Talk About Travel

Vancouver, Chile, the Dominican Republic and more

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 theentire Flight Crew, we want to thank you for flying with us.

You may also browse an archive of previous live travel discussions.

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KC Summers: Greetings, everyone, and welcome to today's chat. If you're a skier, or you've always wanted to try, here's your chance to pummel Carol Sottili and Steve Hendrix with questions about their experiences at Quebec's Tremblant and Colorado's Telluride, respectively. Though there was nothing respectable about Steve's performance on the slopes... just kidding, Steve. So have at them.

As someone whose family is all in town and thus never gets to go anywhere for Christmas, I'm wondering where everyone else is headed for the holidays. It's definitely less of a hassle to stay home, but part of me always wishes I were one of the throngs, sleeping on train station floors and eating airport food. Yeah, I'm sick. So tell us where you're going for the holidays and let me travel vicariously through you. We have a wonderful prize to offer for the chatter with the most interesting Christmas plans -- as soon as I did it out of the Box o' Crap. Let's go!

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KC Summers: It's snowing!

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Heathsville, Va.: Nice article about Mont-Tremblant. But you missed the best restaurant in the area: "La Table Enchantee" (on 17, about 1/2 mile north of the turn-off to Tremblant) owned and operated by Leopold and Gislaine. Very good menu of french and traditional french canadian cuisine.My wife and I have been going (almost every year) for 25 years. What is even better, we always call ahead and they make sure our favorite dessert is available.

You should not, however, retain the impression that Mont-Tremblant is not a busy center (except at minus 20 or lower). Several locals ski at Mont-Blanc on weekends because of the large crowds at Tremblant.

Also, you did not mention the Edge lift and slopes at Tremblant, so they may not have been open. But, if you go back and they are open, this is the best uncrowded experience on the mountain (more of your Grand Prix experience)

Carol Sottili: I didn't get to many restaurants - my expense account didn't allow it!

As for the crowds, I'm sure it does get busier than it was when I was there: -20 has a chilling effect (groan, groan) on crowds.

And, as for the Edge, I'm not a good enough skier for that area, which is why it's not as crowded - only advanced skiers can have fun over there.

Thanks for your insights.

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Patagonia-bound: Hi flight crew. My husband and I will be renting a car later this month in Argentina. Will we need to do anything special before we leave, in terms of insurance and driver's license?

Cindy Loose: You're going to need an international driver's license, for starters. Oddly, a U.S. license suffices in Buenos Aires and the B.A. providence, but not outside it.

The best place to get an International Drivers license is AAA---just give your branch a call for details of when and what you need to bring. They don't cost much as I recall and are good for something like 10 years.

I'd also caution you---getting out of B.A. in a driver's nightmare. On a recent visit, I kept insisting we rent a car to drive outside the city, and my friend kept insisting we hire a car and driver. In the end, I was happy I took her advice, although once outside the insane city traffic, I wished again I'd had the freedom of a car. If you're not leaving from B.A., then just be careful. As for insurance, be sure you know what your own insurance company might cover while abroad, and seriously consider insuring whatever is lacking. You can shop for all kinds of policies at places like insuremytrip.com.

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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: So a group of us were thinking about going to New Orleans for New Year's Eve, sort of a way to give back, but have some fun too. Problem is, we can't find any airfares below $500. Call us crazy, but we thought they might have flight specials as a way to encourage people to come back to the city.

Steve Hendrix: Fly to Baton Rouge, AMWDC, and drive down. It's only about 80 miles, and I see fares in the mid $200 to BR for that weekend.

Demand is way down for flights to New Orleans, so costs are way up.

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Washington, DC: I have really enjoyed these chats from the beginning in the Craig Stolz years. I am an overweight traveler and although I don't think i flop over into the seat next to me, at least not yet, I get a lot of elbows in the side from gawky teenage girls to older French men, are they trying to tell me something and if they are or if they are not, can I tell them what do with their elbows? All the best and happy holidays.

KC Summers: Hmmm. Have you tried asking them nicely not to jab you? If that hasn't worked, I'd let the flight attendants deal with this one. If there are empty seats on the flight, they can usually switch seats. But if you've noticed a pattern of seatmates jabbing you with their elbows -- it may be time to go on a diet.

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Arlington, Va.: Do any of you know whether Spirit Airlines still flies from National to Myrtle Beach? I took that flight in October, and about then, when I tried to see what fares would be like around the holidays, they were showing them to be much more expensive. Now Myrtle Beach doesn't come up at all in the flights from Washington--and Spirit doesn't respond to my question. But perhaps that is a response!

Thanks.

Carol Sottili: Spirit is no longer flying nonstop to Myrtle Beach from Reagan National. Try Hooters Air (www.hootersair.com) from BWI.

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Washington, DC: Hi Flight Crew-

I wanted to plan a special birthday trip with my boyfriend to NYC the weekend of January 27-29. I've seen 3 star hotels going for nothing less than $200 a night and wanted to know if that was reasonable for that time of year? It seems a bit too high for me. The reason we picked NYC was because it was close enough, had plenty of good restaurants, and lots of things to do during the day. Can you suggest some other reasonably close destinations that may be a bit cheaper?

