The Galapagos, English B&Bs, rising costs for flights to Boston/Atlanta, Spring Break memories and more.
The Flight Crew
Washington Post Travel Section
Monday, April 3, 2006
2:00 PM
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 today is Johannah E. Barry , president of theGalapagos Conservancy, in Falls Church, Va. Barry, who travels twice a year to the Galapagos, will field questions and comments.
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.
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KC Summers: Hey everyone, welcome to today's chat. We've got a real skeleton crew flying this crate today, with many of the staff off (of all things) traveling, so we'll be counting on you guys more than ever to pitch in. On board with me are Travel staffers Anne McDonough, Andrea Sachs and Cindy Loose -- plus our special guest, Johanna E. Barry, president of the nonprofit Galapagos Conservancy, based in Falls Church. Johanna goes to the Galapagos twice a year, so if you've always wanted to make this dream trip of a lifetime, here's your chance to ask an expert.
Meanwhile, I'm editing a story for next week on a 21-year-old college kid's spring break in Las Vegas, and he had quite a time. QUITE a time. I was one of those wacky college kids who actually worked during spring break, so I don't have my own experience to draw on here. So I'm wondering -- what's the best spring break you ever had, and why? Keep your stories short and clean, folks, and you could win our prize: a cotton Cezanne tote bag and cute blank notebook to put in it. The bag is actually pretty flimsy, but it has a neat Cezanne logo, and the notebook is a nice little hardback. We'll throw in a TripStalker.com T-shirt to fill it out.
Let's go!
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Washington, DC: Why are flights to Atlanta so expensive? we had to pay $200 per ticket while flying to Florida is $150.
Cindy Loose: It costs more to fly to Atlanta than to Florida because there is less competition to Atlanta. If it makes you feel better, $200 is pretty good if you mean roundtrip. At least $50 of that is probably taxes and fees, leaving $150 for the airline, or $75 each way. A bus probably costs that much.
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New Jersey to Galapagos: I was so thrilled to see your Galapagos articles online today -- I'll be heading there the first week of June on a 16-person boat with the Canadian company GAP Adventures, which I chose because they seemed in tune with being careful with the environment, something really important to me. I'll be visiting the same 5 islands that were in the article. What can I do, as just one person, to make sure I'm a good guest and treat the islands well during my trip? And where can I see the wacky blue-footed boobies?
Johannah E. Barry: I can speak very positively about GAP adventures. They are an excellent company that make a strong effort to give back to the community. As one person, you can do a lot. Please follow your guides instructions, stay on the paths, ask hard questions, visit the Research Station, and let me hear from you when you get back! Oh, and you'll see boobies everywhere. johannah
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Dupont, Washington, D.C.: Ms. Barry, can you talk at all about the changes, positive and negative, you've seen in ecotourism during your visits to the Galapagos?
Johannah E. Barry: Happy to. What I have immediately noticed is that not all ecotourism is the same. There are companies that fly an "ecotourism" flag, but give little back to the community and make little effort to practice what they preach on board. Savvy travelers need to dig deep and talk with organizations which working in the destination areas you will be visiting to see what money, activity, and resources are really hitting the ground. Positively, travelers to the Galapagos are well informed and engaged. Negatively, tourism is not as well policed as it needs to be and things are fraying a bit at the edges. But staying vigilent as a traveler is the best we can all do. johannah
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Dallas, Tex (formerly Columbia, MD!): Thanks for the great chats - they are always informative and entertaining! I'm submitting this question in advance since I will be in a meeting this afternoon...
I am traveling to Paris next month (yay!) with my husband, sister and brother-in-law. It will be our second time in Europe, their first. I'm concerned that the recent rioting might make for a less than pleasant trip if it continues. Any idea what effect the current events are having on tourism in Paris? I'm not really concerned for our safety at this point (should I be?) as much as our ability to get around and enjoy the city. I am glad that we sprung for the cancellation waiver just in case!
KC Summers: Hey Dallas. Glad you've continued your Post habit down there! Did you see our item on Paris in yesterday's print edition? The French embassy here says that while further protests are possible, tourists have not been affected (well, I'd say the ones trying to go the Eiffel Tower the day it was closed were). We also checked with hoteliers and tour guides in Paris who said the demonstrations had a minimal effect on tourists. Note, though, that the U.S. State Dept. has advised folks to stay away from large crowds, as the French police have used tear gas.
Our own Gary Lee is in Paris right now, so check back next week when he's back, for a firsthand account.
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Virginia: From a dumb American: is Galapagos in the Ascension Islands or the Falklands Islands?
Johannah E. Barry: Neither, Galapagos lies 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and is its own archipelago.
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Monterey, Va.: I'll be travelling by rail in England in May and, though I have reservations in London, I'm wondering if I would be safe in waiting until I get into towns in the countryside before getting a room at hotels and B&B's. I'm thinking particularly of the areas around York and the Lake District.
Cindy Loose: If I were driving through the English countryside I would feel okay winging accommodations in May. But if you're taking the train and not planning on renting a car once you get there, I think that might be a little risky. With a car you can just pop in here and there until you find something you like at a price that appeals, but you don't want to be doing that in a cab. If your nightly destinations are really uncertain, so that booking a room means you'll lose spontaniety that you crave, then at least have some places close to the station in mind, and email them to ask the probability of their having last minute rooms.
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Washington DC: Hi guys,
I have a question about using your credit cards overseas - but not the normal question.
I was in England last week visiting friends. They don't live in a tourist town and in a couple of stores we went into there were signs saying as of Feb. 14, 2006 all credit cards must have a security chip to be used. According to my friends not only do the cards have chips but they also require pin numbers to be used.
I obviously don't have a chip in my card and was able to use my card every time I wanted to but is this something you've covered before and I've missed it? Also I wonder if down the road they'll start enforcing the chip requirement and then how will we use our cards?
Cindy Loose: You didn't miss anything I know of---this is news to me. But I'm going to check into it for possible mention in CoGo. I guess if everyone requires a chip and pin, we'll all have to get chips and pins, but let me check into this further. Thanks for the heads up.
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Galapagos: When is the best time of the year to visist the Galapagos?
