Travelers' Intercom | International Travel News

January 2004 issue

Drove a leased Renault in Italy

We returned Oct. 16, ’03, from a month in Italy, where we had a car for 24 days. We found that if you’re planning to drive in Europe for 17 days or more, it generally pays to lease a car rather than to rent. We leased a brand-new mid-size Renault Laguna with air-conditioning and manual transmission for $1,337, everything included (all taxes; all insurance, including CDW, theft and liability; airport surcharges, etc.). There was nothing else to pay.

We booked through Renault at www.renaultusa.com with a modest down payment. Pickup and dropoff (at different airport locations) went...

August 2010 issue

Found parts of Turkey tour offputting

The following is a greatly edited version of a subscriber’s letter.

My wife, Mary, and I have been satisfied travelers with Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Travel for several years and have taken their tours to Thailand, Costa Rica, Machu Picchu/Galápagos, Vietnam and India. However, our last trip with OAT, a tour of Turkey, June 15-July 1, 2009, was a disappointment, specifically the four nights we spent aboard a gulet, the Ozge.

For our tour we each paid about $3,500, which included international flights, hotels, breakfasts and most other meals, most tours and...

November 2010 issue

Pricey Polynesia

I took a trip aboard the Aranui 3, Sept. 24-Oct. 9, 2009. This is a passenger/cargo ship that stops among some of the Marquesas and Tuamotu islands dropping off supplies and tourists.

The night before flying out of Los Angeles I stayed at my favorite hotel, Hacienda Hotel (525 N. Sepulveda Blvd., El Segundo, CA; 800/421-5900). It’s about five minutes from LAX and has a shuttle to and from the airport. (The park-and-ride rate of $149 includes 14 days’ parking and one night’s stay. With purchase of a park-and-ride package, additional nights’ stays each cost $85.)

I bought a...

July 2010 issue

CroTouring in Croatia

My husband, Carl, and I toured Croatia privately, Sept. 9-24, 2009. For the first part of our trip we used CroTouring (Milutina Baraèa 20, 51000 Rijeka, Hrvatska, Croatia; phone +385 51 277 086). Their guides made it not just a good trip but a great one.

Carl and I chose Opatija as our base for our first week because we wanted to explore the northern part of Croatia and the southern part of Slovenia and to enjoy the Adriatic.

The manager of CroTouring, Silvia Todorovic, met us at our hotel. She was very helpful in making recommendations. The next day she took us to Plitvice...

January 2004 issue

Guide in Egypt

My husband, my parents and I departed on Dec. 16, ’02, for an 18-day trip to Egypt that included sightseeing around Islamic and Coptic Cairo; the Sakkara necropolis; the Giza pyramids; several days in Luxor to visit the temples and West Bank; a cruise down the Nile; the Aswan area; Abu Simbel, and diving in the Red Sea.

As we travel, we are always interested in local culture, history, art, unusual architecture, religion, geography and native plants and animals. Egypt does not disappoint in this regard.

We were fortunate to hire an extraordinarily knowledgeable private guide...

May 2010 issue

Comfort on TAM

My friend Mike and I took a trip to Brazil, Oct. 29-Nov. 16, 2009. It was our first experience with TAM Airlines (in the US, phone 888/235-9826).

All of our encounters with TAM’s airport agents were very pleasant, as they were gracious and most helpful (especially since neither of us speaks Portuguese).

Their flights were very comfortable, with good-size seats and nice legroom, and their service was very nice. A hot sandwich was served each time, and among the free-drink options were beer and wine.

RON OAKHAM

Tucson, AZ

February 2011 issue

Fine dining in Europe

As my wife, Judy, and I traveled for 37 days in Central Europe, late August through early October 2010, we found a number of restaurants we would recommend.

In BUDAPEST, Hungary, we had dinner at Dunacorsa Étterem (1051 Budapest, Vigado tér 3; phone [+36] 1 3 186 362), Aug. 30 and Sept. 1. This restaurant, overlooking the Danube, offers fine dining inside and outside. There was a wonderful three-piece orchestra playing classical music. Our bill for two was $40, which included a bottle of Chardonnay. A great selection.

In the wine village of GRINZING, outside Vienna, Austria...

January 2011 issue

‘Salzburg Interlude’

Salzburg’s historic city center became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1996, and a visit to the delightful Old Town will convince you it truly is a special place.

Mozart’s birthplace and residence, at Getreidegasse 9, is surprisingly spacious and displays violins of his, harpsichords and family portraits. It sets the stage for you to enjoy the street musicians, singers and concerts throughout the city.

My husband, Bernard, and I took the three-night tour “Salzburg Interlude,” offered by Voyages Jules Verne (21 Dorset Sq., London NW1 6QE, U.K.; phone, in UK, 0845 166...