Anne McDonough: I know it's a birthday thing, but if you can wait until February, traditionally that's a slower season in NYC and prices are correspondingly lower (one of the many reasons why the Gates project last year was staged in February, to drum up tourism). Alternatively, I'd suggest Philly or Baltimore as great options. Yeah, Baltimore's really close, but if you're anything like me you've not explored it fully. I went there last year and LOVED the visionary arts museum and concerts at Rams Head Live, and ate very, very well. And Philly--so many options there! Those two cities might have a few more budget options to consider. Coming up should be links to pieces about all three cities.

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Falls Church, Va.: Taking the wintery plunge and have planned a trip to Norway and Iceland in January, 4 nights in each. I read your previous Iceland articles, but there's nothing on Norway! Any suggestions on things not to miss? Thanks for helping make my Mondays bearable!

Gary Lee: It's been a few years since I have been, but I highly recommend the Munch and Viking Museums in Olso and the Royal Palace.

Also, there are usually quite good philharmonic offerings in Oslo.

Anybody else with Norway tips?

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For Christmas...: I'll be in Belize. My husband and I were married in April. He, being an academic, couldn't take vacation in the middle of semester.

We wanted to go someplace neither of had ever been before. Warm weather, good snorkeling were musts. Cheapish was a plus. And if we could squeeze in ruins? All the better.

We depart December 26 and are so VERY excited.

KC Summers: Awww. What a great idea. As we always say, there's no reason you have to take your honeymoon right after your wedding -- sometimes it makes more sense to do it later.

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Washington, DC: I've been thinking of planning a trip to Vancouver, but have heard that there is high crime in the Gaslight district. Should we scrap Vancouver and go to Oregon instead?

Cindy Loose: No need to cancel a trip to Vancouver. A lovely city. I don't know specifically about crime in the Gaslight District. I do know I stayed there a couple nights a few years ago without feeling threatened, but then again, it's and an up and coming former warehouse district with some rundown buildings sprinkled among very upscale places, so I can imagine crime might be a problem, or at least a bigger problem than in most sections of most Canadian cities. But there are many parts of the city that are uniformly lively, brightly lighted etc., and I can't imagine you won't feel comfortable in those neighborhoods. So go, and consider avoiding the Gaslight District after dark if it worries you. You'll find plenty to do and see.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: My siblings and I were looking to send my very active 60 year old mother to Italy or Spain sometime this summer as a Christmas gift. As tour companies go, Tauck is probably too expensive - is there another one you'd recommend? She's traveled, but never with a tour group and never alone. We might get a friend to go with her, but if not, we're looking for other options. Love your chat (especially as a former Washingtonian) Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Tauck is a little pricey, but it's dependable - you know you'll get decent hotels and tour guides. If she's a little more adventurous, try Elderhostel (www.elderhostel.org). Other tour groups to consider include Collette Vacations (www.collettevacations.com) and Cosmos (www.cosmosvacations.com). Make sure when you sign her up that she's not going to be placed in a tour where everyone else knows one another - in other words, she wouldn't want to be the odd person out.

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Germantown, Md.: This is more of a story than a question. I just returned from a three-day weekend in Toronto. I had a good time in spite of the knife-like wind. The only thing remarkable about the trip was the degree of questioning I experienced at Customs, both going and coming. Neither officer cared about what I was bringing with me, but I was grilled on where I was staying and where the hotel was located, what I planned to do/what I did during my trip, what my occupation is, etc. I am a female U.S. citizen, so I'm used to not even being noticed. When I went to/came back from Hong Kong, the customs officers didn't even speak to me, they just stamped my declaration. I'm not opposed to this kind of questioning if it makes the world safer. I guess the take-away lesson is to know your itinerary by heart, because there will be a quiz!

Anne McDonough: I just had a similar experience last week, albeit in Vancouver. No one gave me anymore than a glance when I arrived in and left from Beijing, but in Canada?! I was grilled about who I was seeing, how I knew them, why I had cameras in my bag. It was...intriguing. But as long as I don't miss my flight, they can ask me any ole questions they like.

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washingtonpost.com: Baltimore, Wrapped in Mystery , (Jan. 18, 2004),

Checking in With NYC's Chain Gang

, (July 17, 2005),

10 Things to Do in Philadelphia

, (Jan. 5, 2005)

Anne McDonough: A whopper of a link for the birthday trip planner. Thank you, Kim!!

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Chile and Vermont: 2 questions... headed to Valparaiso, Chile next week for work. Any local sites that I should check out? Also, I have plans to go to Stowe in January. Do you have any recommendations on where to stay and anything that shouldn't be missed (besides the Ben & Jerry's factory?) Thanks.

Gary Lee: In Valpariso, you should go to the Pablo Neruda museum (the one at Isla Negra is slightly better but this one is lovely, too.

Also, around that neighborhood there are a couple of excellent seafood restaurants. Can't remember the names but the locals should direct you there.

In Stowe, I stayed in a couple of place: Stoweflake is a highbrow place that has average rooms but a great spa and a good bar.