Johannah E. Barry: Any time is great. The warmer season is December through March, its a bit cooler (meaning temps in the mid-70s as opposed to the 90s) in June-October. Summer is busy with a lot of schoolkids taking trips, and December and January are high season with people enjoying Christmas and New Year's in Galapagos. I like going anytime! Johannah
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West Warwick, R.I.: Our family is planning a vacation in Myrtle Beach in July. I have researched the cost of airfare from Providence to Myrtle Beach, Providence to Wilmington, NC and Providence to Raleigh-Durham.Flying directly to Myrtle cost about 450. We can fly into Raleigh -Durham the cheapest (250); however it is still a 3.5 hour drive. Wilmington will cost us 336 per person and mapquest tells me it is 1.5 hours from Myrtle Beach. I'm not crazy about driving 3.5 hours from Raleigh, so Wilmington seems to be a good compromise. Do you agree and do you have any alternatives I haven't though of? We will have 5 people in our party and we were planning on renting a minivan.
Thanks
Anne McDonough: Hey Warwick: the good news is that your starting point is a Southwest city, as is Raleigh-Durham, and Southwest does sometimes have some great fares. I feel your pain on the 3.5-hour drive, but if you're going for a week or more, I think the savings of almost $500 is well worth the extra time behind the wheel, even with gas prices being what they are--$250 for the flight seems rather good to me. If it's just a weekend you're going for, though, it's not worth the time, and Wilmington would make sense. Coming up is a link for our last piece on Myrtle Beach, just in case there are any golfers in your group. Anyone with first-hand Myrtle Beach airport knowledge want to weigh in?
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washingtonpost.com: Myrtle Beach: Greens for Less Green , (March 12, 2006)
Anne McDonough: For the Myrtle Beach-bound. Thanks, Kim!
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Washington, D.C.: Why is flying to BOSTON so expensive? Where are the commuter flights? I'm looking for the first weekend in May, if that makes a difference, travelling on Thursday night, returning Monday night. I'm talking $200 +.
Cindy Loose: You might find something cheaper for actual weekend travel, but leaving on a Thursday and returning on a Monday nigt puts you in competition with business travelers, some I'm afraid you'd have to get really luck to beat that price. In fact, I'd probably cost even more to go by train.
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Credit cards in England: I encountered the same thing when I was in England and Wales last Christmas. The stores that required the chip were able to manually enter my card - so I'm not sure that we'll all be forced to get new cards (yet!).
Cindy Loose: Interesting. Thanks.
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Arlington, Va: I've heard that some rental car agencies don't charge a drop fee if you pick up a car in one location, e.g., LA, and drop it off at another, e.g., SF. Do you have any information on this? Thanks.
Cindy Loose: I've never heard of a rental car agency that had a blanket policy of not charging a drop off fee. I have heard of agencies that waive the fee if they happen to have too many cars where you're starting from, and not enough cars where you're going to.
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Maryland: I am going to Las Vegas for the first time for a conference in a couple weeks. I'll gamble, but not much. What should I make sure I see/do? It seems like there's a million things to do ... I want to make sure I get to the good ones. Thanks!
KC Summers: I'm here to tell you there is hope for the non-gambler in Vegas. There are great museums, believe it or not (the Bellagio's is world-class, and the Guggenheim, in the Venetian hotel, is, well, the Guggenheim -- you won't believe you're in vegas). The Liberace and Elvis museums are fun and definitely worth a visit. Also, there's tons of outdoor stuff, like the Hoover Dam and hiking in Valley of Fire State Park. And try to see as many shows as you can -- not just your favorite comedians or singers, but spectacles like O and Blue Man Group. Oh, almost forgot the machine gun range.
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Alexandria, Va: A few weeks ago, I sent in a question regarding my mom and I traveling to Paris. Gary Lee responded and gave a recommendation to La Mere Agitee restaurant near Raspain metro. I just wanted to tell Mr. Lee that that restaurant was the best meal we had in Paris. My zuccini soup, salad and chicken were so calorific yet good. It felt like being invited to a neighbors home for dinner. Also, we were the only foreignors in the place so it was very non-touristy. We told her that the WP recommended her! I only hope that her restaurant remains small and little-known.
All in all we loved Paris and can't wait to return. In the meantime, do any of you know where I can find croissants like they make in France? I'm going through serious withdrawl. Thanks.
KC Summers: That's great, Alex, we'll be sure to tell Gary when he gets back. As for your croissant question -- anyone out there know from good croissants?
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Being sent to Siberia: Good Monday Travel Crew! My company is sending me to Siberia (yes, I'm milking that phrase for all it's worth!), and I am going to have a 13 hour layover in Moscow on the way there. Do you know of any organizations that can take me on a quick tour of the city? Preferably one that operates in/out of the airport. Also, any thoughts on what are must do/must sees in Siberia would be great! Thanks!
Anne McDonough: Gary, our Moscow go-to, is out today and none of us here have been to Siberia (China's Heilongjiang Province is the closest we have, I'm afraid). We need the well-traveled chatsters to chime in, please.
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Bethesda, Md: I guess I was one of those spring-breakers like KC--it never occurred to me to go to Vegas or some similar place, I couldn't have afforded it. My most memorable spring break was spent in the Metropolitan Museum of Art studying their now infamous Greek vase for an archaeology class. Good thing I studied it then, as the vase is being sent back to Italy soon. (In the same way that I'm glad I got to see Guernica by Picasso at the Museum of Modern Art before it too was sent back). But I guess this just shows that I probably wouldn't have fit in at Daytona/Ft.Lauderdale/Cancun?Vegas anyhow.
KC Summers: A breaker after my own heart. Thanks for sharing.
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Washington, DC: My fiance and I are heading to Puerto Rico for our honeymoon in December '06. We've been burned by snowed-in connection flights in Xmas's past and were thinking about a direct flight from Dulles to San Juan. Is $500 too much to pay, or are prices likely to head down between now and then?
Here's hoping for snow-free flights!
Cindy Loose: Whether or not that price is good depends in large measure on when in December you're going. If it's towards the end of the month and bleeding into the Christmas break time, I'd say $500 is probably your price. If you can go earlier in the month, that seems like too much.
If you are going in the Christmas break time frame, then don't expect prices to anywhere to go down. In fact, if that's the case and you can delay your honeymoon, you'd save money on everything and avoid the maddening crowds.
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Washington, DC: I have a three hour delay at Denver Airport. What is there to do there?
Andrea Sachs: Downtown Denver is about 35 miles from the airport, so you won't have tons of time to explore the 16th Street Mall or the Capitol area, but still . . . it is better than hanging out in the long-term parking lot. However, do not venture downtown during rush hour (3-6:30 pm) or if it is snowing. Also, don't forget that you need to be back at least an hour before your flight departs.
If you decide to stay in the airport, you can take a self-guided art tour of the terminals, part of the city's Public Art Program (see www.flydenver.com for the art and locations). You can also find exhibitions and peforming artists, depending on the season. The airport also has some of the best shops for Colorado or Western goods, as well as Mexican and cowboy grub, a brewpub and a massage kiosk. You can also enjoy the great outdoors on Level 5, where there are two picnic tables (an employee secret).
