The Post's Flight Crew: (from left to right) John Deiner, Carol Sottili, Steve Hendrix, Anne McDonough, Gary Lee, K.C. Summers, Cindy Loose, Andrea Sachs.

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.

Joining The Flight Crew this week is Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf , acting director of the species conservation program at the World Wildlife Fund. With extensive travels throughout Asia, Europe and North America, Dr. Klenzendorf is on hand to take questions and comments about wildlife tourism.

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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Anne McDonough: K.C. Summers, John Deiner, Steve Hendrix, Gary Lee, Carol Sottili and yours truly, Anne McDonough, are here to field your travel questions great and small. Along for the ride this week is Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf of WWF, so shoot on over all of those traveling-to-see critter questions you've been harboring all these years. Speaking of animals, the poster with the funniest, grossest or most memorable critter encounter while traveling will walk away with treasures from our box o'junk such as an African Safari Journal, an UNO game and a green plastic thing that just may be a poncho, but it's wrapped up so we can't be sure. Let's go!

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Olney, Md: Hi Dr., I am traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska, in a few weeks to see the Northern Lights! Any good suggestions for viewing the wildlife this time of year? I'm hoping the animals will be out and enjoying the warmer weather.

Second question for the crew. Has anyone used the privately owned econopark express at BWI? Safety is a concern of mine since my return flight has me arriving at the a/p at 10:30p.

Thank you for responding.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: There are plenty of opportunities. Depending on where exactly you are going, it is work checking out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website, which gives a good calendar by region of wildlife viewing.

http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.seasonal

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Washington D.C.: My son, 10, and I loved Sunday's story on rescuing turtles. Of course, Brad wants to do this -- like tomorrow. I'd like to plan a vacation for the three of us (I suppose my husband should come along) but wonder if a 10-year old boy would be welcome on one of the turtle escorts to the ocean.

KC Summers: Hi Wash, glad you liked the story. Cindy's not here today, but I remember her specifically mentioning having a kid on one of the turtle escorts -- in fact, she worried that the kid was bothering the mama turtle, but the guide said it wasn't a problem. So they're for all ages.

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Washington, DC: (Submitting early) I was on an America West flight from Phoenix to National airport this past Thursday. The pilot made us remain in our seats for -one hour- before the flight ended - citing the regulations that required us to sit in our seats for 1/2 not too long ago. What was that? I think they made it up so that the passengers would not bother the crew. What authority allows them to make arbitrary designations such as this one? In contrast, my husband flew into National from Charlotte last night and had not seating "curfew" imposed upon him at all.

Carol Sottili: As you well know, that rule was suspended - exact date was July 15, 2006. There is no excuse for the pilot not knowing about this rule change. But the pilot is in control of his/her ship, and there's no way you are going to argue during the flight - that wouldn't be prudent. I'd shoot an email or letter to America West - here's the link for contact info: www.americawest.com/awa/content/contact/customer_relations.aspx

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Chicago, Ill: I just wanted to send a huge thank you for your Puerto Rico piece last week - it couldn't have been better timed as I left the next day for Vieques. I must say that my experience on the island and at Bravo Beach Hotel were much calmer than Island Girl's, but it was still incredible (Bravo was a beautiful, comfortable place to stay). I wasn't into the late night partying, just beautiful beaches, good food and one of the most laid back, relaxed spots on earth. Point being, if you're looking for a party on the beach, I'm sure you can find it, but if you're like me and prefer a quiet drink to end a busy day of finding and sitting on a secluded beach all your own, Vieques is perfect for you as well....

Steve Hendrix: We were all charmed by Puerto Rico, Chicago. Glad to hear you were too.

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Takoma Park, Md: I was so excited to see the article on the polar bears of Churchill yesterday. I went there the past mid-October and I loved it. Did not see as many of the bears as the writer of the article did though (probably 12 in all). I definitely want to go back. I debated on going on an volunteer "earthwatch" expedition or going with a tour company. I decided to go with a tour company--Natural Habitat Adventures since they partner with the World Wildlife Fund. They took great care of us, we stayed at the Seaport Hotel which was very comfortable, food was great. I liked being in town so I could walk around the one main street during the very few free times we had. I really would encourage others to do it. The town really depends on tourism, as do the bears!!

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: Thank you very much, Takoma Park. We take great care in selecting our tour operators who are conservation minded and who promote WWF's conservation values through their travel programs.

If you want to see more WWF travel destinations, go to

http://worldwildlife.org/travel/index.cfm

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Honeymoon: Hello, Crew: My fiance and I are getting married in May and spending our honeymoon in Italy. We couldn't afford business class tickets, but are hoping for a free upgrade.

Aside from letting the person taking our reservations know that we'll be newlyweds (did that, it's in the notes), what advice can you give? Are there any non-pushy, non-obnoxious ways to go about asking, or should we just be our pleasant selves and hope for the best?

Thanks.

Anne McDonough: I'd say by putting it in the notes you've done the right thing. What would might not be so wonderfully received is further pushing for an upgrade, particularly by your fellow travelers who might not be getting married but I'd sure wouldn't mind an upgrade of their own! I think being your pleasant selves is the best way to go; if you get an upgrade, that's great! And if not, well, you have plenty of other wonderful experiences waiting for you the rest of the trip.

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Barbados: Hi Flight Crew and Dr Klenzendorf!

When you say wildlife tourism, do you mean ecotourism? I think ecotourism goes a long way in educating people about the importance of maintaining the environment and natural species for the survival of humankind.

Relating to my neck of the woods, I know the WWF is working on the Amazon and Galapagos islands in my region. However, one issue that concerns me in the Caribbean is the fragility of our coral reefs/sea/tourism industry and how easy it is for a ship/yacht to damage years of development just by carelessly dropping anchor or even one spill during the frequent transshipment of nuclear waste.

My question is does the WWF offer any facility/assistance/suggestions for a country to prevent this from happening?

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: This is a good point. Not all wildlife tourism is wildlife- or environmentally friendly.

If undertaken responsibly, tourism can be a positive force for sustainable development, conservation and environmental protection, and can provide unique opportunities for awareness raising and enhancing support for conservation. If unplanned, tourism can be socially, culturally and economically disruptive, and have a devastating effect on fragile environments.

What you should, for example, look for when traveling is that tour operators adhere to a code of conduct that doesn't harass the wildlife they're viewing to give you the 'perfect picture; that they use environmentally safe practices like solar-powered energy in cabins, biodegradable soap in field camps, locally grown food during the trip, etc.

Regarding the Carribean, I know that WWF works with the cruise industry to minimize their impact on coral reefs and impact on widlife such as illegal trade of wildlife products (reef fish, turtle products, etc.).

We also work with governments to establish marine reserves in highly critical habitats. For your specific case, I would recommend to contact our local chapter for more information.

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Washington DC:

Hi -- congrats on the interesting nature travel articles, each worth reading. But the gorillas in Rwanda article made me wonder about what the author really saw and did.

According to the State Dept. website, Rwanda has a population of 8.6 million, with a density of about 322 per square kilometer, one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. But the author only mentions five natives (the driver, the guide, and three armed soldiers), along with her group of eight "trekkers" (presumably not natives), who together are outnumbered by the "three dozen gorillas."

