Columns

October 2005 issue

The Kurdish village of Egil, Turkey

Moreen and I consider ourselves fortunate to have visited the Middle East often. Friends say perhaps we have tempted fate, though we disagree. We don’t speak Arabic, Turkish or other languages in this Muslim and Arab world, but we do respect carefully its many cultures. We believe personal travel articles, similar to those presented in ITN, permit readers to see behind national media reports. This preface leads us into this month’s travel for the adventuresome.

Diyarbakir

Shortly before Abdullah Ocalan, the insurgent Kurdish leader of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), was...

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August 2005 issue

Flying fitness

by Alan M. Spira, M.D.

Flying was once a pleasure, but no more. It can be quite stressful. We put up with long security lines, hauling luggage, small seats and curious meals plus long periods of immobility and exhaustion. There are numerous health issues to face while flying, but today we will take a different tack: keeping fit during the flight. Hydration and muscle activity are the two key elements to focus upon.

Hydration

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is stay well hydrated, particularly if you drink caffeine or alcohol during the flight. You may want...

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April 2005 issue

Disaster in the Indian Ocean

The earthquake off the island of Sumatra in December 2004 left its mark on 2005. The earthquake did its own damage, but the tsunami it generated did far worse, devastating lives and land for a thousand miles around. The wave continues to ripple in other ways, in terms of damaged health and lost tourism.

For those traveling to give help to the victims, or for travelers who may fall victim themselves, a little education is vital to prevent and treat disaster-related health issues now and in the future. Moreover, knowing about health and disasters removes fear and anxiety so we can all...

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November 2005 issue

Picture your unique story

When we return from an adventure, we count on photographs to tell the story and convey the excitement and the feeling of the place we’ve been. But often we end up with “George in front of the Eiffel Tower,” “George beside the Blue Danube,” “George riding on a camel,” “George staring into the camera”. . . . You can just hear your audience yawn.

Get yourself in the picture. Have George take some, and, if you are in a group, ask other members to push the shutter for you. Ask a stranger? Often other travelers are happy to oblige — and won’t run off with your camera (choose carefully)....

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May 2006 issue

Your point of interest

by Janet M. Denninger, a photography tour operator

Back in college I had a photography teacher who harped on one facet of our work: the point of interest. He had a background in photojournalism and felt that a picture taken just for its color or artistic merit was boring and unworthy. I disagreed and continued on my own way with these more “abstract” photographic efforts.

But I had to admit, even then, that he had a good point. Have you ever been subjected to a friend’s vacation slides or album and had to force yourself to murmur, “Hmmm, that’s interesting”? Very often, the...

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March 2006 issue

Beyond the Panama Canal
By Julie Skurdenis

by Julie Skurdenis

Mention Panama and most people think Panama Canal. There is no doubt that the 50-mile-long canal, completed in 1914, that cuts across Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific is one of the most spectacular feats of modern engineering. It would be a mistake for any visitor to Panama to miss at least a partial transit of the Canal or, failing that, a visit to Miraflores Locks to see the locks up close and in operation.

But Panama offers so much more besides: for a start, tropical rainforests for wildlife and birds, beaches and islands for relaxing, and...

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June 2005 issue

Visiting Thailand

by Linda Ledray

QUESTION: I was just beginning to plan a long-awaited trip to Thailand before the tsunami. I was going to spend a full week in Phuket, as I love to snorkel and relax and read on the beach. I have heard differing opinions about travel to that area now. Do you think it is wise and safe to go so soon? Will I be taking needed supplies away from the locals? I just don’t know if it is the right thing to do now, especially as a solo traveler, or if I should wait another year or so. What do you think? — Ellen B., West Islip, NY

ANSWER: I would not wait. It is my...

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September 2005 issue

Mosques of Kairouan, Tunisia

Fifteen hundred years ago, Kairouan was only a desert crossroads, a caravan stop in the sands of what is now Tunisia in North Africa. But this quickly changed. In fewer than 100 years following the death of Muhammad in A.D. 632, caravans from Saudi Arabia had spread his word of Islam from India to the Atlantic Ocean.

Okba Ben Nafi is credited with converting Kairouan to Islam and founding its Great Mosque in 670. Shortly thereafter, Kairouan became the religious center and capital of Tunisia. It remained the capital until 1057, when the city was plundered by the seminomadic...

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