Talk About Travel

India, resort diving courses, trains in Spain...

The Flight Crew, from left: John Deiner, Carol Sottili, Steve Hendrix, Anne McDonough, Gary Lee, K.C. Summers, Cindy Loose, Andrea Sachs. (Melissa Cannarozzi - for The Post)

The Post's Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of... the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions -- but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who've been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain's chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.

We know you have a choice in online travel forums, and speaking for the entire Flight Crew, we want to thank you for flying with us.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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The Flight Crew: Well good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the chat on this quintessentially muggy August Monday. Oddly enough, we're all on board today: Anne, John, Steve, Carol, Cindy, Andrea, Gary and me, KC, your captain of the day. So why are we here instead of on the road, like most sane people in DC in August? Actually, most of us have either just returned from somewhere or are about to set out. So take advantage of this lull to hit us with questions, comments, complaints, even (gasp) compliments. For the next hour, we are yours.

Here's what we're wondering today:

1. Has anyone ever taken a resort diving course, and what did you think of it? Any pitfalls or tips to warn others about? (We're going to be looking at this subject for our Caribbean issue this October.)

2. Where should Anne go in India?

We've got some great, goofy prizes from our Big Box o' Promotional Junk for the clicksters who provide the most useful info -- a smashing outfit of white feather boa, black top hat and white pearls that surely will come in handy at your next dinner party; and a grab bag of possibly useful little travel items (luggage tags, a keychain, an eyeshade, and something that's either a hotel door lock or a can opener).

So, let us have it, we're all yours.

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Lorton, Va.: I can't believe I couldn't check out last Sunday's travel section until the next Wednesday. And then, I see no one complemented you on the moose watching article. Wow!

We did a similar trip last summer. Spent a few days being outclassed in Bar Harbor, then went up to Greenville, ME for moose watching. I highly recommend it. And for those who want a bit more outdoorsy than a pontoon boat, we booked a guided canoe moose tour with Northwoods Outfitters. They guarentee a moose or you can go again for free. It was a lot of fun. And the guide was awsome when my boyfriend and I got a bit cranky and he dumped me in the pond at 6am. There is also a trail out to a old B52 bomber crash site. We are definatly going back!

The Flight Crew: Hey Lorton, nothing like a little delayed reaction. Glad you liked the piece!

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Crew I always wonder that you guys have more responses than any other Post chat. When I print out the Flight Crew transcripts they almost always run from 28-35 pages long.Whew!! ...Is it because you all are asked so many questions on the topic that it's necessary to have multiple persons answering rather than one Post host like for instance a Howard Kurtz or a Tim Page?

washingtonpost.com: They are indeed a prolific group...and yes, they receive mucho questions...

The Flight Crew: It's because we do our chats in the nude, Washington. Gene Weingarten does, too, but it's so dim over in the Style section that no one can tell (thank goodness).

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Annandale, Va.: Thanks for taking my question last week (about going from Washington to Atlanta by overnight train with our two young children
-- you thought we should consider driving instead). I should have explained: we're only going to be there three nights, so driving ten hours each way would take up a big part of our available vacation time. We don't want to stay up all night driving and get there exhausted, either, and we'd rather have as much of the daytime as possible for spending time with the Atlanta relatives. My concerns about the train mainly had to do with possible travel delays and comfort of sleeping arrangements. Anyway, we've got the tickets now -- I'll report back on how it goes!

The Flight Crew: You're welcome, and thanks for the explanation. Let us know how it goes.

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Vienna, Va.: Are you aware that United Airlines will no longer give seat assignments for any fare that is discounted? It seems to be a well kept secret and I would have flown another airline to Colorado recently had I known about it. They claimed that it was due to security but it is now being admitted by some of their employees. Do you know when they started this?

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: United isn't the only airline that has started getting very stingy with the seat assignments - it's becoming commonplace throughout the industry. Basically, the airlines sell cheap tickets until it gets close to flight time and then the prices go way up. So the last ones to buy are paying the most. The airlines want to keep these travelers happier than the bargain hunters, so they save the seats for those who pay more. I don't think that it's true that the airline gives no seat assignments out for discounted tickets - if you buy long enough in advance, you can still get seats, although they won't be the best seats. But you're correct about noting that seat assignments are much harder to get. A tip - get your boarding pass via Internet before you go to the airport. You'll get much better seats that way.

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Las Vegas for Thanksgiving: Hi Crew,
I hope you can take my question---I love your chats!;
My fiance and I are hoping to have our joint bachelor/bachelorette party in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend. Is this a busy time in Sin City? We were hoping to nab cheap tix by traveling on Thanksgiving Day, but so far the cheapest roudtrips we've seen from the DC and NY areas are ~ $345. Is this a good deal, or should we hold out for better?

The Flight Crew: Hey, there.

Tough call, I'd say. I checked around a bit myself, and that does seem to be the going rate. Even Southwest for that weekend is about $375, and that's with the special systemwide e-fare sale. My guess is, from some quick research, that it's a pretty busy time out there--all that turkey in the buffet lines, I imagine. The week after though, from experience, is dead.

I couldn't say one way or the other whether fares will go down, but I'd personally give it a little while longer to see what happens; more than likely, they won't go up much more (as long as seats remain).
-john

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Gaithersburg, Md.: When will the winners of the travel photo contest be announced?

The Flight Crew: When we're good and ready. No, no, we'll have a special photo issue Aug. 31, so stay tuned. We're very excited about this year's contest -- we've had some AMAZING entries.

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Dallas, Tex.: Hi guys--I really enjoy your chats; hopefully you can help me out with some advice. I'm moving to Krakow, Poland, for work, which starts next week. I don't have much time to find a plane ticket and haven't been really thrilled by the prices I've seen. My job is for a year, so I've been looking at one-way tickets, but the prices are iniquitously high (the cheapest being $676). Do you recommend getting a round-trip fare from a discounter such as Priceline and just throwing away the return portion? I'd appreciate any help or suggestions you can offer. Many thanks!!

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I'm not sure that you're going to get a round-trip ticket to Krakow next week for much less than $676, even through Priceline. But it's worth a shot. The airlines have rules about buying a cheaper round-trip ticket and throwing out the return trip, but I've not yet heard of them going after anyone for doing this.

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BeachBall: I love going to Ocean City, MD, but I'd like to find out a day before I go, or even while I'm there, what the water temperature is in the ocean. I tried searching for a website with this information, but it all seems outdated, sometimes by several months. Is there a reliable and current website I can check, or a local OC number I can call to get this information?

Thanks

washingtonpost.com: Try this.

The Flight Crew: Well, Kim has put of a good NOAA link, but for some reason it doesn't have today's OC water temp. Maybe the guy is still out there with that huge thermometer. (It does list Lewes and Atlantic City at a bracing 67.5 and 64 respectively).

My source in OC do tell me that the water has been a bit warmer since John Kelly chilled us his report on dred upwelling.

--Steve

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re: popularity: it's because if you live in the DC area you either get out or plan to get out.....

The Flight Crew:

Is someone feeling grumpy as the heat wave builds?

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Washington, D.C.: POR FAVOR, pick ME!

I am gonna take advantage of that US Airways e-saver to Madrid in October. I want to catch a concert in Avila and another concert in Granada. Do I have to rent a car to get to these towns (and is this advisable?)? I've never been to Spain before.
Also, any recommendations for budget hotels in Madrid? And in case you are feeling even more beneficent than usual, does anyone know how to go about getting tickets for a rock concert in SPAIN?

