Trip Tips and Deals
The Flight Crew
Washington Post Travel Section
Monday, January 29, 2007
1:00 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.
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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Andrea Sachs: Turn the space heater on and let's start chatting about destinations hot and cold, sunny, rainy or sleety. This week we have a special guest, John Auchard, who wrote about Indonesia in Sunday's section. He has also covered such exotic locales as Calcutta and Ethiopia for our section. So, don't be shy and toss him your questions!
As for the topic of the day: Give us your best hot-to-overheated stories and win a prize. Tell us about a night in Mali without A/C or coming down with a bad case of sunburn on the Equator. With the freezing temps outside, we need the heat.
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Hawaii Follow Up: I just wanted to send a quick follow up to the person not sure of which island to go to. My husband and I went to the Big Island and to Kauai for a week each on our honeymoon. Kauai was beautiful like everone says and was very relaxing. However, if the person wants to go scuba diving and hiking I would recommend the Big Island. If the person does go to Kauai definitely do not miss the tour at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. My last bit of advice, no matter what island you go to pick up the "insert name of island" Revealed guide book.
John Deiner: Great stuff...thanks for helping out. And always good to get some guidebook guidance.
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Potomac, Md: Not a question, but an additional answer to the question that you answered in Sunday's paper concerning visits to Kruger Park.
There are lots of relatively reasonable ways to go on safari in South Africa. You don't have to choose between super-deluxe, $1000 per night accomodation or staying at a rest camp and self-catering in Kruger. There are some wonderful accomodations that are right next to the big reserves and which are very reasonably priced. We stayed at Gwalagwala last year, which is adjacent to Thornybush Reserve (which borders Kruger). We went on 2 game drives per day, stayed in a luxurious "tent" and, including all meals, the price was less than $300 per night for 2. I am not associated in any way with Gwalagwala - but, I am a frequent visitor to SA and I love going on safari. Another tip is to check out www.mtbeds.co.za for some excellent deals on mid and high end lodges.
Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the great advise, Potomac. Hopefully, last week's chatter is online again this Monday.
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Bowie, Md: This is for John Auchard. Did you have any language difficulties in Indonesia?
John Auchard: About the language. Many people, many young people especially in Yogyakarta, speak English and even the cab drivers manage. In a matter of days you can pick up many Indonesian expressions---for the language is easy. No past or future tenses, and plurals are easy (e.g., cats is just done as the Indonesian word of cat,twice---so "cat cat"!) A very user friendly language and people welcome your attempts. Many signs are in English, besides.
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Washington DC: What's your take on AirTran kicking off the family with the 3 y.o. refusing to sit in her seat?
washingtonpost.com: John Deiner's post on the subject in Travel Log, the Travel section's new blog.
John Deiner: Hey, thanks, Kim.
As I wrote on my blog item, I was surprised and pleased at the same time. Children, of course, have every right in the world to fly, but AirTran's action -- to kick the family off instead of staying in a holding pattern at the gate because the child wouldn't take her seat -- seemed reasonable to me. And based on many of the responses to the blog item, folks seemed to be in general agreement.
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Bargain of the Week Catch: This week you highlighted a cheap fare from LAX to Auckland New Zealand on Air NZ - when combined with the cheapest IAD-LAX return flight, a traveller could save $291 over the usual IAD-AKL return fare
I am from New Zealand and have used these fares before. However, there is a big risk in buying a ticket from another airline to get to LAX. What happens if the flight from Washington is delayed or cancelled and the traveller doesn't make it to LAX on time? I'm assuming that Air NZ does not have to honor a non-refundable cheap ticket if a person cannot get to LAX in time.
Last trip home I made a spreadsheet to compare costs. If my family stayed in LA the day before departing for NZ and the day after returning to the US to provide a safety margin, (and also purchased additional tickets onto Christchurch) the cost savings quickly eroded. Add to this the cost of two extra days vacations if you are a Washington lawyer!
In the end I bought higher-priced fares directly from Washington to Christchurch with United.com. Good thing too, because our first flight from IAD to LAX was cancelled. They put us on a substitute flight from BWI, which was a real pain, but I am wondering if they would have done this if:-
- they did not know we were flying onto NZ;
- if they did not have a financial incentive to get us onto our Air NZ codeshare flight on time.
Is it possible to buy travel insurance to cover hiccups caused by purchasing flights on separate tickets?
Carol Sottili: Before I use that type of pricing in Bargain, I make sure there are plenty of flights that get there much earlier in the day. The flight from LAX to Auckland doesn't leave until 10 p.m. If you book yourself out on the first flight of the day on an airline that has multiple flights to Los Angeles (United, for example), you'd have more than enough chances to get there in time. Same goes for the way back. I think United getting you to your destination didn't have anything to do with your flights to New Zealand. As for insurance, most cover "trip interruption" but read the fine print.
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Falls Church, Va: Hi There,
I am traveling to Spain next month for a week and visiting Seville, Toledo, Segovia and Madrid. However, I do not know a lick of Spanish, and I have also heard that most spaniards are not too keen on Americans. Can you recommend a spanish-language guide that I can use over there and also let me know what is the proper "ettiquette" (if any) when going to shops/restaurants, etc.
Thanks!
Gary Lee: First off, let me say that I totally disagree with whoever has said that Spaniards are not friendly to Americans. I have had nothing but the most cordial experience with them.
Secondly, I would recommend getting a basic tourist glossary of the Spanish language and giving it a thorough read on the plane over. Use whatever you can absorb. It will go a long way.
If by a Spanish language guide you mean an actual person I can highly recommend Carlos Lineas, who can reach through the English-owned company madridandbeyond.com. In terms of customs, etc, I suggest that you read thoughly Fodors or any of the other standard guidebooks on Spain.
I can get you started with customs by underlining that evening meals start late -- around 9 at the earliest so I wouldn't recommend showing up at most restaurants before that hour.
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Washington, DC: I'm planning a trip to Atlantic City. This will be my first visit, and from what I have heard I am not expecting much. But, where would you recommend a couple of twenty-somethings staying? We would like to be close to the strip, any lively action that might exist, and not break the bank. Thanks!
John Deiner: Hey, DC. Let's see what the clicksters have to say on this one, but if you're going on a weekend, just about all the casino hotels will break your bank. They're ridiculously expensive, many easily over $200 and sometimes much more. I know some folks who stayed at the Days Inn on the Boardwalk and thought it was fine, but I haven't done so myself so I can't recommend.
I usually stay out on one of the two roads leading into town. There are numerous decent chain hotels out there and it only takes a few minutes to get into town; I like the Fairfield Inn myself, where the rooms are clean and moderately priced. I stayed last weekend for $89 a night. Anyone out there with some suggestions for DC?
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Alexandria, Va: Do I understand correctly that you can earn mileage when you fly on most mileage partners, however, you cannot redeem mileage except on the carrier to whose program you are subscribed? I find this confusing and not sufficiently explained in the Airline informational brochures on on line sites.
Cindy Loose: That's not quite how it works. Let's say you fly US Airways alot and are saving miles with them. First off, you can use those US Airways miles to get a ff flyer ticket with a partner, should you happen to be able to find availability.
Secondly, when flying with a partner when you've paid for a ticket, you can designate your miles to US Airways, or to the partner. You wouldn't want to give the miles to the partner unless you were going to fly them more times cause one flight won't get you enough miles to be worth much.