Down the street, the Arbor Inn is a cozy, homey B&B with two very good owner/hosts.

You should pop into the chocolate shop in downtown Stowe and for a great gourmet dinner, I suggest Michael's On the Hill.

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Pasadena, Calif.: Hi! Love the chats!

I've been tapped to play travel agent for a seven-person

family vacation to Hawaii in July. (Mom's blowing an

inheritance on us all - lucky us!!) I can taste the plate

lunch already.

My quick questions for you and the clicksters:

- Flights from LAX to Honolulu are a shocking $700 -

when should I expect them to come down?

- We'll be based near Diamondhead but some people want

to go to the Big Island to see the volcano. Can this be

done in a (looong) day trip? Any suggestions on quality

tour companies for this?

- Best places to eat local seafood near Diamondhead? No

tourist traps, please!

Steve Hendrix: Fares to Hawaii don't move a whole lot. Every now then you'll see a brief fare sale push one down into the $400s, but you have to be lucky to see them (and not often during the summer holiday months). Carol Sottili suggests looking for cheap flights to Los Angeles, then seeing what you can find from LAX to Honolulu. Otherwise, you're just going to have to part with some more of you inheritance.

Yes, you can get to the Big Island and back in day. It's only about a 20 minute flight and there are many every day. Volcanoes Park is about 40 minutes from Hilo airport and you dash around and see teh calderas, hike the lava field, scarf a hot dog and have time left over for the excellent tsunami museum in Hilo.

I don't know much about Restaurants (or anything else) near Diamond Head. Chatters?

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Philadelphia, Pa.: I'm traveling to Australia at the end of this week. I take several medications, two daily and one weekly, on Sundays. I leave on Saturday and arrive in Sydney on Monday, due to the INternational Date Line.

My question: how to I take my meds, especially while I"m on the airplane? Do I take them at the time I would have back home? Or do I take them on my "new" time? And what about the one that I take only on Sundays, as Sunday doesn't happen for me?

Cindy Loose: My medical degree is lapsed, but I feel pretty confident about suggesting you take your Sunday pill on the day that would have been Sunday if you hadn't lost Sunday.

As to the other medications--I suppose there are some that must be carefully timed, like you wouldn't want to start moving around the time you take an anti-coagulant so that you end up without the proper hours in between. But I basically just become a bit flexible, so I go ahead and take my daily chlosterol drug before going to sleep on the plane that night, and again before going to sleep the evening of my arrival, even though more than a usual number of real hours have passed. If you have any doubts about how carefully your drugs must be regulated, ask your pharmacist.

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Paris De Gaulle airport: I will soon have long layovers at the De Gaulle airport; not long enough to go into Paris, but long enough to do some window shopping, stretch my legs, and, perhaps, have a nice meal. Anyone recommend any particular shops or restaurants in Terminals 2A and 2C? Any tips for negotiating the airport? Thanks.

Gary Lee: Actually, the best shops at that airport are in the duty free area... sometimes you can get some decent buys on liquers, Hermes scarves, etc.

Who else has thoughts about DeGaulle?

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Washington, DC: Happy Monday! My research has turned up that only US Airways/America West have non-stop flights from BWI or DCA to Phoenix. Are there any other carriers that do non-stop to Phoenix?

Carol Sottili: Southwest flies nonstop from BWI. I don't think US Airways does - it code shares with America West, which flies nonstop from Reagan National. United flies nonstop from Dulles.

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Fortaleza, Brazil: Two chats ago, someone asked about beaches in South America, and you mentioned, among others, the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. The northeastern coast of Brazil has many places with miles and miles of uncrowded, or deserted, beaches, some semi-tropical with palm trees, others like desert islands, with miles of large sand dunes (lots of dune buggies-- mixed blessing). Fair number of European tourists but very few Americans. BTW, I lived in Silver Spring before retiring here last March. It's in the high 80s today. Same there?

Gary Lee: Hey, Fortaleza! Yeah, its 94 here and that's in the shade!

Actually, it's snowing so we might have a White Christmas. Same there?

I love the beaches up that way but are they a bit isolated and empty. After all, what would Brazilian beaches be like without the people watching?

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Boston, Mass.: Hi!

I am flying to Amsterdam with my husband for Christmas for a week with Northwest. Due to a recent injury, it's difficult for him to get around and he uses a cane. His doctor cleared him to travel, but suggested that he get up and walk around every hour or so. My question is this: What can we reasonably expect from NW when it comes to accommodating him on the flight? They only had middle seats left on the flight and he would really need a bulkhead or at least an aisle seat to be comfortable. They told me on the phone that the bulkhead seats were reserved for babies or people who are severaly disabled and that we can only get those seats when we check in. Do you have any ideas on how we could at least get him an aisle seat? Or should we really just wait until we get to the airport and show his scar at check-in?

Cindy Loose: Hi. There should be no problem arranging an aisle seat in advance. You can go to www.nwa.com, look up your flight, and find out exactly which seats are still open, and with just hte slightest of luck an aisle seat should be available for choosing.