Muchas gracias

The Flight Crew: DC: We think that the Hotel Principio Pio is a good bargain, responds Gary Lee, and it is being offered by hotels.com for $109 a night or so. We don't know about booking rock concerts but maybe someone else out there has tips on that.

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South Riding, Va.: My wife and me along with my 2 year old son is going to Turkish part of (Northern) Cpyrus for one week vacation in a city, called Famagusta. First we will stay in Turkey then will fly from Istanbul to Cyprus, the Turkish side. My question is that, we have visa for Turkey, but I wonder if I need another visa for Turkish side of Cyprus (American Citizen)?

Can I pass to Greek side and be able to come back to Turkish side (with or without visa) with an American Passport?

Thanks,

Gurkan Dalbayrak

The Flight Crew: You're going to love it there! The ruins at Salamis are gorgeous, and don't miss the Othello Tower, part of the walled old city of Famagusta and reportedly Shakespeare's inspiration. There are (well, at least there were in '97) string concerts at night within the walls, which can make for an incredibly atmopsheric evening. The port of Girne is also a great TRNC destination.

American citizens don't need a visa for either the Greek or Turkish sides of Cyprus. According to the Cyprus Tourist Organization (which is related to the Greek, or southern side), American citizens can travel from the south to the north for a day trip, returning to the south by midnight the same day. Visitors who entered the island on the northern, Turkish part, however, can't go over the border to the south, acording to the DC representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Have a great trip!
--Anne

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Downtown Charley Brown, Washington, D.C.: Here are my tips for booking hotels. I am usually travelling for business, so I am looking for a specific hotel, eg the conference hotel. I check with Travelocity (I am a preferred member) and Quikbook. Then I check to see if the hotel is available through their own web site. I have found that frequently if the hotel is not showing up on T or Q, I can find a good rate on the hotel site. For example, I had booked Summerfield Suites in Seattle far in advance on Travelocity. As it got closer to the time, we decided to stay over another night. I couldn't find a room on T or Q, but found that Summerfield is part of Wyndham. I got a comparable rate on the Wyndham web site, and joined Wyndham by Request. Here's another nice perk, you fill out their questionnaire about your preferences. When we arrived, there was a cold bottle of Chardonnay, fresh fruit, and bottled water waiting for us in our room. It wasn't just a questionnaire! And finally many of the hotel web sites will match any rates you find on the web. I found this to be true of the Kimpton Hotel Madera when I booked a room for New Year's Eve. Always check to see if the hotel has a web site! (I used google). HTH

The Flight Crew: Gary Lee, who covers hotels for the section, says: good tips! We find that the individual hotel sites often offer bargains or specials that are not available elsewhere.

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Stafford, Va.: My wife and I are planning a trip next summer to one of the Sandals Resorts. Is there one of the resorts that would be a better stay than another? We are only going for a short stay - three nights.

The Flight Crew: Just to clarify: Are you asking about Sandals vs. other all-inclusives? Or about the various Sandals properties? For the former, there are so many Caribbean all-inclusives out there you could stay in a different one every week of the year, such as Beaches, Club Med, Hedonism, etc. Pick your all-inclusive by price, raings and location. Also, some are couples-only, others draw families, others are Girls Gone Wild--so choose according to the demographics. Then, check some of the Web sites where former guests hold forth on grudges and good times. (Punch in the resort name and Trip Advisor and you can find related articles as well as some very strong opinions. For example: "St. Lucia, what a winner!" writes a Londoner). A note about Sandals: They have a no-gay couples policy. However, if you are set on Sandals, the properties are pretty interchangeable, so again read up on location, amenities and island activities, for when you want to escape. And check Trip Advisor for front-line views.--andrea

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Silver Spring, Md.: Follow up to last week: I asked about Malta as a good destination in Europe for a family with young kids, 5 and 2. You guys felt Malta's charms might be lost on the kids. OK, where would you suggest instead?

The Flight Crew: I asked John, our Malta expert, why he wouldn't recommend it for kids, and he said there wasn't much there for them, the attractions were historic, architectural, etc.

I'm a strong believer that kids of any age should be exposed to, and can enjoy, things that aren't specifically designed for them---aka Disney World. On the other hand, John has a point---I do try to add something that is particularly kid-friendly or attractive for at least a awile hours every day or two. In other words, don't plan everything you do around them, but mix it up a bit. Sometimes, when my kid gets cranky about museums or old churches, I can reengage her by something as simple as stopping in a bakery. A two-year-old in some ways is easier to entertain than a five-year-old, cause the five-year-old has definate tastes.

But generally, I'm thinking a European country with a beach would be good. I'm thinking of how my child enjoyed Portugal because in addition to the usual Old World touring that adults enjoy, we broke it up with beach stops. (In Dec. it wasn't warm enough to swim, but good for walking and playing in sand.)

London has loads of kid stuff--in fact, I just lent a friend a whole book of kid stuff in London. Denmark is cool for kids--Tivoli Gardens, the Louisiana Museum with lots of hands on activities. In a way I think you can't go wrong, cause you can find kid diversions just about anywhere---Malta might be the exception cause it's so small AND beachless. Others out there have experience in Europe with this age set? Cindy

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N. Bethesda, Md. : Dear Flight Crew: Again I'm trying to find a trip for 25 people ages 85 to 2 years old to meet and celebate for 4 days in November 2004. Everyone lives on the east coast. We want something special -- Disney cruise vs. resort. Which would get more bang for our dollars -- and any suggestions for resorts? J.

The Flight Crew: Hey, NBMD.

I'd say it depends on what you're looking for--by far the easiest thing to do is to slap 25 people aboard a cruise ship. You can get some good deals in November. If you're not tied to Disney, both Royal Caribbean and Carnival offer three- and four-night cruises out of Florida, often for under $300 a person.

As for resorts, hmmmm. . . Assuming you'd have to eat a bunch of meals out, that could get pretty expensive. Ever consider maybe renting a big ol' house in the Outer Banks? Even the most expensive one may be cheaper than cruising for 25. If I went the resort route, I guess I'd go to Sanibel Island, Fla., where there are some beautiful resorts (including South Seas Resort, a real beaut), and November is off season. Check out www.sanibel-captiva.org.
-john

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Silver Spring, Md: In the Sunday Post you always see these ads for very cheap airplaine flights. Are they for real and is there any "hidden" stipulations? Is there any way to verify creditibility of these companies offering these cheap flights? Thank you!

The Flight Crew: Hi SS. Yes, they are (usually) for real, you just need to be really careful and check them out. We use consolidators (that's what these bulk discounters are called) all the time, especially for long-haul international trips, but there is some risk involved -- as there is when dealing with any travel provider, really.

The thing to keep in mind is that these companies can go out of business at a moment's notice, stranding their customers -- we hear these tales with sad regularity. Even a reputable company can go belly-up frighteningly fast. So first of all, always pay by credit card, so you can dispute the charge if anything goes wrong. Second, check the company out with the Better Business Bureau of the state involved. If there are complaints registered, that should be a red flag. Also, check that the fare quoted is round-trip, not one-way, and that airport taxes and other fees are included.
-- KC

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Ellicott City, Md.: WHY doesn't USAirways allow its LOYAL customers to use their Dividend Miles on flights that have some connection with United? I purchases a roundtrip ticket from BWI to SNA...going out on United, coming back, just USAirways. USAirways will not allow me to upgrade on the way back because it was United on the way out! Does this make any sense??

