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

You may also browse an archive of previous live travel discussions. For daily dispatches, check out Travel Log, the Travel section's new blog.

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Cindy Loose: Welcome to the Monday chat. Cindy Loose is in charge today, and has under her strict command workers K.C. Summers, Anne McDonough, John Deiner, Steve Hendrix and Gary Lee.

We're here to be helpful if we can, and to help you help each other.

Commander Cindy is currently immersed in books and interviews about the Caribbean so we can put out the best island guide possible. Our bloggers have been very helpful with suggestions and impressions, so we invite you too to tell us what's great about a particular island, and why. We're breaking the question down in categories, like best for budget travel, best for posh, upscale travel, best for eco travel etc., but chime in any way you like and be a part of a "reader's say" article.

The best most helpful comment will win a book on tape, complete with player and headphones, that is smaller than a pack of cigarettes. This particular novel is The Broker by John Grisham, perfect for your next trip. If you're told you win, you have to send your mailing address to Cindy Loose, Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW Washington D.C. 20071 Let's roll.

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Bowie, Md: Pls, pls help! We booked a trip to the US Virgin Islands last week. My husband and I have passports, our 11 mos old son doesn't. I was told by the airline that our son doesn't need a passport. I was told by the US State Dept he does. We have an appt tomorrow downtown for his passport. Can you help to clarify the requirements?

KC Summers: Whoever you talked to at the State Department is wrong. You do not, repeat do NOT, need a passport to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's a U.S. territory, not a foreign country. This is from the State Department Web site, www.travel.state.gov:

The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to or returning directly from a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S. territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. U.S. territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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Washington. D.C.: Hi, I'm planning a trip to Montego Bay Jamaica March 9-13 out of BWI. Nonstop fares have been averaging $466-$476 and spiked up last week to $500 plus. Today, however, I could get one for $466. What is the likelihood of them getting lower than that? Should I wait or get this fare?

Andrea Sachs: Fares go up around that time, because of those of dang kids (spring break). Best to settle on a fare right away, since your dates are nearing. If have not booked your hotel yet, you might also want to look into packages, which offer reduced airfares. Check Air Jamaica Vacations and Apple Vacations for deals.

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Hawaii or French Polynesia?: We are looking at honeymooning in either Hawaii or Tahiti/Bora Bora. We'll only have about 7 days. We like the idea of both - the bungalows in Bora Bora, but the cost is really high. Hawaii seems great, although we wonder if one week is enough to do Hawaii justice. Has any chatters been to both and do they have any opinions? Thanks.

Cindy Loose: You're right that a week isn't a lot of time, but it's going to be less of a strain, and expense, to get to Hawaii. I'm thinking you'd have to go to New York to catch a flight to Tahiti, then take an overnight flight onwards. Can you tag another weekend onto the trip? Probably not, since probably you're getting married that weekend before.

Have you considered putting off the honeymoon until you can get at least 9 days? There is no law about the honeymoon having to be immediately after the wedding.

If Hawaii appeals to you as much as does Tahiti, I'd go to Hawaii. Others have opinions on this?

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Annapolis,Md: How difficult is it to go to the Russian Embassy and apply for visas for my husband and myself?

If it is feasible,is there a Metro stop nearby? Thank you for your help.

Gary Lee: The process is pretty easy as long as you have your passport photos, passport and other things that they ask for. To verify what is needed visit the Web site for the embassy at www.russianembassy.org. Please heed the opening times. The consulate, where you submit the application, is at 2641 Tunlaw in upper Georgetown. There's no metro there but you can take a 32, 34 04 36 bus and up Wisconsin. It's a couple of blocks from there.

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Alexandria, Va: For my mother's 70th birthday, the idea is for the family to fly to Mexico. My mother seems to think that there's a Club Med in the location we've all been talking about, but I went to their website and didn't see it. Is she confused, or am I?