Bulkhead is tougher---if you can't convince them that his handicap is serious enough to be deserving of bulkhead, you might have to await you chances on check in (check in early.) However, I'd try again calling the airline. It seems like a border line case, and another agent might just be more flexible about assigning a bulkhead seat.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you have any advice or particular travel info sources for tourist travel to Colombia? I have an invitation to visit a friend in Bogota, have seen the State Department's Consular Info and Travel Warning that discourages Americans from traveling there, and have found little info in the travel sections of bookstores. I'm a single female without Spanish skills, but my local friend would meet me at the airport - i.e., I wouldn't be traveling alone.

KC Summers: Our most recent stories have been on the country's coffee plantations-turned-B&Bs, and the resort town of Cartagena. We'll post links to both, but not sure how helpful they're gonna be if you're focusing on Bogota. Have you checked Lonely Planet's site, www.lonelyplanet.com -- both the country entry and the Thorn Tree for tips from those who've been there, done that. Between the drugs, guerrilla activity and corrupt police, it's not a destination to be approached frivolously.

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Alexandria, Va.: Can you provide the link to the article you did on renewing a passport. Thanks.

washingtonpost.com: How to Renew or Apply For a Passport , (Sept. 26, 2004)

KC Summers: Thanks, Kim.

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Deep Valley, USA: Christmas (er, Hannukah) travel plans:

Going to Vancouver leaving crack o'dawn on Xmas day itself. Scenery, good food, Shopping, walking,and dinner at a lovely and excellent First Nations Feast Lodge for my 54th birthday, which falls between Christmas and New Years'. I love Canada.

KC Summers: Happy birthday DV! What a great place to spend it in.

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Washington, D.C.: Great piece, Steve. I am headed to Telluride, 1/2 - 1/6. Any specific restaurants you would suggest for apres - ski and dinner? Also, how was nightlife?

Best,

Dave

Steve Hendrix: Many thanks. Telly boasts a LOT of nice restaurants. I mention several in the piece (Fat Alley for authentic ribs and southern bbq--and sweet tea! Jodi's Kitchen for excellent Mexican, Alreds for fancy cocktails and dinner way above town, Cosmopolitan for very worthy haute cusine). I also liked Blue Point Cafe and the Eagles (the restaurant, not the gay leather bar). Also, heard good things about 221 Oak and Tellurice.

Night life? I hear it's pretty good, but between skiing all day, a long soak in the hot tub and few pre-dinner margaritas, I didn't stay up for much of it.

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Petworth, Washington, D.C.: Dear Flight Crew:

Thank you, thank you, for the online travel archive. I have just returned from a long weekend in Chicago, where I ate the most amazing cheese I have ever tasted, all because of an article you all published.

So, thanks for keeping stuff online and available!

Anne McDonough: We LOVE hearing feedback from folks inspired by the stories in the section. Well, we LOVE it when the trip goes off well, and welcome comments when they don't. But for both your and our sake, we always hope it's the former!

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Washington, DC: RE: Flying to New Orleans for New Year's. I booked a flight on American from National to New Orleans for about $250 round trip a couple weeks ago (leave on 12/29, return late on 1/1). Much less than $500 and no drive from Baton Rouge!

Steve Hendrix: Ah, good to hear.

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Arlington, Va.: I will be going to Brussels for a few days for business at the end of January and want to tack on a few days to tour Belgium. What do you recommend for a 30-something female solo traveler? A few friends have recommended Bruges. Of course, Belgian chocolate and beer must be part of the itinerary. Thanks!

Gary Lee: Actually, if you want to treat yourself to a nice dinner, Brussels has some of the best restaurants in Europe. It also has some great home-grown fashion designers, especially for women's clothes. For sure, you've gotta do the chocolatiers. I think you can do an organied chocolate tour.

Finally, in terms of getting out of Brussels, Bruges is a must-see and Antwerp is also worth the trip.

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Baltimore, Md.: I'll be traveling to Israel later this month and flying on El Al. Is there anything I should know about the airline besides the fact that I should expect understandably greater security and need to get to the terminal far longer before my flight? How does the airline rate in terms of other airlines you've traveled on regarding service, in-flight entertainment, food, etc? It's a long flight, I'd like to be as comfortable as possible!

Anne McDonough: None of us have any recent El Al experience, I'm afraid, so we need the well-traveled clicksters to chime in. Clicksters?

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Bethesda, Md.: Hey Crew!

I'll be going to (drumroll please) to Kalamazoo, MI for Xmas. A place that doesn't freak out from 1 inch of snow - nor from the threat of a couple of inches. And a place that isn't too exciting, although I do enjoy eating out cheaply there and shopping at Meijer (one of the greatest stores EVER). My parents used to live in Milwaukee, which was a simple direct flight. Getting to small city like Kazoo is a pain though - always involves transferring. I'm just hoping that I won't need to sleep on any airport floors! (Yes, KC, you are slightly sick.) However, as long as I get there in one piece, I'll be happy to see my parents, eat mom's gingerbreak cookies and have the cat cuddle in my lap while sitting in the easy chair as the temperature dips to some ungodly low number outside.