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Kendall Park, NJ: Hi! The best spring break I ever had was when I met my future husband! I was a senior in college, and I hadn't gone anywhere for spring break before. But my friends insisted that I listen to them and go with them to Florida for spring break, saying that my college experience wouldn't be complete without it. Not only my college experience, but my entire life wouldn't have been complete without it, because I don't think I ever would have met my one and only if I hadn't gone with them. And what's funny is that I wanted to make an early night of it one night and just go to sleep, but they dragged me to a bar, and that's where I met him! What would I have done without my friends?
KC Summers: What a great story! Hear that, kids? Always listen to your friends.
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Best Spring Break: I was a sophomore in college (mid-1990s), and I went to
Miami for spring break with Habitat for Humanity. We
spent the week building houses in an that had been
levelled by Hurricane Andrew. We did everything from
framing to hanging drywall to roofing to painting to laying
sod. It was fantastic, watching the neighborhood come
back to life, especially because the residents were right
there with us, helping rebuild their community.
We also spent a few evenings at South Beach, and a day in
Key West (it happend to be St. Patrick's Day, and a guy
who was more than a little drunk asked my boyfriend for
money for the "whiskey research fund")
KC Summers: See, virtue is rewarded (sort of).
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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: re: England & chip/PIN credit cards. I was in London last week, and the deal with the chip & PIN is that if your card has a chip, you are now required to use the PIN and you won't be able to sign for it. However, if your card doesn't have a chip, you can still sign for it. Interestingly enough, my American Express card has a chip, but it never worked when they tried to insert it into the chip reader. I had to still sign for it each time.
Cindy Loose: I'll be there in a week, so good to know. I'll talk to some credit card people at some point and do an item about when we can all expect chips and pins. I'm all for reducing credit card scamming, but I'm really not feeling the need for yet another password to enter my own life.
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chips in cards: This is only for cards issued in the UK. They started a while ago adding the chips to credit cards and IF you have a chip (which at this point 99.9% of cards issued in the UK do) then you have to have a pin to use it.
We were concerned about it, but it turns out that if you don't have a chip then you don't have to have a pin and there should be no problem using it.
Cindy Loose: Ahhh, if this is only UK, then we can all forget about it.
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Lorton, Va: I worked during my spring breaks also. But I did do two road trips to New Orleans during college to watch Tech play in the sugar bowl. And given how we partied, it might as well have been spring break! For my undergrad trip, we were actually featured in a Roanoke Times article on "budget students" traveling for the trip. We stayed in the scariest hotel I have ever been it. Family Inns of America surrounded by barbed wire. Ahhh... college memories!
KC Summers: Yikes! Maybe one day we'll have a "scariest hotel" contest. You'd be in the running.
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Eastern Shore: Most memorable Spring Break trip...Ft. Lauderdale. I had the best of everything. The beach, great bars, some really cute guys and bingo with my 84 year old grandmother at her counrty club!
KC Summers: Awww. Kinda like an Adam Sandler movie.
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Tulsa?: Gary:
I lived in Lawton over 30 years ago and I've had a chance to see Oklahoma City and Tulsa. While nice, I didn't quite get the feeling Tulsa was such an art friendly or alternative life style friendly place....Was it hard to find the people you were writing about?
KC Summers: Unfortunately Gary's away but he'll be back next week, so hold that thought...
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Italy Help!: Crew and chatters: Have you had a positive experience with online ticket-booking services (like goporta.com) that secure your Colosseum, Pitti Palace, Vatican City, and other tourist attraction tickets in advance?
I'm going to Italy in May and I've been told that the lines for these attractions can be very long. Online ticket-booking services promise to reserve your tickets and cut waiting times, but I haven't seen any reviews.
Please help!!! Grazie.
Cindy Loose: We have written about them in the past but none of us here in this room today have used em. Any chatters had a good experience with them?
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Best Spring Break: Going from LSU to Destin, Florida. 6 girls and one large cadillac borrowed from Daddy. Stopped at a Mississippi diner on the way and admired the waitress' tan. She told us she used crisco. We got a huge tub of it before hitting the beach and applied it liberally. We fried. We still laugh about it when we all get together. Priceless.
KC Summers: That is hilarious. Thanks for the laugh! (Till the skin cancer kicks in.)
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Washington, DC: Hi Crew-
Question: Are NYC hotels always ridiculously expensive? Was looking for a 2 night weekend stay in mid May and was shocked at the prices. Are there any hidden gems I should look for or websites that might offer better deals than the Expedia's and Orbitz's of the world?
Anne McDonough: It can I was just up in the city checking out hotels for our annual New York issue (May 7 this year); a few hotels that we found for May weekend dates for under $200 per night include the Gershwin (small rooms, great NY character), the Roger Williams (chic boutique on Madison), and the Wall Street Inn (right near...Wall Street...but also the ferries to Ellis Island and Liberty Island). Check Quikbook.com and Hotels.com, etc. in addition to the two you mention. But you're right--it's a crazy hotel world up there. Good luck!
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Bethesda, Md: Best spring break ever was a trip to Germany sophomore year (of college) with my roommate and her mom. Did not at all mind mom being there, as she not only paid for the rental car, but she also drove it. I, on the other hand, took care of accomodations and tour guides - we stayed with a cousin and his girlfriend, and they treated us like royalty. We experienced high culture (Lenbachhaus - fabulous art museum in Munich), gastronomical delights (my roommate had only been to France before and at the end of our trip said that she preferred German food to French!), low culture (Hofbrauhaus), cute little German towns, and Salzburg, too. Plus, far more frequent flier miles than for flying (or - gasp - driving) to Florida. Not just a fabulous spring break, but a fabulous trip in general. Definitely beats fighting off drunk frat boys in Daytona Beach!
KC Summers: Oh man. What a great trip, plus miles too!
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Washington, DC: Hi -- somewhat urgent, and I can't seem to find the answer elsewhere. Some or many rental car companies in California prohibit taking the car out of state. I guess they are concerned about Tijuana, or maybe even Las Vegas. But I want to visit Carson City and Virginia City, which seem pretty safe to me.
How can I find out, before booking, which car rental companies in California will allow this travel? Alamo supposedly uses GPD to identify the cars that leave the state!
Thanks very much...