Andrea Sachs: Since you did not mention the location, I'm not sure what mom is exactly talking about. Club Med has two Mexican locations: Ixtapa and Cancun, both great places to celebrate 70 years of momness. However, the country is rife with large-scale resorts, and most tourist spots have all-inclusives.

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Traveling with wedding dress: I am getting married in Cabo in November. Shipping my dress down is not an option (too expensive and too risky!!). Therefore I will be traveling down with it. What are my options? (without buying a first class ticket) Do I call the airline in advance about putting in first class cabin? Keep on my lap?

Thanks!

Anne McDonough: Congrats! Coming up is a link to a piece we did last spring about traveling with a wedding dress...

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washingtonpost.com: Getting That Gown Out of Town, (May 14, 2006)

Anne McDonough: For the Cabo-bound. Thanks, Kim!

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Richmond, Va: Can you explain what is up with international air fares? My 7 year old wants to go to the UK (she still pretty young, I think), but on a lark I plugged in some dates on several sites. Tickets to London Heathrow were well over $1000 a piece! There is not much price difference if I leave from somewhere other than Richmond, i.e. Dulles. I also tried Nova Scotia - $600 a person! What happened to all those $300 fares? Have I not traveled overseas in so long that I am clueless? I thought the airlines were putting more planes in the skies and that would mean a reduction in fares. Help. I'll be on my way to the beach this summer.

Cindy Loose: If you're talking summer, you're right, $1,000 to Europe isn't unusual. Those $300 fares are pretty much in the past, although $400 or so sometimes come up in the spring and fall.

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Bowie, Md: BEST Island.....hands down, Puerto Rico. A few weeks ago I chimed in about a recent trip there.....What I love is how easy and relatively inexpensive it is to fly there, compared to other islands in the Caribbean....and It's never the same vacation twice. The beaches, the rain forest, the people, the variety of restaurants (inexpensive AND first class), (as well as the fact now that you don't need a passport!)....and there really isn't a "language problem"....True, Spanish is helpful (if you drink Cerveza the word "bano" is very helpful!)...So my question is....When do we leave!

Cindy Loose: Puerto Rico is pretty high on our list too, for the reasons you mentioned, plus the food. Thanks.

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Vietnam & Cambodia Flights: I wasn't online during the chat last week so I couldn't respond to the writer who was looking for flights between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Angkor Wat (Siem Reap).

I did a similar trip in September, and figuring out flights was challenging. You can travel within Vietnam and to Siem Reap on Vietnam Airlines, which runs fairly efficiently and on newer aircraft. The problem is that you cannot book online and even their website isn't fully operational with current schedules and fares. If you want to have your tickets in advance, you definitely must go to a travel agent. You can get much cheaper fares if you buy your tickets in Vietnam, but then you have to take your chances with availability. (Even the larger planes were full on my flights.)

Vietnam Airlines has at least 3 daily flights to Siem Reap from HCMC and maybe only 1 from Hanoi. You can also get to Siem Reap from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on other regional airlines.

My trip in September was amazing. Although I was a bit hesitant about relying on Vietnam Airlines, the flights all worked out very smoothly.

Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the Asia-hopping flying tips. Hopefully, last week's chatster is here. Helllloooo? Are you there?

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Washington, DC: Do you have any recommendations for solo travellers? I did a search and found sites for people who are looking to meet and travel with people, but I'm talking about sites that help one look for air/accommodations packages that are more geared toward people who are not "double occupancy" inclined. Site59, for example, displays some cool prices, but only late in the process tells you that since their site is geared toward paired travellers, your prices will go up if you go it alone.

Anne McDonough: Hey DC, coming up is a link to the Specialty Travel Resources piece we did on Feb. 4 (part of our Way to Go issue), which offers several resources for solo travelers. The expert we interviewed, Diane Redfern, also scopes out nontours, etc., without single supplements, and posts them on her site. Hope that helps!

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washingtonpost.com: Specialty Travel Resources, (Feb. 4, 2007)

Anne McDonough: For the solo traveler...thanks again, Kim!

