar demonstrations. (News Watch).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Government of Madagascar held presidential elections on Dec. 16, 2001, but, as ITN went to press, final results had not been released. If no candidate received' 50% of the vote, a second round of elections was to be held, most likely in...

Dem. Rep of the Congo plus Rwanda. (News Watch).(Democratic Republic, volcanic eruption)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... On Jan. 17, the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic. of the Congo caused. major lava flows throughout the city of Goma and surrounding regions. The Department of State warns American citizens to avoid travel to the areas of...

Europcar's Cruise and Drive. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... With Europcar's Cruise and Drive program, cruiseship passengers can have rental cars waiting for them at ports of call in 18 European countries, the. Caribbean and the South Pacific. A Europcar representative meets the passengers at the...

UAE visas available on arrival. (Travel Briefs).(United Arab Emirates)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Travelers From 33 countries (including the U.S. and Canada) visiting the United Arab Emirates, now will be issued visit visas directly upon arrival in the Immigration Department of Dubai International Airport. The visit visa will be valid...

Japan Railways East innovations. (Travel Briefs).(information centers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... INFO IN ENGLISH -- Japan Railways (JR) East has made it possible for travelers to Japan to get all of their JR train-related questions answered either in person or via telephone in English. If you want to know how to get from point A to point B...

Contact your doctor while traveling. (Travel Briefs).(www.MDhub.com)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... M D hub. corn makes it possible for you to send nonurgent Internet messages to your physician while you're traveling. On the website www.MDhub.com, you simply fill out e-mail forms to make an appointment, request a prescription renewal,...

Leeds -- a special castle: In October 2001 my wife and I attended a most enjoyable evening function at Leeds Castle, located off Junction 8 of the M20 near Maidstone in Kent -- about midway between London and the Channel ports.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The event was a Kentish dinner, one of numerous special functions held throughout the year. It began with a wine and sherry reception in a room dominated by the portraits of Fairfax family members (the 18th-century owners), made more romantic...

Harry Potter sites. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is offering a new map, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone -- Discovering the Magic of Britain," the fifth in its series of movie maps. The map guides visitors to key locations used in the movie...

South Pacific tall-ship adventure.
March 1, 2002... I couldn't believe it. There I was with no tallship experience and only a day aboard and already I was at the helm of the square-rigger Soren Larsen, sailing her toward the remote Yasawas in Fiji! Admittedly, I had the captain (with his...

Accommodations worldwide.(Directory)
March 1, 2002... 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...

Tours in review: Candid appraisals of group tours.
March 1, 2002... SCOTLAND We wanted to do a trip in Scotland that would take us to the old places where our ancestors Clan Keith dwelled. I investigated companies and came up with one of ITN's advertisers, Country Routes (30 High Croft Close, Dukinfield,...

Seniors and the pressxisting-condition clause.
March 1, 2002... Ruth Harris of Concordia, KS, sent ITN the folio wing letter: "We have all been warned to watch for a 'preexisting-condition clause' in travel insurance. Uniworld has changed the company from which they get their travel insurance for their...

Don't put it off -- rent that villa in Tuscany now.
March 1, 2002... After spending more than a year researching the perfect (but affordable) Italian villa, in August 2001 our group of eight Wisconsin teachers spent a week at La Palazzina, a 330-year-old beauty tucked into the countryside around the Tuscan city...

Crystal Cruises cancellation insurance-plus. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Crystal Cruises now offers an optional new insurance upgrade called "Cruise Protection Program-PLUS." Under Crystal's standard insurance plan, passengers who cancel their cruise will forfeit a portion of the cost of the cruise, sometimes a...

Sydney's night market. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Sydney, Australia's, City Night Market is back. Every Friday night through June 28, 2002, the market lights up four blocks around Dixon 'and Little Hay streets in the heart of the city's Chinatown section. More than 1.00 stalls sell, fresh...

Koyang Korea Flower Show. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Considered to be the center of Korea's floricultural industry, Koyang City, located an hour from Seoul, will hold the 10th Koyang Korea Flower Show April 26-May 8, 2002. The festival combines floral displays and educational exhibits. The...

Korean movies screened for visitors. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... In cooperation with the Korean Film Commission, the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) is screening popular Korean movies for the enjoyment of visitors to Korea. The movies, which feature English subtitles, are being shown free of...

Angkor: Cambodia's legacy to the world.
March 1, 2002... The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are considered among the greatest archaeological achievements in the world. Thus, my wife and I ventured there last April to see for ourselves. Radiating out from the town of Siem Reap, there are some 300...

Melbourne Aquarium. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The new Melbourne Aquarium allows visitors to come face to face with aquatic creatures frdm the Southern Ocean off Australia. Visitors are promised a "total, interactive subspace experience." They can kick back by a billabong (waterhole),...

