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September 2005 issue

A novel approach to travel

In 1998 I became interested in the Silk Road, so a friend lent me a book, “The Silk Road — A Novel of Eighth Century CHINA” by Jeanne Larsen. It was interesting for the places, the place of women and a bit of magical realism.

Shortly thereafter the catalog from Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 877/426-8056 or www.elderhostel.org) came and while I was leafing through it a program called “The Silk Road” jumped out at me (similar program still being offered – Editor). I read the notes and discovered the trip was going to most of the places in the book. I told my husband, “We have to do this...

October 2006 issue

Important words and phrases

We asked you each to name, in English, the 25 core words and phrases that are the most helpful or important to know how to say in the local language before arriving at a new travel destination (outside of North America and the Caribbean). We also wanted you to share any special foreign words or phrases that are important or helpful to know in a particular country, explaining how to pronounce them.

We compiled the lists submitted, and shown immediately below, in order of frequency, is the end tally of those greetings, questions, etc., most often translated. Following that are the...

June 2006 issue

Paris’ ‘greatest hits’

A travel companion (TC) and I visited Paris, Jan. 14-18, ’05. We were lucky with the weather. Temperatures were in the upper 30s or low 40s every day, with no rain except on the last morning of our trip. According to the weather forecast info at www.worldexecutive.com, Paris has less rainfall in winter than it does in spring and summer. If that’s true, then our weather experience for January was the norm.

We took a taxi from Paris’ CDG Airport to our hotel in the sixth arrondissement. We hit some morning rush hour traffic, and the ride cost about €45 (near $55) before tip. On our...

November 2006 issue

Enjoyed Oceania’s Insignia

My husband, Ray, and I took a 24-day, 2-segment cruise in Europe on the Insignia of Oceania Cruises (Miami, FL; 800/531-5658, www.oceaniacruises.com), May 21-June 14, ’06.

For the first segmnent we embarked in Barcelona, and when we arrived in Lisbon we had visited six countries plus Gibraltar. Originally, we were booked to go to Libya, but because of problems with the government the itinerary was changed. The second segment, June 2-14, from Bilbao, Spain, to Dover, England, hit five countries.

For the first segment we paid $3,426 per person, and for the second segment we...

September 2006 issue

E-mail access of private info

This is in response to the question about carrying copies of important documents and other key information on a flash memory drive (July ’06, pg. 88).

I think it’s a good idea but only if the flash drive can be password-protected. Otherwise, the potential costs of losing it or having it stolen are too great.

Also, I wonder if a U.S. embassy or consulate would be willing to put the flash drive into one of its computers, in light of the widespread concerns about computer viruses, and I doubt that an airline would be able to do it at the airport. I suspect the computers at...

January 2006 issue

Preparing for Japan trip

In preparation for my trip to Japan, I wrote to the Japan National Tourist Organization offices in Los Angeles, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Their responses were in the form of pamphlets, maps and a valuable Japan Rail timetable. The offices in Kagoshima and Kumamoto provided more details and gave us information of tours offered.

Next I bought a Frommer’s guidebook on Japan, which gave me hotel listings, points of interest and information on hotels and their locations. My wife, Nancy, was also a lot of help, as she speaks pretty good Japanese.

One helpful tip — I asked for and...

June 2006 issue

Bills, tango, and shopping

I have some comments on letters in the April ’06 issue.

Regarding bill paying (page 14), since I’m usually away six to eight weeks at a time, I write all the checks ahead, get them ready to mail, then rubberband and sticky-note each batch as to the appropriate date to drop it in the mail box. My neighbor mails them for me and I bring her fridge magnets.

Regarding tango shows in Buenos Aires (page 16), I was on two different group tours that took us to La Ventana. It was $25, not $60, and very, very good — 90% tango and 10% Indian songs and instrumentals.

Regarding...

August 2005 issue

Exchange $$ at legal kiosks

I learned of a currency exchange scam during a visit to the Czech Republic in October ’04.

There are some other countries in Eastern Europe that have obsolete currencies. A prevailing scam in Prague is for people to offer a very wonderful rate of exchange from U.S. to Czech currency. Apparently, when the transaction is made, they give the obsolete currency, take the U.S. cash and disappear quickly. The customer is usually so busy counting and checking arithmetic that he doesn’t notice the currency is obsolete.

These scammers hang around exchange kiosks, etc., in Prague and...