Talk About Travel

Cruising, winery-free Portland, travel serendipity...

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.

You may also browse an archive of previous live travel discussions and a list of frequently asked questions.

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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Steve Hendrix: We've been pondering the happy role that serendipity plays in Travel. My wife tells as great story of being in a car wreck in remotest Botswana—a bad thing—that left her and a friend idle in a pleasant little town for a few unexpected and relaxing days—a good thing. I once overslept my bus out of Rotorua, New Zealand and, in hanging out for an involuntary day at the hostel, met an incoming group of fun and welcoming travelers that adopted for 10 days of wandering.

How about you? Have you suffered a lost hotel reservation that landed you in a place you ended liking better than your first choice? A sprained ankle on the hotel tennis court that landed you dinner with the cute E.R. doctor? What's the best that bad fortune has ever done for one of your trips?

To the example that makes us happiest, we'll send a really cool shoulder bag with Lake Geneva & Mattahorn Region Switzerland embroidered on it.


Now here we. K.C., Anne, John Andrea, Cindy, Carol and I (Steve) are here to serve.

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Centreville, Va.: Thanks in advance for taking my question.
My husband and I are thinking of going on an Alaskan Cruise. It would have to be on Holland America cruise lines. Is this a wise choice for an Alaskan Cruise?

Carol Sottili: Holland America does a nice job, especially in Alaska. I went on one of their cruises to Alaska many years ago and it was top shelf (plus Heinekens were $1, which I'm sure is no longer the case). I'd also look at Princess.

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Rockville, Md.: For John Deiner: I just read your Queen Mary story online and I thought it was wonderful. I never wanted to cruise before now. I'm wondering if you'd go back on the ship, and have you kept in touch with your "instabuddies"?

John Deiner: Hey, Rock. Thanks much--I had a ball. I'd definitely go back on the ship, though I'd love to try a transatlantic cruise. And, sadly, those instabuddies haven't returned my last email, so maybe I didn't buy them enough drinks. Or they're out cruising again!

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Washington DC: Hi Flight Crew!;

No question, just kudos...I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your informative & captivating writing!; Last week, while planning my family's spring vacation, I was torn between a stay at the Mopan River Resort in Belize and an active bicycle trip with Bike Vermont -- both discoveries I made while reading the Post Travel Section.

We decided to go with Vermont this time and save Belize for another year; I'm very excited for our trip and can't wait to experience it for myself!;

Keep up the good work.

KC Summers: Well thanks for the comps, those are two destinations you really can't go wrong with -- and two very different kinds of vacations, too.

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Washington, D.C.: I have a ticket on Independence Airlines for travel in late April to early May. Do I need to worry? And is it OK to just have an e-ticket (no paper, just an e-mail w/confirmation number)?

Carol Sottili: I think you'll be fine. But eventually one airline or another will go out of business, and we have no idea which one will go first. And yes, e-tickets should be fine, but if you're an extra-careful kind of person, you may want to pay extra for paper tickets. Pay by credit card.

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SW Washington, D.C.: Have any of the Crew (or others reading along) ever used or heard anything about the services provided by www.2afrika.com? We are considering taking one of their packaged excursions in South Africa and are curious if anyone has experience with what it was like... or if the whole package thing isn't worth it.

Andrea Sachs: We definitely have heard of that company, and have listed some of their deals in our What's the Deal? column. Ken, who runs the company, is from South Africa and is very knowledgable about the region.
I just returned from South Africa and think that some parts of South Africa should be part of a tour, but other don't need to be. JoBerg and safari, yes; Cape Town and the Garden Route, no so much. Perhaps 2Afrika can help you cobble together a part independent/part organized tour. However, be warned: Often group tours get good deals on hotel rates. But the freedom to tour at your own pace, especially around Cape Town and the wine country, is wonderful.

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Tel Aviv, Israel: hi this is a question for John Deiner. I thought your story on QM2 was very well written and detailed. However, I must say it sounds like an extremely boring trip. Given the fact that you are sailing to the gorgeous Carribbean, aren't there any ocean/country-related activities like nature talks, diving/snorkelling, kayaking, local food nights etc offered? When one is surrounded by the beautiful ocean, spending time sampling the library and sauna sounds downright ridiculous.

John Deiner: Hey, there. Thanks for the note. Good points, Tel, and I suppose I opened up myself to that sort of criticism. But I sailed on the ship to report on the ship, not to describe another nature talk in a jungle, and I truly was interested in seeing what the ship was like after it was vacated by everyone else. And it was anything but boring.

Part of my thinking also was that I'd rather spend more than a few hours on St. Maarten and St. Kitts--and if I'm only going to visit them for a few hours, I'd rather do it by jumping off a less-posh vessel.

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Baltimore, Md.: A while ago your colleague Keith Alexander (Business Class) said he was going to write a column about the status of passengers with Frequent Flyer tickets on USAir. I know that USAir looks somewhat better now, but as one of many folks who participated in the 'run on the bank' I'd like to know what's going on and how recent rule changes/legislation applies to FF ticket holders.

I have tickets booked for mid-September on USAir FF miles. If they go under in August, will anybody honor the tickets?

If you don't know the answer, can you nag him to find out and put it in his column?

Carol Sottili: No one knows the answer to your question. Here's what I wrote in December:

Congress brought relief to worried travelers recently by reinstating a rule that requires air carriers to accommodate passengers with tickets on defunct airlines. But how it applies to frequent-flier tickets remains murky.

The loosely worded rule has been a work in progress since it was first passed in the aftermath of 9/11. Its requirement that airlines transport stranded passengers "to the extent practicable" created considerable confusion when two small airlines, Vanguard and National, went belly-up in 2002. Some carriers assessed a $100 administrative fee. Some refused to permit standby travel. The U.S. Department of Transportation tried to clear up the uncertainty by issuing clarifications:

* Passengers "must be transported by other carriers who operate on the route for which the passenger is ticketed."

* The airline may charge no more than $50 round trip.

* Transport is on a space-available basis.

* Passengers have 60 days from the suspension of service to ticket on another airline.

However, the DOT has not directly addressed the issue of frequent-flier tickets, and has no plans to do so in the near future, said DOT spokesman Bill Mosley. The rule as written applies to people "holding valid confirmed tickets, whether paper or electronic." Kevin Mitchell, spokesman for the Business Travelers Coalition, believes that wording includes frequent-flier tickets, but said he would feel more comfortable seeing it spelled out in black and white.

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Tennessee: Want your opinion about Amsterdam. Is it a pleasant city to visit to? What are there to see/do? How far is Copenhegen from Amsterdam? Is it possible to go into amsterdam and spend a few days and catch a train to go to Copenhegen? Is Copenhegen worth to go to? Can you suggest any other places near by to go for a one female traveler.

Cindy Loose: Amsterdam isn't Paris or London, but it's a nice city. Highlights are the art museums, esp. Van Gogh, and the Anne Frank House and I think it's pleasant to take a boat on the canals and there are outdoor cafes, assuming you're going when it's warm. I do think a few days is enough there, and you should be thinking of adding something else to your trip. From what I can tell at www.raileurope.com---a second class train fare is $161. Nothing wrong with Copenhagen, but it's kinda a repeat of the cobblestone street scene, and Germany is closer. Unless you have something against Germany, I might look there first. Do check prices of major things before you go--the dollar exchange can have you in for a shock unless you've planned ahead. But overall, I'd say you should be hitting the books or websites to see what jumps out as interesting to you.

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Washington, D.C.: I just got back from 3 weeks in China, which i LOVED, but need to share a story. I got on a bus and there was an American couple who asked for my assistance. They had been driving around in circles on the bus for 2 hours because the driver didn't know where to take them. They assumed the driver would remember where he picked them up, but he didn't. They didn't speak Mandarin, the driver didn't speak English. When I recommended they get off the bus and take the subway, I realized why they were so lost: they didn't have their hotel's name in Chinese, they didn't have the address or phone number, and didn't know how to get there from a subway station. I felt bad for them, but there was nothing I could do to help-- you can't look up an English hotel name in a Chinese phone book!