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: The UA/US Airways partnership is still pretty new, so there are bound to be situations that don't add up. Here's what US Airways says on its Web site:

Does Dividend Miles offer Upgrade awards or elite upgrade privileges for customers traveling on United?
Not at this time, however, Dividend Miles members are invited to purchase upgrades from United on the day of departure. Preferred members receive a discounted rate. Also, Mileage Plus members may purchase upgrades for travel on US Airways on the day of departure.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Desperate for help from you/clicksters--anyone know a VISA card that DOESN'T charge conversion fees when used overseas? I plan to travel for 6 months and even at 1% it really adds up! Other suggestions are also welcome. Thanks!!!

The Flight Crew: I don't know of any Visa card that doesn't add conversion charges, but that's why I use my Master Card or American Express when charging overseas. If anyone else knows of a Visa that doesn't charge, let us know. Cindy

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For Spain Traveler: If the person going to Spain has never been there before, tell him he MUST contact "The Chairman" for a walking tour. A British expat living in Madrid for the past 30 years or so, "The Chairman" absolutely MADE my first trip to Spain last year a hoot. www.wellsoc.org. My wife and I are already making plans to go back.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, says Gary. Nice tip!

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Re: India: First, 4 questions for Anne:
- when are you going? (to determine season & thus weather)
- how spicy do you like your food? (starting in northern india, the farther south you go, the spicier it gets. Also, the farther south you go, the more "into" food people get - ie northerners just get their fingers into their food, southerners get in up to their elbows!;)
- how long are you going for?
- what, if anything, do you really want to see/do? ie Taj Mahal? Skiing? (Manali) Rafting down the Ganges? (Rishikesh) See the point where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean all meet? (Very southern most tip of the country - REALLY cool cause you can see all the different colors!;) Camel ride? Wildlife Refuge? Tea plantations (mmmm FRESH Assam tea)? Yoga/meditation programs?
(I was there for 10 months as an exchange student - traveled north/south/Himalayas over the course of a month & a half - I'm so jealous!;!;)

The Flight Crew: 10 months?! I'm incredibly jealous. I'm going in January, it's my first trip to the subcontinent, I'm happy with spicy food (and am loving finally heading to a truly veggie-friendly country!). The problem is that I only have two weeks and obviously there are way too many places to go even if I restricted the trip within one or two states to really see things properly. The Taj Mahal is an absolute must for me. The way-too-rough plan right now is flying in and out of Delhi, and definitely going to Agra, and I'll be there over January 14 so would love to be in a place to see the Kite Festival. I'm reading a William Dalrymple book right now (Age of Kali) and it has me wanting to to Lucknow. But then, I want to go to everywhere read about. I'd rather go to, say, three places (with maybe one flight in the mix) than constantly be shuffling around. I'm up for any and all suggestions!
-Anne

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Atlanta, Ga.: We want to visit Canterbury England and then head across the English Channel and see Normandy, France. What's the best route to take?

The Flight Crew: Well, Atlanta, normally I'd recommend a ferry from Portsmouth to get down to Normandy--you can sail right into Ouistraham, right next to Caen (the regional center). But Canterbury, right next to Dover, is so close to the mouth of the Chunnel you might want to experience that modern wonder. Either way, you'll have to veer hard to the west from Canterbury. It depends on whether you'd rather do that through England or France.

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Arlington, Va.: 1. re: resort diving classes I have a co-worker who is a scuba freak and absolutely hates resort courses. He says that you need more than an hour or two to learn how to take care of yourself in case currents or conditions change. There are dive shops in the DC area where you can get full scuba certification in a weekend (Fri-Sun) course.

2. re: Las Vegas at Thanksgiving I went to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving last year and found an unbelievable $180 round trip fare from DCA about 2-3 weeks before. We also got a really good hotel rate by booking far in advance and then saw rates get higher and higher. The strip was crowded during the weekend but wasn't unbearable. You'd probably want to make reservations for anything you really want to do.

The Flight Crew: Great, thanks Arl. (I'd be nervous about waiting two weeks before the trip if there are a lot of people involved, but that's a dandy fare).
-john

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Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Just got back from Europe (yes, survived the heatwave - but barely) and wanted to toss a quick recommendation out there for Paris - staying in a cute Parisian hotel for ambience in the middle of summer? Great idea, if you can afford it. Otherwise, we stayed outside the city in Villepinte-Parc des Expositions in the Premiere Classe hotel, which was a literal hop from the RER station - and an all day ticket that included RER and Metro was only around 8 Euros. (Best part was the air conditioning in the hotel...and the orange motel decor wasn't -that- bad)

The Flight Crew: Merci, says Gary. Bon idee!

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Arlington, Va: for anne, in India, go to the royal triangle of cities. First, hold on to your money in Delhi, with its commotion. Then, onto Jaipur to visit the maharajah and ride elephants then Princess Di-style, onto the Taj mahal at Agra. All the while, she should ride the trains and stay only at the topflight Oberoi hotels. Have a great stay.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, Arl, definitely sounds like a good idea to me! Although I'm partial to hostels...
-Anne

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Washington, D.C.: hi there! I hope you can point me in the right direction. My boyfriend and I are hoping to get away to Europe over Columbus Day weekend. We'd ideally love to go to Eastern Europe (Budapest tops the list) but are having trouble finding tickets for under $500. Is there anywhere in particular I should look?

We're open to other parts of Europe as well, the less expensive the better. I know I can fly to the UK for relatively cheaply but it's practically the ONE place we aren't interested in. I'd really love to hear any advice!

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: Sounds like you're locked into traveling certain days/times in order to maximize the weekend, so bidding won't do it. I'd keep working the sales. United just started a sale for two traveling together - that might work for you.

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Arlington, Va.: Can you explain more about how the internet boarding passes work? What do you do when you get to the airport? Can you still check bags? It sounds appealing, but makes me a little nervous since I don't actually know anyone who's done it yet. thanks!

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: It is so simple. Log on to the airline site, plug in your info (confirmation number, etc.), pick your seats and it spits out a boarding pass. If you need to check bags, you still have to do that at the curb or inside, but your seats are locked.

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Arlington, Va.: Going to Chicago this weekend and staying at the Chicago Allegro. I was wondering what are some of the must-see sights on the Magnificent Mile? I loved the Oceanoquarium last time I went.

The Flight Crew: Windy City fan Gary Lee says: the Mile is best known for shopping and you can do that well all along the stretch but I recommend the shops at 900 Michigan. Also, the lookout station on the 94 floor of the John Hancock building is a must. I also highly recommend the Water Tower... Any other thoughts out there about the Mile?

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Washington, D.C.: Re: SPAIN, if it's a big US-band playing the concert, you can probably get tickets here. Also, no need to rend a car, Avila is about 2 hours via bus from Madrid, and Grenada is a LONG bus ride, but a 2 hour high-speed-train ride from Madrid.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, says Gary, for those useful ideas.

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Michigan: Submitting early:

My husband and I are going on a seven day trip to Belgium in mid-September - we've always wanted to go there and sample the beer and chocolate (our favorite things). Any recommendations on places to see or stay? It's my graduation trip, so we want to have a ton of fun and relaxation. Thanks!;!;!;!;

The Flight Crew: I only know Brussels, but here's a tip---do Brussels on the weekend. As headquarters of the EU, the city and its hotels and restaurants are filled with business people M-Friday afternoon, and come Friday night, you can get amazing hotel deals---assuming you're hoping for a hotel of the type business clients enjoy. For example, we got a room a couple years ago at the Conrad for $120---which during the week would have cost more than twice that. Besides, there are great flea markets on the weekends.

Don't miss the BeauxArts museum in Brussels. I'll post in a minute a link to a recent story we did about the beer of Belgium.