The author also notes that the "gorilla permit" is $375 per person, plus a park entrance fee of $35, and an additional $75 to see the golden monkeys. This in a country with a per capita income estimated at $204, or less than half of these fees.

Am I missing something here? A recurring theme of your African wildlife articles over the past decade is an almost complete overlooking of the human population.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: A quick perspective:

Tourism to see mountain gorillas in the region (including DRC, Rwanda and Uganda) generates more than US$2 million per annum in direct revenues, and a great deal more with multipliers in the hotel industry, etc.

The International Gorilla Conservation Project (IGCP), a project jointly supported by World Wildlife Fund, Flora and Fauna International (FFI), and the African Wildlife Federation (AWF), has worked successfully with communities surrounding the three parks in the Virunga volcanoes to develop enterprise linked to tourism and provide alternative revenue for the community, which is a great incentive for the protection of this species.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: Correction: African Wildlife Foundation(AWF)

John Deiner: Hey, D.C., thanks for the good points. I just wanted to add that this wasn't supposed to be an overview on travel to Rwanda -- for the purpose of our special wildlife section, we focused on the trip-of-a-lifetime aspect of seeing the gorillas. For what amounts to a day trip, it's expensive, it's far-flung and you have to plan far in advance.

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Washington, DC: I am going to Brussels the day after tomorrow to visit a friend that is working there on a fellowship for the next 6 months. I have a couple days where I will have to entertain myself while he is at work and was wondering if anyone had any different suggestions that I might not find in a travel guide. Even if someone has a favorite cafe suggestion that would be fantastic. Thanks so much! (Also I am a shopaholic so if anyone knows of some good shopping venues that would be great as well)

Gary Lee: For chocolate, check out the Pierre Marcoloni. For clothes, especially women's, I'd recommend Agora Arcade.

For great beer, almost any pub ...

Anyone else with Brussels tips?

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Washington, DC: What do you know about cheapseats.com (part of onetravel.com)? I found a decent flight to Ireland on the site (via kayak.com), but have only ever used the usual suspects...travelocity, orbitz, expedia. Reliable? I couldn't find anything on the BBBOnline site about them.

Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Onetravel.com and its subsidiaries are reputable companies. But I'd also look at the Web site of the airline that Cheapseats.com is going to book you on - if the airline is offering the same price, I'd recommend booking directly.

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Richmond, Va: Dr. Klenzendorf:

I'm heading to Ireland in a few days. Is there really any wildlife to see in Ireland this time of year? We're planning on hiking the Cliffs of Moher and other areas in the southwestern part of the country. Is there anything you can recommend?

Thanks.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: sorry, no. We (as in WWF's travel program) don't really travel to European destinations that much and I have not been there personally.

Best would probably be to contact the Ireland Tourism Bureau.

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Denver, Colo: For Olney parking at BWI, try FastPark. You can get coupons on their website and they are cheaper, faster and better than the airport satellite parking. They pick you up at your car as your park and take you directly to the terminal.

My animal story: I was out here visiting my beau (before I moved here from Baltimore) and we were hiking in Eldorado State Park. We come across a pile of animal droppings I've never seen before. I asked the bf if he knew what animal that could be from, he said no. On the way back down he confessed it was from a bear (and fresh btw!) but he didn't want to scare me.

John Deiner: Hey, Denver, good stuff. BWI has a number of private companies that offer pick-up-at-the-car parking. The previous clickster asked about EconoPark Express in particular...it's my new favorite parking company at BWI. And safety is a particular strongpoint: Drivers are supposed to wait for you to get in your car and see if it starts.

Cool animal story, too. Horrific, but cool.

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Animal Encounters: Hi Crew -

Usually the only animals that come to mind when thinking of the Caribbean are the colorful fish, but my scary animal tale (bad pun) was on an island. Utterly alone and absorbed in a novel on a blanket in the shade of mangroves on a rocky beach in Bonaire while my husband snorkeled, I sensed an ominous presence. I looked up to find myself surrounded by about two dozen of the ugliest, and largest, iguanas I had ever seen, advancing on me like a well-trained army. I let out a shriek and they scattered, but I could see them lurking in the scrub. I granbbed everything and ran into the water, where I stood shouting for my husband. I don't know what they wanted from me, but they really freaked me out!

Anne McDonough: Two dozen iguanas? I would have run screaming for the hills.

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Bel Air, Md: When I was in LA three falls ago, I drove down to the San Diego Wild Animal Park and paid extra money for the caravan ride through the huge paddocks where the herd animals roam and mingle. The giraffes would all amble over when we would stop and our guide would pass out treats for us to feed. The giraffes would stick their heads into the caravan and then stick out their tongue and wrap it around the treat in your hand then pull it into your mouth. I ended up with a lot of giraffe slime on my hand, but it was well worth it!

Even cooler, getting to lean over the side of the caravan to feed apples to the rhinocerous - they would open their mouth wide, you'd stick your hand in and they would close their mouth around your hand and then you'd slide it out. So amazing - and I highly recommend to anyone. Seeing those animals in the "real" wild would be great, I'm sure, but getting to interact with them that way was priceless.

Anne McDonough: Hmm...giraffe slime. The perfect souvenir.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Have any of the crew stayed in Bangkok? We're looking at the Sofitel, Novotel, Radisson and a "boutique" hotel called the Old Bangkok Inn for a short stay in early November. We're essentially passing through. Aiming at a balance between accessibility to tourist sites and shopping. Any ideas? Hoping to stay under $125 (rules out the Oriental, alas). Thanks!

KC Summers: Well, I have a soft spot for the Riverview Hotel, a humble high-rise right on the Chao Phraya River, although it might be a little too backpacky for some. Completely unpretentious, with mismatched furniture and a laid-back vibe. But I LOVED the location, down an interesting, untouristy little side street, and we spent a lot of time on their rooftop bar/restaurant, admiring that amazing river view. The rooms are so affordable (about $35/nite as I recall) that you can devote more $$$ to shopping). It's near shopping, the water taxis, etc.

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Fairfax, Va: RE: Animal stories

I actually have 2 and they both concern my little brother (now 32 and serving in Iraq). We lived in Miami, FL and went to Metro Zoo for a summer camp field trip. My brother was thrilled that the llama allowed him to pet him. Until the llama pinned his ears and regurgitated half-digested hay and grass all over my brother's face, head and shirt. It was warm and rank smelling!

The second experience was the same summer and we went on a field trip to the Monkey Jungle ("Where Visitors are Caged and the Monkeys Run Loose" or something like that). He got beamed with monkey scat.

Luckily, I didn't have to sit near him on the bus.

Anne McDonough: Llama barf and monkey scat trump giraffe slime, methinks.

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Burlington, Vt.: My boyfriend and I are flying out of Baltimore around 8 p.m.

Wednesday to spend a long weekend in Reykjavik. The flight

is only about five hours and deposits us in the Icelandic

capital bright and early on Thursday morning. Any sure-fire

sleep tips to make the most of that flight?