This story made really obvious to me how serious language barriers can get some times. We really shouldn't travel without phrase books, maps, addresses and phone numbers for our accomodation, and local currency. It's easy to forget that not everywhere is like NYC.

Anne McDonough: Thanks for writing it about this. One thing that helps in China, at least, is that every place you'll stay--from high end hotels to my beloved hovels--will have business cards which say in both english and chinese the name of the establishment; most also have the phrase "please take me to..." and then the name of the hotel. Arm yourselves with those. Also, while I certainly feel badly for folks who get into binds like this, there's got to be SOME expectation that you'd go outside armed with more than your camera! One of the first things I do when I arrive somewhere--thanks to years of traveling with my dad--is note the public bus/metro stop and number (and if it's in a script I can't read, I copy it down) and a landmark of some sorts close to where I'm staying. Whether or not you speak the language, it makes finding your way back home much, much easier.

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Chicago, Ill.: Hi Guys. I know that the topic of travel splurges was last week, but any chance I get to share this story...
Two years ago my friend and I were going to Maui for 10 days. We had thoroughly researched the trip and booked a very affordable (read "cheap") hotel for the stay. On the plane, in First Class thanks to frequent flier mileage, we were imbibing in the free cocktails. The more we imbibed and the more we perused the guide books, the more we began leaning toward upgrading our accommodations. Finally, after a sufficient quantity of cocktails, we picked up the air phone (first splurge), called the Four Seasons Wailea to see if they had anything available last minute. The only thing they had was a suite on the club floor, so we booked it (second splurge), then called the cheap hotel to cancel, thus forfeiting our deposit (third splurge). As we began to sober up, we began to experience some remorse, so we just decided to just stay drunk the whole trip. No remorse until the credit card charges started showing up, but it was the trip of a lifetime, and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Steve Hendrix: Wow, you couldn't have done that any less effeciently, could you? Thanks for the late entry.

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Columbia, Md. - Odd Question: Hi Crew -

You always seem to advise people to "Go!" when they ask whether or not to travel to a destination. So, I have to ask, where would you -not- travel in 2005?

KC Summers: Oh, lots of places: Iraq (no brainer), Iran, Pakistan -- anywhere in the Middle East actually. Haiti. Afghanistan. Here's what the rest of the crew says:

Steve: Iraq and Sudan.
Cindy: Anywhere in the Middle East.
John: Camden, N.J.
Andrea: Detroit.
Anne: Iraq.
Carol: Nepal.

How about it folks -- are we a bunch of wusses or what?

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Calgary, AB: Last week a question came in about Cyprus. We have spent a good deal of time there with family and friends who live there. Paphos would be a wonderful place for a honeymoon. There are luxury resorts, golf, beautiful beaches. The turkish side of the island is much less developed and feels like a step back in time. It could be fun too but I prefer the vibrancy of the greek side. AyaNapa is a resort that is too touristy for my taste, also on the Greek side. I'd stick to Paphos.

Anne McDonough: Thanks for the report, Calgary, especially the specific resort reviews as that's what the poster last week needed. The north IS fun, very much so, but sleepier and certainly not nearly as resorty.

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S. Rockville, Md.: Hey, TFC! It's me, the Portland-bound traveler from last week's chat. I told you I was going to the Willamette Valley and was looking for other things to do in the Portland area and you pointed me to your awesome article on the Willamette Valley (one which I read and enjoyed in the print version). So I'm back, looking for more things to do in Portland. My better half has offered up the Nike Store, but I'm looking for a couple of other things to do in and around the city. Any help from you or the gallery would be appreciated!

Steve Hendrix: We give and give and give. Readers, any more Portland tips for Rockville? Powell's books, of course.

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Reston, Va. - The downfall of First Class: I initially was just going to ask how you felt about the degredation of the FC cabins these days - but then I flew AA to California. After purchasing a First Class ticket I boarded the plane to find what basically was a glorified coach seat, or at best would be business class. A few months back flying Northwest, had three different flights and three different experiences. One was a great, brand new plane with in flight video and laptop outlets, one plane had none of the above, and one was sort of in the middle. Shouldnt airlines be looking to at least be consistent? I'm not asking for a return to how things were 5 years ago, but if you fly FC now you cant even count on the same service from one leg of your trip to another.

Look, I know no one is going to feel bad for people flying First Class - although you should remmeber the reason your ticket is so very cheap is because the people flying up front subsidize that cost. But the fact is, shouldnt airlines at least tell you before you buy a ticket like that, look, our First Class is really Business, just so you know.

Carol Sottili: The entire flying experience, whether first-class or coach, ain't what it used to be. One of the key things to look at is what type of aircraft is being used, and how the plane is configured. A great resource for doing this research is www.seatguru.com.

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Annandale, Va: I'm filing early since I'm not around on Monday, but I love the section this week, particularly the Queen Mary and central park stores. I was wondering what's going to happen to the gates after they're taken down?

Anne McDonough: Thanks, Annandale!
All of the material for Christo and Jeanne-Claude's project will be recycled following the Feb. 27 removal of the installtion.

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Iceland question: If you had only one full day and two half days (one afternoon upon arriving and one half day before departing) in Iceland, what would you do? I'm trying to decide between staying in a hotel in Reyjkavik and take organized tours to Gullfoss, Geysir and the Blue Lagoon, and just hanging out in the city OR renting a car and staying in a bed and breakfast and finding our own way around. We'll be there early June, if that factors into your answer at all. Love this chat!;

Cindy Loose: I found it quite easy to find my way around by myself, and enjoyed doing so. Once you get outside of Reyjkavik there aren't that many roads, and you can find your way around. The Blue Lagoon is between the airport and downtown, so you might think of doing that on your way into, or even better, out of the country. (There is a very simple, relatively cheap hotel right next to the Lagoon, and they'll even give you transport to/from the airport). If it were me, I'd want to do my own travel arrangements so I wouldn't be with a big group, and would be willing to pay a little extra to do that. However, it's possible it would even be cheaper to do it yourself. I'll ask them to post an article I did about Iceland, which will include the name of the hotel--modest mind you--next to the Lagoon, and also a place I loved outside of Rej. Then again be aware that I'm not a nightlife kind of person. If you want nightlife, you need to stick near the city. Once night comes, places outside the city close up tight.

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Washington, DC: Hello!

I recently spent an extra day in Mexico City because my flight home was overbooked. For my trouble, I flew first class on my way home the next day and got a free travel voucher to use in the next year for a round-trip flight back to Mexico City.

I was super excited, and then I started to think. Did I get this voucher because odds are US Airways will go out of business before I get the chance to use it?

Steve Hendrix: We could have a whole category of boons from being bumped. Some people make a near career out of surrendering their seats.

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Re: staying aboard ship: I too thought it was amazing that John stayed onboard the QM2. I can't imagine passing up a chance to see a beautiful Caribbean destination even if it was just for a few hours. I might never get back there!;

John Deiner: Hey, RE. Understand your thinking, but, again, wansn't onboard to visit St. Kitts as much as I was to report on the ship. Don't have the slightest regret--guess I'm just an optimist that I'll be back in them there parts.

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Arlington, Va.: I was in NYC during the big blizzard of '93. We got stuck there, missed our train home to Syracuse and ended up having the best time. The city was pretty much shut down. We were able to go to the Big East Tournament and got in for free (and got a free cab ride there!). Everyone was just nice and there was such a sense of comraderie. Great time and great stories!

Steve Hendrix: A free cab ride? Where you drunk?

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Alexandria, Va.: Follow-Up From Last Week: What to do while waiting to board the cruise ship? We have about a 5-hour block of time between flight landing and ship baording.