Also be aware that sometimes you don't get full credit for miles on a partner, and sometimes you don't get miles if you've bought an extremely cheap ticket, but that's not the case in the vast majority of cases. To be sure, if it matters enough to buy a different ticket if the miles aren't satisfactory, you have to ask.
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Washington, DC: How far in advance should you book hotel rooms for carnival in Trinidad/Tobago?
Gary Lee: You should book as soon as you know you're going. A year in advance is not too early if you want a decent room at a halfway decent price. Since lots of things change in a year, I would suggest that you make sure that there is a cancellation policy that will not penalize you if you back out early enough.
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Oakton, Va: I was so delighted to hear that Air Tran had booted parents and their obnoxious 3 year old off a flight that I planned to fly them whenever possible. Now, however, I hear they not only refunded the family's tickets but also offered them free flights elsewere! This is outrageous! I and others with whom I've discussed this thought they should have been kicked off and forfeited their airfares. Should be encourage our kids to be equally obnoxious in hopes of getting free flights?
The possible silver living is that everyone who learns of this will know that they have a truly rotten kid.
John Deiner: Hey, Oakton. Yeah, they got a pretty good deal I thought. The father told the Associated Press he won't fly the airline again, and I'm sure AirTran isn't displeased by that. Plus think of all the people who WILL fly AirTran now because of its move.
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Houston, Tex : Hi to The Flight Crew, I am a single mom, sole support planning to take my 18 yr old daughter on a trip to NJ/NY (I do prefer Newark to the NY airports) for her graduation from either Houston airport, price is the major consideration. In your opinion is it better to book early or last minute for the best fares? Thanks to you and the WP for all the great chats, sadly I report I have tried to purchase an occasional hard copy WP @ Houston Galleria newsstands/Borders without success. I took the time to request the WP be stocked each time, for all the good that will do, still hoping for the opportunity to make that purchase, (if anyone knows a Houston location for WP please submit the info)will be grateful in Houston
Carol Sottili: Don't know if you have Wegmans out in Houston. They stock lots of newspapers from across the country.
On to airfares...If she's willing to connect, Delta has a $204 round-trip fare from IAH to EWR (George Bush Airport to Newark) in June. That's pretty cheap. There is no real answer to whether to buy early or buy late. Sign up for Deal Detector at Orbitz.com and for Kayak Buzz at Kayak.com to be notified of airfare sales in your market. Have fun in New York!
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Washington, DC: Hi: Is there a web site that lists airlines that fly nonstop between various destinations? I've tried Orbitz (which doesn't have all airlines) and I'm trying to avoid checking each airline individually. I'm looking for both domestic and international destinations. Many thanks!
Andrea Sachs: Many airports list their flight schedules online, and the information includes whether the flight is nonstop, direct or with connections. For example, at www.bwiairport.com/pdfs/VCREBWI.PDF, nonstops from BWI include one nonstop a day to Albuquerque, three nonstops to Memphis, one to Mexico City, four to Los Angeles and so on.
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Bowie, Md: Hey Crew: a few weeks ago, I responded to your "question of the week" and mentioned about heading to San Juan this month and then to Puerto Plata in March. Well, just wanted to give you a quick update from my Puerto Rico trip .found a wonderful new beach about 40 miles west of San Juan named Baja Vega. Ended up getting to the town of Baja Vega ok, but finding the beach was another story - finally asked a policeman in a patrol car and got a 4 mile escort right to the beach!!! Beautiful beach, and on this Wednesday, there were only 15 people there. (hint: don't go on a weekend.) This beach is a small cove on one side protected by rocks, so you're swimming in a lagoon fed by the waves crashing atop of the rock formation, the other cove has gentle waves .you have to see it to believe how beautiful. Another reason why I love Puerto Rico besides the people, the restaurants, the new discoveries ..and the convenience.
Also, there's a duty free shop in the San Juan airport where the prices are great ($18,75 for 1 ltr. of Chivas). THE best part is that your purchases are sealed in a bag which you carry onto the airplane. (Break the seal, and it's no go, however.) You can also connect to a domestic flight in the US with NO problems. (Again, don't break the seal.) You don't have to go thru TSA security if your connecting - a flight from San Juan is domestic!
So now ..two more months .and it's the Dominican Republic! Talk about warm thoughts!
Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the update and making us totally jealous.
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Edgewater, Md: Hi! This isn't really a travel question, but I submit a Travel Trivia response nearly every week and have yet to win a tote bag. This doesn't surprise me; it would surprise me if I won. But I'm curious as to how many entries you get in a typical week. Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Thanks!
John Deiner: Hey, Edgewater. Keep on' tryin'. Depending on the question, we get from about 50 to 250 responses a week.
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Glover Park, Washington DC: Hello Flight Crew,
Based on Gary Lee's article last year my girlfriend and I decided to spend a week in Curacao earlier this month and had an amazing time. The people were friendly, our hotel (the Kura Hulanda) was fantastic, and the beaches were great. We rented a car and drove to different beaches each day, which was a lot of fun. One word of caution though. On our second to last day we came across a Canadian couple at Grote Knip beach who had their bag stolen from the beach while they were swimming. It was early in the day so there was only one other couple there at the time. Not only did they lose the keys to their rental car, but they also lost a digital camera, a video camera (both cameras with a week's worth of pictures), a brand new iPod, and most of their credit cards. We drove them back across the island to their hotel, and the Marriott staff and rental car company were very helpful in getting them a new car and contacting the police. If we had arrived at the beach a bit earlier it could have very easily been us in the same situation. Just wanted to share that so that people know to be mindful of their belongings when going to the beach (on any island) and to think about what should be left at the hotel. Luckily the couple had removed their house and car keys from the bag that morning or else it could have been much worse. That was the only problem with crime we had though and we would highly recommend Curacao to anyone. Thank you Gary for the article!
Gary Lee: I am thrilled that your experience was a good one. It's a bit different from other Caribbean islands and I suppose the style is not for everyone but I am glad it was for you. Thanks also for the tip about the beach crime. Sorry to hear but good to know.
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Rockville Md: Mr. Auchard is a great example of the ugly American traveler. I am shocked that the Post printed his article.
Re: batik seller. You admit being hard on the man, so why the need for two paragraphs on what was "only a possible slur" and delivering in the way that makes him look worst? It shows that you really have no sympathy for people. A point which is made several times in the article. The man's village was shattered (your words). Would it have really impacted you to spend the equivalent of $5 on a batik? I have purchased items from sellers in similar circumstances. In the end these are my most prized possessions because I know that I helped someone in need that day.
John Auchard: I did buy over 25 batiks in Indonesia and because I knew the difficulty of the times there, I decided not to bargain. My encounter with the batik salesman was far more light-hearted than the reader interprets, and perhaps I did provide the wrong emphasis. When I said I was hard on him, I might say I said nothing rude or offensive: I merely said no. And I repeated it several times. I agree with the comment that we must be respectful as travelers. All of us have moments of lapses, but I would not travel to such places if I did not hold myself to a high standard---which was easy in Indonesia, for the people were so fine and so deserving of respect and admiration.