Can someone tell us what not to miss other than Brussels, beer and sprouts? Cindy

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Gaithersburg, Md.: I'm planning a ski trip to Salt Lake City the week after Christmas and airfares between BWI and Salt Lake are currently running about $350 (down from $420 last week) for that time period. Is this a good price, or do you think airfares might come down a little more?

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: $350 is too expensive. Wait a little longer. But if you're looking at the New Years holiday week, it won't get dirt cheap. In January/February, fares to Salt Lake sometimes go as low as $175 round trip.

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Bethesda, Md.: I couldn't join last week but wanted to thank you for the cab-ride to NY piece. I totally loved it!!! Not that I'd do it, but one of the things I like about Travel section is that it makes me live other experiences. For example I will never travel to the Caribbean with two toddlers (I think there was an article on that last year), but I'd like to know how it feels. Please don't stop such articles because it doesn't make sense, or is "stupid", it makes us think differently. Plus it answers some of the questions we wonder but can't execute for practical reasons. I should also mention that the way it was written is very entertaining. THANK YOU!

The Flight Crew: Why thanks, Beth. We've gotten some good feedback on that piece, just none of it publishable. There are lots of kinds of travelers out there and we try to have pieces for everyone. Plus, unlike a lot of other travel sections out there, we are big fans of quirky travel pieces. (Can't you tell by this chat?) -- KC

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washingtonpost.com: Four Weeks in Bangladesh, (Post, Sept. 3, 2000)

The Flight Crew: For our Bangladesh-bound chatster. (See, there really is a market for any place and story.)

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For the clickster booking rooms for convention on T and Q: As a meeting planner, I hope that the clickster who is surfing the net looking for cheap fares at the "convention hotel" knows that people doing just that are causing the meeting registration fees to go up. This is a BIG BIG issue for organizers of meetings and conventions. There really is no way to stop it, but I just hope that s/he understands the ramifications: no complaints about registration fees on your next evaluation, please!;!;

thanks

The Flight Crew: Good point says Gary. Thanks!

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Silver Spring, Md.: I was working in Belgium and knew I was going to be reassigned to the Philippines, so began a diving course (I think it was NAUI but can't recall)ahead of time. The instructor was good, but lessons took place in a swimming pool, and I found it really hard to get inspired to go through what were relatively rigorous exercises (e.g., holding my breath while swimming underwater the length of an Olympic-sized pool). I took srious and took a PADI course when I got to the Philippines, and we were in the ocean from Day 1 (except for a small number of classroom lessons). This got my enthusiasm up and I passed the course. Also, the instructor was very professional and obviously took no chances when it came to safety. If one is unsure about the instructor or equipment, it's no fun (and could be dangerous). Getting bad equipment, including bad air, may be rare, but the consequences are huge. Best to get a course certified by PADI or other known organization. I love diving but don't have the chance to go often enough to keep up my skills (even with a refresher course a couple of years ago).

The Flight Crew: Thanks much for the feedback, SS.

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Anne should go to...: Orissa. It's a state on the eastern coast of India, just south of Calcutta. It's much less developed than the parts of India that everyone goes to (Delhi, Agra, Bombay). It has some beautiful temples, some beaches (though sunbathing isn't really the thing), a different type of culture (a high percentage of so-called "tribal" peoples), the largest lake in India (Chilka Lake), a tiger preserve, great handicrafts (Pipli artwork), and lots more. It's definitely off the beaten path so it is not expensive at all. The standard of living there is lower than the rest of India, so it's a definite eye opening experience. Go doing Ratha Yatra (a festival celebrating Lord Jagannath) so you can really soak in a totally different experience than the US.

The Flight Crew: Thanks for the suggestions! Maybe I'll do India by festival, and just hop from one to another.
-Anne

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Kingstowne, Va.: Thanks for your piece on Prince Edward Island. The Maritime provinces of Canada are mostly ignored by American tourists, and I can't understand why. Three summers ago we drove through New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia. The scenery is spectacular, the locals are friendly, the lobster is succulent and the exchange rate is great. Why don't more Americans explore this wonderful foreign land?

The Flight Crew: We bet they will now, Kings, and ruin it for everybody! That's what we do here in the travel section.

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Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: I took the one-day resort SCUBA course in Akumal, Quintana Roo, and it was perfect for me and other family members of a range of ages. Because of that thing about needing to breath air at all times, scuba diving is a little scary. The short course in pool was incremental learning with lots of repetition of skills, so we all felt fresh and ready jumping into the sea. Most of the people I know who are actually SCUBA-certified dive so infrequently -- years between trips -- that the training is essentially obsolete. Anyone who loves snorkeling should try to deeper diving.

The Flight Crew: Good advice, Dupont, thanks.

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Where Anne should go in India: Hi guys,
My parents are from South India, and I think Anne should definitely go there. People think of the Taj Mahal, the Rajasthani desert, or Mumbai as the main tourist attractions. But there is a whole different world down south!;
Things to definitely do: visit the Brihadisvara temple of Tanjore (built in the 11th century) in the state of Tamil Nadu and drive up the Western Ghat mountains to Ooty, one of the old British hill stations.
She should also visit Kanniyakumari (where Gandhi's ashes were scattered), the southernmost tip of India where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea meet. People go there to watch the sunrise. I remember driving there from Madras one January; as we traveled down and across Tamil Nadu to Kanniyakumari (near the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala), the scenery became greener, the Western Ghats became clearer, and the local peoples' accents changed from normal Tamil to a beautiful singsong version unique to the hills. It was very charming, and for me, the closest to heaven on Earth.

The Flight Crew: Arg!!! I need more than two weeks!!!

-Anne

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Arlington, Va.: Does anyone on the Flight Crew (or chatsters) have any experience with Rome apartment rentals? There are SO many companies out there, I can't seem to find any references to any in travel books - they just focus on hotels. Any suggestion on how to find a reputable company? Thanks?

The Flight Crew: Gary says: I have had good luck in the past with www.venere.com. They list hotels AND b&bs and apartments. Also, if you try the hotel mozart I know they have a nice apartment or two seperate from the hotel, near the Spanish Steps, that they rent out.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I am planning a family trip to Canada. Now we know that we would like to drive to Quebec City first stay there for one night, go to Montreal for one night, Ottawa for one night, and Toronto for one night before we come back to the States. Do you have any suggestions as to places to visit, to eat and to stay? We also plan to camp one night somewhere in Plattsburgh in New York prior to crossing the border.

Thank you for the help. I found the planning is intimidating.

The Flight Crew:
I'm hoping you mean that you'll spend one night each in those cities with other nights in between. If not, you're doing way too much driving, in my humble opinion. Consider cutting a city. Of all you mention, Ottawa is the one I'd sacrfice first---unless you're going in the winter, in which case keep Ottawa and drop Montreal.

Those are too many cities to list where to stay and eat in one question, but I'll ask for a couple links that should help. Cindy

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Suburban Maryland: Hi Travel Crew. How crazy would it be to venture to the Grand Canyon when 6 months pregnant? We've got our reservations, but I'm worrying. Will getting there from Las Vegas be too strenuous? Will there be enough to do for a few days if I can't hike more than a few minutes down into the Canyon? Is there a way for my husband to hike with a tour group while I lounge about on the rim?

The Flight Crew: Go. I happen to know that if you deliver your baby on the South Rim of the canyon, the rangers will give you a free onesie that reads "A Souvenir of the Grand Canyon."

No, really. Go. There's plenty to see and do topside that doesn't require getting on a mule or killing yourself on a hike; it's only about four hours from Vegas; and it's only an hour down to Flagstaff (only 15 miutes by helicopter, if it comes to that). And the rangers are fully equipped to handle such quotidien emergencies as birthing the odd baby.