I didn't mention in my question last week that we're sailing with Cunard on the Queen Mary 2. I read the report in Sunday's paper - sounds like we're going to love it.

We've gone on one cruise before - the QE2 over the Millennium New Year. Before that, we'd done transatlantic crossings on the QE2, so we knew the kind of service and style to expect. But the Hard-Core Cruisers we met on the Millennium Cruise were just as John Denier described - whiney and nitpicking people who acted like spoiled brats. The woman who complained that she felt like she was "vacationing in a nursing home" gave me an idea. At 43, I'm one of the elders at work, but in a crowd of older folks on the QM2, I'll look young!;!;

I called the Cunard agent who confirmed that we cannot check our bags before our boarding time. We've decided to hang out in the airport bar and drink a toast as the Eugenios did, to our upcoming "remarkable cruise".

Cheers!;

John Deiner: Sounds great, Al, and thanks for the comments. You'll actually look realllly young on the QM2. One thing about the boarding time--we weren't supposed to show up until 2 p.m., but it seemed as if tons and tons of people had already checked their bags and made their way onboard.

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Washington, D.C.: to the portland traveller. . you mean you're tired of wineries already??

Steve Hendrix: Yes, and he's already bought all the flannel shirts he needs for a decade.

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Hong Kong info: I'm looking for a good price on a ticket to Hong Kong for travel in May-June. Am willing to leave from NYC area if it saves me enough $$. Any ideas? Is it worth looking for flights to HK from the West Coast and catching a discount-priced connection (the $99 Southwest Airlines type) from DC to SF or LA? And how long should I wait to see if there will be a sale?

Cindy Loose: It is worth looking into flying to the west coast then on to H.K. with one big caveat----if you buy two separate tickets and you have trouble on your first leg and miss the second leg--say the plane to LA or whatever is really, really late--you are out of luck. An airline will be sympathetic about a missed connection if you have a single onward ticket. But they treat a missed connection just like a no show if you are flying on two separate tickets. Bottom line: I'd want my connecting flight to be getting in the day before the big overseas flight.

As to how long to wait hoping airfares drop----no way to predict that. You take your chances. However, if there is a sudden sale on a given airline after you bought your ticket WITH THAT AIRLINE, you can often get a voucher for the difference.

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Los Angeles, Calif.: Summer of 1992, backpacking through Europe after
a college semester of study. Landed in Brugge,
Belgium, and fell hard for an Australian working at
the hostel there. We said tearful goodbyes; I trudged
to the train station only to find .. a rail strike! I
couldn't leave town for days! Never has
inconvenience been so blissful.

Steve Hendrix: Ahhhhhh! A labour (unrest) of love.

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Centreville, Va.: I don't drink beer or ale at all. Is it worth my time to go to Ireland?

KC Summers: Oh my god, of course. Ireland's about a lot more than just pubs. Go for the music, castles, cute villages, winding country roads, incredible scenery, pottery, hiking, horseback riding and the country's greatest asset -- its people.

But you don't want to miss out on the pubs either, even if you don't drink beer. Here's a tip: Bulmer's. I'm not a big beer fan, so once I discovered Bulmer's cider I was very happy indeed. All the pubs offer it on tap -- it's light and delicious and you can drink away with just a minor buzz. Of course, you can drink Cokes or whatever too.

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Washington DC: Great article on the QM2. I'm taking the tranatlantic voyage this spring and was wondering about handling the Spa. Saw your report about three day passes. Can you get one for the whole voyage and can you get them ahead of time. How about making reservations for Todd English ahead of time? Many thanks.

John Deiner: Thanks DC. There is a five-day pass, and you have to use it (as well as the three-day pass) on consecutive days. If you get a treatment in the spa, it includes the aquatherapy pools. Don't know if you can get it in advance (maybe when you book the cruise?) but it's really easy to sign up for one. Ditto Todd English--you'd have to check with Cunard about reservations in advance, but there's a guy at a computer taking reservations right after you check in and before you get your "welcome aboard" picture taken.

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Arlington, Va.: I will be spending the first two weeks of March in China. I fly into Beijing and out of Shanghai, but have about a week in the middle to travel. What would be the best way to spend this week? I was thinking about traveling down the Yangtze to the three gorges or maybe to see the terra cotta warriors. Is it realistic to try to see both in a week? Are there other can't miss sites I should try to make it to instead?

Anne McDonough: Lucky! Cruising the Three Gorges is incredible; it's a bit tight if you only have two weeks, but you can do a three night cruise from Chongqing to Yichang, and then fly from there to Shanghai. I did one last May on the Victoria Star--Victoria Cruises is based out of NY I think, and they and other companies will probably have deals as March is not the real season for these cruises. Alternatively, spend time in Beijing, fly to Xi'an for the soldiers, and from there fly to Shanghai. Suzhou and Hangzhou are popular day trips from Shanghai. You can more than fill your two weeks with all of those!

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Baltimore, Md.: Loved the Queen Mary 2 story, esp. "clown feet". I was on the Maiden Voyage, fabulous, and look forward to a week on Feb 19.
Question: Going to Cape Town in Aug, as a way station to get to and from St. Helena (you know, Napoleon). Can anyone recommend short (3-4 day) Cape Town tours, packages? Also, should I fly direct or through London? Cheap tix ideas?
Probably exceeded my question quotient - sorry.

Andrea Sachs: Depending on what you want to do in Cape Town (since you don't have much time), you might not need an organized tour, and just sign up for half-day outings and do the rest yourself. For the waterfront, museums, botanical gardens, funicular, etc.--just ask the conceirge for info and you can probably find your own way there. Same with the beaches. You might, though, want a tour for wine country and other sights in the outer areas. Check out http://capetown.gopassport.com for ideas and info.
As for flights, if you are looking for a cheap flight, you probably won't have choice about layovers. Check with consolidators and South Africa Airways for sale fares. We flew from NYC to JoBerg to Cape Town, with a refueling stop in Senegal.

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washingtonpost.com: Earth to Iceland, (June 30, 2002)

Cindy Loose: The Iceland-going folks might find something helpful here. And one more word of advise: Go the to Blue Lagoon on the coldest possible day, or the coldest possible time of day you can. The pool is really hot, and the bigger contrast between the water and air temp, the better.

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Falls Church, Va: My long-time SO/fiance and I have finally decided to make it official. No fancy wedding, we're going to go on a cruise and get married on board. Parental units invited (and all coming).

We're looking to book a caribbean cruise in the Nov/Feb timeframe next year.

Now, neither of us has ever been on a cruise before. And we feel a -little- bit of pressure because we're also deciding for others.

To start with, I'd love some dos/don'ts for booking a cruise, as well as some "omg not them" and "omg that cruise line is great" comments. I've heard good things about Radisson.

We're mid-30s/early 40s, looking for a relaxing cruise, no kids, stops where we can sightsee (and preferably where we can get away from the "packaged" stuff at least sometimes).

Any thoughts? (as if that doesn't open a can of worms.)

Thanks!

Carol Sottili: First, you have to make sure the line offers onboard weddings. Many don't. I'm not sure off the top of my head which lines offer onboard ceremonies, so you'll have to do some homework. Upscale lines include Radisson Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea and Crystal. I'd think you'd enjoy any of those lines.

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Riva, Md.: Hi John,

We're going on the QM2 next month, and we hope to do quite a bit of ballroom dancing in that beautiful Queen's Room. Is the room used for meetings and lectures a good bit of the time, or should we keep our dancing shoes on? Could you also give your opinion on G 32?

John Deiner: Hey, Riva.

Ya know, I had a great time in G32...the ship gets very quiet after about midnite (much to its detriment, actually, since there were still lots of people milling about), so that's the one bar that's open late.