Andrea Sachs: To our knowledge, you can drive a rental car anywhere you'd like--even the moon; you just have to return it on time. If you do choose to go to Mexico, you will need additional insurance, but your regular rental agreement and insurance will certainly cover your drive to Nevada. Try the major rental car companies, like National.
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not the best...: this is a howler, not the worst but definitely the lamest!
Freshman in college, age 18, went to Florida for spring break with a friend.
My grandparents spent their winters in New Smyrna, which is near Daytona.
They wouldn't let us borrow the car but would drop us off at the beach once in a while (not even every day/all day). It was a production - Grampa never drove unless Gramma and their lapdog went too. and he drove about 20 miles an hour. yes, he wore a hat.
we were shy, knew no one, and couldn't go anywhere without checking first. and being driven. and picked up - which means no late nights at all.
in desperation, we found a beer can in the weeds which was undamaged on one side. we took a few photos with that beer can, in the typical loser pose you see when people are drinking - pointing at the beer can while smirking. just to be able to say it wasn't the lamest vacation ever. I don't think we ever pulled the photos out to show anyone but it was a funny idea.
I've since had FAR better vacations. and I get to drive, too!
KC Summers: High-larious. Glad your vacations have improved... Thanks for more laughs!
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Washington, D.C.: Help me help me! I need round-trip overnight train tickets from Paris to Madrid for next week. The two websites I've found are eurorailways.com and raileurope.com, and both are charging about the same, $300/person for the two of us, each way. We can't take the cheaper tourist-class tickets because those cabins are segregated by gender and we are one of each.
Any suggestions, or have I already found what's out there? The Eurail France-Spain pass doesn't seem to save much if any money.
Just want to know I'm not missing some huge excellent deal before I drop this cash.
Cindy Loose: Whether that's the best you can do depends on what you mean by "$300/person for the two of us each way." If you mean $300 each way for each person, that's too much.
A quick look at www.eurail.com, for example, showed you can get a pass good for four days over a two-month period for between $242 and $312 per person, and of course that would take you roundtrip plus some extra train rides once you landed in the main cities.
It's worth finding out if the cheaper tourist class tickets allow you to ride together while you're awake, cause if so, having to separate to separate cars to sleep might not be worth fretting about.
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DC - Cambodia?: I'm headed to Singapore on business during the last week of April. I've added 4 days on to my trip for a side excursion.
I spent two weeks in Singapore a few years back, so I'm thinking about heading to another nearby country. I've always wanted to see Angkor Wat. I've found a package through Silk Air for S $1,428, all inclusive. Sound reasonable? Any other suggestions in the region? (I've already been to China, Japan, and Taiwan and I'm going to Korea in September...)
Thanks!
Andrea Sachs: I would definitely recommend Angkor Wat; I was there a couple years ago and it blew my mind. I wish I could have stayed longer, and even explored other parts of Cambodia, which has such an intriguing history, incredible temples and personable people. You could also take a quick flight over to Vietnam and experience the crazy-fun world of Ho Chi Minh.
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rental car drop-off: i have rented cars many times at one location (ie, salt lake city, manchester) and droped off elsewhere (ie denver, burlington)and never had a fee charged. i think as long as you rent from a company that has outlets at multiple airports, there should be no problem.
Cindy Loose: That has not been my experience; drop off fees are common. In fact, you can't drop off if the rental company doesn't have locations in both the places you're leaving and the places you're going. I think you just have to plug in the departure and destination points and see what price comes up. It's not a great deal to escape the dropoff fee if the prices are higher than renting with another agency that does have a drop off fee. I'd say just research prices asyou normally would, and pick the best provider.
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Boston to Tucson: I will be visiting a friend in Tucson next week, three days/four nights. I'm using FF miles, and since it's a holiday weekend, I couldn't get a longer stay without leaving the middle of the following week! I've never visited Arizona before, and I'm wondering what cool stuff I MUST do whilst there. So far, we have planned the Arizona-Sonoran Museum (and ZOO), Tombstone and possibly Bisbee. As I'm flying in and out of Phoenix, we'll be doing Sedona on my last day there. Am I missing anything? This is a budget trip. Thanks to All.
KC Summers: I LOVE Tucson. You could easily stay in town the whole three days and not run out of stuff to do. Definitely do the zoo -- it's wonderful, with great walking trails and "invisible" cages -- and try to get to Saguaro National Park. Amazing. Don't miss San Xavier del Bac Mission, the "White Dove of the Desert" -- it is really gorgeous, and moving (the Indians, who are Catholics, still worship there). There's a cool airplane junkyard, sounds dumb but it's really neat. Most of all, get out and hike or horseback ride to appreciate some of the most beautiful scenery ever. Tombstone, frankly, I'd pass on, but Sedona is gorgeous -- I'm just worried you'll not have time to do everything justice.
Anyone else have Ariz. tips?
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San Francisco, Calif.: on the chip in the credit card, not to scoop you guys, but several papers on friday and over the weekend had articles on this phenomenon. i know the chicago tribune put a blurb on their travel blog, and the seattle times had a full article on it for their friday paper. here is a link to the seattle times article (i cannot locate the chicago tribune, at least i think it was the trib): http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travelwise/2002867484_pucci19.html
Cindy Loose: I don't like being scooped. But I'll check it out.
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Washington, DC: I am travelling on Midwest Airlines and making a connection in Kansas City and it looks like they gave us 20 minutes between flights. That seems like a recipe for disaster, but, the planes are on gates that are next to each other. Is this common? Should we not check our bags in case of a delay, rescheduling?
Andrea Sachs: That seems kind of tight, even if the gates are next to each other. You might want to call your travel agent or the airline and see if you can switch to the next connecting flight, since that is what they will have to do anyway, if you miss your flight.
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Chicago, Ill: My best Spring Break was during my semester abroad in Australia (where it's actually called Easter Break due to the reversed seasons). We went on an Extreme Adventures trip called One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (and an Occasional Dingo). Over the course of a week, we camped on the world's largest sand island (Fraser Island), sailed around the Whitsunday Islands, and went white water rafting, snorkeling, sky diving and scuba diving. I don't think it can get much better than that!
KC Summers: Oh man. My college days were definitely misspent. Thanks for sharing, it sounds great.
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Wildest Spring Break: My Spring Break experience was in Miami (South Beach), FL. A list of what me and my friends experienced: Dancing in a club that had an aquarium floor, with fish swimming under our feet; being approached (and even threatened) by real-life pimps; buying naughty, outrageous t-shirts and cruising the streets wearing them, making all the girls blush; being turned away from a club by a macho bouncer who didn't like my response to his question "Do you support our war in Iraq" (I said no); visiting an extremely uber-upscale VIP lounge; and of course, endless partying, drinking, and the beach.