KC Summers: Okay, what does Meijer sell?

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Norway idea: You could take a day or 2-day tour with a company like

Norway in a Nutshell (I'm sure there are plenty) which would

take you by train to Bergen, then up the coastal fjord, then

train back. Also, in Olso definitely check out the Vigeland

Park, which has awesome statues and sculptures, and is near

walking area.

Gary Lee: These are good suggestions but are they acccesible in winter?

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washingtonpost.com: Colombia , (Nov. 23, 2003)

KC Summers: For the Colombia-bound...

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Federal Triangle, Washington, DC: Hi travellers. I'm planning a ski weekend in Seven Springs PA or Snowshoe WVA. What websites do you recommend to find lodging? I'd like to find a 4 bedroom house, but so far I'm only finding smaller condos and hotels. Also, what would be a reasonable room rate? Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Try one of the rent-from-owner sites. I like www.vrbo.com and www.cyberrentals.com. Expect to pay at least $500 a night for a four bedroom.

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What shoulder means...: Enjoyed Steve's Telluride article- makes me a little envious. We went to Telluride last year around Veterans Day, aka shoulder season. Got a great rate at the Peaks, but NOTHING was open- not the child care center at the Peaks, not many restaurants throughout town & mountain village, reduced shuttles, no lifts/no gondola. The good news is the spa was open, and we did a few day hikes around town. We finally rented a car and drive to Mesa Verde, Silverton (scenic train also closed!). A learning experience- if the hotel room is less than 30 percent of season prices, ask what's open...

Holiday plans last few years- we visit family in Indiana, which means 10-12 hours of driving, so we try to break up the trip with a stopover in PA or OH. Seven Springs or Hidden Valley for skiing. It's not Colorado, but we have fun.

Steve Hendrix: Thank you, and excellent advice. I've been to Telluride once in the off-season to bike from Telluride to Moab (I wrote about that miserable trip a few weeks ago--I call these two articles my Telluride Pain Series.) There was TONS going in town then, but I didn't make it up to Mountain Village and the Peaks. May be better to stay in the town proper during the off- and shoulder seasons.

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Washington, DC: Hi Crew!

I realize I'm a week late, but I want to thank the chatter who gave me the suggestion of getting my Amtrak ticket the day before the Wednesday Thanksgiving rush. It saved me so many headaches and lines! Keep up the great work.

Anne McDonough: I can't take credit for giving the advice, but am glad it worked out for you!

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Heathsville, Va.: As my comments about Tremblant earlier may suggest, my wife and I are both canadian and, thus, cross the border fairly frequently. Our experience going into Canada has been fairly easy, though this is being tightened up (at the request of the US government), but coming back into the US is now frequently quite time consuming with lots of questions and, in my case, because my green card application is still pending a trip to the border immigration office for forms to be filled in.

Carol Sottili: I didn't have any trouble, but I don't have any complications. I also have a passport, which makes it easier. It's not mandatory (will become mandatory Jan. 1, 2008), but there are separate, faster lines for those with passports.

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Ashburn, Va: My girlfriend and I are going to be traveling to the dominican republic (punta canta exactly) after the new year, we were reading up on some precautions to take regarding health issues, one in particular was malaria concerns. The travel nurse for kasier suggested we take anti malaria medicine before, during and for up to 4 weeks after. My question is do you know how common this might happen to travelers to punta canta? I would supect perhaps this is more of a problem outside the resort we're staying at.

Cindy Loose: Hi, Your question surprised me, cause I wouldn't have guessed a resort in Punta Cana would represent a threat, but then again, the health nurse should know what she's talking about. So, I went to the Center for Disease Control site (www.cdc.gov) and popped Punta Cana into a search engine. Indeed, last year, a handful of people visiting Punta Cana did come home with malaria.

Here's what I pulled up quickly. You might want to explore the CDC site more thoroughly before deciding. Here's a quick hit from a 2004 advisory:

ike most countries in the Caribbean, large parts of the Dominican Republic are considered low risk for falciparum malaria (5). In general, only border regions to Haiti and provinces in the northwest have been associated with endemicity. This pattern has been reversed recently: starting with an index patient in June 1999, 12 additional European patients acquired falciparum malaria in the Dominican Republic from November 1999 through February 2000. The cases were identified and reported within TropNetEurop, a sentinel surveillance network of clinical sites throughout Europe whose goal is to monitor imported infectious diseases. The network has a reporting system at sentinel clinics throughout Europe, known for its speed of reporting (usually within few days of diagnosis) and for members' sites that serve as regional referral centers.

All but three patients (two Spanish, one Austrian) were Germans (Table). All had traveled to Punta Cana, a town in the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, or to nearby beach resorts. Excursions were made only to the nearest town, Higey, which was not considered malarious. The patients were not required to and did not receive malaria chemoprophylaxis for this journey and did not practice exposure precautions. Within 1-2 weeks after their return, patients visited general practitioners or emergency rooms, reported fever, and were hospitalized after diagnoses of falciparum malaria were established by blood films. For all patients, the clinical course was uneventful, and drug treatment was successful (Table).