Steve Hendrix: Are you young and invulnerable and can you happily stay up for 50 hours? If so, drink up and turn the flight into the first day of your holiday.

Will you be happier if you land with a bit of sleep to carry you forth? Then have dinner in the airport and take five miligram Ambien (or however much your doc advises) the moment you click your seatbelt on the plane. Skip the meal and the movie and lean your head on your boyfriend for five hours of the dreamless.

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DR-bound: Hey crew, thanks for taking questions.

My wife and I, who both prefer a more active travel style, will be spending five days at an all-inclusive resort in the Punta Cana region of the Dominican Republic.

We're there to celebrate a friend's wedding, so it's all okay, but we'd still like to get away for a day and do something more active. Hiking, biking, scuba diving, etc. Would there be any point in trying to book an excursion before we arrive, or should we just shell out to the resort for one of their 'official' excursions?

Is there even anything worth pursuing as a day trip from Punta Cana? We both dive, but we understand that the diving near the resorts is terrible.

Thanks...

John Deiner: Hey, DR. Cindy would be a much better person to address this question, as the last time I was in Punta Cana was when it was just crankin' up. But there are lots of day trips you can take from the all-inclusives, and you will no doubt WANT to get away for a day. I went on a jeep tour that included a drive through a sugar cane plantation, a stop in a little village, a demonstration of cock-fighting (yeah, I know) and a stop at a perfect little beach. I'd wait till you got down there and see what's available.

Anyone else have a better answer here?

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Madison, Wis: My boyfriend and I are thinking about doing a bike tour sometime in the next few months. We are considering Ireland, Eastern Europe (Estonia), or Greece. We're not sure about whether we want to do a guided tour or do it on our own. It would be nice to not have to haul our own bags around, but we also don't want to have to stick to a strict schedule, eat meals and go on guided trips with the same people every day. Not that we're totally anti-social, but we want to be free to do our own thing. Do you know of any bike touring or other company that will simply transport your bags for you, and let you loose for the rest of the time? Thanks!

Gary Lee: Madison: you might check out Bike Vermont. They have several European options. I did a bike trip with them in Vermont a couple years ago and the approach was to give the bikers a map and instructions at the beginning of the day and let me pace themselves. I'm not sure that it's the same in Europe but my hunch is that it is. If Spain is an option for you, contact madridandbeyond.com and ask whether Carlos has any tips for you. He leads bike trips through Spain (and other parts of Europe) and tailors them to the customers' needs.

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Springfield, Va: Its not quite certain yet, but some of the extended family may be in Switzerland for about a year starting this fall. Of course, this has us talking about Christmas in Switzerland. I see people ask the crystal ball question about airfares to Europe all the time, but never paid attention. So, assuming the move gets solidified in the next month, when should we start looking for airfare? I know Christmas is high season in lots of places - are the cold parts of Europe included? Any other tips for non-seasoned international travelers?

Carol Sottili: If you're sure of your plans, may be a good idea to buy soon. Seems to me that fares are best either far in advance or close to travel. I just went online and found a fare of $686 to Geneva with Alitalia for Dec. 20-27. I think that anything under $700, including taxes, is good for Christmas travel. Cold weather places such as Switzerland are in demand at Christmas. Sign up for the services that alert you when fares have dropped. Go to www.kayak.com, www.orbitz.com and www.travelocity.com to sign up for their alert systems.

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Rockville, Md: We'll be traveling to Tucson in the near future, and were thinking about a side trip to Puerto Penasco, Mexico. But we've heard that it will soon be another Cancun. Are there other beaches in the vicinity we should consider?We are interested in beautiful beaches and nature.

Anne McDonough: We're throwing this one out to the crowd. Crowd?

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Bethesda, Md: Re: Critter Encounter,Last year while on a wonderful vacation to Costa Rica we stayed on the Pacific side of the country in a nice little cove, we were warned by our host to be careful not to get too close to the Howler monkeys that live in the trees or they will throw their poo at you. We were fortunate enough to see and hear them but definetly kept our distance!!

Anne McDonough: Okay, maybe I shouldn't have put "grossest" in the request for memorable critter encounters. Let's stick with the memorable part!

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I Love Lemurs!: Is Madagascar the only place one can see Lemurs in the wild? I've always thought they were adorable and it was sealed when I saw the BBC production about them hosted by John Cleese several years ago. He's also a Lemur-lover. figuratively speaking of course. I hope.

at any rate, is it dreadfully difficult to visit Madagascar or has tourism changed things? I think only my Brit friends have even heard of Madagascar.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: Yes. That's the only place. The infrastructure is still not very good and makes traveling pretty difficult.

WWF makes stops on our Indian Ocean Voyage but we don't venture much into the center of the island, but you do see lemurs on that trip during the day trips on land.

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scary fares, Va: ok. what is going on. fares are double (and more) on all routes i fly out of iad. is this a nationwide trend? an iad trend? a washington trend? should i buy now ( at the doubled fare) or wait until a week or two before leaving?

Carol Sottili: Independence Air is gone. Since they went under, fares out of Dulles have skyrocketed. I don't see any change in sight. As for whether you should buy, need more info, such as where, when, etc. Have you tried Reagan National or BWI?

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Bethesda, Md: Hey Crew!Thanks to your wonderful article I'm planning a trip to Key West in October. I'd like to do a dolphin interaction, what was the final word on the right place and way to go about that? Also, is it possible to go kayaking from Key West to see wild dolphins and other sea life? Thanks!

John Deiner: Hey, Beth. The Keys are the land of milk and honey when it comes to swimmin' with dolphins. In a recent special report on the Keys, Cindy Loose stopped in at the Dolphin Research Center and had a good experience there; it's a research facility geared toward interaction with the critters. Check www.dolphins.org. I'd definitely make an appointment ahead of time; there are a variety of ways you can interact with them for a wide range of prices.

Can't help you, alas, on the kayaking trip. Anyone out there know of such a thing?

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Frederick, Md: The funny critter story that I remember was in Kenya. A group of us took a safari through Kenya (mostly Samburu and Masai Mara). After our first evening drive in Samburu, as we approached the lodge, baboons were sitting on flat rocks in front the the lodge entrance. They had no desire to move out of the way. They just sat on the rocks. Our driver explained to us that since Kenya nights were cool and the rocks collected heat during the day, the baboons would sit on them to keep warm in the evenings. After spending a night in a villa at Mt. Kenya Safari Club, when we left in the morning, I glanced back at the villa as I walked away and sure enough, there sat a baboon on top of the chimney! After seeing the big, bad baboons trying to keep their bottoms warm, I have never quite thought they were so big and bad!

Anne McDonough: Warm bottoms: Those baboons have the right idea.

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Harrisburg, Pa: RE: Brussels

It's been a long time since I've been there (1990), but there's an organization called Arau Tours that still conducts architectural Art Nouveau and Art Deco tours of the city. If you're really into Art Nouveau, I'd also recommend the (Victor) Horta Museum (one of the founders of the Nouveau movement, the museum is his house).