There is ballroom dancing every nite, though (surprise!) some folks were griping about the organized games held among dancers some nights. We checked it out every night, danced when we could, ran from the Pirates Ball and absolutely adored the room and the band. During the day there is tea, and talent shows, and dance lessons, but at night it belongs to the hoofers.

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20008: My best friend and I are going on our annual girls trip in a couple of weeks and this year it's a week in Costa Rica. There is so much to do there that we just can't narrow it down. We're kayaking, hiking, adventure travel kind of women. Can you help us narrow things down? We were thinking cloud forest, volcano... Also, we heard that driving in Costa Rica should be avoided. Thoughts? Thanks!;

Steve Hendrix: We'll link to piece on adventuring in Costa Rica by Linton Weeks that is chock-a-block with tips. Stand by.

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washingtonpost.com: On the Edge in Costa Rica, (Oct. 24, 2004)

Steve Hendrix: Here's Linton in C.R.

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ex-Detroiter: Why not Detroit? The All Star game is coming in July, which would be one incentive to go for baseball fans.

Cindy Loose: I agree, as one who lived in Detroit for six years. Not that I'd ever want to live there again--but it's good for a weekend or so. I LOVE the food--Mideastern, Greek, Soul especially. I told my colleague when she mentioned Detroit that she was wrong. I'm going to have to take her there some weekend.

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Puerto Vallarta: My wife and I were on the QM2 on its maiden run along the southerly Atlantic route from Ft. Lauderdale to Dakar, Senegal, and then up via the Canaries and Madeiras and Lisbon to Southampton. Had problems. We got into Southampton several hours late due to a mechanical problem that cut our cruising speed down for the first part of the voyage out of Lisbon. The service in the Brittania dining room left a good bit to be desired, and the alternate dining experience in the Kings Court was little short of awful, with much crowding and trouble finding a table after you got your food from the cafeteria-like lines. On this 17 day crossing, I think we ate there no more than twice. I'm glad to hear that a revamping will be done there, thanks to the Sunday article in the Post.

If our experience had been limited to the eastbound crossing, we probably would not have tried the QM2 again, but fortunately it wasn't. We went over in order to attend a professional meeting, and since the high cost of air fare one-way from Europe is what it is, we decided to return to New York on the QM2 instead of flying back. It was almost as if we were on a different ship. Our first crossing began on March 26 and ended on April 12, and our second crossing began May 1 and ended May 6. In the interim, the big-name chef who had been retained to run the dining room operations, etc. was fired, and on our trip home service was quite good!; I don't know if there was any correlation between these things or not, but it was certainly the topic of conversation. The lectures by the Oxford-affiliated group were the highlight of our trip. We hated to miss one, and in fact became friends with one lecturing couple, who invited us to their castle for tea on a subsequent visit to the UK.

Our thoughts about the QM2 were colored by previous experiences on the QE2, which we generally liked better - at least in terms of the service and general ambiance. Of course the cabins were much better on the QM2.

Finally, there was the matter of the internet. Wi-fi was available in public areas but not in staterooms, which was rather inconvenient. It is to be hoped that this can be remedied or a LAN connection put in the staterooms.

Puerto Vallarta is merely a nom de plume - it really should be McLean!;

John Deiner: Serious issues you spell out there McLean...wonder if it had anything to do with the maiden run? I have to agree with the Kings Court dining area though--it's butt awful. Glad you had better service on the run home, though, and thanks much for your report.

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Frederick, Md.: I was on this cruise too with my wife. I too was very disappointed with Britannia's service to the point that I stopped going there , preferring the 'buffet gluttony' crowd to to horrid service in Britannia. At least I got some smiles. How was your Britannia experience, and how did it compare to other cruises you have been on?

John Deiner: I loved Britannia, but we were, in truth, awfully close to the service stand, and as I said in the piece, we were unexpectedly recruited onto the staff table--so they may have paid closer attention to us than if I'd stayed at my original two-top. I was just so surprised at the passengers flitting from one table to another--on other cruises, I've found that once your put at a table, you stay at the table.

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Bethesda, Md.: Do you know anything about the Spa experience in Slovakia? Is it worth going?

Cindy Loose: Funny you should ask---we're planning on checking that out soon. Our first impression, without having actually done it, is that it's a good bargain. In general, let me say I find Eastern Europe more interesting than Western, since it's more "other" and surprising.

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Arlington, Va.: Any advise for a website that will tell me about what's going on in NYC at a given time. I don't want to look at ticketmaster, but just find a good mix of ideas for fun things, non touristy, that are going on when I will be there. Thanks.

KC Summers: We like Time Out's site (www.timeout.com) a lot -- it's just about the best for theater, music and restaurants, and they're refreshingly opinionated, which is fun. And the city's own tourism office does a decent job providing current info. That's NYC & Co., www.nycvisit.com. For theater, I also check sites like Playbill. About.com can be good. Also, I've been known to check the New York Times Web site.

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Cheverly, Md.: More advice for the traveller in Portland (who doesn't know how lucky he/she is):
in town, check out the brewpubs--each of the McMinamins chain has a different atmosphere, and the Hillandale branch is tie-dye retro. Bridgeport, on the other hand, has a fine restaurant on Burnside, a great neighborhood with a branch of Powell's City of Books plus Bread and Ink, a fun restaurant. The rose garden won't be blooming, but the views of Mt. Hood are still outstanding. My sister swears by the restaurant at the Heathman Hotel. Portland also has great B&Bs. If you've still got a car, head for the Columbia River Gorge, one of the natural wonders and lovely even in winter.

Steve Hendrix: Thanks for the tips.

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Re: Staying aboard the ship: I, too, would have stayed aboard the ship rather than spend a couple hours in a port town. The time to see a port town is NOT when the cruise ships are docked and the tourists are everywhere. The time to enjoy the ship is when everybody gets off!; See the island some other time.

John Deiner: THANK YOU! Again, I understand the other opinion as well, but there is nothing worse (okay, there probably are lots of things worse) than a port town full of cruise passengers. And, quite frankly, the excursions were very expensive, and I had a big drink tab to pay.

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Serendipity (Rosslyn, VA): I was Eurailing with my then-boyfriend over spring break from our study abroad in Denmark. We were making our way to the Cote d'Azur from Prague. Our plan was to take the train from Munich to Milan, spend the day there, and then head to Nice. After hitting four of the six main beer gardens in Munich, we slept through the train change in Verona and ended up in Venice for the day. We loved the charming city, saw a great Canova exhibit, and had one of the best lunches I've ever had. When we finally made it to Milan for dinner, we were underwhelmed and glad that we had spent the day in Venice instead.

Steve Hendrix: I'm not sure I have appreciated the key role that oversleeping plays in successful travel. I'm taking more Ambien!

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2afrika reference: Hello - we used Ken from 2Afrika to set up our trip to
South Africa in 2001. We told him where we wanted to go
and he did all the setup. Our rental car cost much less
than if we'd arranged it ourselves. Also, an add-on to
Victoria Falls turned out great. He gives good personal
service and we had no problems. --Just a satisfied
customer who will use them again

Andrea Sachs: Great to hear back from a satisfied customer. We will pass along the compliments.

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Washington D.C.: Do any of you have personal experience with smaller cruise lines, such as Windstar? Did you miss the lavishness of the larger ships or was the more reserved atmosphere welcome? We're possibly planning a cruise. The smaller ships appeal to me, but I don't want my travel companion, who is drawn to the extreme pampering of large cruise lines, to feel like he's missing out, especially at night since we won't be able to experience nightlife in the ports of call.

Thanks

John Deiner: Hey, D.C. I'm going to throw this out to the masses. I've been on one smaller ship, in the Galapagos, but that doesn't really count since there only 25 of us on it. (For the record, it was wonderful.) Can anyone out there make a case for or against small ships?