KC Summers: Hey, what club was that? Sounds cool.
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Beans and Rice Spring Break: The best spring break I ever had was with my sister in Puerto Rico. We went to get away from lots of college roomate stress. We had almost no budget and stayed at a condo NOT near the beach. We took the public bus to the beach each day, ate cheese sandwiches for lunch each day and rice and beans almost every night, except once or twice we splurged. It was the most relaxing time I ever had, and wasn't filled with beer, parties or debauchery.
KC Summers: I love this. Thanks for contributing a little bit of sanity! (Actually, we're getting a lot of nice stories. It restores my faith...)
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Silver Spring, Md: When is the best time of year to go to Galapagos?For the older traveler do the various tour boats have provision for keeping medicines cold?How difficult is it to get in and out of the zodiacs?Are there enough zodiacs to avoid waits to get to shore and back?How tiring are the land excursions (hiking)?
Johannah E. Barry: All times are great, the winter months -November through March are very warm (90s) and the summer months - say June- October are slightly cooler (75s). Yes, boats have refrigerators for all sorts of things, so no worries there. I think getting in and out of the zodiacs is tricky, I'm glad you asked the question. From the boat to the zodiac is not so bad, but the zodiac to shore can be bumpy and wet. So folks may elect to stick with the dry landings and not with the wet landings (where you get off in the water and wade to shore). The number of zodiacs equal the number of pax so its not a big wait. The level of difficulty on land really depends on the hiker. I would not have taken my 90 year old father, because the terrain is uneven and the are possibilities of slipping. But I would have taken my 78 year old mother in law with no problem at all. And I like my mother in law!
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Arlington, Va: My best spring break ever was just a couple weeks ago. My father and I took a bonding trip to Istanbul Turkey! The weather was great, and we did a lot of memorable things: took a ferry ride up the Bosphorus, saw the Black Sea, shopped in the biggest covered market in the world (Grand Bazaar), saw the Whirling Dervishes, etc. It was amazing to be out and walking around when the call to prayer was being sung out throughout the city... to hear the muezzins all together, while looking at some of the grandest mosques in the world (Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, etc).
And Topkapi Palace is a MUST see for anyone going to Turkey, it's where the sultans lived until the mid 19th century, and they have artifacts from Mohammed, like hairs from his beard, letters he wrote, and his swords. A great city!
KC Summers: Wow, you guys. You're definitely raising the spring break bar.
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Wilkes Barre, Pa: re Spring BreakI also usually worked on my spring breaks, untill my senior year. That year I was invited by a guy I was seeing, to a road trip to visit some former neighbors and relatives of his in Maine. It actually ended up being the worst road trip I was ever on. But the highlight was being invited to dinner at a former neighbor's house. It was an italian couple, and the husband made his own tomato sauce from tomatos that he grew. Absolutely the best italian meal I have ever had. That meal almost made up for trying to find a bank that would cash my Penn State University check from my campus job, so we would have enough money for gas to get home!!
KC Summers: Funny! And it might be because I haven't had lunch yet, but I can almost taste that tomato sauce.
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New York, NY: Flight from New York to L.A. for July are around $350 right now. Do you think they'll go down? Seems like a lot for a popular route...
Cindy Loose: The cheapest cheapest ever is $99 each way, so with taxes, you're looking at about $250. That's so cheap that the airlines lose money offering it, so I wouldn't count on it in the busy month of July. You could however take a look at what Jet Blue is charging to Long Beach.
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RE: Myrtle Beach: Hey Myrtle - have you checked Hooters (no, they have real people piloting, not Hooters girls) or Airtran? I have flown to Myrtle on both for a lot less than the amount you are talking about, and the airport is great - easy in and out. Good Luck
Anne McDonough: Since they're coming from Providence, Hooters wouldn't work but Airtran, if they didn't mind flying out of Boston, would if they didn't mind a LONG flight (with connections, it would be about 8 hours, looking at the time table). But thanks for the reminder!
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Where in Siberia: You do realize you're talking about an area that's larger than the US, right? Well, there's great adventure skiing in Kamchatka, with the volcanoes and all. And you have to see Lake Baikal if you're in the south. Or hit up Kyzyl and see the throat singer concerts. Take a ride on at least part of the trans-siberian railroad.
Anne McDonough: For the Moscow and Siberia business traveler . . .
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Best Spring Break: 4 girls piled in our friend's mom's buick and drove south---28 hours straight from college to Key West. Once we got there, we camped for the week at the campground on the island. It was great--the campground was half filled with spring breakers and half filled with very old snowbirds. We did the the fun key west nightlife, but also just sat by the campfire some nights as well. The one lesson that I learned was that palm trees do not provide the amount of shade needed after a long night of mixed drinks and the tents turn into mini ovens. Overall, it was a great roadtrip/camping trip/beach filled vacation for a lot less than what everyone else was paying.
KC Summers: So you got striped tans, that's what you're saying? Actually, this sounds wonderful.
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Galapagos Rocks!: Mr. Barry - Have you seen the requirements change (for better or worse) regarding the number visitors per guide allowed on an island? We had a small group (6 visitors to 1 guide) when I went in 1998 and it was truly amazing.
For future travellers: take twice as much film/memory sticks as you THINK you'll need and bring water socks or water shoes for those wet landings.
Johannah E. Barry: I believe the new ratio is something like 10:1. I agree with you, clearly the more interaction with guide and passenger, the better. You make a good point about film, but remember, no need for those telephoto lenses. The animals are often too close! And don't be surprised if you find you got home with three rolls of marine iguanas alone...
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Washington, DC: For the Siberia bound traveler: In Moscow one company I have personally used is Patriarshy Dom tours - very professional and been in business since at least 2000 when I first used them. No, I don't own stock in the company. I don't know about airport pickup but in Russia anything can be done for a fee. Probably 40-60 dollars at least for a ride from Sheremetevo. Also, don't underestimate how long passport control will take - could be up to an hour and a half. So run off the plane as fast as you can and don't feel shy about staking your place in line. Siberia is a big place but if you're in Irkutsk you should head over to Lake Baikal, for natural wonders, and Ulan Ude, for Buddhism and the world's largest Lenin head.
Anne McDonough: Great-thanks for the firsthand info!
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europe overnight train follow-up: Ah, but the problem with the Eurail pass is that for the overnight train you have to buy a reservation as well -- so even with the pass, it's still at least $100 each way for the train, thereby eliminating the savings.
Unless I'm reading these sights wrong.
Which it's possible I am.