There's an awful lot of tackiness and kitsch in Brussels, and lots of ugly mid-20th century office buildings for NATO and the EU, but the older architecture is spectacular (and I don't mean the Grand Place, which I found WAY too gaudy).

Gary Lee: I agree with you on all counts. I recommend the architecture tours and think the Grand Palace is over-rated.

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Arlington, Va: Hi Crew -

Thanks for your great issue on Sunday focusing on how to see wildlife. Clearly, and very sadly, time is of the essence for viewing many of these species in the wild. Particularly the Polar Bear.

Can you recommend the best US or Canadian national parks for wildlife viewing? No particular species, but the greater the scope, the better for my five year old. My family would like to go this summer to perhaps the Banff area or maybe Jackson Hole and we don't want to break the budget. Thanks!

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: From my experience in the Northwest, you see the biggest variety of wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, but it can get quite crowded along the road system there in July and August, especially if a brown bear is nursing her cubs next to the road and the elk are bedded down just down the road....

The key here again is to keep your distance and not try to get the 'best picture'! Let the wildlife go it's natural course.

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Washington, DC: I have an entry for the critter encounter contest:

My wife and I were on a charter scuba-diving boat in the Andaman Sea off of Thailand. The A/C had gone out on the boat so we were sleeping fitfully with the windows open as the boat steamed overnight to the Similan islands.

At some point in the night it started to rain so I reached up to slide the cabin window shut. Shortly after I laid back down, I heard/sensed a slap on the pillow right between my head and my wife's. Not really thinking clearly, I reached over to see what it was, only to place my hand directly on something wriggly and wet.

Instinctively I flung whatever it was to the other end of the cabin and sat bolt upright. There was a little chirping sound. I explained to my groggy wife that I thought there was a frog in the cabin (yeah, right), but when we turned the cabin light on my fears were confirmed; the frog turned out to be a bat.

I chased my wife out into the passageway after handing her a sheet to cover herself with. The bat followed her by flopping over the threshhold. Ignoring her pleas to let her back in I insisted on a cabin check for further bats. When none jumped out of the cracks I let her back in and we closed the door.

She wanted me to go out and open the back passageway door to the lower deck, releasing the hapless bat. But the bat was waiting just outside the door and tried to get back in to our cabin. We had to leave it stranded in the passageway. The next morning it was gone.

Breakfast was pleasantly free from mysterious protein.

Anne McDonough: Wriggly, wet bat: The stuff of nightmares.

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Bowie, Md: Hey crew! Re: the Amer West comment earlier....same thing happened to me yesterday afternoon on a Spirit flight into DCA at about 3:45 pm...maybe something was happening we weren't supposed to know about? Also, wanted to get your opinion about protocol in asking your unknown seat-mate to shut off his 'electronic device' during landing (specifically a card playing electronic game). I did everything but tell the flight attendant.Finally, just wanted to give ya a heads up on an AMAZING deal: Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach. Ate there last Friday and ordered a plate full (18?) of fresh, delicious, fried oysters. Here's the deal:$6.95. Yep, seems there's not a great demand for them there....unbelievable!

Carol Sottili: Interesting, although I think if something were going on that lasted from Thursday-Sunday, we would know about it. At least I hope we would know about it. Anyone else out there have this experience in the past few days?

As for electronic device, I would have said, very sweetly, "You may not have heard the pilot announce that it's time to turn off all electronic devices." And then, if he didn't respond to my hint, I'd tell the flight attendant.

And could you please get me a plate of those oysters right now? I haven't had lunch!

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San Francisco, Calif: I have a honeymoon question for the crew. We're getting married at the end of May, and we really really wanted to go to Zanzibar for our honeymoon. However, my fiance is British, so with all the immigration hoops we need to jump through, it's going to be a real pain to leave the country until probably the fall.

We thought we might take a domestic 'mini-moon' right after the wedding. We've never been to Hawaii before and thought this might be a great chance. Given that we like hiking and good restaurants more than sitting on the beach, could you recommend an island and potentially some hotels or some package deals? We'd like this to be nice, but not horribly expensive given that we're saving for Zanzibar!

Gary Lee: If hiking is what turns you on, I don't think you can beat Kauai. For lodging options all over the island, check out www.alternative-hawaii.com

Aloha!

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: If you had ten days to spend between your arrival in Sarajevo, Bosnia and your departure from Split, Croatia this upcoming May, how would you allocate those days and where would you stop along the way? I should add that three of those days will definitely be in Sarajevo because we're visiting a friend there, but that leaves seven days for Dubrovnik, Split, and points in between. How many nights should we spend in each? Where should we visit in between? How many islands should we stop at - one or two? Which ones? Help!

KC Summers: Hi CH, that's a tough one. So much to see and do there -- it can be frustrating. With seven days, I would split my time equally between Split, Dubrovnik and one island. I mean, you could cram in more islands but I'm a firm believer in settling down a bit and getting to know a place at least a little. Dubrovnik, obviously, is gorgeous and amazing and you could happily spend the whole seven days there. Ditto with the islands -- I spent a couple days on Korcula and was so glad I did. But the best surprise was Split, with not only the amazing Diocletian's Palace -- a world heritage site -- but a fun and frisky nightlife scene on the palm-lined pedestrian promenade. Finally, if you can squeeze in a trip to Zagreb, do it -- it's a wonderful mix of medieval and hip.

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Silver Spring, Md: Hi there. Just wanted to say thanks for the CoGo depressing news on European flights this summer. I've been looking for two months and haven't caught a break. On the bright side, and I know this chat seems geared to the do it your selfer, never underestimate the power of a good travel agent. I called ours and she booked us to Europe with lodging for three nights in London and three in Paris for about 1600 per person. That's including the chunnel and roundtrip airfare. Sometimes the internet travel gods smile upon us and other times it's better to reach for the phone and call the experts.

Carol Sottili: Travel agents sometimes have access to cheaper flights when they're twinned with hotel. Did you try booking the same package separately via the airline Web site and hotel Web site? That's how I figure out whether a deal is a deal - I stack up the tour operator or agent package against the same components booked separately.

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Falls Church, Va: Hi Crew -

I am leaving my job and taking the spring and summer off -- lucky me! During this hiatus, I'd like to do as much low-cost travel as possible. Fortunately for me, my parents live in the Saratoga and Adirondacks area of New York State and we will be up that way for 4 weeks this summer. I grew up there and have also been to the nearby vacation spots including Lake Champlain/Burlington, VT, Montreal, Boston, the Finger Lakes region, and coastal ME. What other outdoorsy destinations are easily reached from that neck of the woods and aren't budget-breakers? We have a 5 year old daughter who likes to swim daily. Thanks for your help.

Steve Hendrix: Let's throw this out for our many N'eastern readers. But ceratiainly you've got lots to chose from: Baxter State Park in Maine, the Bay of Fundy and the islands off of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Readers?

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Alexandria, Va : Going to Oahu for 9 days next month (spring break), staying at the famed Hale Koa military resort. The in-laws are going along too and keep telling me they want to make a day jaunt to another island, maybe the Big Island? I've checked and this could cost $1000 for us all to go for a day, any suggestions on this idea or advice on how to do it (or just tell us not to, if that's the best answer!).