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Rockville, Md: Overheated story: I was living in Thailand teaching English for a year. In our first week, the landlady offered us (my wife and I) a ride to the market in our city (Ayutthaya) in her nice, shiny, black Honda. It was only a five-minute walk, but we said yes. Then she drove right by the market, and proceeded to give us a two-hour driving tour of the area. The only thing was, her A/C was broken. So, the shiny black Honda was an oven. Every time we stopped and got out, it was truly REFRESHING to get in the 100-degree, 99% humidity air! I don't know how many gallons we sweated that day!
Andrea Sachs: How funny. Hope she had a car air freshener.
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Washington, DC: How can I determine whether a tour company is legitimate? Friends and I are interested in a trip to Egypt this October, and I've looking at tons of different tour companies (Go Ahead, Gate1, etc.). So far, All Season Tours has the best combination of price, itinerary, group size, and options. They seem to be fairly well established, but I've never heard of them. I want to make sure that we're not making a mistake going with an unknown company. Advice?
Carol Sottili: Check the Better Business Bureau. Find out how long they've been in business under the same ownership. Ask if they are members of organizations such as the American Society of Travel Agents or the United States Tour Operators Association. Pay with a credit card.
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Tropical heat: Two summers ago we went to Sweden in July - while they
were having a 'heat wave' of +90F days. No CAC and worst
yet no fans. Everyone (natives) were complaining of the
terrible heat. We were a bit uncomfortable but as natives of
suburban MD didn't think heat stroke was too likely!
Andrea Sachs: Oh, those silly Swedes. To think 90 is hot. We should have a summer exchange program.
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Capitol Hill, Washington, DC: Hey Folks,
I'm headed to Nanjing, China for 10 or 12 days in early June for a graduate class, staying in the dorms there. When is the best time to buy my ticket, and what should I be paying? I've been seeing prices around $1,700 but isn't Continental starting a route that way...would that drive down prices? Also, I'll have 1/2 day free each day and a weekend in Shanghai to roam. Any suggestions? I'm on a budget, especially if I have to sell my 3 year old to buy the plane ticket. Thanks for your help!
Anne McDonough: Are you looking for flights to Nanjing or to Shanghai (Nanjing's only about two hours or so from Shanghai proper by commuter train), since I think the Shanghai flights would be cheaper? June is a pretty popular month so if you see a fare below $1300 I would take it. The new United route to Beijing may end up having have some good introductory fares but they're not going to be released for a while and again, it's Beijing; Continental doesn't fly to Shanghai. It's very easy to do Shanghai on a budget--I've always liked staying at the dorm rooms at the Pujiang (www.pujianghotel.com) but they have regular grownup rooms as well as it's a fantastic location. A fun neighborhood to wander is Xintiandi, near the French Concession, and walking the bund in the early morning to see the exercisers, at at night to see it against the city lights, is great. Eating the street food in Shanghai is just fantastic, and is cheapo. Check out 8 days (www.8days.sh, sort of like the city's time out)for entertainment, events, hot restaurants, etc. for when you're there.
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Hot Memories: Flight Crew:
My hottest night in terms of actual temperature was my wedding night--after getting married in a charming historic home without air conditioning on a late June day with 98 degree temp and high humidity (our wedding cake started to melt), we were too exhausted to drive that night to our honeymoon site of Mohonk Mountain House. We returned to our 3rd floor apartment only to find that the a/c had broken. Why we didn't just check in to a hotel is one of those questions I can't answer at the moment. Of course, the night was hot in other ways not fit for a family newspaper.
The irony is that when we finally got to Mohonk and later an inn in the Berkshires, they were having a cold snap and we froze in our t-shirts and shorts!
Anne McDonough: Ah, the honeymoon that almost wasn't. Thanks for not sharing the rest of the details! ;)
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Rockville, Md: Do any of you have hotel recommendations for Reykjavik? We're going to be there for 3 nights in the beginning of July and would prefer to stay in the center city area. We'll be there during the week so we hope it won't be too noisy. (We've heard that it gets pretty raucous on weekend nights.)
Thanks!
Cindy Loose: I stayed at the family-owned Hotel Odinsve, were doubles range from about $137 to $215. at least last time I checked, not sure what has happened to the currency there compared to ours in the last year. It's clean and comfy, not luxurious, but very well located.
In fact it's near the more luxurious Hotel Borg, which might be within your budget--prices start at about $250 in summer but fall quite alot in other seasons usually. You could also check out the Hotel Holt. Budget travelers might want to check out guesthouses, listed at the tourism office's Web site.
I highly recommend checking out the Blue Lagoon--love it, and it's between the airport and downtown. Even with just three days I'd try to take a day trip out of the city. If you wanted to do an overnight, I loved Frost and Fire.
Check out our archives--free if you go to washingtonpost.com and then hit arts and living and then travel and search for international destinations from our site.
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Fairfax, Va: Any word on whether the TSA is ever going to implement that frequent-traveler program that would allow pre-screened folks to get in a much shorter line at the checkpoints? I have nothing to hide and I'll gladly give them any info they want about me if it means a shorter line and fewer security hold-ups!
Andrea Sachs: It is being offered select airports and the TSA is adding more. But they don't seem to be in a big rush.
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For Mr. Auchard: We have relatives who recently moved to Bali; the husband works for an American oil company. How safe are an American man, woman or children (separately or together) likely to be from violent terrorist acts? BTW, they're not the sort to frequent nightclubs, but would attend a Christian church regularly if one's available.
John Auchard: When I went to INdonesia I went with some caution. In fact I had planned a trip the previous year and had decided to put it off for reasons of safety. Certainly any Western traveler must consider the international situation and make his or own judgment, but not a single westerner I met in Indonesia (some visitors, some American students, some ex-pats) communicated to me any sense of fear on a daily basis. I certainly felt at home. I have a hunch, and only a hunch, that the targets hit in Bali aimed at Western high life and rather loud partying. But people tell me Bali is calm now. I have traveled a great deal and have felt moments of lurking dread in many places, but not this trip. I met thirteen American students studying INdonesian in Yogyakarta, and they seemed ot be having the time of their lives. Almost all of them, and perhap half were women, had rented motorbikes, had moved in with families, and made their way around town and the area with great friendliness and curiosity. I asked if any of them had had a bad experience or bad moment, and they were emphatic that they had not. I can only give my impressions and impressions I have collecetd from others, but certainly at the moment the pulse of terrorism is not felt on the streets of the cities or up in the hill towns. I would go back if I could soon, and I would encourage my friends to go.
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Washington DC: Last New Years, my family rented a house in Punta Del Este, Uruguay for my sister's wedding. There was no AC, but the backyard pool and the ocean breezes kept things very comfortable during the day, despite the 85-90 degree temps. Night was a different story, however, as none of the windows had screens and had to be shut tight to keep out the legions of (palm-sized!) hairy spiders that congregated on the porches and balconies as night fell. Trying to sleep in an oven does not usually let you get a solid 8 hours...though we usually made up for it by napping at the pool the next day.
Andrea Sachs: In those situations, don't you wish we were nocturnal creatures.
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Washington DC: Heat: On our Hawaiian honeymoon 3 and a half years ago, my new husband and I went sea kayaking. Unfortunately, we ran very low on sunscreen. After a few hours of kayaking, my husband noticed that the top of his feet were getting red. A few days later, while playing in the ocean, he saw what he thought was a jellyfish on his foot. He ran out of the water, only to discover that his feet had started to peel and that water was sloshing up under the dead skin, causing it to puff up.