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ORLANDO for NEW YEAR's??: Hello me, my husband and son just booked a trip to Orlando to bring in the new years my question is pretty serious - WHAT DO I PACK? Ok i am assuming it wont be warm enough for full fledge shorts BUT do I need a winter coat? Anyone with any expereince with Florida over the holidays? THANKS!!

Confused in Capitol Heights....

KC Summers: No need for a winter coat, generally speaking -- highs should be in the low 70s (lows in the low 50s). But weather is so freakish these days, best to take a jacket and long pants.

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Bethesda, Md.: YYZ's customs is interesting. The Canadians do ask you a few questions, but send you on your way, and yeah, the American guys seem to want to give you quite a grilling. But they have a sense of humor (or would it be humour since it's north of the border), too. I left some trade show stuff behind and they let me go back and get it. When I walked back through, they joked about how I was smuggling thousands of Cuban cigars back in with me in that tube and that I had to give them some so they could smoke them.

On the other than, can I say the folks at IAD are perhaps the most no-nonsense guys ever? Didn't crack a single smile the entire time I was there and I unfortunately needed about half an hour to clear there due to lines.

And now for a question. Would there be any problems for me transferring from one Air Canada flight to another? I'm going to be going DCA-YYZ-CDG and was wondering if there would be any difficulty in the Toronto part of the trip.

Anne McDonough: I was on Air Canada all the way through and other than the grilling found it easy as pie. I like the Vancouver airport. Good sushi. I know it's not YYZ but I think you'll be fine. You might get questioned, but I don't think you'd miss your flight.

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Washington, DC: Hello,

Do any of you know what the time difference between DC and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is? For some reason every time I search on the internet nothing comes up. Thanks!

Cindy Loose: Time Zone: The Dominican Republic is in the Eastern Time Zone. However, Daylight Savings Time is in effect year-round. (Thus, D.C., by my figuring, would be an hour behind from November . April)

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washingtonpost.com: Cartagena: Safe Haven , (Dec. 29, 2002)

KC Summers: Here's that other Colombia link. Thanks Kim.

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Re: Meijer: As a former resident of Dayton, OH, I second the opinion that Meijer is the greatest store ever. They sell everything... food, clothes, toys, housewares... like Super WalMart, but much nicer. I actually make a point to stop in when traveling in the Midwest.

KC Summers: Wow. Better than Target?

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Arlington, Va.: Can you recommend a hotel in Rome, preferably within walking distance to the Spanish steps, with some charm (not an American chain)? I looked at the Hotel San Carlo but the lack of an elevator concerns me.

Gary Lee: I like the Hotel Mozart. Although the rooms are small, the hotel has character, a good breakfast and decent service.

It's around 5 minutes to the Spanish steps by foot.

Anyone else with Rome hotel tips?

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Adams Morgan, Washington, DC: re -- Christmas travel. I'm going home to New Orleans for Christmas. It'll only be my second visit post-Katrina, so I'm excited and nervous. Anxious to see my cousins. And jealous of the poster who found $250 r/t for New Years! I'm driving because I couldn't find anything cheaper than $700 for Christmas fares.

Steve Hendrix: Hard to find bargains at Christmas, but I see $340 on Delta at that time. Also, take a look at Baton Rouge.

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Will I fly?: Any details on the renewal of the law that says that airlines must honor passengers tickets from bankrupt carriers? If Independence Air stops flying and I have tickets in April, how do I get a new airline to honor them? Will any airline? Do you fly standby or what?

Important point: FlyI will not issue paper tickets at all - will this pose a problem should I ask another airline to pick up the ticket?

Cindy Loose: The new law was awaiting the president signature last time I checked. For you, I'll check again this week. I'm guessing it was signed--it was part of a big old bill with all kinds of stuff, and the extention of the airline law wouldn't even have been on the radar, I'm guessing.

So, if in fact your carrier stops flying, you will have to contact another airline that flys to or near your original destination. The law says only that they must accommodate you on a "space available" basis, so my guess is that each airline will interpret that as they wish, or even depending on the scenario. For example, if a flight is mostly full, they might make you wait for stand by. If a flight is pretty empty and often flys empty,they might be more forthcoming and generous iwth advance reservations. Sorry, but that's probably as specific as I can get with what is now a hypothetical. I do know they have to be flexible with their defintions---i.e., if you were flying into Dulles and they don't have that flight available but cantake you to National, they have to consider you for National.

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degaulle: Just an observation...don't be in a rush to leave the international departures area to get to your domestic (meaning: EU) flight--the domestic terminal is basically a bus station with NO services inside the secure area.

Gary Lee: I could second that.

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Meijer in the Midwest: Meijer (first called Meijer Thrifty Acres back in 1962) was the basically the forefather of one-stop shopping megastores. In essence, it's a Giant combined w/a Target. But because you're in the Midwest (Meijer originated in Grand Rapids, MI), you can expect better customer service and greater tidiness and cleanliness than you'd find at a Walmart.

KC Summers: More on Meijer. Wish we could import some of those Midwest values here.