Cindy Loose: How about flying? Used to be train was cheaper, but that day passed with discount carriers in Europe.
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Waldorf, Md: Have any of today's chatters ever experienced a European River Cruise. My wife and I (in our 30s) are looking at River Cruises with Uniworld or Viking River Cruises. Any experience with these companies, their ships, or their itineraries? Are the cruises geared towards an older clientele (Would we be the youngest people on the boats?). Thanks in advance for the insight!
Andrea Sachs: We personally have never taken a tour with them, but perhaps someone out there has? Please, if so, speak up!
You can also check cruise review sites, such as Cruise Critic and Tripadvisor (though I could not find anything on this particular line).
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Re: Paris: A coworker just returned from 10 days in Paris and reported no impact at all on her trip from the riots.
KC Summers: Good to hear, thanks for chiming in.
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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: I've taken the sleeper train from Paris to Barcelona, and the sleeper cars were not segregated by gender. I'd double check that to make sure that's correct... I've taken sleeper trains all over Europe and never once come across that.
Also, it may actually be cheaper to fly. I'm not sure who flys from Paris to Madrid, but check airlines like EasyJet to see. Much faster, and sleeper trains really aren't that much fun, even if it seems like it would be!
Cindy Loose: Thanks. If flying is a possiblity also try ryan air, and you can find a bunch of different carriers at www.openjet.com.
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Galapagos: Is it possible for tourists to visit the rain forests on the islands? If so, how?
Johannah E. Barry: Well, rain forest is something of a misnomer. The highlands of Santa Cruz island, where you will undoubtedly go as that is the home for the Research Station and the Galapagos National Park (and the largest town in Galapagos, Puerto Ayora), can be visited with a car or taxi. They are moist from the misty garua or light drizzle that is captured up at that elevation. You can see ferns, orchids, scalesia and vermillion flycatchers. But don't expect rainforest animals or significant patches of actual rainforest. To do that, visit the Amazon on your way back to Quito for a few days. Some wonderful lodges there and good guides.
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Madison, Wis: Hi Flight Crew! My boyfriend and I are trying to plan a bike tour for sometime this spring/summer. We are thinking Ireland or Greece. There seems to be a lot of information on cycling in Ireland, so I feel fairly comfortable with that option. He is leaning towards Greece as a sightseeing destination, but we are having a hard time finding information on cycling there, such as what the roads are like, traffic conditions (I've read Athens is horrendous), etc. The Rough Guide book on Greece only briefly mentions that the Greeks consider cyclists to be a "lower form of life" and there don't seem to be any cycling-specific guidebooks for Greece. All of which is making me worry that perhaps Greece is not best seen on a bicycle. But does anyone have personal experience with this? Thanks!
KC Summers: Gonna throw this out to the chatters -- anyone done this? Ireland, I can tell ya, is great for cycling, but you already knew that.
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keeping it clean in Fairfax: Johanna "...you will see boobies everywhere" is hardly keeping it clean--grin!
Johannah E. Barry: Oh dear...
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Washington, D.C.: I have a four hour layover in Chicago (O'Hare) soon. I was planning on packing extra reading material, but reading these chats has made me wonder if I should try and go somewhere. Any chance I can go exploring and still catch my connecting flight? (It'll be a Tuesday afternoon.)
Cindy Loose: That is such a huge and busy airport that I'd probably just stick to the airport. Four hours is really kind of on the cusp of having enough time to do something, but my personal opinion: not quite.
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Car Rental REstrictions: I hate to disagree with the Flight Crew, but Anne is wrong. Car rental agreements routinely limit where you can drive the car, especially if comes with unlimited miles. Often, it is a state, or a 2-3 state area if in the east. You have to check the rental agreement as it's often written in the fine print. This is not done all the time, but often enough.
Andrea Sachs: That was me, Andrea, not Anne. My answer came from calls I made to the main rental companies, who said you could drive out of state. Plus, I myself have driven cars across state borders. If we are talking California to Nevada, that also follows the 2-3 state area. But I agree, ask before you sign the dotted line.
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Flights to Boston: JetBlue is a great option from Dulles to Boston, I booked a weekend in May for $190 r/t and it could have been even cheaper if my flight times were more flexible.
Cindy Loose: Thanks.
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Dallas, Tex: Dear Italy,I booked all of our museum tickets online. For Rome, you can book the Borghese online, but everything else (Vatican, Colosseum) has no advance booking. Try weekendafirenze.com for pre-booking the Accademia and Uffizi in Florence. The Accademia in Venice has its own site (in Italian, but easy to use) for pre-booking.
Cindy Loose: Thanks.
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Deep Valley, USA: Italy tickets - your concierge can help you get those a couple of days in advance, same deal. Or will give you the phone numbers of the same services and you can do it yourself. Just give yourself at least a week lead time during popular periods.
Cindy Loose: Thanks.
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Deep Valley, USA: I'm organizing what amounts to a non-family reunion of about 30 people in the fall.
Are there rental houses in or very near DC that can hold a group of 20 (the rest will be staying in homes)? B and Bs seem more expensive than renting a home would be.
Any ideas?
KC Summers: Not that we know of, DV. That's a pretty large group. Best to check with a real estate agent, though. You might consider a conference center although that would likely be just as pricey as B&Bs. Unless any of the chatters know better?
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Galapagos Scuba Diving: Can you recommend dive operators that are particularly responsible about operating in the Galapagos. Do dive operators or live-aboards have to get any special license to run trips in such a fragile area?
Johannah E. Barry: I actually can't. Although I have dived in Galapagos, it wasn't with a company.. Let me cogitate on that, and write us at our website, galapagos.org, and I'll try and get an answer to you.
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Bronx, NY: Couple of comments:
For the Siberia-bound: Where exactly are you going? It's a big place, but if you're in the vicinity of Lake Baikal, you're in for some of the most amazing scenery anywhere on earth. If you can swing it, try to get to the north end of the lake, it's way less developed (and consequently way less polluted). I haven't been there since it was all still the Soviet Union, and I was on a government-sponsored tour at the time, so I'm no help with tour companies, etc., but there should be something!
For the Arizona traveler:
You're only going for a short trip, so skip Sedona. It's a solid four hour drive from Tucson to Sedona, with Phoenix traffic in the middle to slow you down, and no roadside attractions (bar outlet malls) to break the monotony. There are a number of national parks/monuments to check out - ruins and cactus habitats, mainly - have a look at the nps.gov, the National Park Service website. There's also Kartchner Caverns, a large cave system that's also a state park.
Happy travelling!
KC Summers: Thanks Bronx, that's very helpful.
