Travelers' Intercom | International Travel News

April 2006 issue

TravLtips didn’t blink

In late summer ’05 we booked with Cruise West, through TravLtips, a Central American cruise to take place during the Christmas holidays. At the time, we noted the ship’s departure on our calendar but forgot to note that we had to be in Costa Rica the day before. You can imagine our embarrassment upon arriving at the airport to be told, “But your flight left yesterday.”

An immediate call was placed to TravLtips (Flushing, NY; 800/872-8584) to explain our dilemma. On that same day, TravLtips rearranged our air and cruise bookings for a departure in early January, while keeping us...

May 2006 issue

Friendly Heron Island

Heron Island Resort (write GPO Box 478, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia, fax +61 2 9299 2477, e-mail bookings@voyages.com.au or visit www.heronisland.com) is wonderful and right on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, about 40 miles from the shore of Queensland.

It is rather expensive to get there; during our visit several years ago, the 2-hour catamaran ride was US$72 per person each way and the helicopter much more, with the lowest-priced private accommodations costing US$157 per person per day, including three fine meals. (2006 room prices start at Aus$250, or near US$189.)

...

September 2005 issue

Flights via São Paulo

In the fall of 2004 we decided to make a spring trip to Brazil. In mid-November, after looking at different options, we called Gate 1 Travel and booked a 10-day trip for March 10, ’05, called “Kaleidoscope of Brazil,” which was sponsored by Varig Brazilian Airlines.

I believe the cost of this trip was $2,676 each, which included round-trip airfare from Miami (but not from Virginia to Miami).

When we did not receive the usual written confirmation after a month, we called Gate 1 and were courteously told that everything was fine. The next we heard from Gate 1 was in January...

June 2005 issue

Social centers in India

All Hindu temples in India seem to be places where devotees and their families can congregate — take a nap on the stone floor, have a picnic, sell flowers or trinkets and visit with friends. Children’s heads are shaved on their first visit to the temple and an antiseptic paste is rubbed on. The orange color is a bit startling!

Temples have many statues, paintings and carvings, and the newer temples are painted in such bright colors, they’re almost blinding in the hot sun. The amazing towers are covered with figures carved in every pose imaginable. Even tiny villages have majestic...

March 2006 issue

The Tin Shed in NZ

The Ostheimers mentioned The Tin Shed Sheepskin Shop (Rangitata 22 RD, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand; phone +64 3 693 9416 or, free within N.Z., 0508 504 006, fax 693 9531 or visit www.thetinshed.co.nz) on the South Island of New Zealand (Dec. ’05, pg. 103). I’ll second their recommendation. The place is literally a tin shed, but they have a great selection of New Zealand woolen products.

When I stopped there in July of 1998, I found out what a “mattress overlay” was. They are made in Christchurch of sheep fleece sewn through a stretchy backing with great big pockets in...

October 2006 issue

EgyptAir’s business class disappointed

On Feb. 21, 2006, a companion and I flew on EgyptAir from New York (JFK) to Cairo, Egypt, with Grand Circle Travel. We were on GCT’s “Ancient Egypt and the Nile” tour with a 5-day pretrip extension to Jordan. We upgraded to business class (which we do on long flights).

Upon check-in at JFK we were sent to the Swiss International Air Lines business-class lounge, which was the finest lounge I had experienced. It had a full buffet dinner after 4 p.m. as well as free Internet service, excellent drinks and a beautiful sitting area.

Following this positive early experience to our...

December 2006 issue

A Novel Approach: Panama Canal, Russia and Ukraine, Kashgar

Panama Canal

On reading the current series on Panama by Randy Keck, my wife, Jean, and I are reminded of our trip there 10 years ago. As we recall, it was arranged as a more or less private tour through Panama Jones.

The thing that the company owner, Winston Rice, said up front and emphasized was that, prior to going, one should read “The Path Between the Seas” by David McCullough (latest edition, 2004, Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743262131 — 698 pp., $35 hardback; inquire paperback).

We both did so and have encouraged many of our friends...

April 2006 issue

Sense of direction

I read with great interest the various letters regarding driving internationally (August and September ’05 issues). I have had similar experiences in my travels in 70-plus countries. There is one bit of advice I would like to add. It has saved me on numerous occasions.

Take along a good, dash-mounted compass and use temporary double-faced tape to mount it on the dashboard of your rental car. You will be thrilled at the many times it will keep your tempers cool and your directions accurate. Good driving!

DON DUFEK Maineville, OH