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re: Chicago: --the Art museum is open late Tuesday night, is free, and truly incredible.

--go see Blue Man Group--they are amazing and very entertaining (the "L" runs nearby as it is not on the Mile).

--listen to blues at Kingston Mines (the "L" runs nearby as it is not on the Mile)

The Flight Crew: Thanks, says Gary. I can vouch for Kingston Mines and the Art Musuem....

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Feeless Visa: If you're a member of a credit union, check with them - they are much less likely to charge exchange fees than the big banks.

The Flight Crew: Thanks--worth a try. Cindy

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Re: Anne's Trip to India: Anne, do not miss Manali, in the north. I was only there in the summer, when it was a welcome respite from the heat up there in the hills, but its a beautiful spot. And if you go to Peter's garden, say hi to the old bugger for me. Also, Benares (Varanasi) was not to be missed -- a boat ride down the Ganges at dawn, with the funereal pyres burning is just awesome. have fun!;

The Flight Crew: Just when I'm tilting towards to south, there's an argument for the north. Maybe I should copy a recent Travel piece and blindly stick a pushpin in a map of India and go wherever it lands.
-Anne

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For Belgium:: Do not miss Brugge!; It's one of the most beautiful cities I've been to. It's about an hour's train ride from Brussels and it's not called the Venice of the North for nothing. The canals are great and you must make sure to take a boat ride through them. The Straffe Hendrick brewery has a decent tour and free samples at the end of course. There's a chocolate store on every corner more or less, intermixed with the lace stores. And there's the beer. There's a bar there that sells the over 800 different kinds of beer Belgium brews- and in their own proper glass too. The owner is nice and funny and the staff will help you out. Brugge is just a fantastic place, much better than Brussels, in my opinion.

The Flight Crew: Thanks.

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Bethesda, Md.: How dumb is it to plan a Florida vacation or Caribean cruise during October? Are the cheap prices I am seeing because its the end of hurricane season? Should I be worried about hurricanes and a 4 night cruise?

The Flight Crew: Hey, Beth. Personally, I don't think it's all that dumb. Cruises frequently can change course to avoid storms, even shorter ones. The peak storm season is actually in early to mid-September, so the further out you go, the better it is. I'd plan for late October if I were you to better your chances. I'd assume that the cheaper prices are indeed because of hurricane season, but also because all the kids are back in school and the Florida vacation season has ebbed. Good luck!
-john

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Bad train info on Spain: The high speed train is between Madrid and Sevilla, not Granada. Granada is a doable car ride from Sevilla, but don't bother with the train -- it's a local that takes forever. First, the traveler should look at a map of Spain and figure out where these places are. And don't skip the Alhambra at night in Granada.

The Flight Crew: Gary says: you're right, of course, on all counts. My own recommendation would be to rent a car in Sevilla and drive to Granada. It's a lovely drive with lots of precious villages along the way.

Gary

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Washington, D.C.: My husband and I got bumped from a United flight
last week! I had spent a lot of time and effort to
get just the right flights to and from Montana so we
wouldn't have to take a red-eye or change planes
more than once because we had a tight time
crunch with our jobs. But even though we
checked in an hour early to the Bozeman airport
(tiny airport, only 4 gates), we were told there
were no seats available and we'd have to wait to
see if anyone would give up their seats. No luck.

So we had to wait four hours, fly to Salt Lake, then
take a red-eye to Atlanta, and then take an early
AM flight to BWI. We were pretty upset, despite
the fact that they gave us free flight vouchers. My
husband had an important appointment the next
morning that he ended up missing, and I can't
sleep on planes, so I had a horribly messed up
sleep schedule for days. He won't use his free
flight voucher because he refuses to fly United
any more and says he won't let any of his
employees use them for business travel. Harsh,
yeah, but he's ticked.

Why do airlines do this? I know they're trying to
hedge their bets to avoid losing money, but they
end up inconveniencing and annoying people.

Thanks for the vent!

The Flight Crew: We share your outrage, WDC.

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Mt. Rainier, Md.: If I had the opportunity to go to India, I would certainly want to check out Simla, one of the hill cities in northern India. It was a popular resort for the Brits in India trying to cool down from the summer heats in the south, and apparently it retains a lot of the 'raj' feel.

The Flight Crew: Cooling down won't be much of an issue, I don't think, but I'm definitely interested...

-Anne

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Potomac, Md.: What do you mean by "the most informative" gets the prizes? That's kind of tough, a vague topic.

The Flight Crew: "Most informative" means whatever we say it means, bucko. No, seriously, there are always lots of good responses to choose from, so we might narrow it down by picking the funniest, or the neediest (HOW MUCH do you want that feather boa?) or the wackiest. Or maybe we just pick the winner out of a hat. A top hat, in this case. KC.

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Lisa in Alexandria, Va.: I have heard from a few people that United and USAirways will allow customers to combine the frequent flier miles they have with the 2 companies to get a free ticket. Do you know if this is true? I heard it will be starting in November.

I know that today you can use frequent flier miles from United on USAir flights and vice versa but you cannot combine miles from the 2 airlines to buy one ticket.

Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Here's the latest from United's Web site. I haven't heard of plans to change this policy.

Can I combine miles from my Mileage Plus account and my Dividend Miles account to get a single award ticket?

No. As both programs will remain independent, miles are not combinable toward a single award ticket.

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Credit Card Conversion Fees: I'm confused about your answer to the person who asked about the 1% Visa conversion fee. I thought that BOTH Visa and MasterCard always charged 1%, and AmEx charged 2%. Isn't that the case?!;

(In addition, most banks that issue credit cards will slap on hidden fees of 2% to 5% for foreign currency transactions. One major bank that doesn't charge anything is MBNA.)

The Flight Crew: I'm thinking I should get into this deeply---I'll do some research and put it in Coming and Going in the next few weeks. In the meantime, all I can say is that I have a card that avoids those charges, but I'll have to get the details from the guy at my house who pays the bills and attention to those details. Cindy

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washingtonpost.com: The Canada trilogy: Toronto at Play, (May 6, 2001), Snow Big Deal, (January 21, 2001), Hey, You! Freeze!

The Flight Crew: This should help the Canadian traveler on at least part of the agenda.

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New Jersey: Any suggestions for a good bed and breakfast in the Hudson River Valley? My husband and I are going to escape for a day or two (without the kids) and are looking for something low-key, with some walking and eating, and lots of time for book-reading!;

Thanks

The Flight Crew: We'll throw this one out to the clicksters. Anyone?

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Re: Apt in Rome: It might sound crazy, but you might want to check with rental companies that primarialy deal with students traveling abraod. Many university websites have links to such organizations for their students to use, but that can also be accessed by the public.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, says Gary.

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Rome apartments: Re brokers for Rome apartments: try Vacanza Bella, www.vbella.com . We just rented an apartment in another city in Italy through them and were favorably impressed. They have several Rome properties.

The Flight Crew: Interesting tip, says Gary. Appreciate it!

