Travelers' Intercom

July 2011 issue

Egypt after Mubarak

My husband, R.C., and I had booked our flights on Jan. 2, 2011, and committed to a trip to Egypt and Jordan for April 13-May 3. Then the uprisings began in Cairo. On Jan. 25, Internet and cell service were cut off. A full month would go by before we could make contact with our tour provider.

To plan our trip and guide us on the Cairo and Alexandria portions, we had selected Ibrahim Morgan (phone 20 1234 76 343), recommended by readers on ITN’s website (a search on “Egypt”). We, too, recommend him. Ibrahim’s knowledge and expertise, his command of English and his great energy and...

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December 2009 issue

Rail fares lower in person

I read the subscriber’s letter “Venice to Munich by Train” (Aug. ’09, pg. 40) lamenting the fact that, for a first-class DB Bahn rail ticket from Bolzano to Munich, she paid €93 by ordering it while in the US instead of getting it in Italy for €75.

For people leaving from Italy, I found a bargain train fare called “Smart Fare” (aka “Smart Price”) offered by Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.it). I used it in May ’08 and paid only €29 to go from Milano all the way to Geneva, Switzerland, on a Eurostar second-class ticket, reserved seat. I bought that ticket from an agent at the Rome...

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October 2009 issue

Guide in Santiago

Arriving in Santiago, Chile, a day before embarking on a South American cruise on the Norwegian Sun in December ’08, my husband, Erwin, and I had only one day to see the city so we wanted to make the most of it.

I had read reviews in ITN recommending a guide there (Aug. ’07, pg. 70 & April ’08, pg. 66). I e-mailed Alejandro Molina (alejandromolinamarin@yahoo.com) and we corresponded back and forth a few times. He works with other guides and drivers, as he put it, “like a little amateur travel agency.”

His fee was very reasonable: for two people, $70 for pickup at the...

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August 2011 issue

Reducing camera shake

In his January ’11 “Departure Lounge,” the publisher discussed reducing camera shake. He included pictures of someone holding a camera and wrote, “In picture No. 2, the photographer is tucking her arms in and using her body as a brace. The camera will be much steadier that way.”

I would label the two pictures, “1. Wrong” and “2. Not quite right.”

In photo No. 2, the model is attempting to both support the camera and release the shutter with the same hand. This is kind of a motor skill oxymoron: clamp firmly, but squeeze gently.

The way I was taught, many moons ago...

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November 2011 issue

New deck plan results in less congeniality

My husband, Mark, and I took a Holland America Line (HAL) cruise on the Rotterdam from San Diego, California, to Callao, Peru, and back, Oct. 23-Nov. 22, 2010. We paid about $7,500 for the two of us.

Our cabin, No. 3388 on the Lower Promenade Deck, had a partially obstructed sea view, which was fine with us. This was our first time on the new Rotterdam, but on our many cruises aboard HAL ships we have particularly liked the Lower Promenade Deck because it did not require our going up stairs or an elevator to get from our cabin to either side of the ship for the best viewing. (I have...

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June 2009 issue

Musée de la Reddition in Reims

Reims, a large city (188,000 inhabitants) in northeast France, is often described as the heart of the Champagne country.

For my wife, Arlene, and me, the main attraction during our Sept. 22-26, 2008, visit there was the majestic Notre-Dame de Reims, where for over 200 years the kings of France were crowned, the most famous being Charles VII (with Joan d’Arc at his side).

Construction of the cathedral was started in 1211 and took 100 years, although it was never completed according to the original plans. Badly damaged in World War I, it was carefully restored with funds...

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April 2011 issue

Recommended in Brussels

My husband and I visited Brussels, April 26-May 2, 2010, and stayed at La Résidence Les Ecrins (Rue du Rouleau 15, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique; phone +32 2 219 3657, fax 2 223 5740, e-mail les.ecrins@skynet.be).

Its location cannot be topped — just a block from the Sainte Catherine area and the historic fish market (the old canal is lined by one fish restaurant after another) and within easy walking distance of the Grand Place.

Guy and Edward manage three contiguous, century-old houses in this heart of the city and offer spacious, thoughtfully appointed rooms and fully equipped...

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May 2011 issue

Vacuum bags

You probably have seen ads for plastic bags that use a vacuum cleaner or other special gadget to compact clothes for efficient packing. The idea is good. The problem, however, is that when you’re away from home, where do you find a vacuum cleaner to use when packing for your return trip?

Our solution is to buy large (two-gallon or larger), resealable freezer bags from our local supermarket. We keep heavy socks in one bag and underwear in one or two others.

We partially seal the bags, then simply sit on them, forcing the air out before completing the sealing.

This way,...

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