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McLean, Va.: Loved Cindy Loose's story on Lake Tahoe. We're thinking of going in March. Temperatures should be warmer than February, but I assume the slopes will be full of show. What's your thought on staying at a less expensive place in say Truckee, and driving the 15 or 20 miles to the ski resorts? Barring horrible weather, I think I can get away with it -- and save the money for some nice dinners.

Cindy Loose: I think that would be fine. While I have a slight preference for North Tahoe, I must say however that there are more bargain properties in South Tahoe, just cause there are more properties period.

If you were going to spend a lot of time skiing, you could get an inexpensive lodging quite close to Heavenly, like maybe even walking distance, cause the town is spread around the base of the gondola up the mountain.

If you aren't staying in a resort in North Tahoe, you'll have to do a bit of driving because things are spread out.

I envy you; it's really a beautiful place no matter how you do it.

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Flight Delays?: I am flying into DC from Texas on Wednesday night. Assuming the forecast is correct (I know it's a major leap of faith), should I be concerned about my flight getting delayed or canceled? If the snow has finished falling by Wednesday morning will Dulles have things up and running by the end of the day?

Andrea Sachs: If the weather gets really bad, the airlines will often allow you to change your flight without paying a penalty, allowing you to hop on a flight post-snow-and-ice cleanup. Most likely, if it is messy, you can count on long waits and even cancellations--so check on your flight's status before you head out the door.

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Arlington, Va: Hey there, Flight Crew - looking for some advice for a trip to Vegas.

Our group of friends (probably 4-6 people) will be coming from all over the country - San Francisco, New York, Washington, etc. As we look to get a good deal for a quick weekend trip, does it make sense to book air travel and hotels separately, book them together through one of those travel packages from Expedia/Orbitz, book them through the airlines (like US Airways Vacations or something) or use another option? We're looking for nice accomodations, nothing too fancy, at a good price.

John Deiner: Hey, Arl.

I wish I had the definitive answer for you, but I don't. For my own travel, I usually find that booking a la carte to Vegas is the better route to go, and especially in a market like this, with good fares to Vegas frequently available.

What I would do is, after you pick your dates, price out hotels by going to places like hotels.com and Expedia and Vegas.com. Then go to the hotel Web sites themselves; they're often either cheaper or close enough to the other prices to merit booking there (to avoid any cancellation fees). With that size group, you're not going to be getting any big group rates. Once you've found a hotel in your price range (and I'm assuming you want the Strip?), then go searching for airfares to see what it would cost each of you to go a la carte (and remember that changing your travel dates can often yield big savings).

I'd check expedia/orbitz/airline sites/travel agents to see what packages they can cough up. We've found here that Priceline and Hotwire can come through on some nice package deals as well.

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Europe: My spouse won a free trip for 2 to Las Vegas today so we're off to the Sin City sometime this year.

We are more interested in sightseeing, shopping, and culture than gambling. Any good shopping recommendations? Good museums in Las Vegas?

KC Summers: Congrats on the trip. Is this your first visit? Don't judge our whole country based on Vegas... But there are some fabulous museums there, it was a wonderful surprise to me. A couple are world-class -- the Guggenheim (at the Venetian) and the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. But I also loved the Elvis and Liberace museums. As for shopping, definitely don't miss the shops at Caesar's Palace, with its amazing fake sky and the odd (in every way) centurions wandering around, and at the Venetian, where you can take a gondola ride on the canals. Also, the gift shop at the Elvis Museum is terrific.

Anyone else have museum/shopping recommendations for Europe?

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Honeymoon: My two cents: I postponed my honeymoon, but if you can't, consider somewhere in the Caribbean or Central America. Save Hawaii for an anniversary trip. Those 7 days will go by quickly, and if you aren't flying first class that flight will drain all the joy out of you on the way home.

Cindy Loose: That's a good insight and you're right:if they can't get more than 7 days total maybe they'd find more happiness in the Caribbean. I hadn't thought of that as an option.