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Lorton, Va.: Oh so exciting holiday plans. Pittsburgh and Tennessee. By car. You probably won't want to live vicariously with me, but maybe you can have some sympathy.

KC Summers: Sorry, unless you have a Meijer (how do you pronounce that, anyway?) it looks like you're not in the running...

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US Customs question: Can I bring back flour I bought in Canada? They have a couple of types and brands that suit certain recipes well.

Steve Hendrix: I can't imagine it would be a problem (the U.S. industry hasn't bought as much influence in Washington as the U.S. beef industry). I've never had a problem with a processed packaged food like that, particularly from a first-world place like Canada

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Alexandria, Va.: I will be heading to Grand Rapids, MI, and have to agree with the Kalamazoo poster's opinion - Meijer is the best store ever. They sell EVERYTHING. If you put a huge grocery store into something like a Target or WalMart - you'd have Meijer. In the words of a friend in Michigan - if Meijer doesn't sell it, you don't need it. But I think the best part about Grand Rapids - we don't blink about a little snow. Of course, we also have a decent number of snowplows there, so the roads are clear.

KC Summers: Yeah, they've got us all beat on snow. And big box stores, apparently.

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norway in winter: I'm not sure about the cruise, but the park is a city park and

should be lovely in the snow. My sister lives in Norway, and I

have to admit, I've only gone once in winter. Be ready for

daylight from 10-3 or something sick like that -- guilt-free

sleeping in, you can still get up before the sun!

Gary Lee: Thanks for the response. I like the mood of that city even when it's dark...

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Maryland Suburbs: I have exactly 6 days next summer for a family vacation. This will probably be the last time our family (mom, dad, teenage daughter, pre-teen son) goes away together before my daughter starts spending summers working and going on college visits. Where should we go? Mom & dad like culture, sightseeing, restaurants. Kids aren't too adventurous. None of us are into sports. Suggestions?

Cindy Loose: This is a wonderful opportunity that is worth spending some time thinking and talking about. It makes me sad to even think it's the last family vacation before the kids grow up etc.

So, I don't have a magic answer telling you where to go, but suggest you sit down and discuss what activities would make the kids happy. Maybe they'll even surprise you with ideas of a place they'd like to see. I push on the adverturous front--not meaning jumping off cliffs kinds of adventures, but pushing for adverturous in terms of challenging their comfort zone about cultures, food etc.

Anyway, get back to us once you've drawn more info and some specifics out of the kids.

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Will I fly?: Any details on the renewal of the law that says that airlines must honor passengers tickets from bankrupt carriers? If Independence Air stops flying and I have tickets in April, how do I get a new airline to honor them? Will any airline? Do you fly standby or what?

Important point: FlyI will not issue paper tickets at all - will this pose a problem should I ask another airline to pick up the ticket?

Cindy Loose: I think I just answered this question---please correct me if I'm wrong.

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Washington, DC: I have a flight coming up around the holidays with a 25 minute connection. This flight was given to me on the airline's website. I honestly didn't think they would give you flights so closely scheduled and didn't notice it until AFTER I had purchased the ticket. While theoretically, I could make it (the connection is in Memphis, a pretty manageable airport by my experience), I'm somewhat skeptical...what should I do?

Steve Hendrix: That is pretty tight, WDC. Hmmmmm. I would look at the schedule of flights coming AFTER your connection. If there's a good back up available, go for it. If not, give them a call and check with them directly. Maybe they can do better.

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State Dept. Warnings: While I will agree that there is some validity to the State Dept. warnings about traveling to certain countries, I also think they are a bit alarmist. I mean if you want to be honest about it, there should probably be warnings for foreign travelers coming to this country (we are in the midst of a crime emergency in our fair District right now). I think with anything, you just need to be awared of your surroundings and not put yourself in dangerous situations (don't walk home from the bar by yourself late at night, etc.).

If the person traveling to Bogota is meeting up with a friend who is a local, she should have no more concerns for her safety than what her friend who lives in Bogota does for her/him self each day.

KC Summers: Very true, they definitely err on the side of caution. I just didn't want to sugarcoat the situation for a person who wasn't familiar with the country and its problems. One reality check is to compare our State Dept. reports with those of Canada and the U.K. -- there can be real differences. But not in the case of Colombia. The U.K.'s travel advisory says, among other things, that "there is a serious risk of kidnapping and crime throughout most parts of the country," and also:

"The threat from terrorism is high. You should be extremely vigilant throughout Colombia, particularly when you are visiting or staying in public places used by foreigners, such as hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping-malls, malls, and in the vicinity of government buildings."

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Chicago, Ill.: How do St. Kitts and Nevis compare to the other Caribbean islands? I've heard that St. Kitts/Nevis aren't completely taken over by tourism yet and have less of the commercial feeling. Thanks - love the chats!

Gary Lee: That's true. Nevis is a bit more chi chi but both are very small, laid back, wonderful places. If you like hanging out on beaches, you'd enjoy your time here. The locals are particularly friendly and the threat of crime is low. If you're looking for hopping night life you'd probably be better off elsewhere.