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Alexandria, Va.: Vacation mishap: My mother and I met on a Friday afternoon at LAX for a wedding. I was coming from grad school in Florida (thus, poor), and she was coming from home in Virginia. Well, my luggage did not make it with me. The airline promised my luggage would arrive that night. It did not. So, my mom took me to the closest mall and bought me comfy pjs, undergarments, and a new fancy dress to wear to the wedding! My luggage finally arrived on SUNDAY - before we both flew our separate ways home.

Steve Hendrix: Hmmmm. What's to keep a canny student from "claiming" her luggage was lost, only to rope her parents into new emergency wardrobe. For shame, Alex.

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Arlington, Va.: For the person wondering about Amsterdam and Copenhagen, I like both cities very much. Amsterdam is fun for just strolling around or jump and the tram and see where it takes you. And riding on the canals is definitely worth do. There are many interesting smaller cities that are a short train ride away as well. I did a day trip to Haarlem on my last visit that I enjoyed. It was a Saturday so the outdoor market was in full swing and I stumbled into their cathedral during choir practice which was "heavenly". Copenhagen is similar to Amsterdam but without the trams. They are nice sized European cities on the water. Definitely a bit of a long train ride though I would imagine. I agree that going to Germany instead (perhaps Cologne or Hamburg) might be a better option, or perhaps Belgium. Or you could easily spend all of your time in the Netherlands. Sometimes I think maybe we focus too much on the big capitals and overlook the charming smaller places.

Cindy Loose: I agree with everything you say, and add that in Belgium, you can find some good deals on hotels on weekends, since so many hotels are used by business travelers who disappear on weekends.

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NOT travel: Really? Two of you wouldn't go anywhere in the Middle East? Jordan, for one, is one of the most welcoming places I've ever been in my life--definitely much more friendly than Paris or Amsterdam. And no attacks whatsoever, thanks to their phenomenal national intelligence agency.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but do you admit that's an irrational fear or do you argue that it's completely rational?

KC Summers: Don't worry, we may be wusses but we're not defensive. You're right that Jordan would probably be fine. As for other countries in the Middle East, it doesn't seem irrational not to want to go there right now if you don't have to -- at least for now.

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Cruise flu?: Hi . . . I'm going with a friend on a Royal Carribean 3-night Bahamas cruise at the end of this month. I'm starting to panic over the reports of all of this illness going around cruise ships. What's a cruiser to do??

Carol Sottili: Don't panic, but take precautions. Wash your hands, very frequently. That hand sanitizer stuff doesn't work against the norovirus. Remember that norovirus is most commonly transmitted via contaminated food and surfaces. If you're paranoid, avoid the buffet table and don't touch railings, etc. The CDC keeps public records about gastrointestinal illness outbreaks aboard specific ships. It also inspects and gives sanitation scores to each ship. Details: 770-488-7070, www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm.
There have been seven outbreaks on cruise ships since Jan. 1, according to the CDC - look at the above WEb site for details. I'm also going to link to a story that Steve Hendrix wrote a while back.

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washingtonpost.com: The Bug Boat, (Dec. 15, 2002)

Carol Sottili: Here's the Hendrix story re: cruise ships and norovirus.

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Re. Wedding at sea:
My friend got married on the Grand Princess (Eastern Carribbean, March 2001), at sea, by the Captain -- about 40 people ended up going on the week long cruise from Fort Lauderdale. The couple sent a letter out the summer prior and the bride's mom is a travel agent (specializing in cruises). It was great!;

Carol Sottili: Princess is known for weddings at sea, but there may be a child or two aboard a Princess cruise, especially when kids are out of school.

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Serendipity story: Here's my story of serendipitous travel that I love to share. Remember in the 80s when Pres. Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers? I was in Italy, by myself fresh out of college, seeing the world before I had to buckle down and get a real job. I had spent every last dollar that I had, literally had 35 cents in my pocket when I arrived at the airport to return to the states. But no flights were flying to the states. I got stuck in the airport for 3 days. On the third day, with no money, no way to call home (remember, this is pre-ATM and pre-cell phone days), I sat down in the terminal and cried. I was approached by a nun (who spoke English) and she took so much pity on me and my desperate circumstance, that she offered to allow me to stay in their nunnery for the night. After 2 nights in the airport, I was grateful. The nuns gave me a warm bed, a shower and a meal. The next day, they packed me a lunch, drove me back to the airport to try to get on a flight, and told me they'd come back and wait for me at the curb at 6:00, and if I hadn't gotten a flight, I could spend the night again. This went on for four more nights until I finally got a flight home. Twenty years later, it still breaks my heart to think of the kindness of those nuns, and having them show up that evening to wait for me and I didn't show up. Yes, I was finally bound for NY, but I still wish I could have thanked them one last time.

Steve Hendrix: That's a very sweet story, SS. Blessed by the nuns, you were.

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Deep Valley, USA: I love Portland.

Chinese Classical gardens in the downtown area, very authentic and lots of fun. The Japanese Garden and the Rose Test Garden on the hill above town, accessible by public transportation. And free, unlike the Ch Cl garden.

Pearl district for misc. hipness. There are lots of other used bookstores, too.

Read Chuck Pahlaniuk's book on his home town for more advice. Can't remember the name.

Steve Hendrix: And more....

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Southern Girl: My husband and I would like to take a 2-wk trip in late May for around $3000 total, including air. We are open for anything, but have done France and Russia and Czech Republic. I don't want to sleep in a tent or do anything rugged and while we like beaches, we want to see something, not just lounge all day long. We were thinking Greece, but I don't think it's in our budget. Also, we wouldn't mind a flight/hotel package, but do not want escorted mini-van tours or manadatory dinners. We're late 20s. What do you recommend?

Cindy Loose: Greece would be awesome for what you want, but price would be a problem, esp. for two weeks. When I'm asked about beaches plus things to see and not too expensive, Mexico is what always comes first to mind. You can combine beaches with ruins, and take in some colonial towns and such.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Hi,
I have a question for John Deiner.
I really loved your story on the Queen Mary 2. Next year is my 50th birthday and my husband and I are planning on celebrating in style. Is it worth it to upgrade to a suite, or would I be happy in my "lower" category cabin?

John Deiner: Hey, Philly. I saw most levels of cabins, from inside to the mucho-expensive suites with balconies, and they all seemed pretty darn nice to me. Given my druthers, if I had the money, I'd opt for the suite with a balcony, just for the extra large windows, and the balconies themselves hold two very large deck chairs.

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Washington, DC:
Congrats on the fine article about the Christo work in Central Park, makes me want to go!

Speaking of NY stories, did you ever determine whether St. John the Divine is the world's largest cathedral? I'm sure that St. Marks (Vatican) and the one in the Ivory Coast are even larger? If so, a correction or clarification are warranted. At lest, the one in NY is the largest Protestant cathedral, and the largest of any denomination in the Western Hemisphere.

Anne McDonough: Thank you! I have to say, before working on that I was sort of whatever about the project, but now I really want to go. Thanks for the reminder about this--we're going to look into this asap and certainly, if that report was wrong will correct it right away. I may be opening a can of worms here, but I believe that St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican is not a cathedral.

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Serendipity baby: I was in Ireland visiting some friends, and they invited another friend over one night to meet me. We hit it off and had a wonderful evening. But the next day at work, he found out he'd been laid off. Instead of being too bummed out about that, he spent the next few days with me, touring around Ireland. And here we are 4 yrs later still together. Without the lay off, we never would've been able to spend so much time together during that trip, and then ultimately, to fall in love.

Steve Hendrix: Maybe he secretly QUIT his job that morning, just to spend time with you. That's what we'll say in the movie version, anyway. I see Colin Ferrell as the good natured bad boy...

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Alexandria, Va.: John, I just got back from the QM myself a few weeks ago and couldn't agree more with your piece. I didn't find many compalainers though. I wasn't as fond of Todd English as you but it was definitely better than brittannia dining.