Hawaii is closer than Tahiti, but even then you've got a six hour flight to San Francisco, add to that a couple hours before the flight standing in line and then waiting to make a connection in San Francisco then nearly six more hours on a plane. Roundtrip, there's two very long days shot right there, plus a day or two to get over jet lag.

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Newport, R.I.: I'm going to the Dominican Republic in April and we're flying Spirit Airlines. Has anyone had any experience with them? I'm a very nervous flier and get very apprehensive when I fly anyone but Southwest.

Cindy Loose: Spirit is fine; have a great time.

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Arlington, Va: I asked a question about this earlier but now I have done some research and have a different question. I am flying on a FF ticket from IAD to Bangkok via Narita. On the return flight I have arranged to overnight in Tokyo. I arrive from Bangkok around 3:45 PM and my flight from there to Dulles isn't until around 11 the next morning. Does it make more sense to stay overnight in the city and trek back out to the airport in the morning or should I book a hotel by the airport and just take a train into the city and then back out to the hotel that night? I had originally thought staying by the airport made more sense but now I am thinking that since my flight isn't until 11AM that maybe I should stay in the city somewhere close to a train station and then head back to the airport in the morning. I believe I will be able to check my luggage all the way through from BKK to IAD so I will just have to take my carryon with me which will mean a lighter load. Any opinions?

Steve Hendrix: Ah, the great Narita overnight, one of the stations of the cross for Asian travel. If you fly to that part of the globe often enough, you'll soon find yourself with 12 or so hours to kill at Narita. Fortunately, they have it down to a science, so that many a booking with JAL or ANA will include a night at one of the highrise hotels that ring the airport (many of them owned by the airlines). The routine, as I know it, is to stagger in, have dinner or sushi in the hotel restaurants, a drink in the lounge (with groups of Japanese businessmen drinking themselves silly) then retire to a comfortable room the size of Honda Odyssey. The next day, 10,000 passengers, all with morning flights, decend on the huge buffet breakfast before climbing on the airport shuttle.

And you want to miss all that? Normally I would say you're asking for trouble trying to get into Tokyo on a Narita overnight. It takes an hour on the fastest train, the Narita Express. But you DO have an unually early afternoon arrival. So you arrive at 3:45, clear customs and get to the train (which runs only hourly in middle of day, I think). If it all works you could be downtown by 6:30 or 7 p.m. You'll need to catch a 6:30 or 7 a.m train coming back. So you'd have 12 hours to find a hotel and do Tokyo.

You COULD do it. But that sushi at the Narita hotels is pretty tasty, too.

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McLean, Va: In June I will be flying round trip from Dulles to Seoul. On the way home, I will transfer planes at the San Francisco airport. I've read online that it takes hours to go thru customs at the SF airport and that you have to go thru customs before getting on a domestic flight. In looking at flight schedules (in preparation of booking a flight), one of the schedules I'm interested in has a time between flights in SF of 1.5 hours. Will I really not have enough time?

Andrea Sachs: So much depends on when you arrive and if other international flights are arriving at the same time. There is no way to determine the wait time. However, to make it go as smooth and fast as possible, pack compact and don't carry any questionable items. Also, don't dawdle after the plane lands, fill out all of your forms beforehand and know where your connecting flight is departing from. It could be tight, but doable. If you are concerned, see if you can hop on the later flight.

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Arlington, Va: For the poster with the honeymoon dilemma...my husband and I went to Hawaii last year for our honeymoon and had about 10 days to see 3 islands. I think they would be fine with 7 days as long as they didn't try to pack too much into that time--just stick with one or two islands (less time you have to spend in airports) and realize that you're not going to be able to see everything...reason to come back! Plus, your recovery time from air travel once you get to Hawaii will be much easier than Tahiti. Either way, enjoy!

Cindy Loose: No votes yet for Tahiti in 7 days. Thanks.

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Fredericksburg, Va.: My 36 year old newly divorced sister has met and fallen in love w/ a Greek fisherman while he was over here on a visit in December. They are now engaged and she will be moving to Greece this summer, although she has never visited the country.