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Bethesda, Md.: No question, just a rant: my daughter and I just returned from a week in Quebec City (no rant here - beautiful city, wonderful people, terrific food). We drove and our route included the Garden State Parkway north of NYC - which is the stupidest highway I have ever driven. This section of the GSP varies from 3 to five lanes and accomodates a lot of traffic. Every 5 to 10 miles or so, all this traffic has to stop at toll booths to pay a 35 cent toll. At the toll areas, the road widens to approximately twice the number of lanes as the roadway. Drivers have a choice of EasyPass, exact change/tokens, or cash/receipt booths which are randomly situated across the 10 or so toll lanes. As you approach the toll area, at pretty much highway spead, you have to maneuver into the correct lane depending on how you plan to pay (imagine bumper cars at 50 miles per hour). And lord help you if you get into the wrong lane - as I once did (imagine trying to make a left turn on the beltway). Then as you exit the toll area, the 10 or so lanes of the toll area are reduced to the normal 3 to five lanes of the highway, producing an inevitable bottleneck. And we had to deal with this at least four times each way. It seems to me that NJ could devise a more efficient, driver friendly way to collect $1.40. I'd be willing to pay more than $1.40 if I only had to pay it once. thanks for the opportunity to vent.

The Flight Crew: Hey, Beth.

That is a wild little road, isn't it? Spent many moons traversing it while I was growing up in N.J., but my favorite parts are driving it during beach weekends, when traffic can stretch for miles. Ah, the GSP . . .

-john

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For Arlington Coming to Chicago: The Air and Water Show is this weekend. That means either the Navy Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds screaming over the skyline from about Thursday on. (They get here a few days in advance to practice.) The best places to view it are along the lakefront just east of North Michigan Avenue. Enjoy the show and shop some other time.

The Flight Crew: Thanks for the tip, says Gary.

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Lisa in Alexandria, Va.: Re: apartment rentals in Rome.

I rented an apartment last fall with www.romanreference.com. They were extremely helpful and friendly (especially Gugliemo) and they have apartments all over Rome in a variety of price ranges. I highly recommend them and I plan on using them in the future.

The Flight Crew: Oh, much thanks Lisa. Good tip!

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Lancaster, Pa.: Don't laugh -- I'm going to Sedona, AZ in two weeks. Any do-not-miss suggestions other than staying in the pool 24 hours a day?

The Flight Crew: We're not laughing, Sedona isn't such a bad place to be. It's no Gary, Ind. (sorry, Gary). Plus, USA Today ranked it the most beautiful place in the U.S.A. Hmmm. So here are some things to do: Hike Coconino National Forest, Red Rock State Park or Montezuma Castle; check out some of the artisans/exhibits at the Sedona Arts Center, Art Mart Gallery or at individual galleries sprinkled along the highway; learn about Sedona history at the Historical Society and Heritage Museum; play golf or get a hot-stone massage at a spa; recharge your soul at a spiritual center like Earth's Connestions; take a jeep tour at with Pink Jeep Tours. Visit www.visitsedona.com for more info.--andrea

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Native New Jerseyan: Am I jealous!; This is a great weekend to go to Chicago, it?s the annual Air and Water show. Lots of boats (and the best part) low, right over the lake fly bys with military jets.
Find any place along Lake Michigan, and get comfy. As for shopping, Rush Street has some name brand chains. I also like the boutiques along Halstead and by using the Metra train, you can access the fancy-shmancy shops in Evanston, Highland Park, Winnetka and Wilmette. Look for a tabloid local Chicago paper ? like a Gazette ? for the names of them. Take me with you!;

The Flight Crew: Great idea says Gary.

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Potomac, Md.: Gonna go on an impromptu trip next week. Debating between Asia, Canada, Argentina, and London. Do you think the language barrier is too tough for two american college aged kids to just show up with no plans in BA? Is the weather nice in Toronto this time of year?

The Flight Crew: If you were my college-aged kid I'd recommend Canada, because I'd love you and want you to be as safe as possible. (The weather in Toronto should be fine.)

If you were someone else's kid and I wasn't being overbearingly cautious, I'd say do Asia, cause it's the most different and fascinating. (Even for my own kid, I might feel okay about North Vietnam, but not Cambodia.)

As to language barrier--so many people speak English I wouldn't worry about it anywhere. But be aware Argentina is in financial crisis, which on the one hand means cheap for tourists, on the other, there are lots of desperate people who need money. Cindy

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Re: diving: In response to Silver Spring, NAUI is a certified diving teaching "agency" of sorts, same as PADI or SSI. There might be some difference in styles (course books) but what they teach you is the same. I took my PADI course in a pool in this area over the course of a couple months, which I think gave me enough confidence to do my checkout dives in the ocean (and not a quarry or a lake) I couldn't imagine getting in the water after only a day or two of instruction...

The Flight Crew: The slight difference, I believe, is with the training style and which kind of certification diving centers around the glove accept. However, most take PADI and NAUI, since those are the biggies.--andrea, a card-carrying NAUI diver.

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Renting a car in Spain: We did the drive from Granada to Sevilla, with a great stop in Cordoba -- agree with the recommendation. One warning -- don't assume you can get an automatic. We reserved an automatic, but none were to be had in all of Andulucia. (Reminded us of the Seinfeld episode an reservations) Make sure you know how to drive a manual, and don't get a very big car -- the streets can be narrow. And, no problem renting a car at the Sevilla train station. All the major car rental agencies are there.

The Flight Crew: Thanks, says Gary!

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Re: Sandals Resorts: Besides Trip Advisor, I'd also recommend caribbean-on-line.com, traveltalkonline.com, and wheretostay.com for first-hand accounts. And I'd suggest looking into Superclubs, which owns the Hedonism resorts but also owns two properties in Jamaica called "Grand Lidos." These are the creme de la creme of all-inclusives. The best food imaginable, and they include EVERYTHING, such as room service, watersports, laundry etc.

The Flight Crew: Great advice, thanks!

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Infrequent Flyer Question: My family and I are flying this week (domestically) for the first time since before Sept. 11th. I've read the airline and TSA sites but still have a number of questions:
How much do we have to "take off" for the security screening? Will my daughter's (small) earrings set off the alarm? How about wristwatches?
Can a digital camera go through the xray?
If they're going to open our checked luggage, how do we keep everything from falling out?
How horrible are the lines at BWI (Southwest), anyway?

The Flight Crew: Take it all off!! Wristwatch, change from pockets, even shoes if you don't want to wait around to have your feet checked. A digital camera can go through x-ray. Have your i.d. and boarding pass in your hand ready to be checked. Go to www.tsa.gov for more details.

Lines depend on time of day and lots of factors. by and large, the busiest times to fly roughly equate to our car traffic rush hours. Plan it so you are inside the airport doors a hour before departute (for domestic, which of course with Southwest you are.) Cindy

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M Street, Washington, D.C.: Oh to be India Bound! I toured through Rajasthan following a wedding in Bombay and fell in love with Udaipur. If you can squeeze it into your budget, try and get a room in the hotel in the lake (name escapes me). The hotel used to be a maharajah's palace. It is built out of white marble and ENTIRELY covers ALL of the tiny island upon which it sits. It looks like an unbelievable mirage floating in the lake and is incredibly romantic and gorgeous at dawn and dusk. The town itself is a white washed concoction of winding alley ways and homes painted with surprising motifs. The cows laze about in the tiniest of streets and busiest of intersections. Also a gorgeous and fascinating palace to visit, but best of all, make sure to get up in time to see the town's ladies washing laundry in the lake.

cheers (and take me with you?)
Dupont Circle

The Flight Crew: One of my goals this trip is to follow your last suggestion and get up early. Photo rule of thumb is that the best pictures are taken near dawn and dusk, and yet I always seem to miss the morning shots. So no lie-ins in for me, but then again, if I stay in a former maharajah's palace, it would be a shame to jump out of bed and take a pass on the luxury. Yeah, it's tough. As my sister likes to say, I'll be living the life of Riley.
-Anne

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Orange, Va.: Having just returned from my initial trip to the Rockies, I'm now ready to make that a vacation destination for the rest of my life (which still has multiple decades left on the warranty). Alas, this conclusion brings to mind a question with which my wife and I constantly wrestle; i.e., how does one decide what trip is worth repeating at the risk of eliminating one less possible new discovery? I'd love to hear the Crew wax philosophic on this issue.