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Virginia: My cousin is getting married in Scotland this September (Inverness to be exact). I have relatives in England, who I would also like to see. And I was thinking that I would like to see another city (i.e.Paris, Brussels, Rome, Madrid) and at this I was thinking about flying from Dulles to London and then taking one of those inexpensive airlines to both Scotland as well as one of these other cities. I will or won't either be traveling with my husband, but will be traveling with my almost 3 year old daughter. What do you think is the best way to search for flights. Is there one site that lists all those inexpensive airlines flying in and about Europe or should I do this through a travel agent in England and just wing it when I get there? And would you have a recommendation for a particular city that is better for small children...I am leaning toward Paris. thanks
Cindy Loose: In fact there are a couple sites that have a number of inter-Europe airlines. The one that comes to mind is openjet.com. I believe ryan air is not included on that site, so check it separately---as a U.K.-based airline it might be your best bet. Flexibility helps--sometimes the prices range dramatically, like $50 one day and $200 a next to the same place.
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Hooters air: ...is no more. At least it is only doing charter flights. Announced Friday, I think.
Anne McDonough: Yet another reason not to fly it to from Providence ;)
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Best spring break: Six friends and i went to PR on spring break. We knew somone in Rincon and she was supposed to plan out trip with activities. We got to Rincon, a great sleeply surf town, and had two beachfront condos for 600 bucks a week total. each day, something happened that canceled our day trips (ie, an uncle got sick, the van has a flat tire) and whole week was spent a beach with lots of corona. Each morning, we tried to guess the excuse that would cancel whatever plans were supposed to happen. IT was very relaxing in the end and i think it was better that we just chilled in the surf village.
KC Summers: Great story, and Puerto Rico is wonderful, isn't it? Our colleague John loved Rincon when we there last fall.
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Solomons, Md: Galapagos - are there any options for landlubbers? My husband has this high on his list of places to see, but he may have to go alone - my incredible ability to get sick at the tiniest boat motion really makes the trip seem out of reach for me. Any ideas? Thanks!
Johannah E. Barry: Yep, there are. You can spend some time in Puerto Ayora or Puerto Villamil (the former is quite a bit larger) and do day visits, go up to the highlands, do some shopping or do some snorkeling. You could keep busy for a few days and have your own adventures. johannah
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re:Paris: We just returned from Paris last weekend. The only effect was closure of museums and monuments (e.g. Eiffel Tower) and slight delays on Metro on Tuesday, the day of the demonstrations and strike. I suspect the same will be true tomorrow when another day of strikes and demonstrations are called for.
KC Summers: Excellent, thanks.
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re: Greece: I would guess you are taking your life in your hands cycling in Athens (except for the wide street near the Acropolis that is closed to cars.) on the islands, you're going to compete with mopeds everywhere. I wouldn't have felt comfortable on a bike there.
KC Summers: Hear that, bikers? Thanks for the tips.
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Galapagos Diving: I'm heading on a live-aboard for some diving there in August (for viewing the whale sharks). I'm very excited. Any word on the dive operators' from an environmental standpoint?
On a related matter, I've seen increased tourism to previously unknown areas like Belize really take its toll. The span of one year there really was not good on the reef. Esp. since cruise ships -the BIG ones- started docking there. (The locals of San Pedro allegedly went and cut the mooring lines. I have to admit that I applauded the move).
Folks, when you are anywhere . . . esp. sensitive areas, take care to minimize your impact. Not only for the other tourists but for the marine/plant/animal life that call those places home.
(Getting off my soap box).
Johannah E. Barry: I am grateful for your last thoughts. Yes, it really is up to us to visit responsibly. And I really can't give you any useful opinion on dive boats. I don't know them well enough but you've given me some homework to do.
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Re: Flying to Boston: You could look into taking Southwest to Manchester, NH, or
Providence, RI, each about an hour's drive from Boston.
You'd have to factor in car rental as there isn't a cheap/easy
way to go on public transport or shuttle, but Southwest's
fares are often cheap enough that it's worth it.
KC Summers: Yes, those are both great alternate options, thanks.
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To the KC Airport Connector: I used to live in KC and while I moved almost 3 years ago, I doubt the airport has changed much. And I have to say - you WILL NOT make your connecting flight, even if you get in on time because Kansas City airport has security for each gate. Yup, not by terminal, but by gate. It is a nightmare and a half. Good luck.
KC Summers: Ah. Thanks for the reality check.
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London layover: Greetings! I'm going to Europe in early May and I'll be landing in Heathrow (flying on United) at about 7 am and want to go directly to Paris. It appears that a one-way British Airways flight from Heathrow is most economical....do you think 3 hours between flights is enough cushion to deplane, get through customs, get our bags, and recheck them for our short flight to Paris?
Thanks!!
Cindy Loose: I just got a letter from a woman who had 2.5 hours between flights at Heathrow and she couldn't make the connection. The Heathrow website warns of problems and delays, so.....If I were flying on one ticket to Heathrow and then onward to Paris I'd risk it, cause worst that would happen is that you'd have to get on the next flight provided by that airline. But if you're talking two separate tickets, then keep in mind that if you don't make the connection, you are simply going to be considered a no show and no one owes you an onward flight. You'd probably have to buy a whole new ticket to Paris in that event, at walk-up fare prices.
So, it depends on your circumstances. If you have two tickets involved, I'd not risk it.
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re: Galapagos: what is the best time of year to travel to the Galapagos? It is on my list of "must do" places.
Johannah E. Barry: really there are no good or bad times. The summer months -say may through august or so are croweded with more kids on vacation, and are cooler (mid 70s). The winter months are much warmer and very high tourist season as many people like to spend their holidays in Galapagos. I prefer the cooler months...
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Springfield, Va: I'm planning a trip to Hawaii in May. We were planning to stay at the Grand Hyatt. Can you tell me about the flooding/dam burst in Kauai? Do you think it will be OK?
Also, if you were picking an island for golf and relaxation, would you pick Kauai or Lanai?
Thanks.
Cindy Loose: Kauai is apparently doing okay and recovering quickly. By the way, if you're not flying directly into Kauai but buying an inter-island ticket, check prices quickly. i just heard that there's a sale going on and all three carriers there are matching, but you have to buy tickets by April 7.
As to Kauai or Lanai---that's personal preference, but I found Lanai a little too quiet--to the point of being boring, and I'm not a razzle dazzle style person. Love Kauai.