While we're happy for her, we're obviously more than a little concerned as well. More than one person (some of them Greeks themselves) have told us numerous horror stories about foreign women moving over there.

Can you tell me a little bit about Greece, where to find information, or anything that might be of help?

Cindy Loose: Wow, sure would be nice if she went to see it first. Of course there are huge differences depending on exactly where she is going--If he's a fisherman I figure it's not Athens.

Greece generally is a lovely place, very laid back, good food. It's got a language that will be tougher to learn that most European languages. I hope she hasn't sent him any money; we want to make sure that's not what the fisherman is interested in. There are scams out there, where the guy doesn't show up at the airport, let alone the altar. No way to talk her into visiting before marriage?

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Washington DC:

Several weeks ago, there was an interesting article about gay-friendly B&B's in Virginia. Then, there was an unexpected correction saying that in Virginia, it is legal for innkeepers to discriminate based on sexual orientation, contrary to what the article said.

So, can you give us a list of states where such discrimination is still legal? Or maybe a list of states where it is illegal, whichever is shorter?

Where do DC, Maryland, Delaware, NY, and Florida lie on this?

Gary Lee: To remind, the article featured a number of bed and breakfasts in the state of Virginia that welcome gays and lesbians.

I can't offer a comprehensive list of states which have clauses protecting gays and lesbians against discrimination in lodging.

For travelers, I think the main issue is what an individual hotel or B&B's policy is. (Even in states that have an equal protection clause, gays are made to feel more welcome than in other places.

I would make two suggestions for gay and lesbian travelers. 1) Before booking at any place in any state call and ask whether they are gay friendly. 2) Check with Lambda Legal, which offers legal advice on same sex issues, for the policy of the individual states you have concerns about.

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Alexandria, Va: Travel Crew-

A piece of advice for anyone planning a trip. Check that cities/area Tourism Board for any special offers on accomadations or attraction. I was the person who asked about York, UK last week. When I browsed their website, I noticed that they had a 3 for 2(3 nights for the price of 2) special for accomodations. The result is that I'm now staying in a small flat(continental breakfast, tea and goodies provided) inside the city walls for 80 GBP less than the small single hotel room that I booked earlier in the same area. In my case, it payed to do my homework.

Lastly, has the Travel Section ever profiled York?

Thanks!

Anne McDonough: That's very good advice--tourism boards can have the most up-to-date info deals, etc. (though some places have much more active boards than others) and so are a good resource. Coming up should be a link to a piece we did about York last summer. I'd suggest going to the brass rubbing centre; it makes for a great souvenir.

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washingtonpost.com: In York, Name That Century, (June 11, 2006)

Anne McDonough: Thanks, Kim!

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Best time for low fares: I'm sure you've addressed this before, but when searching for the best fares should a traveller look in the morning or night? At the beginning of the week or on Friday night? And if you've waited too long to buy your tix and your trip date is quickly approaching, what's the best way to guage whether you're better off holding off another day or two? Crystal ball, right?!

Cindy Loose: I don't think it matters much what time of day or day of the week you search for a flight. Airlines have very sophisticated systems and they know when seats are going well and when they aren't and adjust immediately, rather than changing on a set schedule.

More critical to price regarding time is the time you want to go. If the destination is big for business travel, you'll do better or a weekend. If it's more a tourist destination, you'll do better on a weekday.

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Falls Church, Va: To the poster who is looking for information about passports to the US Virgin Islands, although everyoen says you don't need a passport, there is a very good chance you will. The reason isn't that the islands are a foreign country, the reason is that it is VERY easy to get to the islands from other countries. They can't control everyone who goes into the island so they need to control who leaves the island heading for the US. When we were leaving security was pretty tight and security officers were telling passengers that they absolutely needed a passport.

On a lighter note, we had a fabulous time at St. John's. We stayed in the National Park - at $75/night it's a a great buget friendly alternative to the Westin at $500/night. Quarters are very clean and Maho Bay is absolutely beautiful.