Andrea Sachs: That is so grossly amusing. If the prize is aloe vera, you win!
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Silver Spring, Md: On our honeymoon, my husband and I went to Greece and on our first night in Athens, the overwhelming heat in our hotel room was not due to any strenuous actvities on the part of my husband and I! We were exhausted from the transatlantic flight and a big dinner, and just wanted to go to sleep. We didn't get much rest due to broken A/C and the cheers (and fireworks) outside from the Greek victory in the soccer semifinals.
Anne McDonough: What is it with honeymoons and broken A/C! It's like a curse.
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U St, Washington, DC: I have some advice and then a question. I recently flew to Hawaii on Continental and would highly recommend it. New plane, plenty of legroom in coach (I'm a bigger guy and have never said that for any airline other than Midwest), friendly service, each person had their own TV, and Continental gave us free drinks and $100 vouchers for being delayed by two hours in Houston even though it was completely beyond their control. I was really worried about being on a plane for so long but it wasn't bad at all.
Now my question - to follow up on last week's discussion regarding pools in Vegas, does anyone know if any hotels offer pool passes for non-guests? I'm going out with a group of friends who are all leaving and checking out of the hotel Sunday morning but my flight doesn't leave until late that night. I thought lounging by a pool would be a good way to recouperate from a weekend of Vegas fun.
John Deiner: Hey, U. Thanks for the word on Continental -- sounds as if they really took care of you.
As far as pool passes go, that's a good question. And I don't know the answer. Did some quick research and can't find anything. If you have a key, usually all you have to do is flash it at the attendant on the way in, so you can probably just use the pool after you check out and check your bags in with the bellman. Then you could probably change in the pool's bathroom, or at least ask if there's a dressing room. You're not alone...lots of people have to kill a day in Vegas before they fly out at night.
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Washington, D.C.: I have the good fortune of a 24 hour layover in Paris this summer. Having never been there before, can you recommend good neighborhoods to stay to get the most out of my 24 hours? Also, what is the best (and cheapest) way to/from CDG?
Thanks
Gary Lee: Although they can be a bit pricier, I recommend the 6th, 16th or 1st arrondisement for hotels: they are the most central and in general the most tourist friendly. For getting into the city you have a couple of good options (besides taxis, which can be pricey: take the RER train direct from the airport, takes around 40 minutes, costs around 11 euros. You can also take an Air France bus (even if you don't fly Air France) for around the same price. the buses and the RER stop at various destinations in the city. Where you get off depends on where your hotel is.
Bon Chance!
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Bethesda Mom: One of the funniest heat stories occurred long ago when we hosted a British reporter friend's vacation replacement who was from Edinburgh. She had brought all of her "summer" wear for August in DC and not one thing had short sleeves or was made of thin material! Poor thing--she didn't know what hot really was.
Andrea Sachs: Poor thing. Hope you took her to the Gap for her first American experience.
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Washington, D.C.: My favorite "hot" moment actually was in Mali. A few years ago I was trekking the Dogon escarpment during the harmattan. Brutally hot, our guide wouldn't let us walk more than a few kilometers a day, and even at that we were exhausted. On the second night (of five) we were sleeping on the roof of a house in a small village. After my bucket bath in the morning I was struggling to dress when my stick deoderant broke-off and rolled off of the roof into the courtyard. Within moments a small child and goat were fighting over it. I scrambled down and somehow managed to retrieve a few crumbs before it was gone.
For the next few days I warded off the 120 degree heat with a thumbnail-sized crumb of deoderant that I painstakingly applied at regular intervals. It wasn't until I reached Ouagadougou 7 days later that I could purchase new deoderant (and of course within this time I managed to become soaked with goat pee on a Malian taxi brusse).
Lesson-learned: always travel with roll-on deoderant and keep a safe distance from goats.
Anne McDonough: I love this. Something tells me that even had the deodorant not rolled its merry way away the heat, the animals and the trekking may not have left you smelling like a daisy anyway.
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Alexandria, Va: Heading to Buenos Aires for a tango trip in about 6 weeks. What 2-3 things should I not miss during my free mornings?
Cindy Loose: Oh you lucky bum. BA is great for just strolling around, for starters. Go by the Puerto Madero neighborhood to walk along the water and see the bridge by Calatrava. Walk across the bridge and there's a new, really upscale, amazing hotel -- Hotel Faena. Even if you can't afford to stay it's worth treating yourself to tea or a beer, and maybe even use the turkish bath.
Recoleta neighborhood has beautiful mansions, and at the other side of town a great outdoor market. Or maybe you can get tickets to something in the teatro colon--one of the great performances spaces in the world.
You will not lack for things to do---it's a really great city.
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Bethesda, Md: Mr. Auchard, what research did you do before your trip? I am surprised that you did not know that decorating/mutilating the body is against the Koran (it is also not accepted in the Jewish religion).
I'm also curious why you needed to inform Rani that corn is not indigenous. Especially in light of your personal characterization of being "weak on nature and know nothing of jungly vegetation" and not even recognizing the plant!
John Auchard: I did a good deal of research on a complex nation with complex international influences, but I make no claims about being an Indonesian scholar. I travel as a traveler, and I once said that at best good travel writing is the literature of ignorance. Part of the ambition of this piece was to reflect the ignorance so many people have of Indonesia, and I was one of them. Former ambassador Alphonse LaPorta heads the USINDO (United States/Indonesia) center in washington www.usindo.org and I recall that the headnote of the site is something like, "One of the largest and most important countries in the world, about which very little is known." I paraphrase badly, but that's it. I had hoped to show how I had been "wrong" on many assumptions from first to last, even as a slightly prepped traveler. I wanted to end the piece on my own ignorance of so many things INdonesian, and yes I wanted it that way because I still believe it is a country few American know very well, a country that has stirred so many troubling images and, to many in recent times, little else.
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Bowie, again.....: Oh hey...overheated story....last July, took a Grand Canyon helicopter tour (one where you fly for about 20 minutes....then down to the river for a rafting trip)...temp outside was 110 degrees....and the chopper's A/C was out. No windows. When we finally got back up after the rafting trip, the pilot got really nasty because no one tipped him. I said if cared if his a/c worked, he might have gotten some tips. That made him hotter than his helicopter. Thank god, we didn't have to rely on him to get back to Vegas.....lol...
Andrea Sachs: And they say heat rises!
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Booster seats on planes?: Are there any problems using a tall back booster on a plane? I've heard mixed things from various people. Also, any restrictions on which seats they may be used in? The kid in the car seat will be by the window. I'm hoping to sit in the middle and have the booster child on the aisle. Thanks!
Cindy Loose: Any car or booster seat must have a sticker showing that it is FAA approved, or approved for airline use, or some such wording. As long as you've bought a seat, the only restriction would be that you can't sit in the exit row where your expected to help passengers get out in case of...well, let's not talk about that.
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Washington DC: Help!
Going to Poland (Krakow) with a great program this July and Im only responsible for finding my own way to Poland and back. What is the best way for me to go if I am mainly looking to keep the cost down- travel to another European city and then pick up a shorter flight to Krakow? Also, when is the best time for me to buy the ticket?