John Deiner: Hey, Al. Thanks for the note...and I'm glad you dodged the complainers!

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Washington DC: Hi Flight Crew,

I'm the traveller from the last chat headed to Eastern Europe in late April/early May. I've been doing some more researching of airfares/hotel prices, and I found a $470 round-trip fare to Berlin (that includes taxes and fees). I can't find anything less than $650-$700 for either Prague or Budapest. Do these seem about right to you? Are there any good discounters or consolidators to check out? Any chances the prices will go down in the next month or two?

Carol Sottili: Airfares are hard to figure, but I think $470 is a decent price for spring travel and $650-$700 is way too high. Keep checking on aggregator sites, such as www.kayak.com and www.sidestep.com. Unless you need to travel on specific dates, I'd wait for a few weeks to see if a sale comes along.

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Denver, Colo.: Serendipitous? Not sure, but here's my story. I was 21 and visiting my sister in Schweinfurt Germany where her husband was stationed in the Army. I took a couple of side bus trips from the base, one to Paris. Since I was a lone traveler, they told me where to sit on the bus. I started to talk to the woman beside me and we found out we both lived in Fort Washington. She was with 2 other women, who had started to talk to 2 men who were from Suitland. The 6 of us hung out together for the rest of the trip. It made a nervous, young girl much more relaxed and we had a great time. Small world!

Steve Hendrix: I love that. Absolutely, the best experiences I ever have on the road have to do with people I meet and fall in with. It's the main joy of travel for me.

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Arlington, Va.: re: where not to go. I wouldn't say you are wusses for wanting to avoid places where there is a war going on or other significant unrest. I'm not sure I would rule out the whole Middle East necessarily though, depending on your definition of that region. I was actually starting to look into traveling to Bhutan which has lots of controls on how many visitiors can come and how they get there. That was until I found out about the awful human rights situation there. It looks like a beautiful place, but I wouldn't want to go there and support a repressive regime.

KC Summers: Are you sure you don't mean Burma? Yes, Bhutan has lots of controls on the number of visitors it allows in -- you can't travel independently there -- but it's not known for any human rights violations that we know of. In any case, neither is in the Middle East. (Or maybe you mean Bahrain?)

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Washington DC: I have two unused tickets on Aer Lingus (due to a death in the family) from BWI to Ireland. Now they do not have any service out of the Balt. Washington area at all. Is it really my responsibility to pay to get to Boston or New York to be able to use the tickets? This seems awfully unfair in light of the reason why we were unable to make the trip in the first place.

Thanks

Steve Hendrix: Uh, yes. You are.

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Alexandria, Va.: Australia question for you: Is it possible to do Sydney, Cairns, Ayers Rock and Kangaroo Island in one two-week trip or is that totally insane? Is Kangaroo Island worth it (the wildlife portion of an adventure trip) or is that OK to skip and save for a future trip? Any good websites for Australia travel?

Cindy Loose: I think that's too much. I did Sydney, Cairns (fyi Port Douglas is a much better place to stay), Kangaroo Island and Adelaide in just under two weeks, and it was EXHAUSTING. I liked K.I. very much, especially the fairy penguins, but you could save it for another trip. I'll post a story I did on my itinerary, in case some little tidbit might be helpful.

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Clifton, Va.: I am in the process of planning my summer vacation to Washington state. We are planning on doing a lot of day hiking and site seeing. We were planning on hitting Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Saint Helens, Cascades, and Northern Puget Sound. For a two week vacation, what number of days would you recommend for each. Also, how worthwhile is it spending some time in Seattle. We tend to be more nature buffs and aren't always impressed by city things (we live in a nice city). Thanks.

John Deiner: Hey, Clifton...nice trip you have planned there! Maybe the clicksters have a better idea of how many days for each place, but that's a good deal of ground to cover and I'd figure at least two for each, and certainly no more for Mt. St. Helens. And Seattle is wonderful...give yourself at least two days there.

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Arlington, Va.: Two stories - both flight related. My wife (then girlfriend) and I were travelling to Vancouver, BC for me to meet her parents for the first time. Talk about nervous! To make matters worse, our plane was completely sold out and we were not assigned seats together for this five plus hour flight. We asked the gate agent if there was any way we could sit together. We were willing to sit in back or some other less desirable location, but as this was our first transcontinental flight together (not to mention international!), we were hoping to be together. The gate agent took our tickets and asked us to wait. A few minutes before boarding, she called us up and gave us new boarding passes. With a smile, she said "enjoy the flight." Imagine our surprise when we discovered she had given us a free upgrade to business class just so we could sit together!

Fast forward about ten years for the second story. My wife (same one!), young son (1 year old) and I were travelling back from Denver to Washington, D.C. when, due to extremely long lines at Denver International Airport security, we missed our flight back (we were there two hours in advance of the flight!). The desk clerk at the airline was very nice and put us on another carrier's flight back. We were still in coach, but the other carrier had in-flight TV all the way back. This proved a big hit with our one-year old who was entertained (and quiet!) the whole way back in his child seat.

Sometimes, the airlines DO get it right, and then some - especially if you ask politely and treat the airline representatives with the respect they deserve as human beings!

Steve Hendrix: Behold the awesome power of the gate agent.

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Re: China: I really do feel for that couple that only had the name of their hotel in English. Sure, they should have had it also written in Chinese, but sometimes no matter how much you prepare, language barriers really throw a wrench into things.

In Cambodia, I stayed at hotels that had business cards with their name and address in both English and Khmer, as well as a small map on the back. No worries? Wrong!; All that doesn't do very much good if your moto driver can't read.

Twice, I went to a moto, showed the map, said the name, and asked if he knew where it was. Both times the driver said yes. Both times we ended up driving around for 45 minutes trying to find the place. What made it even worse was that they wouldn't pull over to ask anyone for directions because they assumed I would jump onto another moto and they'd lose their fare.

Best plan: pay one guy to drive you everywhere for the week or month you're in town. Shakes out to about the same cost in a place like Cambodia, plus you've got a whole lot more peace of mind!;

Anne McDonough: I'm not saying that it's foolproof, but it's certainly a good idea to be as prepared as possible when you head out the door, no? Stuff happens, certainly, and I've been in plenty of places where I spoke the same language as those around me and STILL got miserably lost, but I've just run into so many people who seem to leave all the responsibility to others and then wonder why things don't go as planned. By the way, my ire extends to those who have their traveling companions take care of everything and then get upset if they get separated. Be prepared, be independent, and then you have more of a leg to stand on. So there.
Okay, I'm done. Sorry about that rant. Yes, by all means hiring a driver is a great way to work out some of the kinks in getting around.

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Alexandria, Va.: The QM2 article was great! Would be cruisers should check out CruiseCritic.com for TONS of info and useful message boards where questions about which lines provide on-board wedding ceremonies (Radisson doesn't), and when you can board the QM2 can be answered by folks who have been there.

John Deiner: Hey, thanks Al. CruiseCritic actually has a year-old review of the QM2's inaugural voyage on its site right now, but the site overal is absolutely packed with great info--a terrific resource indeed. Thanks much for the reminder.

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Hi, all!
I adore the chats and have never been steered wrong here. Have you all heard of a company called Jet-a-Way holidays? I'm thinking of booking one of their packages to Costa Rica.

Also, if you could visit anywhere in the Western Hemisphere during the month of March, where would you go?

Cindy Loose: WE haven't heard of it. Anyone out there tried it????

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washingtonpost.com: Touched by an Emu, (June 8, 2003)

Cindy Loose: Here's the Austrialia story i mentioned. And by the way, although I report that everyone says you can't miss the rainforest, I think you can. I, however, thoroughly enjoyed my drive inland from Cairnes.

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Arlington, Va.: My wife and I (mid 20s) are hoping to take a week for r&r in late May/early June after she graduates from grad school. I read your article on Phuket and was intrigued, but that would be our first foreign trip and we're apprehensive. Do we have anything to worry about as novice travelers? Any other ideas? Would $2,000-$3,000 even cover Phuket?