KC Summers: That's not what the State Department is telling people. But that's just one more reason why we're always harping around here that everyone should have a passport -- it's the best form of ID when traveling. I had mine, but didn't have to show it in St. Thomas when I was there last year.

On St. John, I second your rave about the Maho Bay tent camps. I stayed in their Concordia Studios and loved it too -- very isolated and beautiful, but HOT in summer! Folks should be warned that while it's a step up from camping, it's still pretty primitive.

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Hawaii v. Bora Bora: I went to Tahiti on my honeymoon and cannot speak highly enough about it. However, it is more expensive than Hawaii all around - in HI, you'll have a car, and can get cheap waters and cokes at Wal-mart. In Bora Bora you'll more than likely be at your resort for the whole time so you'll be relatively captive to the prices there. You fly to LA and it's an 8 hr flight from LA on Air Tahiti Nui. We spent 2 weeks there and it was definitely costly. However, it is a lot less crowded and I think more romantic than Hawaii. We have a little savings account set up to go back to Bora Bora for our 10th anniversary (we'll probably go higher end next time). Also, the experience of staying in overwater bungalows is really nice, and I loved being able to jump off my deck into the lagoons. I can't speak highly enough of Bora Bora. It is just gloriously uncrowded, clean air, lots of room, a more European (rather than American) crowd. And if you couple it with another island (like Moorea) you can have a sort of mountainy experience as well.

Cindy Loose: And how many days did you have total in your trip, including the travel part?

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london: For Richmond, VA: the flights are massively expensive now primarily because of taxes (although it's possible, too, that the exchange rate has something to do with it). I was checking round-trip flights from the U.S. to London a while back and was getting options for tickets that cost less than $300, but the added-on taxes were more than $300. Since your daughter is so young, I would suggest that right now you get on airlines' mailing lists and keep an eye out for flight deals - British Airways the other week was offering cheap flights from New York to London (of course, British Airways has extremely restrictive luggage rules - I believe they're switching to one checked bag and one carry-on). If you can be flexible with dates, times, and the airports you use (as well as possible stops in other cities along the way) you should be able to find tickets for about $500-$900. Just make sure everyone has an up-to-date passport.

Cindy Loose: Thanks, and you're right, taxes are a huge hunk of the price.

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For Bowie: Even though a passport isn't required to go to the U.S. VI, it is a good idea to have ID for the child. You never know when you will have to prove that the child is really yours.

KC Summers: Good point. Or a notarized letter from your spouse, if you're a single parent traveling with a kid.

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Alexandria, Va: I want to take my son to Mexico this spring or summer for a birthday gift (he'll be 20). We're not interested in the usual beach vacation. We're mostly interested in Mexican culture, history, language, food. There are so many options, I'm not sure where to start. We know for sure we don't want to spend a week laying on a beach or spend hours each day on a bus. We'll only have about a week, so I thought our best bet would be to pick one city or area and explore it, maybe combined with language or cooking classes. Any suggestions?

Gary Lee: If it's history, culture and food you'd like, it would be hard to do better than Mexico City. It's got all of that in gobs. If you wanted a place that's less busy, try Cuenavarca. It's a pleasant historical city around two hours by bus from Mexico City. They have some very good intensive language programs there. You could do a crash course there and spend a long weekend in Mexico City for culture.

Any other thoughts about this?

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Washington, DC: I am traveling to Ft. Lauderdale at the end of March for a wedding (leaving on a Friday morning and returning on Sunday - out of BWI, Dulles or Reagan). I have looked at the typical search sites (Travelocity, etc.) as well as individual airline sites and the cheapest flights I can find are close to $300. I was hoping to find something closer to $200. Am I crazy thinking that this was possible?

I realize this is a peak time to be traveling to the Miami area. Should I book this now? Are flights only going to get more expensive as the time approaches?

John Deiner: Hey, DC. Ouch. That's pretty expensive for Lauderdale from this region. That's also the peak of the snowbird/spring break season in those parts, so the planes are pretty crowded and the fares are generally high.

