Sunday, November 5, 2006
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Intimate AntiguaI ENJOYED Cindy Loose's article on Antigua ["Intimate Caribbean," Oct. 29]. I am from the Caribbean and stopped over in beautiful Antigua some years ago on my way to visit Grenada. I've always been intrigued by the "365 beaches -- one for every day of the year" and Antigua's fascinating history.
Congratulations on a beautifully written article.
Barbara Nelson, Gaithersburg
Travel AlarmsI READ Terri Sapienza's piece rating travel alarm clocks with interest [Road Test, Oct. 29]. But what about when you absolutely, positively have to get up? Like, say, for a medical board exam or the bar exam? None of the alarms shown can be relied upon to rouse you from a near-comatose stupor. The Screaming Meanie can: http://www.bookofjoe.com/2004/10/screaming_meani.html.
Joseph A. Stirt, Charlottesville
I AGREE wholeheartedly with your comment that the Super-Loud Travel Alarm Clock from Magellan's is overpriced. I recently considered ordering that clock from Magellan's when I saw the same clock in another catalogue for $14.95 -- 25 percent less. Independent Living Aids ( http://www.independentliving.com/ ) offers it for $14.95. I ordered from that company and received very prompt service.
William H. Drury, Winchester, Va.
The 'Other' HamptonsI REALLY ENJOYED the article on Hampton Bays, N.Y. ["After the Summer Swells," Oct. 22]. Ambrose Clancy did a great job, and I should know, since I just finished my 52nd summer season in Hampton Bays.
When planning a picnic lunch, skip Scotto's and go a little farther down Main Street (Montauk Highway) and stop at Dunkirk's, a terrific deli owned and operated by a young local couple.
No visit to Hampton Bays is complete without driving beyond the ocean beach on Dune Road and to the inlet, which was created by the great hurricane of 1938. This is where the commercial fishing fleet gains access to the ocean from Shinnecock Bay and also the site of the docks where the fleet anchors.
My only real concern with this article is that I don't want too many people to discover Hampton Bays.
Maureen Konschnik, Davidsonville, Md.
WE WERE pleasantly surprised to read the article on Hampton Bays. It is quite accurate, and the photographs are fine. Here are a few observations to add to Ambrose Clancy's great story:
· Sunwater's restaurant and Oakland's restaurant are right at Shinnecock Inlet and provide delicious eating and great views.
· The Catholic Church, St. Rosalie's, was founded in the early 1900s. The current church, built in 1996, has unique stained-glass windows that portray the natural beauty of the surrounding land and sea, along with various activities: farming, commercial fishing, recreational sailing.
We drive from Fairfax to Hampton Bays about four or five times a year. It takes about 6 to 6 1/2 hours. The possible traffic bottlenecks are the Capital Beltway, Staten Island Expressway and the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. We avoid most of these by leaving Fairfax about 9 a.m. and arriving in Hampton Bays about 3 p.m.
Thomas M. Cassidy, Fairfax
Traveler's ChecksCONCERNING YOUR comment about problems with traveler's checks in Italy [Travel Q&A, Oct. 22]: I just got back after trying to convert some to euros in a large bank in Naples. It would not take them. My credit card and debit card worked every time.
Monday, I am cashing the traveler's checks at my local bank since I can't use them for traveling.
Eric Weiss, Alexandria
WE RECENTLY returned from China and found that an additional reason traveler's checks are not widely accepted outside of banks is that the counterfeit problem has grown so great that the risk is too costly. Additionally, many places do not accept credit cards that are not Chinese; for example, a Visa card issued by a Chinese bank. ATM transactions were reliably done only with the Bank of China; many others bounced us off.
We traveled with China Focus Travel ( http://www.chinafocustravel.com/ ) and found the pricing to be something we could not have done on our own. Because of the company's established relationships, it got us into places that others might not have.
Jim Meehan, McLean
De Gaulle of Them!WE JUST returned from Paris on an Air France flight from Charles de Gaulle airport. It seems that all U.S.-bound flights on Air France depart from a separate terminal far from Terminal 2 (where you are still required to check in and go through security).
A shuttle bus takes you on a 15-minute journey to the departure gate. You are hustled directly from check-in through security and onto the bus. There was never an opportunity to have our VAT refund papers stamped by French customs. Once you've made the trip to the departure terminal, you can't return to the main terminal unless you have two hours and are willing to go through security again. Several other passengers on our flight found themselves in the same situation and will now be charged an additional 20 percent on their purchases.
Also, be aware that although there are small duty-free shops in the faraway terminal, they are limited compared to those in the main terminal. Be sure to have your paperwork stamped and your shopping completed before you board the shuttle.
Ellen Weiss, Takoma Park
Peru, Cont'dI READ WITH interest your article on the world's third-highest waterfall at Gocta in northern Peru ["After the Falls," Oct. 15]. I thought it might be of interest to your readers to know that the entire area is shortly to become a new protected area negotiated between a Peruvian not-for-profit group, ECOAN, and the Peruvian government. ECOAN is also working throughout the surrounding region to safeguard biodiversity and in particular to prevent the extinction of a range of bird species found nowhere else on Earth. These birds, along with the spectacular scenery and archaeological sites, make this part of Peru a fascinating place to visit.
Travelers may be especially interested to know that a new lodge will soon be constructed in the area of Abra Patricia, just to the northeast of Gocta, where new quality accommodations will be available in one of the region's premier birding locales for the first time.
Michael Parr
American Bird Conservancy
Washington
STEVE HENDRIX'S description of traveling the rope-ladder roads in the back country was especially appreciated, as I have rattled along similar precarious pathways in the Ecuadoran Andes years ago. He did a wonderful job of evoking the experience.
Elaine Kohn, Boston
Mattress AlertWARNING FOR short people: Some hotel/motel chains are now installing high mattresses (15 inches or more) in their rooms. This makes it difficult for shorter people (say, under 5 feet 5 inches) to get in and out of bed and may cause falls.
Higher mattresses may look more comfortable, but they are not.
Phyllis Brush, Silver Spring
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