Steve Hendrix: Phuket is a good first-foreign trip--not quite training wheels (that would be Nassau or Cancun) but noone will ask you to eat dog brains around the old yurt fireplace. Book anytime soon and you'll get plenty for you $2,000-$3,000. Try www.pacificholidays.com, www.gate1travel.com, www.friendlyplanet.com

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Hong Kong followup: What is a good fare to HK for May/June travel? The lowest I'm finding right now is about $1100, which seems awfully high considering fares to Japan and Australia seem to be as low as the $700s.

Andrea Sachs: It should be about a grand, but you might be able to find a sale fare for about $100 or $200 less if you shop around. Also, with package vacations, you might be able to score a deal that includes air and hotel for the air price you quoted.

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S. Rockville, Md.: Thanks to all the clicksters who came through with Portland suggestions. I'll report back on what I do and what I find out there. And I'll be sure to bring back an extra bottle of pinot noir to toast the Flight Crew with!

Steve Hendrix: That would be very welcome, thanks.

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Washington DC: Bad things that turn out well:

Spent the requisite 2 weeks backpacking around Italy as a student. For the stop in Florence, I had phoned a cheapie hotel the day before from Venice & although the conversation was in French (I spoke no Italian but decent french) I thought all was arranged.

When my friend & I showed up to the place though, the guy told us that since we hadn't "reconfirmed" that morning, our room was gone!; So we trudged around, hot, sweaty, backpacked, and exhausted, looking for an alternate, equally-cheap place to stay. After striking out a few times & deciding we were REALLY tired of the trudging, we inquired at a 3-star hotel just for kicks -- sure enough, they had a room for us!;

It ended up being the most beautiful, welcoming, comfortable accomodation of the trip, and while more expensive than we had wanted, it didn't bankrupt us (well, really, our credit-card-bill-paying parents).

Steve Hendrix: Reconfirmed, forsooth!

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Washington, DC: I love to travel. Really love it. But without fail, I get to a non-English speakig destination and avoid places/experiences simply because I can't figure out the protocol (e.g. buying a beach chair, renting a bike, even ordering food at certain places). Any words of advice/perspective to help me take a ridiculously minor risk now and then?

KC Summers: Well, you know what we're gonna say. Just do it! What's the worst that can happen -- that you'll get a sneer from a snooty Paris waiter or a confused look from a vendor on a beach? None of us is that fragile that a rebuff from a jerk or an embarrassing moment at a market is going to ruin our vacation.

But the chances of that sort of happening are rare. I'm repeatedly struck, wherever I go, how incredibly friendly and helpful people are, how much they want to connect. And also, how much they appreciate the tiniest effort on the part of U.S. visitors to speak their language. Simply saying good afternoon and calling a sales clerk "Madame" or "Mademoiselle" can change the whole tenor of the experience. So throw yourself on their mercy, let them flip through your phrasebook with you -- just show them that you're trying, and I guarantee they'll respond in kind. And if they don't -- you'll never see them again!

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Hyattsville, Md.: Generic travel planning questions:
1. I reserved a room on hotels.com and noticed I am being charged "tax recovery and service" fees (same on expedia). Are these fees really taxes? I'm thinking I will still be paying hotel taxes on my stay. Do all services charge such fees?
2. Recently you recommended I try USA3000 for flights to Fort Myers. They were already sold out. I was not aware this airline existed. What's the best way to find out what carriers fly where you want to go? I usually try expedia or orbitz to see who flies there (then check the airline web sites), check the independent sites I can think of (not covered by expedia), and go to the destination airport and check their arrivals list. None of these revealed USA3000 to me. Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Here is what Expedia has to say:

The tax charge on Expedia Special Rate hotel transactions is a recovery of all applicable transaction taxes (e.g. sales and use, occupancy, room tax, excise tax, value added tax, etc) that Expedia Travel pays to the vendors (e.g. hotels, etc.) in connection with your travel arrangements.

Expedia Travel is not the vendor collecting and remitting said tax to the applicable tax authorities. The vendors bill all applicable taxes to Expedia Travel and Expedia Travel remits such tax directly to the vendor. Expedia Travel is not a co-vendor associated with the vendor with whom we book or reserve our customer's travel arrangements.

Taxability and the appropriate tax rate vary greatly by location. Expedia Travel's actual tax cost paid to the vendor may vary from the tax recovery charge, depending upon the rates, taxability, etc. in effect at the time of the actual use of the hotel, automobile, etc. by our customer.

Expedia Travel does not incur the cost of sales tax from vendors located in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon as these states do not impose a sales tax. Also, certain jurisdictions impose a hotel occupancy tax or other type of transaction tax upon the renting of a hotel room, an automobile, etc. The type of tax charged by the vendor will vary by service and location.

Service Fee
These fees cover the costs incurred by Expedia Travel in servicing your travel reservation.

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Maryland: Unfair? argh. I feel a great deal of sympathy for people whose travel plans are caused OR derailed by a death in the family, but why do so many believe the airlines are obliged to do something for them (like, you know, reinstating service to dublin from baltimore) because you couldn't use your tickets at the time?

It is called TRAVEL INSURANCE. Buy it, love it, use it.

Steve Hendrix: Right. Or just hop on the train to New York.

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Flights to Prague/Budapest: Check out Austrian Airlines, they have some wonderful package deals

Carol Sottili: Thanks.

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Capitol Hill, Washington, DC: For the poster asking about Copenhagen - I agree that it's 'cobblestone streets' all over again, but the city is much more beautiful than Amsterdam, and there are a ton of things to do just outside the city that are unique, and a short train ride from downtown. One good example is the Dyrehave, or Deer Park, which is a 15 minute train ride from downtown, and has the Queen's deer herds and the oldest amusement park in the world. Couple that with a beach a short walk away, and it's more than just an Old World downtown.

Cindy Loose: May might be a little early for her to enjoy the beach, although I do agree that there are cool things in and just outside Copenhagen--I loved the Louisiana Museum, even though I'm not a diehard museum person. But given how far it is from Amsterdam and how expensive it is--even worse than most euro countries--I'm still sticking with my advice for her to add something closer to her original destination city.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: RE: Amsterdam
You can easily spend the entire time in the Netherlands and Belgium. There's plenty to see, nearly all of which is a day trip from Amsterdam. I'd recommend Hoorn (for windmills), Maastricht (a LONG day trip, but worth it for medieval ruins and dinosaur fossils), Gouda (cheese and stained glass windows in the church), and Brussels (probably an overnight trip, but worth it if you can link up with the locally-run tours highlighting Art Nouveau or Art Deco architecture).

And you can get a Benlux railpass a lto cheaper than a full Eurail pass.

Cindy Loose: More on Amsterdam and environs. Thanks for all the help, folks!

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Washington DC: I spent several months planning our honeymoon to Spain. I booked everything, hotels, trains, museum passes, a few restaurants (yes, I'm THAT guy) in advance. One thing I didn't predict is that our stopover in Amsterdam would coincide with a garbage collector strike. The place was nasty. My wife just picks up the phone, rents a car, and off we go (against my better judgement) to Brugge with nothing but a map. Hotels in Brugge? Booked solid, no rooms. We had to drive what seemed like forever to get to a small town named Oostende (sp?). Of course I was seething the whole way there. THE BEST day of the whole trip. We ate seafood right at the dock and wandered the streets for hours doing a cathartic post-mortem on the wedding. That day got us really ready to enjoy our honeymoon.

Steve Hendrix: I'm not sure I understand how a garbage strike turned you into a refugee from the Amsterdam airport, but I love the story.