I don't know if you're going to do much better than that at this stage, though you never know when a sale may drop from the sky. I guess I would try to book at a forgiving airline like Southwest (and check to see if it's cheaper to fly out early Saturday and return early Monday). Once you book a flight, keep checking back and if it goes down, you can cancel, rebook and bank the remaining money for a future flight.

And check fares to West Palm Beach and Miami as well . . . you never know if they're going to be cheaper or not, but it's less than an hour or so from both to Lauderdale.

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Don't forget Turks!: If you want silky sandy beaches with the clearest water you've ever seen and the friendliest folks ever-- head to Turks and Caicos! My husband and I just returned from a trip there and enjoyed everything from WODNERFUL scuba diving to quiet days at the beach to an exceptional spa at The Palms! The beach was quiet and we had a very relaxing and wonderful time.

Cindy Loose: Cool. I love Grand Turk, don't know the Palms.

Can'tbelieve the islands didn't have electricity until the 1970s. Why didn't we buy land there 15 years ago or so?

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Falls Church, Va: Last week someone posted about Airtran not providing flight information on the monitors at National. You asked if anyone else had noticed this. Well, I have, on many occasions. I asked once, and the ticket agent blamed Northwest. Seemed dubious to me at the time.

Cindy Loose: Hmmm, seems like they would want to be posted. I'll ask sometime.

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Washington, D.C.: Loooove the chats!

My boyfriend and I are doing a tour of the national parks that will probably be swallowed up by global warming in the next few years. Do you have any tips on where to stay in Glacier National Park? We're not looking for the Ritz, but we'd like something decently updated with a nice, homey atmosphere. The places we've seen more closely resemble the hotel from The Shining.

Steve Hendrix: Glacier got some great lodging ops, but I'm not sure any of them I know would count as updated and homey. It's more grand and slightly creaky, in the way of most old Nat Park lodges. Glacier Park Lodge is basically an incredible lobby with some barebones rooms attached. Lake McDonald Lodge is homier, and in a great lakeside setting (really neat little cottages strung out along the shore--fine place). The most "Shining" like is up on the Canadian side, the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park. What a great old frame pile that is.

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Maryland: Grand Cayman is wonderful because there are so many choices. You have the normal hotels (marriott, hilton, wyndam) along 7 miles beach that are very nice. you also can go to the south coast and rent a room/apt at a bed and breakfast type of establishment. No taxes on the island except for on the hotel room. Food is expensive, but it is good. VERY safe island, from what I saw - which was quite a lot. good for families who like to swim, snorkel or dive - some of the best areas for all thre categories, so good for a mixed group of interests and skills. The shopping is incredible, the people are unfailingly polite, and Sting Ray City is just about the neatestthing I have ever encountered. What else do you want to know!

Cindy Loose: I LOVE Stingray city, although the late belated Crocodile Hunter's demise might make me a tad nervous.

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Fortaleza: For the honeymooner: if you opt for Hawaii, suggest you go as directly as possible to Maui or Kauai, or possibly the Big Island (Hawaii) rather than Oahu (site of Honolulu) for the bulk of your honeymoon. All lower key, more romantic than the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, etc. and the rest of Oahu. Maybe see Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, etc. on your way out. A week is plenty to see one, and even possibly two islands. My wife and I spent just over a week, nearly all of it on Maui and Kauai, then just one day on Oahu on our way out. I have not been Tahiti but know people who have. I would definitely opt for that over Hawaii (just a lot more exotic), but only if I had enough time (and money).

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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Anonymous: I had to overnight in Narita once, and enjoyed it. I stayed at the large ANA Hotel (had a nice indoor pool). Took a free shuttle bus to downtown Narita and walked around the historic section for a couple of hours. Some very nice old temples. Then back to the hotel. Better than trekking all the way to Tokyo for just an evening.

Steve Hendrix: The Narita thing is really pretty nice. Soooo much better than camping on plastic chairs at Singapore International Airport and Discount Mall, for example. (And I went jogging at Narita once and actually found myself in a rural setting with an old Japanese cemetery.)