Im totally new to this- so your help is MOST appreciated!
Carol Sottili: Getting to Krakow usually isn't cheap, especially during July. Right now it wouldn't make sense to fly into a larger city and then get a discount flight into Krakow. Price to Krakow is about $1,100 straight through. Price to London is about $900 on connecting flights, so that doesn't make sense. London is usually the cheapest city to get to because there is lots of competition. But then you have to transfer airports to get to Stansted or Gatwick to get cheap flights to other cities. It's often not worth it. Sign up for sale notifications at Orbitz.com and Kayak.com. Discount airlines that serve Krakow include Easyjet, Central Wings and Ryanair.
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RE: Curacao: never, never leave anything on the beach you do not want to lose. This is the rule on every beach in the world, from Ocean City to Aruba. Spend $5 for a waterproof case you hand around your neck--put your keys and some cash in it and leave the rest locked in the trunk of the car.
Gary Lee: Thanks for the tip.
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Melbourne, Australia:.. at least that's where this took place.
Our wedding was an outdoor event in the middle of Australia's summer (end of January). My parents arrived in Sydney and took a train trip to Canberra that was delayed because the tracks were warped due to temperatures in the 100's as well as wildfires that had scorched the capital. They met up with the inlaws there and all of them arrived in Melbourne on the hottest day on record (somewhere around 105). We went by the park to show them the location where the ceremony would be the next day, only to watch another wedding party sweating it out in tuxes and wedding attire. Things looked grim... but that night the weather broke and we had comfy low 80's temps for our day.
Andrea Sachs: Thank goodness it cooled. Imagine having to say "I Do" while standing in a bucket of cold water.
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For lady looking for travel group for Egypt: We just got back from a tour with Friendly planet. It was a great tour of Thailand and very cheap. We had a great time. Anyway, this was our first tour vacation, but many on the trip had used them before and raved about their Egypt trip. They said it was one of the best tours they have ever been on.
Carol Sottili: Thanks. Friendly Planet info - www.friendlyplanet.com.
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Arlington, Va: I'm traveling to Vegas this April for a couple of weddings, and I'm looking for a decent place to stay on the Strip that won't cost me an arm and a leg. I don't care much about the casino my accommodations are attached to, just a clean room is good enough for me. Any help for this first time Vegas traveler?
John Deiner: Hey, Arl. My top choices would be Luxor, Flamingo and Harrah's -- they're usually much more reasonable than the surrounding luxe properties, and they're right in the middle of things. I've always wondered what Stratosphere is like, though, and though I've never stayed at Treasure Island, I do know the prices there are cheaper than next door at the Mirage. I've stayed at usually dirt-cheap Circus Circus and was surprised that the room wasn't as awful as I expected.
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Northern Va.: Traveling to the UK later this year with a two-year-old and a nine-year-old. Do you or the chatters have any advice as to whether overnight flights or daytime flights are better?
I'm interested in thoughts about what will be help them with jet lag and with keeping them well-behaved (which they generally are) while en route. Daytime, the kids are rested and less likely to be cranky. But I would think that they're more inclined to sleep--thus speeding the journey for them--if we're traveling at night.
I've often read the advice here about keeping kids entertained (or at least distracted) during long flights, with an assortment of books, electronics, and some "new-to-them" toys, and we'll put those suggestions to use, too.
Cindy Loose: That's really a tough one. I'd say if your kids are the type to fall asleep easily and they sleep throught storms and doorbells, going on a night flight makes sense. But if it were my night owl, light sleeping child I'd go by day. With her I always found she'd sleep just a couple hours on the plane, then absolutely have to sleep when we arrived or shortly after, then awake at night and get really messed up. Plus, it was a bit easier to reason with her and keep her awake on arrival when she was nine than when she was two.
Myself--I find I function better with a daytime flight. then again, that option will probably cost more, and it really depends on how well you and your kids sleep on planes.
Best option: night flight in first class, but then for me at least that's not an option at all.
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McPherson Square, Washington, DC: I'm planning a trip to Cancun in November, and the only direct flight from Dulles is on Delta. It's a great price, and I'd like to buy the ticket now, but what happens if Delta gets bought by US Air? Does US Air have to honor that route/my ticket?
Carol Sottili: When airlines merge, schedules change. No guarantees. Also, United's Ted flies from Dulles nonstop to Cancun, which could be an alternative. But when you're planning that far in advance, be prepared for schedule changes, especially in today's constantly changing airline shuffle.
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re: Auchard and batiks: I think you proved the writer's point. Bargaining is NOT about money so much as culture. It's about the exchange and respect.
And if you're a responsible traveler, how come you didn't think to tip Ilhu at the time he provided service? Another lapse? Or were did you feel he feigned illness to get the front seat and then feel guilty for not tipping?
John Auchard: About Ilhu. I had not hired him. He asked if he could tag along to keep his friend company and see the lake. Of course I said yes, invited him to lunch, and we chatted. He was in no way a formal guide or even an informal one, but I recognized after the fact that he ahd said many things that helped me understand the Bukittinggi reason. My sense of a late "tip" was more to me a sense of leaving him a small gift.
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Nanjing Questioner: I'd be happy to fly to Shanghai, but none of the flights get in until late in the day and I'd still have to train it to Nanjing for the night. Am I missing something?
What about Nanjing...I'll be there for the bulk of my time (in class), and I'm worried I'll run out of things to do. Am I crazy to think so?
Anne McDonough: You're only there for 10 to 12 days--and while Nanjing isn't Beijing or Shanghai it's a lovely city. There are a ton of students, both Chinese and foreign (the Hopkins Nanjing Center is pretty popular with the DC folks), and has the things that normally go along with that. But it's also a city with a lot of horrifying history that is well worth exploring (I'd suggest reading Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II
by Iris Chang before heading over). Apparently last November the John Rabe and International Safety Zone Memorial Hall opened, which looks interesting. I'm just thinking that since there are more flights to Shanghai than Nanjing, it might be cheaper to book that instead of trying to fly all the way to Nanjing. But I could be wrong.
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Silver Spring, Md: My wife and I were thinking of taking a night away from the children in Atlantic City. Is that a mistake? If not, please recommend a good (i.e. not sleazy) hotel.
John Deiner: Not sleazy? Gee, what fun is that?
If you like to gamble a bit and eat taffy and outlet shop, AC isn't the worst option anymore. Just be prepared for a little blight.
I'd recommend the newest tower at the Showboat or either Harrah's or Borgata at the marina.
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for Falls Church: If you mean you're visiting Spain in about a month for a week (as opposed to, perhaps, the first week in February), and if you have a background in any Romance language (French, Italian, Latin, etc.), you may be able to pick up some Spanish basics. Unless you're a polyglot genius you'll probably not be able to speak using perfect grammar, but you should be able to get down basic verbs, nouns, 'Where is the toilet?', 'How much does that cost?' type comments and questions. (And make sure you also learn at least 1 through 10, plus the names of currency.) Call a local school and ask if there's a parent of an ESL student who would be willing to talk with you in exchange for you talking with them - Latin American Spanish isn't the same as Spanish Spanish (sorry, I never remember what it's called properly), but you may be able to get a sense of the rhythm and definite do-not-says.
Gary Lee: This is helpful advice for any traveler, thanks.