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Washington, D.C.:: We looked into a Galapagos trip, but it sounded like a tightly choreographed effort of ships and passengers throughout the park. Does it feel like there are always boats disgorging tours, and hustling them about? It looked like the Alaska cruise ship industry, but on a smaller scale. Or do you not actually see all other tourists?
Johannah E. Barry: It actually doesn't feel that way. The closest I feel to that moment is when I visit Academy Bay in Santa Cruz Island where I see all the boats docked. But as a tourist, you really don't see more than 2-3 boats at any one island at any one time. the itineraries are tightly controlled by the Park in terms of who goes where and when (think river rafting in the West). During high season (november - feb) you may run into another group on the beach or landing site, but that's about it. Not bad for 100K tourists..johannah
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Mexico City: Just got back Saturday. Third time was a charm (the other two times were strictly business). Lovely city! Too much traffic, but a very compelling place to visit. I visited Chapultepec Castle - should be on everyone's list.
where is your favorite place to go, so I can put it on the list for next time?
KC Summers: It changes hourly. Right now it's the Jaguar Reserve in Belize.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: I'm traveling out of BWI on Sunday evening. What's the best place to eat in or carry onto the plane there?
Andrea Sachs: Since I don't know your taste in cuisine (I tend toward vegetarian, not everyone's cup of greens), you should check out BWI's Web site (www.bwiairport.com), which has a list of its restuarants (look under terminal maps). My picks: Nature's Table, Calfornia Tortilla, Fells Point Brew Pub. For local favs: Bill Bateman's Bisro (where chicken wings are king), Phillips Famous Seafood (crab, crab and more crab) and Ram's Head Tavern.
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Washington, DC: Going to Australia this summer and starting to plan now. We have about 2 weeks to visit and were originally planning on going to 3 cities...is this too much to do in a 2 week period (2 weeks doesn't include US to Australia travel). We were thinking of going to Kakadu National Park for a few days...if we need to cut back, this is likely what will get cut. Any advice?
Cindy Loose: If you have 12-14 in Australia, not including travel time getting there, I don't see a problem with visiting three places. Personally, I'd go for it, checking first the flight or driving times to the three places you're considering.
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International vs. US: Hi there: A friendly suggestion: maybe you could have 2 travels chats: one for international travel and one for US travel? That way, if I'm curious about Paris, I don't have to scroll through info about Rehobeth or the Poconos, and vice versa.
Cheers.
KC Summers: If we didn't have this pesky newspaper to put out, we could do more chats!
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Maryland: example on car rentals: Enterprise in the MD/DC/VA area routinely gives you access to all three jurisdictions - usually if you need additional ones (especially if it is an insurance rental) they'll add it on. But if it isn't on the contract and you get pulled over for speeding or something, you can be arrested and the car impounded. Also - MOST rental companies flat out won't let you take the car across the MS river (too many miles being put on the car).
Andrea Sachs: The lesson: Don't drive fast! At least in a rental.
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Charlottesville, Va: I liked your story about the Galapagos islands. However there was a picture of someone's foot touching a baby sea lion. When I went there last year, they made a big deal about not touching the animals, and not even getting that close to them! So what happened?
Johannah E. Barry: You are quite right. It is strictly against park rules to touch the animals. And as you know from your trip, sometimes that's pretty hard to avoid. They are so friendly and fearless. Let's hope that there's more to that story and picture.
Anne McDonough: Mea culpa! Thanks for mentioning this, and Johannah for chiming in with an official response. We ran a stock company photo with the story; in retrospect, a shot that just showed the adorable sea lion minus the human element would have been more appropriate. Do as the guides say, and not as that picture showed!
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rental cars/multiple states: I've rented cars before, once from Enterprise, where the contract clearly stated I was limited to driving in x, y, and z states. Now, if the company doesn't use GPS, they'll never know, but if you're in an accident or something, you could be in breach of the contract. I don't remember what the penalty was for breach, though. Read the contract carefully, and get a copy ahead if you can.
Andrea Sachs: Yes, best not to go outside the allowed zone. Again: It's all in the fine print.
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Annapolis, Md: Spring Break Story - at the last minute my friend, who was a plebe at the Naval Academy, and I went to Virginia Beach. Most schools didn't start their break until the week after so there were no other college kids around to party with. The weather was still cold, the wind was kicking up and to top it off, we stayed on the military base down there via my friends Acadamy connection. he was so low down on the totem pole at the time that they didn't even put clean sheets on the bed from the last guest! We had to sleep on the floor the entire trip!
KC Summers: Yuck! Hope your trips have improved since then.
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Europe-bound: Submitting early because of a work commitment. I am traveling with two elderly aunts to Spain and Italy and, though I've never done one, think a trip with a tour company will be easier on all (guides, coaches, someone to carry bags...). I have tried to investigate tour companies, but am not getting good information. Can you or chatters recommend reliable places to start or companies you have good (or bad) experiences with? Many thanks.
Cindy Loose: I'd start by making sure that the tour operator was a member of a major tour organization like the USTOA--United States Tour Operator Association. That's no guarantee you'll be happy, but they are vetted somewhat, and they pay into a fund so they have some coverage in case of bankruptcy.
Given your circumstances I think a tour is a good idea. I'd check with a travel agent, and ask them how often they've sent people on whatever tour operator they recommend.
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Denver, Colo.: Galapagos question: We're looking forward to a visit in July! When researching the trip, it seemed that there were a limited number of boats available (we were looking for small yachts carrying between 10 and 15 people), which were owned by a few companies, and that various trip operators in the US were just re-selling weeks on the boats. Comparing the operators, there were wild variations in the prices each charged. Do the higher prices just mean more profit for certain US operators, or are they actually adding value?
Johannah E. Barry: You are asking a very tough and very important question. The largest tour operator in Galapagos is an Ecuadorian company (Metropolitan Touring), but the rest are U.S. or UK based. There are a limited number of smaller boats, but only 6 or so boats with 45-90 passengers. I don't think there is a relationship between the dollars charged and level of responsible tourism, but it is true that the larger ships generally have more amenities, the guiding level is somewhat better, etc. We do list some companies on our website which have an excellent environmental record, which is important clearly for us, but their prices vary as much as any other group. Hope that helps. johannah
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KC Summers: Well, everyone, time's up. Thanks for the terrific spring break stories -- talk about a range. And special thanks to Johanna for joining us and sharing her Galapagos expertise.
Okay, I think today's prize has to go to the Crisco girl, so send your contact info to me and we'll get the goodies right out to you. Also, I've got to send a consolation prize to the poor girl whose grandparents drove her to the beach every day. Thanks for participating, everyone, and keep an eye out for next Sunday's print edition, with said spring break story.
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