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Boston, MA - seating question follow-up : Hi Cindy,

Thanks for your response about seating on Northwest to Amsterdam for injured husband... I just got off the phone with NW and the agent told me in a wink, wink sort of way that if hubby needs a wheelchair, they can change our seats. And they did! I really think he'll be happy with the wheelchair, even though he might not need it - but it's still odd that one agent is willing to fudge a little, and another isn't... Anyway, thanks!

Cindy Loose: Glad it worked out. You know, it could have even been the same agent, and you just caught her at a time she was feeling more kindly towards the world.

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Flour?!!: I bring back maple syrup myself...

Steve Hendrix: I bring back mangos and papaya. LOVE that Canadian fruit.

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Copenhagen, Denmark: More Oslo tips: Buy an Oslo Pass that gets you into museums and other places for free. Take the city ferry to Bygdoey for not just the Viking Museum, but also for museums for the ships Ra, Kontiki and the arctic explorer Amundsens ship Fram. All these museums are within walking distance of one another.

Take the local train from downtown to the ski jumping station Holmenkollen if the weather is clear to get a fantastic view of the city and the Oslo fiord. If it is not too cold, take a hike in the area on foot or cross country skis. Downhill skiing in the city area as well.

By the way: Lots of English language information on www.visitoslo.com (press the British flag)

Gary Lee: Hey, you're quite source for good info.

Thanks

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Deep Valley, USA: Vancouver has a great store called Canadian Tire. Does that count?

KC Summers: Glamorous as that sounds, 'fraid not.

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Adams Morgan, Washington, DC: re -- New Orleans. I'm the chatter going home to NOLA for Christmas. My dates aren't at all flexible, so I can't get my fare any lower. And I just wanted to point out to other chatters that if they chose to fly into Baton Rouge instead of MSY and will need a rental car, make sure the car is available before booking your flight. Rental cars in Louisiana are still hard to come by. Also, the Baton Rouge airport is TINY. Tiny, and not meant to be dealing with the amount of traffic it has now, so plan for extra time to collect luggage, etc when you arrive.

Steve Hendrix: Thanks, and have a bon temp.

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Washington, DC: Apologies if this has been brought up before.

Now that Johnny Cash has passed on, will Alaskan Airlines be removing his image from their aircraft?

Cindy Loose: I don't know, but I'll ask them. Watch CoGo for the next time I have a little extra space to throw in their answer.

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Bogota: I would check with your friend and see if he/she is planning to be with you most of the time. I went there about 2 years ago for US gov job. I was constantly escorted by our local office, except for one afternoon in tourist area. So, I felt "safe", but certainly I wasn't exploring the countryside alone, like I used to do in Japan...

KC Summers: Thanks for that real-life tip.

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Springfield, Va.: I have a buisness trip to Phoenix scheduled in Feburary. I originally planned to take some extra time, rent a car, and drive up to see the Grand Canyon (just to say I had seen it). But then I realized the climate there is much colder than Phoenix. Would it be worth it to go to the Grand Canyon in Feburary?

Steve Hendrix: Northern Arizona, which is way up on the Kaibab Plateau and much, much colder than Phoenix, is absolutely gorgeous in the winter: Miles of northern evergreen forest covered in snow. And the canyon in the winter...Yowza! Go. The South Rim is open.

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Xmas help, please: Hi Crew. Love the chat and I've gotten lots of good advice here. Here's my issue: we're trying to find a good present for my father-in-law. He loves to travel and will go almost anywhere (but only if my luxury-travel loving MIL or someone else will go with him). His dream trip is to go on the Queen Mary with my MIL. He doesn't really have a lot of travel accoutrements but he does have a little blanket and a little pillow, as well as one of those passport-money holder dealies. Do you have any ideas of what to get them? We thought about buying them some champagne or something while on the QM2, but then we found out that they have not quite yet booked their trip. Any clues? Thanks much!

KC Summers: How about some great new luggage -- if he doesn't have a rollaboard suitcase, that could be a real godsend, and they come in a range of sizes. Target has some new, Michael Graves-designed rolling luggage that is good-looking and reasonably priced.

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Washington DC: I'm escaping the snow for a week in Sharm el Sheik. Any recommendations on what to do or where to go for Christmas shopping?

Andrea Sachs: You could look for gifts under the sea, on a diving or snorkeling excursion in the Red Sea, considered one of the best diving spots in the world. Other attractions include Mount Sinai, St Catherine's Monastery, Ras Mohammed National Park, a camel ride and a bedouin night (a desert trek and traditional dinner in a tent by the fire).

For shopping, check out the spice bazaars and the Sharm El-Sheikh mall. Best buys: carpets, jewlery, perfume and leather goods.

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xmas plan: I'm going to Southern California to break my grandmother out of her prison/assisted living center and take her to Vegas. I'm not kidding.

KC Summers: How could we not give you the prize?! Send your contact info to summersk@washpost.com and we'll send you something fun -- still haven't figured out what. Thanks everyone for the chat, and keep an eye out for our print edition this Sunday, when we report on recovery efforts in Cancun and check out the restored Venice Opera House. Cheers.

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