The Flight Crew:

We don't wax, we whacks. If you want wax, try Hax (another chat entirely). But here goes, Orange.

I have the same trouble with good books. Do I want to read it again a few years down the line, or--in a world full of more great books than I'll ever get to--should I always use my valuable reading time on something new? The answer is, of course, both. Sometimes what you need is to see someplace new, but sometimes the best use of time and money to go back to an old favorite.

Wise? No. The best I come with before lunch? Yes.

Readers? Want to take a few whacks of your own?

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Washington, D.C.: I have a question about travelling through Asia. What is the best way to get currency? Usually when I'm in Europe I just go to an ATM, but I'm uncertain if it will be that easy in Asia. I will be in Thailand, Vietnam and possibly Cambodia or Laos. Also, do you know if I need a visa for any of those countries?
Thanks for the advice.

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: If you're going to be in big cities, you should have no trouble. Check your ATM card, find out what networks it is on and then check to see if those networks are located in your destinations. I, for example, have a First Union (Wachovia now, I guess)/ Visa ATM card that is good on several networks. Call the customer service number on the back of your card to get ATM locator Web addresses. Go to www.travel.state.gov for visa requirements.

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DC to NYC trip by taxi: Just want to register a difference of opinion with the poster who taved about the feature on traveling to NYC by cab. I pointed that article out to all my friends as one of the most inane things I've come across in a long time. Why anyone would spend a HUGE amount of money and time traveling to NYC by cab just befuddles me. And the author dissed Amtrak travel, but I've always found the Metroliner trip to be a pleasure. And while the Metroliner may not always be cheap, it's a whole lot better bargain than cab rides!;!;

The Flight Crew: It's not always about the money, DC. As the writer commented in the piece, all the people riding Amtrak that afternoon may have gotten there faster, but they didn't have Sam (his driver, whom he really hit it off with). Perhaps the piece appealed more to a whimsical, offbeat type of traveler, and less to practical, businesslike types who prize efficiency above all else (you know who you are). But whatever type of traveler you are, the piece was mostly just a fun read about something that most sane people would never do. -- KC

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Canada Drive Trip: DON'T DO IT!;!;!;!;!;
We did almost the same thing last fall. We attended a graduation in Ottawa, then tried to do a quick trip to Quebec City and Montreal. The drives can be several hours (no 10 lane superhighways) if you hit traffic. I would recommend Quebec City then Montreal. Montreal is close by and on the way back to the US. Toronto is pretty cheap to fly if you look out for deals later on. As for Ottawa, aside from the parliament building, they don't have the types of monuments and memorials that you may be looking for in the Canadian Capitol.

The Flight Crew: I heartily agree they are doing way too much, and agree that of the four cities Ottawa is most missable (except in winter, when you can skate around the whole city on a canal like Hans Brinker.)

Cindy

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Annapolis, Md.: Hey, guys. That person who liked the taxi story is just wrong--that was the stupidest thng I've ever read. Just because you have money to burn doesn't mean you should burn it.

The Flight Crew: See above.

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Resort diving course: My wife took a mini-diving course at a Hawaiian resort during our honeymoon (I already had my advanced certification). She spent a morning in and around the pool and then went off the beach right at the hotel for the open water portion. After that she was able to go on the charters from the hotel as long as a guide was with her and she stayed in relatively shallow water (~40 feet).

It was a great experience. The "class" was small and pretty quick, then the dives were really nice. We went with a very laid back divemaster/guide who, after learning about my certification, let my wife and I do our own thing. We didn't go on any really deep or intense dives, but that probably wouldn't be a good idea without the more thorough training anyway. All the really colorful sealife in Hawaii lives in less then 40 feet of water anyway so it was a great experience. The only real downside is the half a day or so it takes to get through the training. After that, pretty much all of the resort-type dives are available. I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about getting a full certification.

The Flight Crew: Great info. If you are available for a longer chat about the differences in training courses, could we perhaps talk later by phone, as we are doing a piece on diving certification and I would love to hear more about your experience. You can reach me, Andrea, at sachsa@washpost.com. Thanks!

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Washington, D.C.: Any tips or recomindations things to see in Bangladesh. I am going for two weeks for work and wondering what there is to do.

The Flight Crew: We have posted a link for you on a story we published awhile back. Good luck.

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Washington, D.C.: We (a group of friends) are planning a trip to Buenos Aires for Thanksgiving. Can you recommend any hotels that are nice, but not too pricey? We are also thinking about taking a ferry to Uruguay for a quick overnight stay--can you recommend any hotels on the beach there?

Thanks.

The Flight Crew: I'd like to know myself. Can anyone help?

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To Ticked in Washington: Tell your husband he can send his free United flight voucher to me. Not only will he not be tempted to use it, but I won't have to buy a ticket on United, therefore doubling the damage.

The Flight Crew:

Even better, he should book a seat with the voucher, then not show up, thereby taking up a space but not violating his boycott. That'll show 'em!

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Feeless VISA: I've used Capital one in the past with no fees. Don't know if that is still the case.

The Flight Crew: Thanks.

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re: popularity: no, I'm sick of my gov't job so am quitting to travel for 6 months and can't wait!;

Question: any suggestions for a credit card that won't incur conversion fee charges? Or how I can open a bank account in Australia?

I'm grateful for info from you or clicksters.

The Flight Crew: Check Capitol One.

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Love to Dive: We haven't been diving in about 2 years - it is worth it to plan in advance to get full cert. About 12 yrs ago, my husband and I did the pool work up here, then completed the "open water" portion in Cozumel (we got sick as dogs!;)

Whenever we head out for a dive vacation, we spend some time at about 10-20 feet, refreshing skills together.

There is so much more to see, and when you go someplace like Bonaire, or Maui, you can take advantage of the shore diving, and move at your own speed, rather than having to get up and meet the dive boat.

The Flight Crew: Good idea to use the courses as a refresher, but would you feel safe and well-trained enough to dive after just a half-day lesson?-- andrea

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Tripadvisor.com Caveat: I use Tripadvisor.com frequently to read hotel reviews, but it's important to keep in mind that the views you get here are unfiltered and unverified. Someone with a grudge (e.g., an employee who's been fired) can post really nasty and untrue things about a hotel. OTOH, a hotel proprietor can also post glowing and untrue things about their own property. Like everything else on the Internet that hasn't been validated, tripadvisor.com should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.

The Flight Crew: Good point, but at least it's a starting point. Basically, eveything you read online should be treated with a handful of salt.