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Oak Hill,Va: Portland...spanish coffee at Huber's, Washington Park and the Rose Garden, Chinese Garden downtown, Mother's Restaurant, Hawthorne district for funky shopping, Kennedy School for drinks and dinner (outside in the courtyard if possible). This is just the beginning..so much to do and see!;

KC Summers: Thanks!

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New York, NY: When I was taking a post bar exam trip in Spain, I rented a car to drive around the South of Spain. Unfortunately, despite a minimal amount of experience driving a manual car, by the end of 3 days, and 1 broken tailight, I decided that I had enough of the car, and returned it early.

As a result, I completely replanned my trip. and ended up deciding to take some supplemental spanish language classes in Barcelona. I chose to stay in the dorm, and I met many people that I do would not have otherwise met. Cooking dinner with a group of people around the world almost made up for missing the chance to study abroad while I was an undergrad.

Steve Hendrix: That broken tailight may have saved your life, NYNY.

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Washington, D.C.: I think I have a useless suitcase. I bought it for a trip to Paris a year ago (no problem on SAS), but it's apparently too big to be used on United now (I had to pay a fee last time) because it was bigger than 62 inches. Do you know of any airlines that still allow a bag bigger than 62 inches or should I get rid of it?

Cindy Loose: You can check specifications for baggage on each airline's websites, and maybe someone else will allow it. However, why bother? First of all, you never know when you're going to get bumped onto some airline you didn't expect to fly. Big bags are a pain. Me, I'd get rid of it. If nothing else, it might force you to pack more judiciously, and that's a good thing.

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Chicago, Ill: Best travel serendipity story for me -- I was on a business trip to Tampa in the fall of 2000, staying at the Hyatt Westshore near the airport. I really wanted a west-facing room to see the sunset (I like to find small pleasures in travel after a long day of work) but when I checked in the only rooms they had left were facing east, over the highway and the airport. Bummer! But my room was on the club floor, so I get up there and then go across the hallway to the lounge, which has a great sunset view and free drinks. They also have the Yankees-Mariners playoffs on TV, which I'd forgotten had started already. A lifelong Yankee fan, I get to watch them take the lead in the decisive game - perfect timing. With the sun now slipping behind the horizon and the game in hand, I head back to my room, turn my TV on, and within seconds there's a split-screen and the local affiliate is showing the final launch sequence for the space shuttle. They wait for the sunset to finish, then launch the shuttle, and thanks to my east-facing view I can see the shuttle go up -- a beautiful sight even from the other side of Florida. And I'd been hoping to see a launch since I was a kid. If I'd been ten minutes later to the hotel, or if my room had faced the way I'd wanted, or if I'd come any other day . . .

Steve Hendrix: Cool! I had my doubts about this story, but a suprise rocket launch totally saved it--as suprise rocket launches so often do.

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Serendipity: Hello. This is an answer to your question about nice surprises arising from annoyances. While traveling in London, I found myself with an intermittent back pain that let me do nothing more strenuous than sit on a park bench in Kensington Gardens with a book and a cell phone. I got hold of a friend who lives over there (whom I wasn't going to get to see during the trip), and toward the end of the conversation, he steered me toward the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to in my life. I can't remember the name anymore, but it was on Praed St., about a block down the hill from Paddington Station. I'd never had duck in cherry sauce before. I ended up going back to that restaurant a few more times in the next two weeks. They also made a very nice combination of spinach and sausage.

Steve Hendrix: All bad backs lead to Rome. Or at least to Italian restaurants.

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Denver, Colo.: For the Portland visitor - downtown Portland is a terrific example of a livable, walkable fun downtown. They've got a great bookstore - Powell's, a fantastic small musuem, a great craft, jewelry store - called twist!. Dining - wow - there's no excuse not to eat in one of downtown's fabulous and reseasonbly priced restaurants.

There's also the 24 Hour Church of Elvis which has to been seen to be believed.

Can you recommend a single's tour group. I'd like to go to Vancouver or Ireland this FAll.

KC Summers: More on Portland -- thanks.

For singles trips, not sure if you're looking for romantic or what, but check out Backroads.com -- they have a lot of great singles trips. Also try Singles Travel Company (singlestravelcompany.com)-- they look good, but we haven't tried them. We;ll try to get a link to some of our other recommendations from our Way to Go issue last Sept.

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Chicago, Ill: Best travel serendipity story for me -- I was on a business trip to Tampa in the fall of 2000, staying at the Hyatt Westshore near the airport. I really wanted a west-facing room to see the sunset (I like to find small pleasures in travel after a long day of work) but when I checked in the only rooms they had left were facing east, over the highway and the airport. Bummer! But my room was on the club floor, so I get up there and then go across the hallway to the lounge, which has a great sunset view and free drinks. They also have the Yankees-Mariners playoffs on TV, which I'd forgotten had started already. A lifelong Yankee fan, I get to watch them take the lead in the decisive game - perfect timing. With the sun now slipping behind the horizon and the game in hand, I head back to my room, turn my TV on, and within seconds there's a split-screen and the local affiliate is showing the final launch sequence for the space shuttle. They wait for the sunset to finish, then launch the shuttle, and thanks to my east-facing view I can see the shuttle go up -- a beautiful sight even from the other side of Florida. And I'd been hoping to see a launch since I was a kid. If I'd been ten minutes later to the hotel, or if my room had faced the way I'd wanted, or if I'd come any other day . . .

Steve Hendrix: Cool. I had my doubts about this story at first, but the suprise rocket launch totally saved it--as surprise rocket launches always do.

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Arlington, Va.: Submitting early. My wife returned from London last week. She told me that the crew announced that cell phones could not be used after landing at Dulles, while riding on the shuttle bus, or while waiting in the immigration line. Violaters were threatend with cell phone confiscation. have you heard of or experienced these restrictions? Is this a TSA or Immigration rule? Does anyone know why?

Carol Sottili: I always use my cell phone on the shuttle bus and in the terminal. I can't find any reference to any new procedures on the airport Web site. And I don't know why the crew would concern itself with what happens at the airport - two different worlds.

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Washington, D.C.: Saw the flyi story in the business section today. Am I safe for travel in May?

Cindy Loose: Nobody knows. It would surprise me to see it diseapper by May, but very little involving airline insolvency would shock me. I'd buy such a ticket for May, knowing that if the worst happened and the airline went belly up, I'd be able to stand by on another airline for no more than a $50 fee.

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Washington, D.C.: My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Central America later this year, and thinking seriously about Panama as it seems to be a little further off the beaten than Costa Rica or Belize. We both like balanced, active vacations that combine quality time on the beach and outdoor sports with the opportunity to do learn about a different culture Any ideas/suggestions??

KC Summers: Panama could work for you. Check out a story we've got coming up this Sunday, about a neat surfing camp there. Also I'll post a link to an (admittedly old) story we ran when they were just getting their tourist infrastructure up and running.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: The best that bad fortune has ever done for me:

I overslept one morning in a village of the Cinque Terre in Italy and missed my planned daytime train to Paris. The only available route took me to Turin, where I had a four hour layover awaiting the overnight train. I checked my backpack at the station and wandered around Turin. I folllowed the crown to an enormous central square where there was a wonderful, free music festival featuring James Taylor! I never would have experienced this had I woke up on time!

Steve Hendrix: More oversleeping. Geez.

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washingtonpost.com: Panama, (March 14, 2000)

KC Summers: For the potential Panama visitor.

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Vienna, Va.: What if any, is the schedule for Chinese New Year in Chinatown this year?. Will there be a parade?

Cindy Loose: Do you mean New York's Chinatown? I assume they'll have a parade. Check out the city website, nycvisit.com, which should have a full array of info on special events.

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Steve Hendrix: Okay folks, we're spent. Many thanks for the robust exchange. And the winner of the Matterhorn shouulder bag, Los Angeles for getting to spend more time with her Australian love thanks to a rail strike in Belgium. Send you particulars to travel@washpost.com. See you next week, folks.

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