Thank you in advance! I lovvvve this chat!

John Deiner: Hey, Al. And ack. I'd say definitely no to a day jaunt to another island from Oahu. Too expensive, and the Big Island in one day is just, I dunno, a waste of money. Too much to see in one day, and you're just going to be bummed when you have to get back on the plane. Isn't there any way you can spend two or three days there?(Since you're going to be there for nine total.)

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Maui, Hawaii: We - two women, a doctor and English teacher - want to take

our 18-year-old daughter to South America for her

graduation trip and would like to volunteer for service work

somewhere during the months of July and August, plus see

wildlife. We mostly speak Spanish. We can afford the trip, but

not extraordinary costs for tour-guide led excursions by

Smithsonian and Sierra Club, plus we like to find our own

way. (We have previous experience in Africa and Asia) Do you

know of any places that could use us for a week or two?

Mahalo, jule

Anne McDonough: This sounds like a wonderful twist on the graduation trip idea. We're throwing it out to the crowd--anyone have South America volunteer experience they can recommend?

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Washington, D.C.: I'm traveling to the Pacific Northwest at the end of May with my sister to celebrate her college graduation. We're planning to visit the Portland/Seattle/San Juan and Vancouver Island region. Any ideas for must-see or must-do activities in that area for two 20-something girls? Wildlife tourism? Neither of us have visited that area of the country before, so we're not sure where to start. Thanks!

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: I would recommend whale watching in the San Juan Islands, but be aware that in late May the weather often is rainy and cold.

The Olympic Peninsula is also a spectacular place for hiking and experience the coastal rain forest - with emphasis on 'rain'!

Seattle is definitely a fun place to spend a couple of days for the '20-something' crowd.

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Virginia: I was thinking about planning a longish weekend in Paris this Spring - so far pricing (for a 3-star hotel) I've gotten about $800/person for 2 people for flight and hotel. Do you think flights will go down in the next couple of weeks? I know prices go way up once the summer season actually starts. Do you know when exactly they go up? Or do they just increase every week until it's prime season?Thank you!!

Carol Sottili: Spring is fast approaching. I don't think it's going to get much cheaper than that. Flights go up sometime from very end of May into the first two weeks of June, depending on carrier/sales/etc.

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Silver Spring, Md: 1. Anyone with any opinions of Lac Megantic? Its in the Eastern Townships of Canada - somewhere between Maine and Quebec City. Would you recommend it to a family with small kids looking for a summer vacation in the French speaking part of Canada. Any tips on where to stay?

2. In the eternal quest for cheap but nice hotels in NYC ... don't forget about the Skyine Hotel (10th & 49). $10 parking (website still says $8) and an indoor pool (with quirky hours). Also, the Embassy Suites (free drinks and breakfast) in lower Manhattan can often be found on hotwire.

Anne McDonough: Ya've got us there--chatsters, anyone want to weigh in? And thanks for the NYC hotel tips!

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Washington, D.C.: On a trip to Belize - we had just gone to sleep -we were exhausted - when I had a dream that my earring had come to life - I woke up - reached my hand up (gently) and grasped something wiggly (???) I turned the light on and it was a tree frog! It turned out that while I had been reading with the night light, several had wiggled in through the cracks in the wall to warm them selves in the heat of the night light. I always kept a watchful eye out for them after that and I don't believe there were any casualties.

Anne McDonough: Good thing it didn't wiggle into your ear.

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Germany: hi,going to Munich and Berlin in the Fall. Anything not to miss? Hotel suggestions? we may have a car for a few days to do some side trips, any good drives (1 hour or so) from either city?

Danke!

Gary Lee: The two must-do day trips from Munich are the Ludwig's castle (it has over the top decor) and Garmisch-Partenkirchen (an Alps town dripping with charm.)

From Berlin, I'd strongly recommend a trip to Potsdam.

Anyone else with ideas in or outside of these two German cities?

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Washington, D.C.: salut gurus! the wild life I'm after is black truffles and French language. However, I have to back in the capital city by the first day of spring, March 22. Ideas welcomed. Please help me get a great airfare to Paris or Brussels ASAP -- I'll leave day after tomorrow or whenever the best deal dictates.merci beaucoup

Carol Sottili: Try www.site59.com.

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Buzzard Point, Washington, D.C.: While hiking in Oregon with my girlfriend, we took an excursion to a "seal beach" where the guide books promised the sight of seals "gallumphing" along the waters edge.

After much trudging through deep, wet sand - I launched into a tirade about how the book was wrong.

My grilfriend shut me up by pointing out the 2 dozen seals we were about 20 feet away.

She's now my fiancee and refers to my awkward movements as gallumphing...

Anne McDonough: Gallumphing. I like that.

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Galapagos Islands: I'm travelling to the Galapagos Islands this summer to go diving. Most of our time seeing wildlife will be underwater, but we'll also do some land excursions as well. I sm very excited about this trip and have been looking forward to it for a long time. There seems to be a lot of discussion about how to make travel to the Galapagos ecologically sensitive. What is your take on the Galapagos conundrum? Is it the tourism or the influx of South American workers that's the real problem? Is there a harmonious balanace between scientific needs, tourism and migration from the mainland?

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: Great question and it would take me a long time to answer in detail.

But if you go to our website at http://worldwildlife.org/wildplaces/galapagos/projects.cfm

you will see a lot of info on the threats and some of the possible solutions in Galapagos.

Your one question: South American Worker influx is definitely related to increased tourism, yet tourism is the incentive to conserve the islands and their amazing biodiversity. But please browse our website for more detail and travel with a good tour operator who follows the strict rules that have been established for exploring the marine reserves.

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Madrid via Zurich: Dear Flight Crew, I'd like to comment about the chatter last week that was concerned about her connection in Zurich on the way to Madrid. Someone said that Zurich and Madrid are both in the EU and therefore the chatter would only have to pass through customs once. This is not true for two reasons. (1) Switzerland is NOT part of the European Union (2) not all EU countries have free borders. Those countries with open borders belong to the SCHENGEN Agreement. There are 15 countries who belong to the group. Although Switzerland has approved to join the group by popular referendum, the country has yet to implement the policy (maybe in October 2007).

So the person will have to pass through immigration in Zurich and in Madrid, just like others who go to Madrid via London.

Gary Lee: Thanks for that information.

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Washington DC: During the summer of 2002, we drove cross country from Berkeley to Washington. We stopped in South Dakota and decided to visit one of the state parks. Wild mules roamed the park, the descendants of pack mules from several decades ago. Unfortunately, people were feeding them from their vehicles, and they had become reliant on humans.

A mule came up to our car, but we had the windows up and the a/c on. The mule was quite insistent on trying to stick his head in the car, and kept pressing up against the window. Finally we saw a line of snot roll down the window. We were sufficiently grossed out, and stopped to get our car washed on the way out of town.

I've got a picture of that, too!

Anne McDonough: Ah, mule snot: Slightly more appealing than scat.

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Cliffs of Moher: My suggestion for the Cliffs of Moher is to take a boat to see the cliffs, in addition to hiking up. Much better views of the cliffs themselves.