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RE: hot weather: Not only was this the hottest moment of my travel life, but also the most miserable night of my married life (of all of 2 years). My husband, two friends of ours, and I went camping in Harper's Ferry in July. Thinking it was "in the mountains" so it should be cooler, we really didn't think this was going to be a problem. However, the later it got, the more clear it became that not only was the temperature only going to go from 95 to 93, the humidity was only getting higher! My 200-pound plus husband and I were in our 2-man backpacking tent with our sleeping bags...ROASTING. I got mad if he even touched me because his body was soooo hot. It was horrible!
Anne McDonough: Roasted hikers. Not pleasant.
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Washington, DC: Hi travel guys, my husband and I are going to Grand Cayman late April. I've never been there. Is there anything I should not miss (besides diving, which I don't do). Thank you!
Cindy Loose: I think the coolest thing in Grand Cayman is Sting Ray City--not a city at all but a sandbar area where rays hang out and boats take you there to feed them squid. It may give you pause after what happened to Steve Irwin, but I would do it again, and I really suspect Steve's problem was chasing them, which you shouldn't do. The boat captain will tell you how to approach them--like shuffle your feet in the sand to avoid stepping on them and don't swim overtop them or chase them.
There's also a turtle breeding farm that's interesting for about 10 minutes, then you can walk half a block up the street to a really nice restaurant whose name I've forgotten but you can't miss.
Cayman has an incredible beach 7 miles long, but isn't big on historic or cultural attractions. but just enjoy the nature there.
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Washington, DC: another question about miles program please. If you belong to a program such as Eurobonus or Miles nad more, how does that work when redeeming your miles? I have enough miles for a domestic trip - can I redeem it with any partner airlines? these programs are very confusing...
Cindy Loose: Hmmmm, not familiar with those programs. Anyone else?
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Arlington, Va.: Are any of you travel gurus Scuba divers? If so, which destination would you recommend for a week long dive trip? I would like to keep it under $2,000 including air. My current thinking is between Cozumel and the Cayman Islands. I've enjoyed Roatan, Turks & Caicos, and Belize. Thanks for your help in deciding.
Andrea Sachs: I find that a lot of the diving in the Caribbean is very similar--a swarm of colorful fish and coral. Bonaire is a big diving destination, but if you want good land activities as well, go for Cozumel. The Caymans are incredible too, but the onshore scene can be low-key. Another option is take a charter boat diving trip, so you can hit lots of islands and dive spots. Other destinations include Honduras, Costa Rica and the Galapagos.
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for the Atlantic City poster....: I recommend staying at the Borgata for someone who is 20-something. It is the new young hot spot. They have a club on premises called MIXX that is really fun and attracts a good crowd. And DO NOT stay at the Hilton. Seriously. I stayed there bc it was cheap and the only people there were senior citizens being bussed in for a day of gambling from their retirement communities.
Only downside, Borgata is expensive. Get a bunch of people to split one room. And don't miss the buffet!
John Deiner: Yep, as long as they split the room it won't break the bank, but, man, that place is expensive. And most places have the clientele you describe. Only prob with the Borgata is that it's in a world all it's own out there. Tropicana, btw, is also filled with young people, particularly during the late night.
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Washington DC: Heat: my husband lived in a refugee camp in the middle east during the time that a then-record was set for earth surface temperatures. It reached 145 degrees fahrenheit, if memory serves. He said you could put your dripping wet blue jeans on the sidewalk, and by the time you came back outside with another load of laundry, the jeans would be bone-dry. Water came out of the taps literally scalding hot, then cooled down if you let it run.
I don't think this would be preferable to what we're having in DC today!
Andrea Sachs: I wouldn't mind that for a quick spell, then run outside without a coat to cool off.
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Hot Times ...: I was on a study abroad in Ecuador and my group was staying at a research station (accessible only by boat) in the Amazon Basin for about a week. It was extremely hot and humid (probably in the 90s with 90+ percent humidity) with no A/C, and electricity for only a couple of hours a day. We all sweat things out during our day-long hikes, but the worst thing was nothing ever dried because of the humidity. By the end of the week everything had a musty, moldy odor. Of course, seeing the river dolphins and monkeys in their native habitat made it all worthwhile!
Anne McDonough: If only you could have lived like a dolphin while being there!
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Pittsburgh, Pa: Other than Florida and the requisite Disney et al attractions, where are good vacation spots (either here or abroad) that would be great for a family with young children? We are starting to plan our vacation this summer, but wonder where we could go where not only my husband and I would have a good time, but there would be great attractions, activities, etc. for our 5 year old daughter. One place we are considering is San Diego (Sea World, San Diego Zoo), but we are open for any suggestions.
Cindy Loose: San Diego sounds like a good option--good combo of beach and city. If you want beach and still want attractions, that's the best option outside of Florida that comes to mind.
Correct us if we're wrong and beach isn't essential, cause then the options multiply exponentially.
Can anyone else chime in?
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Pittsburgh, Pa: My husband and I traveled to Scotland about 6 years ago to attend the British Open golf tournament. This tournament is held in July each year, and while checking out possible accommodations in Edinburgh (where we would be staying) I made sure to ask if the hotel had air conditioning. Of course, the response I heard most often was, "No, but it doesn't get very hot here." Well, I am the type that isn't lucky when it comes to these kinds of things, so I made sure we had booked a hotel with A/C. Well, guess what -the week we were in Scotland, it was in the 80s for several days, so I was glad that I had booked the hotel I did. However, this didn't help us when we went to St. Andrews to attend the tournament. Since it's a link course, near the water, there was no shade ANYWHERE, and the places that were set up along the course that served sodas and water - nothing was cold and no ice! Apparently, having COLD drinks and/or ice for beverages is not common over there. Several times when we asked for ice, people gave us the strangest looks.
At least we could return to a cool hotel room at the end of the day.
Andrea Sachs: Thankfully, you weren't teeing off. Imagine the body temps for the golfers. Could make an iron melt.
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Washington, D.C.: Please help! I need to book flights this week for my honeymoon. Is $1200 r/t to Venice, Italy in June 2007 reasonable or should I wait another week or so? Thank you!
Carol Sottili: Venice is expensive, especially in June. I think $1,200 sounds about right. Could there be a sale? Possible, but not all that likely at this point.
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Heat Stories: I have actually never been so glad to feel the heat as I have in India, which I visited in August for the first time. It was so hot in Delhi that we wore long sleeves because the sun actually hurts bare skin. We got stuck on a tour bus where the driver turned the AC on high and would never turn it off, no matter how many people complained of cold. We ended up taking down the curtains and using them as blankets! We never were so happy to be in the sun, sweating and burning, as after that.
Andrea Sachs: Quite the fashion statement. Scarlett would've been proud.
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Krakow: I flew Czech Air to Prague and then connected to Krakow last March. Cheap flight - part of a package with hotels so I can't tell you the exact airfare. But check them out - no pun intended.
Carol Sottili: I took a quick look at Czech Air, and it's in line with others. But package deal is more likely reason it was cheap.
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Susquehanna Township, Pa: What is your take on the poster on the 1/26 Carolyn Hax Chat who accepted an invitation to a summer European wedding of a friend and thought she could use frequent flyer miles and found out no flights could be booked? From what I've read, booking airline trips using frequent flyer miles is extremely difficult.