View finders.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Share YOUR special travel photos In June we took a Cosmos Russian waterways cruise from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Because we would be in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 1st following other travel arrangements, it made sense for us to fly...

All aboard!(Golden Pass Panorama, Switzerland)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... New glitz on the Golden Pass Snowcapped Alps, deep blue lakes, forested Alpine valleys and cogwheel-assisted crossings of high mountain passes reward passengers aboard the Golden Pass Panoramic, the newest of Switzerland's panoramic...

Cruise cavalcade: Upcoming ocean, sea, river or canal cruises.(KD River Cruises of Europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Cruise-tour Europe KD River Cruises of Europe is offering three "Cruise & Tour Vacations": 12- and 13-day packages combining land tours of Europe's great cities and scenic countryside with river cruises on the Rhine and Elbe rivers. ...

Reviewers' corner: The latest travel-book reviews.
March 1, 2002... Here are a few of the latest travel-book reviews written by ITN readers. "Country Inns and Selected Hotels in Great Britain. and Ireland" by Signpost International Guides (2000, Pelican Publishing Co., Inc., 100 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA...

"Ghost Watcher's Guide to Ireland". (New on the Bookself).
March 1, 2002... "Ghost Watcher's Guide to Ireland" by John Dunne, with photography by Simon Marsden (2001, Pelican Publishing Co., Inc.2000, Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053; log on to www.pellicanpub.com. ISBN 1-56554 -898-1-- $18.95 hardback, 125 pags.). ...

"Around Paris with Kids" and "Around London with Kids". (New on the Bookself).
March 1, 2002... "Around Paris with Kids" by Emily Emerson and "Around London with Kids" by Jacqueline Brown (2001, Fodor's, 280 Park Ave., New York, NY 10017; ISBN 0-679-0072S-3 and 0-679-00726-i - $11.00 paperback, 160 pgs.) Fodor's "Around the City with...

Focal point: Capturing travel images.(Tuscany, Italy)(Brief Article)(Column)
March 1, 2002... Seeking the perfect Tuscan landscape Andrea Rontini is an Italian photographer whose lush landscapes sell as framed and matted prints and calendars in galleries throughout Tuscany. Arriving in Tuscany in October 2001, I was determined...

Palazzo Arzaga golf packages. (Travel Briefs).(Lombardy, Italy)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Palazzo Arzaga, a golf and spa resort in Italy's Lombardy region above Lake Garda, has golf packages. The "Golf Vacation" package includes three to six nights' accommodations with buffet breakfast, two to four dinners (depending on length...

The discerning traveler.(Norway highlights)(Column)
March 1, 2002... Highlights of lovely Norway (First of three parts) The room was full of light. Peering out of the window through the small opening between the curtains, I saw people walking back and forth. Had I really slept that long? My alarm clock...

Bonaire Dive Festival. (Around the Caribbean).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... One of the Caribbean's most important diving and educational events, the Sixth Annual Bonaire Dive Festival, will take place June, 15-22, 2002. Sponsored by the Tourism Corporation Bonaire, Rodale's Scuba Diving and CORAL (Coral Reef...

St. Barts' events. (Around the Caribbean).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... St. Barts has a wonderful array of events planned in 2002. * Caribbean Film Festival (April 2-7) -- features, the best films covering Caribbean themes and created by Caribbean producers. * AG2R Transat Lorient to St. Barts (May) --...

St. Martin package. (Around the Caribbean).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... The Grand Case Beach Club in St. Martin, French West Indies, is offering a 3- to 7-night. "Honeymoon Magic" package until April 7, 2002. Included are air-conditioned accommodations with private balcony or terrace; Continental breakfast...

Anglo-Saxon royal treasures. (Brit Bits).(National Trust visitor center to open March 14, 2002)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Opening March 14, 2002, a new National Trust visitor center will tell the story of how archaeologists in Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, unearthed royal Anglo-Saxon treasures discovered in a ship grave in 1939. A priceless...

Country squire's estate to reopen. (Brit Bits).(Georgian house )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... An 18th-century country estate in Wales, barely changed in 200 years, is to open to visitors in June 2002. The Georgian house was designed by John Nash, a fashionable architect of the period. The house, walled garden and pleasure grounds of...

Dr. Samuel Johnson's house. (Brit Bits).(reopens after repairs and redecoration)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." Thus wrote the man of letters Dr. Samuel Johnson, whose 300-year-old London home has reopened. Johnson compiled the first comprehensive English dictionary in the house, which is welcoming...

Privy Garden at 300. (Brit Bits).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The spectacular Privy Garden at London's Hampton Court Palace celebrates its 3 00th anniversary during 2002. Privy, or private, gardens became popular at the royal palaces in the mid-16th century as they provided the Sovereign with security...