Also, in the same area, visit the Burren for some pretty views and there's a deep natural cave in the area which was a fascinating tour. But not too much wildlife anywhere.

Anne McDonough: For the Ireland-bound...

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Waimanalo, Hawaii: To the traveler heading for the Hale Koa and wondering about the Big Island - check with http://www.kmc-volcano.com to see if they have any openings while you're there. If you are eligible to stay at the Hale Koa, you are eligible to stay at KMC, too. It's inside the Park and very much worth the jaunt from O'ahu to the volcano, but stay at least a couple of days!

John Deiner: Oh, don't we all want to be there now?! Good stuff, WH. Thanks for chiming in.

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Arlington, Va: K.C. and/or Steve, I have two questions about Belize and Guatemala travel safety. First, I've read the Sate Dept. warnings on Guatemala. How does the Tikal area fare? Second, how bad are mosquitos in that area and San Ignacio. Is malaria a major concern? Enjoyed both your articles on these countries! Thanks!

KC Summers: Hi Arl. The warnings about Tikal turned out to be scarier than the actual experience. The inn where I was staying across the border in Belize took all kinds of precautions for our day trip there -- we had to leave really early in the a.m. in order to get back to Belize before nightfall, because of the danger of attacks by bandits on the road. And there had been recent attacks on tourists on the Tikal grounds, so we were cautioned not to trek through the jungle alone. We did hire a guide and had no problems.

Had no problems at all with mosquitoes -- this was in spring.

Steve Hendrix: K.C.'s been to Tikal since I have been, so she gets the final word on that. Elsewhere in Guatemala, security is a mixed bag. There was a spat of roadblock robberies a few years ago, including violent ones, that drew a State Department advisory. But those seemed to have petered out; at least I haven't heard of one in recent years. Elsewhere, keep your eyes open and avoid dark empty streets in Antigua (and certainly in the capital, if you go there at all). The big news lately is of vigilante backlash against gang violence. That's scary, but probably doesn't effect tourists at all.

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Washington, D.C.: Vienna, Zurich, Milan, or Madrid?? I'm flying with frequent flyer miles to Germany this spring, but no return flights are available from German cities on the date I want to return. So, I'll do an open jaw and take a cheap flight to another city and fly home from there. The question is, which city?! My plan is to go to a city I haven't been to before (one of these listed above) -- arrive late afternoon/early eve on a Friday night and depart for the states early afternoon the next day. For these cities, can you say anything about quick accessibility to the airport, cheap accomodation, and evening events or museums open late? It will be the first weekend in May. Any recommendations? Thanks so much.

Gary Lee: Given your interests (affordability, museums, access to the airport) I would suggest Madrid. You can get to/from the airport by metro, find a good hotel for not too many euros, the museums are excellent and the city never sleeps.

None of your other options offer all of these things so easily.

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is there a Euro-orbitz?: Or do I have to search all the euro carriers (easyjet, ryanair, etc.) separately?

Anne McDonough: Try openjet.com--it doesn't include all of them, but many are listed.

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For Punta Cana: Since I can't imaging going anywhere like that and not finding a way to dive...you are right that the word on Punta is that the diving is bad, but it is worth the trip to dive at Isla Catalina and Isla Saona which are about 1 1/2 hours away.

John Deiner: Excellent diving tidbits there. I'm betting they can take a bus or cab there, or again, maybe some sort of excursion from the concierge desk, no?

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Davis, Calif: My animal encounter was on a church mission trip probably ten years ago to Texas. We were working on a Habitat for Humanity home refurbishing and next door was a litter of puppies. All of these puppies were neglected and flea-ridden, among other things no doubt. For whatever reason, one caught our eye. It was very sick. We took it to a local vet clinic, multiple times, for shots and to be patched up (all on some church volunteer's credit card) and kept it with us the entire trip. We even snuck it into Bennigan's for dinner one night. At the end of the trip, we took the dog home to Kansas with us, placed an ad in the church bulletin, and a family adopted him. He was our Lucky. I actually think the family ended up calling him Lucky Joe.

Anne McDonough: Now THAT is a good souvenir.

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Lorton, Va: My most memorable animal encounter has to in Costa Rica. I'm sure others have expierenced poo-throwing howler monkeys, so that might not be prize winning. But, there were coati spottings everywhere, they are like white tail deer down there. Everyone pulls over to the side of the road and gets out their camera. My favorite picture from a coati pack spotting is one where some lady chased the coati across the road, cornered it, then tried to pet it. She was old enough to know that wild animals are, well, wild, but apparently stupid enough to try it. Final score: Stupid lady: 0, Coati: 1

Anne McDonough: Silly lady, coati aren't pets.

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Southington, Conn: I'm a big fan of the chat and appreciate all the good info you give. My husband is burned out from years of business travel, but he's okay with me taking trips, especially within the US. I end up going alone for a variety of reasons. Are there package companies for solo travelers? (I snore so I should probably have my own room since My Favorite Snorer is snoring at home.) Or even a SideStep-like website, last minute bargains that solo travelers can take? Thanks!

KC Summers: Hi South. Good for you for heading out on your own. As for single travel specialists, I always fantasize about taking a solo trip with Backroads. I like their emphasis on nature and the trips rather than the solo-ness. Pricey, though. Other companies that are strictly singles oriented: Connecting Solo Travel Network, cstn.com; Going Solo, goingsolotravel.com; Singles Travel International, singlestravelintl.com. There's also Travel Chums, which is related to Shaw Guides (which we like) and which lets you place ads to find travel companions (to avoid the dreaded singles supplement).

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Washington, D.C.: The windjammer deal mentioned in the specials section seems great. Can you tell me more about the way they operate? do the passengers get to 'work' on the ship? is there a lot of forced socializing amongst the passengers (bad, bad cruise experience).

Carol Sottili: I haven't been on one, but I hear Windjammer cruises are very relaxed - no dress code, no rules, very laid back. They are fairly social, and attract a youngish crowd. They are not a tall ship experience where you get to work with the crew. Anyone out there been on one?

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Reston, Va: Greetings to fellow wildlife-lovers and our friends at WWF. If it isn't a conflict of interest, I'm hoping you will alert your readers that in addition to WWF's excellent travel program, and Smithsonian's (which was mentioned in Sunday's Travel Section), the National Wildlife Federation also has a program dedicated to taking small groups of travelers to view wildlife. Traveling with organizations like WWF or NWF is a great way to see wildlife and learn more about the wonders of the natural world. Our program is at www.nwf.org/expeditions. And thanks for an excellent series of articles about travel and wildlife...maybe it could be an annual feature?!

Dan Gifford, Manager, National Wildlife Federation, Expeditions Travel Program

KC Summers: Hi Dan, Thanks for reminding us about your great program. Readers, take heed. And yes, it would be great to do this issue once a year... I've got dibs on lemurs!