Also, for Houston, try Barnes & Noble, I've found it a reliable Washington Post source
Anne McDonough: I saw that question on her chat and thought that she probably hadn't told her friend that being there for the wedding was conditional on getting FF tickets. 'Cause tickets, in the summer, to Europe, sure are tough to get that way. Poor friend. Ah, well. Thanks for your Houston tip--I hope the OP is still out there!
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Alexandria, Va: My husband and I would like to go to Ireland this summer. I realize we'll pay a premium for traveling in the summer, but most tours I've found promise accomodations in what are called B&B's. They list all sorts of accreditations, but they don't promise things like private baths - does anyone have experience with these tours? Are we going to end up on someone's pull-out couch?
Cindy Loose: You'll for sure have your own room, but I wouldn't count on your own bath unless that's part of the promise. Let me put it this way---I wouldn't lay out hard earned money for a tour unless there is some way to contact the tour operator and ask questions like this one.
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15th and L, Washington, DC: I am planning a drive up the west coast and am looking for some ideas. Currently, the plan is for us to fly into Vegas, then hit the Grand Canyon, LA, Yosimite, San Francisco, Portland, and then fly back to DC from Seattle.
Questions -
What are other good spots to hit along the way?
Can this be reasonably done in 2 weeks or less?
John Deiner: Wow, 15th&L. That's an awful lot of ground to cover in 2 weeks. You could spend a week just driving up the Oregon coast, or driving up the California coast. You'll be spending most of your time driving, or at least only a day or so in places that merit at least a few each. I wouldn't add a single other thing to that itinerary -- in fact, I'd cut out everything north of California and just concentrate on the national parks, the big cities and the coast. And even that seems too much!
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Anonymous: We need to overnight near Gatwick Airport(London) on our way from Italy to the US. Does anyone know of a hotel or Band B ,that provides transportation to and from the airport and a room for under 100 dollars a night? Thanks, Waynesboro, VA.
Cindy Loose: We need help with this one----anyone know? I'm doubting anything for $100, given that our dollar is now 50 cents in England and London is expensive to begin with, but anyone know anything close?
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Arlington, Va.: Too hot! I was a novice scuba diver living in Egypt doing some shore diving with friends. We had been out late the night before and didn't make it out until low tide, which meant we had to walk out in knee high water. The water wasn't high enough to help support the weight of the tanks but it was just high enough to make walking tricky, especially since we were treading carefully to avoid stepping on sea urchins that were like a mine field on the path. Add it all to the fact that it was 110 degrees with the sun beating down on us and I was wearing a wet suit (only 3 mm, but still) and I ended up with a case of dehydration that knocked me out for a couple of days.
At least the water was cool when we got in and it was a lovely dive!
Andrea Sachs: Bet you never wanted to leave the water.
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Alexandria, Va.: I have a nonrefundable ($100 change fee) ticket for a flight later this week that I will have to cancel. I do plan to reschedule. Do I have any bargaining power, or is it pretty cut-and-dried?
And am I better off waiting til the last minute to tell the airline? There is a chance of bad weather, the flight is nearly full and if they have to cancel I wonder whether I could get out of the change fee.
Carol Sottili: The only time I ever had a change fee waived is when I walked into a ticket office (and there are very few left) and chatted with the woman behind the counter, telling her that the reason I needed to change my son's ticket was that I wasn't allowing him to go skiing with friends because his report card wasn't up to snuff. She was so supportive of my parenting style that she waived the fee. But short of connecting on some level with a person in charge, you're out of luck.
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Alexandria, Va: Any suggestions for a family summer resort in the North East? I'm picturing the "Dirty Dancing" summer resort with activities for small children but some decent food for my gourmet tendencies. Golf is a must for my husband.
Anne McDonough: Anyone out there in chatland have a favorite North East summer resort?
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Heat Story: When I was 19, I spent a month backpacking in northern India. The only way I could afford it was to fly there in June, the hot season, when flight prices were cheap. The trip was great, the weather was MISERABLE!
My worst night was in Orccha, a beautiful ancient city, where I stayed in a hotel that was literally an old fort. The walls of the room were all rock, as was the floor, and there was one window the size of a porthole. Outside, the temp hovered around 130 degrees.
The room's ceiling fan seemed to rotate about once every 30 seconds, so it was useless. After fitfully trying to sleep on top of the bed, I gave up and laid down on the gecko-ridden tile floor of the bathroom. All night long, I would wake up dripping with sweat and miserable. Then I would reach up and pull the chain that operated the cold water shower. Water would cascade down on me, cool me off and totally wake me up. Eventually I would get back to sleep, only to reawaken whenever I dried off and started heating up again. Miserable, but memorable!
Andrea Sachs: I can't even imagine 130 degree heat. My hot tub only goes to 107, and that burns.
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Washington DC: Hot story: When I camped at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the high was 106 and the low around 83. But the ranger informed us that we had come at the right time: The week before it had been 113. Somehow that knowledge didn't help.
Andrea Sachs: Seven degrees? Does that make that much of a difference. Guess when temps are over 100, each degree matters.
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Hot Story: I live in Central Cal where it gets pretty hot, not much humidity though. On a milestone birthday, I booked trip to Cabo. My birthday is July 19th.
When the plane landed, I thought we had landed in the high desert of California: rugged mnts and scrub brush. And it was hot.
The day we picked to bum around town? It was like the gates of Hell. All pictures have what I call the Latin American sheen: sweat.
Went to a restaurant at 8:30pm. Inside it will be cool right? It was just a storefront with canvas shades over the top.
Good food, no relief.
No Mexico in the middle of summer again.
Anne McDonough: Gates of Hell for a milestone birthday. Hmm. Perhaps you should pick Paris for the next one ;)
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Best bets to Victoria: Hi, I want to take my daughter (Victoria) and her grandma to Victoria, Canada and then to Vancouver to celebrate her 8th birthday. Am I better off flying into Seattle, then taking the ferry or driving up? Or flying into Vancouver from the East Coast? W I'm just not sure the best way to route the trip--probably a max of 5 days. Thanks!
Cindy Loose: If this in part is a money question, I'd say you'll have to price it out using the exact days of travel you have in mind, but I'm guessing that it's going to be significantly cheaper to fly to Seattle and then take a ferry.
The very best way, money aside, would be to fly to Seattle, take the ferry, then fly home from Vancouver. But whether that's practical budget-wise you'd have to check. No way to tell until you have exact days of travel in mind.
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Rockville, Md: Hot story! Booked a 3.5 day camping tour from Darwin to Alice Springs. 20+ in a van with no A/C at the end of October (November is known as Suicide Month in Darwin because people have killed themselves not being able to tolerate the heat). The tour guide kept us entertained and tried to get us to think of it as how the original explorers experienced this journey. I took to wearing my bikini top and shorts. At one stop I couldn't stand it anymore and begged a fellow traveler to fill a bucket with water and throw it at me. He didn't think I was serious but I finally convinced him. Best thrashing I've ever experienced!
Andrea Sachs: Sounds like a great way to bond with your co-travelers.
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New York, NY: I just started reading the transcript and saw a reference to Kruger -- I don't have time to check the travel section for the exact question, but Protea Hotel Kruger Gate was a fabulous yet inexpensive hotel right by the park. Went there for my honeymoon and it was perfect.
Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the suggestion. Hope our safari-bound traveler is reading this!
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Knoxville, Tenn: As the mother of a 3 year old, I have to say that Air Tran did the right thing in removing the family from the flight, I certainly wouldn't want my son's temper tantrums to hold up an entire planeload of people. But I wish people would understand, or remember that if a 3 year old doesn't want to do something, particularly something as strange to them as sitting in an airplane seat on a flight, there's not a lot the parents can do. Sometimes my son is eager to take on new adventures, sometimes he balks (this is why we're unlikely to fly with him any time soon.) Yes, the family should have been removed, but people who think that there should be some sort of punitive action against the family for a 3 year old acting her age (unfortuately) need to have a little compassion.
John Deiner: Well put, Knoxville. Thanks so much for adding to the chat -- those are great points.
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White Bear Lake, Minn: It was so hot in Montpelier, France that my traveling buddy joined me to watch a movie in the air-conditioned movie theater...and she doesn't speak a word of French!
Andrea Sachs: Too bad you couldn't get the reduced A/C-only rate.
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Silver Spring, Md.: When I was in college, I studied abroad one winter quarter in Australia and New Zealand. I went to college in Minnesota, so spending January to March in the southern hemisphere sounded pretty good. It was one of those trips where we travelled around with a couple of professors from my college, visiting a different exotic destination every few days. (with much learning about biology, so it was legitimately educational. no, really.)
New Zealand has a pleasant climate, with some chilly nights even in the middle of summer. But in February, when we got to Sydney, it was shockingly hot. Unpleasant. Drippy. Over 100 degrees. Our first day there, a lot of us spent a lot of time whining.
Then our professor whipped out a fax from the off-campus studies office, back in Minnesota. He told us the temperature on campus that day, and I don't remember the exact number, but it was something like minus 20. We all cheered - suddenly Sydney didn't seem so bad.
Anne McDonough: That sounds like an amazing abroad experience--and a good reason to be away from Minnesota in winter.
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Rockville, Md: What is considered a good priced airfare from Washington, DC to Ho Chi Minh city during the late summer in either August or September? I have seen United flights with two stops from IAD to SGN for $1200 round trip.
Thanks!
Cindy Loose: Given you live in the metro D.C. area, I'd suggest that you give a call to one of the Vietnamese-American owned travel agencies that specialize in trips to Vietnam. Don't know a name off hand, but try going to www.travelsense.org and type in you want a travel agent who speaks Vietnamese in Virginia and a recommendation I'm betting will come up. If not, just put in the search that you want a specialist in Vietnam.
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Washington DC: Thinking of going to Indonesia sometime in February or March; Yokyakarta, Bali, Ubud. Was wondering if this is a good time or if I should wait awhile.
Also, if I fly Cathay Pacific to Singapore, what airline do you recommend (Garuda, Air Asia, or other?), and is it best to buy tickets before I get there or to wait?
Thanks! Loved your article!
John Auchard: People spoke to me about a wet season (which can be wet!) starting around May, but March should be still good. I have been in INdia when wet and dry and it's good to see it both ways, so in any case, even some rain could be nice. As far as the flights. I do highly recommend the special Singapore Airlines flight nonstop from Newark to Singapore, a remarkably painless slight. I had set up my connection from Singapore to very nearby Sumatra from back home, and I would get your travel agent to work for the least stopover--then again, I stayed in Singapore two days and found it a vibrant city and a nice transition toward "jnngly" things. Adam Air and Lion are less high-tone than Garuda, and you get a better lounge in Singapore with Garuda, so for the extra buck, that might be the best connection. But the flight to, say, Jakarta is surely less than 90 minutse and you do not need much comfort for that short spring. I am happy you are going! I am grateful you liked the piece!
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Hawaii: My mother in law has always wanted to go to Hawaii....my father in law doesn't travel (he doesn't see the point). Their 40th anniversary is coming up in June and I started to put the bug in his ear that he should take her (even though his thought already is that it won't live up to the hype.) Since they don't travel would you say booking through a tour group the way to go... i.e. other people that they can talk to (besides each other), someone else setting up the itinerary and getting them from point A to B and maybe cheaper in the long run. And if so would you recommend any particular groups that specialize in Hawaii?
Carol Sottili: Don't know where you in-laws live, but Hawaii is a big trip. The flight is long, and if they're not used to traveling, it could be a bit much. But, that said, seniors love Hawaii. My parents went there every winter until my dad passed away, and always had a great time. They traveled independently with friends, but going on an escorted tour may work for your in-laws. Globus (www.globusjourneys.com) and Perillo (www.perillotours.com) are two companies that offer escorted tours of Hawaii. Go to www.ustoa.com for other choices.
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Columbia, Md: Hot? You want hot? Need we look any further than our own beloved Washington DC on a humid August day?
Andrea Sachs: How true. And come August, I will be asking for cold stories to cool us down.
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Re: Booster Seat on Plane: I believe only child seats (for babies and toddlers) are allowed to be sat in. Booster seats (for slighly older children) need to be checked. Or at least that is what the flight crew has always told us when we bring our own booster seat for use in the rental car.
Cindy Loose: Even if its a baby seat it must be FAA approved; if a booster seat says FAA approved it would be okay,but not sure if they exist.
I did an item in Coming and Going recently about a new harness that's FAA approved. If buying one is of interest I can look up the details, which I now forget.
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Washington DC: The 2004 heatwave in France was nightmarish: railways were shut down, seafood restaurants shuttered because they couldn't keep their inventory cold enough, commerce took a huge nosedive as people holed up in their misery...
I had to go to Paris for business, and spent the ten days leading up to the trip absolutely dreading the idea. I read that even in the dead of night, temperatures were hovering near 90 degrees. My work required me to schlep all around the city, and as all occasional-Parisians know, the distances aren't always worth taking a cab or a metro. You WALK in Paris! Plus, the apartment I was staying in didn't have A/C. I knew that I would spent the entire trip sweaty and unprofessional-looking, unable to get any relief outside of my daily (thrice daily?) cold shower.
I got on the flight. It arrived at 7:30 in the morning. My driver took my bags and led the way to the door, where... it was 63 degrees and beautiful. The heatwave had broken overnight and temperatures didn't rise above 80 degrees for my entire stay!
Andrea Sachs: Sounds rough but thankfully had a happy ending. Le Fin.
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Hot story: Greece in August is like death! Athens is the only city I've been in with open windows on the subway. You need it because the subway isn't air-conditioned, so that air rushing in through the windows as the train speeds through the tunnel (think of how it feels in a Metro stop when a train is arriving) actually cools you down a bit.
But Athens in the summer? Gross.
Anne McDonough: Lovely image.
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Washington, DC: Hello:
I'm taking a cruise in late-February, departing from Miami and heading to Nassau. I know that we don't need passports, but is a birth certificate, or something else, required for boarding the ship?
Thanks!
Andrea Sachs: Contact your cruise line but a valid ID should be all you need until the passport rules change for sea and land travel.
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Andrea Sachs: Wow, you guys were on fire with your questions and hot travel stories. For the woman whose husband had bubble toes in Hawaii, please email me your address so I can send you some aloe, or whatever else we have laying around for a prize. (Send to sachs@washpost.com.)
Stay chill, I mean, cool, I mean, well insulated. Till next week!
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