Nottingham Workhouse to open. (Brit Bits).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Renowned for its care of stately homes and gardens, the National Trust opens a very different property on March 13, 2002. Located at Southwell, Nottinghamshire, The Workhouse was built in 1824 to house 15.8 paupers. It served as a prototype for...

Farmers' markets in Britain. (Brit Bits).(service information)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Markets have been around for centuries, but true farmers' markets, which allow only local markets, which allow only local producers to sell their own produce, are, a new growth industry in Britain. The first was held in the city of Bath in...

Heritage Antique Tours in Britain. (Brit Bits).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Heritage Antique Tours offers an 8-night tour of the best antique markets, shops, trade-only outlets and world-renowned antique fairs that Britain has to offer. Tour members also have an opportunity to visit stately homes and castles. Each...

Rick Steves' Europe [C].(marketing tourist travel to Bath, England)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Bath bubbles Bath, a 90-minute train ride from London, has been brimming over with delighted visitors for 2,000 years. In Roman times it was a popular spa town. Two hundred years ago the city was the Hollywood of Britain: a resort for the...

Latin America.(marketing tourist travel to Peru)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Peru...with a touch of class (First of two parts) Attracted by the numerous reported changes taking place in Peru since a previous visit 81/2 years ago, in August 2001 I traveled to Lima as a guest of LanChile. from their Los Angeles...

Belize's Jaguar Reef Lodge. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Jaguar Reef Lodge is a beachfront hideaway in southern Belize consisting of 14 thatch-roofed cabanas and four 2-bedroom suites, all with air-conditioning and porches with views of the Caribbean. The resort also offers a restaurant, beachside...

Seoul's Barbie Cafe. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The world's most famous doll is the theme of a cafe in Korea's capital city. The coffee bar The Barbie Cafe features the personal collection of Ms. Jeong Mi-ran, who owns nearly 220 Barbie dolls. The cafe, which opened in November 2000 in...

Focus on archaeology: Namibia -- the Himba, desert elephants and Skeleton Coast.(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... (Second of two parts) I suddenly found myself surrounded by kids -- black kids, white kids, brown kids, although most were combinations of two colors. All were only a few months old and frisky. They were also very upset at being separated...

In-flight transfer info on SAS. (Travel Briefs).(SAS Scandinavian Airlines/cabin video monitors)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SAS Scandinavian Airlines System now is able to offer its, passengers transfer and rebooking information on board the aircraft over the cabin video monitors. Passengers who, upon landing, must rebook to an alternative flight can receive...

Kilroy was here!(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rainy day in Puerto Rico... The first Spanish named the Caribbean island San Juan -- St. John. They named the harbor Puerto Rico -- The Rich Port. Somewhere in the Archives of the Indies in Seville a muddle-headed mapmaker reversed the...

Eurostar ski trains. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Until April 20, direct Eurostar ski trains will run between London and the French Alps via the Channel Tunnel. The ski trains will run twice Weekly (one overnight train on Fridays and a daytime train on Saturdays from London) from London and'...

Italy by Eurostar. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Picasso Travel had independent travelers in mind when they came up with "Italy by Deluxe Eurostar Train," a 9-day, air-inclusive, winter tour of Rome, Florence and Venice that uses the high-speed Eurostar train as transportation between cities....

Free cell phone in Europe with Avis. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Rent an Avis car in Europe and you can receive a free GSM cell phone for seven days (with a confirmed reservation). The phone will arrive at your home or office before departure along with custom business cards listing your cell phone number....

Wimbledon tennis and British open golf. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WIMBLEDON -- A package featuring top tickets to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, England, is being offered by The Old Course Experience between June 24 and July 7, '02. The "North American Championship" package for the'...

Born-in-year-of-the-Horse discount in HK. (Travel Briefs).(Hong Kong)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Year of the Horse arrived in February, according to the Chinese Zodiac, and with it a special Chinese New Year package deal at the Great Eagle Hotel in Hong Kong. Those who were lucky enough to be born under this sign -- in 1918, 1930,...

Korea Pass Card. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Kookmin Card, Inc., has launched the Korea Pass Card in partnership with the Organizing Committee for Visit Korea Year 2001 of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The prepaid, multipurpose bank card can be purchased and used only by...

See the 'Moses Miracle' in Korea. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Known as the "Moses Miracle" to many Koreans, each year the ocean reveals a natural land bridge between the southern Jindo and Modo islands in southwestern Korea. This natural phenomenon occurs several times annually when the tides diverge...

Walking cane converts to portable seat. (Travel Briefs).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Flipstick is a lightweight portable seat that converts to a sturdy walking cane at the touch of a button. Crafted from aluminum and injection-molded polypropylene, and with a nonslip rubber foot, it weighs less than one pound yet can safely...

Person to person: Reader-to-reader info exchange.
March 1, 2002... 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. Please indicate if you do NOT want your complete,...