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Fortaleza, Brazil: Shortly after I met my future wife while working in Rio, we were walking in the beautiful large Tijuca Park just outside of the city. Suddenly she yelled, "Cobra!" I jumped several feet in the air (or so it seemed). At a time like that one doesn't necessarily calmly think, "Wait, there are no cobras in Brazil." I looked down and saw a harmless garter-type snake several inches long. My wife informed me that "cobra" is Portuguese for snake. Her turn came a few years later, in a safari camp in Swaziland, when we were in a dirt-floor tent (well furnished, I should add), and she wouldn't set foot on the ground all night long, for fear or snakes or ants that might be crawling through.

Anne McDonough: Cobra or "cobra," I'm with your wife: I'm not a snake fan.

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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: Hi,We're going to Jamaica at the end of this month and are interested in swimming with dolphins. However, I've heard that some excursion companies/facilities mistreat the dolphins. Can you recommend some responsible outfits or give us tips on things to do/avoid if we take one of these trips?

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: I don't know of any operators there, but as I mentioned to one of the people on this chat before you want to make sure that the operator does not harass, feed or tame wild dolphins. That often means that you cannot get as close to the animals, but it is the environmentally senstive thing to do. These are wild animals and not pets.

If you want to get really close to a dolphin and touch it, it is best to go to an adventure/educational facility and not in the wild.

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Arlington, Va: Going to Paris for a quickie trip 3/31 - 4/4. Do you know if Giverny is worth the trip that time of year (and the time, given we don't have a lot of it)? I have been before and loved it but don't want to kill 1/2 day for it if the gardens won't be spectacular.

Also, Louvre tickets -- worth it to buy early online?

Gary Lee: I love Giverny but would say that the garden probably won't be in full blossom until later in the Spring or summer. For that short a time, best to do something else, like Chartres or Versailles.

As for the Louvre, in high season you definitely save wait time by booking on line. But March/early April is early enough in the season that the lines there should not be so long.

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Charlottesville, Va: On a tour of the Rock of Gibralter, I was pretty much the only one obeying the signs saying not to approach or feed the Barbary macaques. But, while walking down a long stone stairway to the bottom of the hill, I encountered a pair of monkeys grooming each other right in the middle of the stairway. There was no way around them, so after making a lot of noise so as not to startle them, I approached. They sprang up, apparently startled anyway, and one of them jumped onto the ledge on one side of the stairs. As I walked past him (or her), he reached out, grabbed my nearest hand, brought it to his mouth, bit it, and then flung it away. (And he really did fling it; maybe he didn't like the taste.) A pharmacist in the town assured me that the monkeys are semi-tame and are vaccinated against everything. Don't know if that was true, but I'm still here 10 years later.

Anne McDonough: Monkey see, monkey bite. Glad you're okay!

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Frederick, Md: It's not technically in the wild, but if you ever travel to Kenya, the Mt. Kenya Safari Club has an animal orphanage which takes care of injured and baby animals. For a small fee, you can enter the orphanage. When I was there, they had a primate maternity ward where three or four lemurs had given birth. They and their young were were in a large protected cage where they were allowed to bond. An attendent told me that they frequenty had lemurs in the orphanage.

KC Summers: Ooh, thanks. Another add for my must-do list -- I'm on a lemur kick.

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Silver Spring, Md: I'm going to Oahu in April for, I kid you not, three days. (Well, with two other half days - flying out on a Wednesday, coming back on a Sunday.) Got any suggestions for what three 30ish, easily-entertained women with scuba certificates should do for three days in Hawaii?

Steve Hendrix: Go diving? Actually, I know Oahu pretty well, but I don't know where the good diving would be. Anyone?

Otherwise, you'll feel oblidged to spend an hour or two at Waikiki, and maybe hiking up Diamondhead, but make time for the truly wonderful Honolulu Academy of Arts (downtown) and drive (top-down!) up to the north shore. Have a wonderful burger at Kua Aina sandwiches on the main drag through Haleiwa and drive on around to Sunset Beach. Lots to do on Oahu....

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holy taxes!: I wanted to go to Norway with my 2 year old over easter to

visit my sister, and our fares were $439 each on SAS, but

taxes were another $570! So basically $700+ each, what we

are used to paying in the summer season. Why????? I WISH

airlines would bundle the fees so one doesn't emotionally

commit to a low fare, then get sticker shock.

Carol Sottili: That's a typo, right? You mean taxes were another $270? Even that sounds high. Most fares to Norway at that time of year are about $450 to $500 round trip, plus taxes ranging from about $105 to $197. Some airlines bundle the fuel surcharge with the taxes, while others include it in the base fare.

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croatia conundrum: 10 days:

3 in Sarajevo

2 in Dubrovnik (it's must-see, but once you've seen it you've seen it), stop in Mostar on the way.

3 on Hvar or Korcula (direct ferries from Dubrovnik), or 1 on Korcula, 2 on Hvar

2 in Split

That's all you've got time for, but you won't be disappointed in the slightest!

KC Summers: Or, maybe just two days on Hvar or Korcula and one day for Zagreb? Nah, i guess that doesn't make sense unless you're flying out of Zagreb, which I was -- and I was awfully glad to be able to spend my last day there, it added another whole dimension to the country.

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Memorable critter encounter!: Hi flight crew! I was visiting St. Thomas with my roommate and we were hanging out on the beach one day. My roomie had gotten too much sun, so she was lounging in a hammock that was strung between two palm trees, while I was laid out on the sand sunning myself. All of a sudden we heard some rustling in the leaves and heard something falling out of the trees and something fell on my roommates head. We were both startled and a little freaked out. We looked on the ground and saw what looked like black rocks, then my roommate noticed her shoulder was a bit dirty. Upon closer inspection, we saw a HUGE lizard on the branch above her head. Apparently it, umm, well, relieved itself on her and the "black rocks" were in fact from the lizard. It was gross! She was traumatized! To this day, I will not hide from the sun under a palm tree - I bring a beach umbrella.

Anne McDonough: You never know what's lurking in those palm trees...

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Re: Bosnia/Croatia: I live in Sarajevo and do the drive to Dubrovnik fairly often. It's worth a stop in Mostar to see the Stari Most (Old Bridge), and definitely stop in Jablanica on the way for grilled lamb. There's a bunch of roadside restaurants to try.

As for animal encounters, I recommend Leticia, Colombia (the Amazon). Our guide, an overgrown frat boy named Pablo, showed us the local grubs people eat for medicine, then ate a live one right in front of us. He then took us to a zoo to visit all sorts of gnarly animals, and made me hold a boa constrictor. Finally, he took us out to the Isla de Mikos (Monkey Island), where I was attacked by 8 monkeys, because the guide had put bananas in my pockets while I wasn't looking. While the monkeys swarmed, he put another banana on top of my head.

The real animal? Pablo.

KC Summers: Beware of tour guides bearing bananas, I always say.

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Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: I am traveling to Turkey - on the south coast around Antalya and then Istanbul - at the end of March. Do you, or any chatters, have any tips on not-to-be-missed experiences? Thanks.

Steve Hendrix: I loved the coast town of Bodrum, DC, an easy reach from the excellent ruins of Ephesus. Do the ruins, and Bodrum is a great seaside town for a day or two eating and wandering.