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Re: Northern Cyprus: I was a guide at Northern Cyprus couple of years ago, and I am jealous of the person traveling there. It is one of the most beautiful but untouched locations on earth. If you want to buy something you need to find the owner of a shop, they never bother you like many other places. Here are couple of recommendations:
Definitely go to Kyrenia (Girne) check out the castle, harbor, and Bellapais Abbey (short drive to the hills) which has one of the most amazing views.
In Nicosia, check out the castle, closed bazaar, and eat at the cafe around the corner from the castle. They have amazing desserts.
Make it to Guzelyurt, see the ruins and eat kebabs by the sea under the vines. The place has 5-6 foot long flatbreads, mezes, and secret recipe marinade for kebabs. They cut grapes off the vine in front of you and they are to die for...
Drive to Karpaz (the northern tip of the island)is kind of long but very nice if you like nature and views. Take plenty of water and supplies, there aren't too many things on the road. Have fun, eat, drink, and enjoy!;

The Flight Crew: I second you on the jealousy, oh former guide. About the untouched bit... it does have an otherworldly feel to it, along the seashore but especially in places like Famagusta where buildings that were wrecked during the 1974 bombing lie still crumbled next to elegant, intact and inhabited apartment buildings.
-Anne

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Arlington, Va.: I went to the Florida Keys a few years ago and I'm wanting to go back. I'm looking for a place to camp with a little more space the the private campgrounds, but i know all the state ones fill up a year in advance. We have a few months before we go, but from past experience we know we need to make reservations. Can anyone recommend a good way to camp in the keys and some fun outdoorsy things to do there that might let us see some of the sceneray and escape the tourist scene for a few days? Basically we're looking for a cheap tropical vacation for when the weather starts to turn cool. Thanks!!

The Flight Crew: I'm thinking that tourism folks should be able to help, and most states, I assume Florida as well, publishes camping locations in state parks. Anyone else have something more specific? Cindy

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re: Resort Courses: My experience with resort courses is you get personalized attention from somebody who dives all the time and you actually learn what you're supposed to be doing. I took a full Scuba course in DC that met every day for a 3 day weekend and STILL had to start over when I went to the resort to be certified. The class here was so big they couldn't/didn't pay attention to who wasn't picking things up in the pool sessions. The resort guy who teaches the resort courses had to re-do all the pool sessions.

The Flight Crew: But did they cover all the material that you learned in the DC course, or was it more like a primer?

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Re: Diving: About 10 years ago I was in St. Lucia and signed up for a half-day lesson and dive at the resort's PADI facility. It was only when I mentioned offhand that I was glad they had a half-day option since my flight home was that afternoon that they recommended I skip it - apparently flying that soon after diving would cause the bends (the pressurized air, I guess).

But geez, shouldn't something like this be mentioned or screened for more prominently? I'm convinced if I hadn't said anything then they wouldn't have either, and I'd have found out about this the hard way.

So no, I don't actually have any stories about resort diving, just a near-miss!;

The Flight Crew: Aha! That should of been the second question (who's flying within six hours), after who can't swim!--andrea

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Udaipur palace: Lake Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur. Reputed to be one of the most romantic hotels in the world. It's in the middle of the lake. Overlooking the lake is Udaivilas, which is slightly more pricey than Taj Lake Palace but is supposed to be even more luxurious. Both can be booked on Orbitz.

The Flight Crew:
Thanks for coming up with the name of the place, appreciate it! Maybe this is the time to ask for a raise. Whaddya think, KC?
-Anne

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Austin, Tex.: I took a resort diving course at Club Med a few years back ... they do a CMAS resort certification. It was a good course, I felt safe, and did a bunch of fun dives as a result. I highly recommend it!

The Flight Crew: After the course, could you dive anywhere, or was it more like a one-day pass? --andrea

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Arlington, Va.: Will the St. Lucia article be published by the end of the month? I'm headed there for my honeymoon (staying at the lovely-looking Ti Kaye resort).

If not, care to share some highlights now?

The Flight Crew: St. Lucia is scheduled for a bit later, says Gary, so let me share a couple of thoughts with you. First, I stopped into Ti Kaye and found it delightful. Good choice. Second, be sure that you divide your time well between the southern and northern ends of the island. The attractions in the South are celebrated: the Pitons, the city of Soufrieres, the volcano, the botanical garden. All of these are great and deserving of your time. But if your are interested in the island's rich cultural history, don't miss Pigeon Island in the far north and the Morne, located in the mountaintop above Castries.

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Re: Repeat Vacation Destinations: Some places are just worth it.

Did the Amalfi Coast again in May, after a 10 year gap. Could have easily gone elsewhere, but, sometimes youre not looking for something better or different -- but instead, just re-living something that was stellar the first time around, and why not.

The Flight Crew:

Yes indeed, Repeat. That's how family travel traditions get started.

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Mitchellville, Md.: A group of us (12) vacationed in Virgina Beach a couple years ago. We rented a large house on the beach (complete with elevator!) and had a great time. We're thinking of doing the same thing next year, in Hawaii. Can you recommend any potential properties or realtors that we can contact?

The Flight Crew: Sottili here: I like the sites where you rent directly from the owner. Favorites include www.vrbo.com and www.cyberrentals.com. We've used them to rent ski houses and have had good experiences. Just ask for pictures and details. Also, Hawaii and each island within Hawaii has very good tourism offices, which I'm sure list individual homes for rent. Contact info: www.gohawaii.com/www.bigisland.org/www.kauaivisitorsbureau.com/ www.visitmaui.com / www.molokai-hawaii.com / www.visit-oahu.com.

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Arlington, Va.: In response to the question about returning to previously visited destinations... my goal is to do one lengthy trip to a new place every year. Once i've done that, I can return to my favorites. That's my goal at least...

The Flight Crew:
Hear him, hear him.

-or-

Hear her, hear her.

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Where Anne should go in India: Hi Anne,
I just wrote in about going to the South. Everyone else is telling you to go to the north, but please please please do not miss the south. At least spend 3 days visiting the temples of Madurai, Tanjore and Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Trust me on this. South Indian temples are unique, because their architecture is different than the ones you'll see up North. If you are going all the way to India, you have to go there!;

The Flight Crew: Believe me, the south as not been forgotten. The only way that I'm getting through the disappointment of knowing in advance that I can't do everything is by telling myself that this is just a taste of India. In the words of Ahnold, I'll be back.
-Anne

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Reston, Va.: Husband and I would like to plan a November break in the tropics - we've been to the Caribbean several times (Jamaica, St. Lucia) and want to explore somewhere a bit more exotic and unspoiled. We've been thinking of Tahiti - specifically Bora Bora and Moorea but have not been able to get a straight answer -- Is November the rainy season? If so, we're open to suggestions for an exotic destination.

Thanks!

The Flight Crew: Go to our travel page (www.washingtonpost.com) for weather patterns, or to www.weather.com. Cindy

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Re: Re-Visits: Having spent a year in London, I plan on spending a couple of days there as a stop-over while jetting off to other locales in Europe. The Rocky Mountain person might want to do something similar -- i.e. start off with something you know, and then branch out into something you don't.

The Flight Crew:

You listening, Rocky?

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dublin, ireland (via, vienna, va): We did a "discover scuba" resort course eight years ago on our honeymoon cruise. We did the pool section on the boat, then did a quick beach dive on Grenada and got a card that let us go to 30 feet the next day in Barbados (with an instructor). It led to a passion that had us get certified two years later in Thailand. Getting certified on vacation is great--you have two half days of classroom, a half-day of pool work, an exam, then three certification dives. Also, we found the cost to be less overseas--about 99 for the resort course, 300 to get certified, including dives and equipment.

The Flight Crew: Thanks for the info; it'll come in handy for our upcoming diving piece. If you are free, could we perhaps talk more about your experiences, especially since you have taken classes in so many difference locales. I can be reached at sachsa@washpost.com. Thanks, andrea

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The Flight Crew: Whew, out of time again. Thanks for all the great responses, and sorry if we didn't get to yours. The prizes today go to the India tipster whose parents are from South India, and the divers with tips about Thailand. Send your contact info to summersk@washpost.com and we'll get the prizes right out to you.

Thanks for reading, and keep an eye out for this Sunday's print edition, when Cool Hand Steve tells what it's like to be a swamper on a rafting trip out West.

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