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Washington, DC: A comment: Public transport costs in this area have gone insane for getting to and from any area airport other than National-Reagan, and I wanted to mention that and the continuing lack of practical mass transport to get to Dulles, except for the one bus that runs about once an hour from just one stop in downtown and never has enough room.When Fly-i was still in business, it cost me more to take a cab the few miles from NW DC to Dulles ($45 before tip) than it did to fly from Dulles all the many miles to Syracuse or Buffalo. Even the airport vans to Dulles cost around $25 or $30, and sometimes they take two and a half hours because they drive around picking up so many other people. The "option" of taking a bus to Metro, then Metro to another bus, and then that bus to Dulles is absurdly time-consuming; awkward if one has luggage; and still costs a chunk o' change. BWI of course is even worse.

John Deiner: Hey, DC. Rant duly noted. I think anyone who needs to go to BWI or Dulles on a regular basis feels your pain. Yeah, it's easy to say "Take Amtrak to BWI, then a bus, yada yada," but it is extremely time consuming. Much easier to hop off a subway train and take a skybridge into a terminal. Great point about flying Independence vs. cab fare to the airport. Thanks for venting.

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Elephant : Not my story but my sister's & her husband's -- they were feeding the animals in the Colorado zoo, because it was empty and the zoo-keepers thought their daughter was cute. They gave the giraffe's a treat and this apparently made the elephants jealous. Before they knew it, the elephants began flinging poo at them! My bro-in-law dove in front and protected the rest, so he was just covered in it!

For years, I'd ask my niece to "tell me a story about elephant poop" and her eyes would just light up!

Anne McDonough: Can you imagine if we humans threw poop when jealous? Good lord.

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Euro-carriers: Another good site for European airlines is www.skyscanner.net!

KC Summers: We haven't used this, but we'll check it out.

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Bethesda, Md: I have a story for you... I was in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica last year wandering through the park checking out all the wildlife. (I saw a momma and baby sloth! The coolest thing ever!) Anyway, we came across a huge pack of spider monkeys so we stopped, watched them for awhile and moved a little closer to take a couple of pictures. All of the sudden one practically flew out of a tree at me and tried to rip the bag I was carrying out of my hand. I was stunned, I knew that the monkeys would jump out of the trees while people were in the ocean and steal their unsupervised belongings but I didn't think they were brazen enough to try to rip my bag from my hands. So I stood there yanking my bag back and forth with this little 2 foot tall monkey who was wailing and squealing at me the whole time. It took all I had to not kick the thing back into the trees from where it came. Finally my boyfriend took the bag from both of us and the monkey went back into the tree staring and squealing at us until we had walked far enough away.

Anne McDonough: Monkey see, monkey grab.

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Washington, D.C.: The A Section story on Bratislava was pretty neat. Any idea what it would be like for two 20-something women to go there (as opposed to herds of British men on bachelor party weekends)? Cheap sounds good...

Gary Lee: I love this city. It has a funky dining/nightlife scene that I think would appeal to you. It also has a lovely opera if that interests you. If I were you, I'd probably couple a stay there with a visit to the lovely Slovak spa town of Piestany or to Prague.

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animal encounter: I was hiking near Kanchanaburi in Thailand when a Komodo Dragon chanced upon my path. He was about 5 feet long and 10 feet in front of me. He didn't seem too freaked out by me--can't say the same-- so we surveyed each other for a minute before he went on his merry way!

Carol Sottili: You fared better than Sharon Stone's then-husband, Phil Bronstein, who was chomped upon by one of those dragons, if you recall.

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Bethesda, Md: Is there a place where I can find out eco friendly tours endorsed by organizations like the WWF? Specifically, I'm looking for something in the Carribean, where I can take pictures of the wildlife, and I don't want some phony "green" tour which is the equivalent of a "horse ride" that consists of the horse being led around a corral by someone on foot.

Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf: WWF does not do a certification program of 'responsible companies' but we list a good number of trips around the world related to wildlife viewing on our website:

http://worldwildlife.org/travel/index.cfm

Or you could learn more about responsible tourism at:

sustainabletravel.com or ecotourism.org

They list questions you should ask a tour operator to determine how responsible they are before booking your trip.

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Arlington, Va: We have a trip to Greece planned in late April for 8 days in Greece. The majority of the time will be spent operating out of a rented house near Lamia and spending the final 2 days in Athens. We are planning to take day trips from the house. Thus far we only have a day trip to Delphi planned but would like to see other trips that would allow for time to go, visit and return to the house in the evening. Can you recommend some other towns, sights experiences that would be possible working out of this location? Would like to make it to a few islands but I hear the ferries are less reliable in the non-summer months. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated as we are quite open in our planning.

Gary Lee: I have traveled to several of the islands in the Cyclades in he off season and found that the ferries were not wildly off schedule. I particularly liked Tinos and Syros.

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Waimanalo, Hawaii: Silver Spring - lots of tour companies happy to take you on a suba adventure. They are all over Waikiki and beyond. Have you ever thought about snorkeling at Hanauma Bay in East Oahu? Lucky you're coming next month: all the beaches windward side are closed after our recent rains/floods/sewage problems! 'Nuff about that.

Steve Hendrix: That's good advice...

KC Summers: Just remember that Hanauma Bay can get incredibly crowded -- like Jones Beach at the height of summer -- so plan this one for the off season.

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No Oahu Scuba!: You can't fly, scuba dive, and fly again within 3 days! You'll get the bends!!!

Steve Hendrix: But this might be better...

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Rochester, NY: Ok, picture this. We were in Mycenae, in one of these Tholos tombs (some describe as a beehive). There was a stray dog wandering around outside. As we entered, the dog followed us in, and proceeded straight to a spot and started digging, frantically. Dirt was flying all over the place, the digging sound was being echoed (if you stand in the center of the beehive, you can hear loud and clear something whispered from the edge), and we were transfixed - this being a tomb and all, and there being many archaeological digs going on all over Greece...we did not know what was going to, uh, come out. Some humorous pictures later (we gathered around the busy puppy and made exaggerated facial expressions of wonder and surprise, as if something was unearthed), we exitted the tomb - followed by the dog. This dog proceeded to follow us to and in/out of a couple more tombs, and finally wandered off (must've found what it came for).

KC Summers: Hmm, a devil dog?

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RE: The Monkey Jungle: In addition to also being a Miami native, I too have been the recipient of flying monkey poo at the Monkey Jungle. The best part of that place was the sign right at the entrance that informed visitors that being hit by monkey feces should be anticipated. If I remember correctly, the sign was inside the gate and could only be read after paying your admission.

I don't think the Monkey Jungle is still in business. I wonder why?

John Deiner: Good news! I just called Monkey Jungle, and the place appears is still open! So if you're hankering to be hit by monkey poo, you can head to South Florida for the privilege.

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Anne McDonough: Seems like there are more folks out there who've been slimed on, pooped on and stolen from by animals than I'd have thought. But I couldn't stop laughing thinking about the baboons sitting on hot stones to keep their bottoms warm. So Frederick, send your info to mcdonougha@washpost.com and we'll get those trinkets out to you. Thanks, Dr. Klenzendorf, for joining us, and to you all for joining in--and be sure to come back next Monday!

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