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Central Cal: Caribbean bests: I think for overall eco-variety, it's hard to beat St. Lucia. From banana plantations to mudpots to the Pitons.

Lots of flora and I had one of the best walk-off-the-beach snorkles ever at the base of one of the Piton mountains.

Plus I finally found out the true meaning of the name of my hometown, Wasco,CA there.

Turning down a side street, there it was in big letters: WASCO - Water and Sewer Company. They take care of the environment there too.

Cindy Loose: Thanks, I've not been but have been hearing good things about it. Since the GNP isn't all that high, did you get a feeling of povery, as you might outside the resorts of say Jamaica or Dominica, with people desperate to sell you things and like that?

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Vienna, Va: Hi,

I have a potential trip to China planned in May of this year. My passport expires in Jan. 2008. I noted in your "passport FAQs" section you mention that some countries require that a passport not expire within 6 months of a visit. Mine expires just barely over 6 months of the China trip, so I was thinking about renewing now. But I will probably need my passport to get a visa for China, right? Do you think I'll be safe waiting until after the China trip to renew my passport?

Cindy Loose: Probably you're all right but I'd hate to take chances. I'd try asap to speak with someone in the China embassy.

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Boulder, Colo: My fiance and I are flying to Hamburg, Germany in late April to stay with her family and then drive to Poland to go to her cousin's wedding. We will be in Hamburg for about 1 week, and we wanted to know if any of you had any ideas of fun things to do there? Thank you!!

Gary Lee: I can make three suggestions:

1) Visit the Beatles Museum

2) Take a walk around the Alsters, the lovely lakes in the middle of the city.

3) Take a night time boat tour of Speicher Stadt, the city's interested warehouse district.

Anyone else have suggestions for Hamburg.

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Silver Spring, Md: I need to know where I can find a globe. And who better to ask then the travel gurus? It's for Valentine's Day (you mean the WORLD to me, get it?) so it should be store in the area. Thanks for your help!

KC Summers: Two options downtown: I really like the ADC Map and Travel Center at 16th and Eye streets (Farragut West Metro). In addition to globe it's got a great selection of maps, atlases, etc. And the National Geographic Map Store at 16th and M has globes, including gorgeous illuminated ones. Always think those would make great nightlights.

Anyone else have a good source for globes?

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Hawaii v. Bora Bora, redux: Oh yeah, we were in Tahiti (Moorea and Bora Bora) for 12 days. Plus one day each way coming and going. It's on the other side of the international date line, so you are even farther away in time zones than you would think. If you have a choice between 2 weeks in HI and 2 weeks in Tahiti, I'd say Tahiti (and I adore Hawaii, and try to get there every year). But if you have 7 days, then I definitely recommend Hawaii. Why kill yourself traveling? For 7 days, I'd recommend one island, maybe 2. I am partial to the Big Island myself, maybe because there is so much to do there. The other reason I am so gung-ho on Bora Bora is because it is much more of a "once in a lifetime" experience than Hawaii. From Minneapolis I once got a $300 airfare to Honolulu. Bora Bora is just so much more exotic - like traveling to Bangkok instead of London. Both are awesome, but one has a little more "out there" flair.

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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Baltimore, Md: Best Island?

I don't know if this fits anyone's "best," but I vote for Aruba as the best place to spend a rainy day shopping for jewelry. They have absolutely everything at very reasonable prices.

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Any tips for off-the-beaten-path (and indoor!) sights for a trip to Chicago this weekend? Other than the many $20+ museums, are there any overlooked gems I should check out? Particularly anything quintessentially Chicago. Thanks!

Andrea Sachs: Definitely check out Second City, grooming ground of Bill Murray, Mike Myers and other funny folks. Other ideas: Garfield Park Conservatory; Greektown or Andersonville (for a taste of Sweden); a fire truck tour (no cow jokes); and an insider view of Wrigley Field, when the Cubs aren't playing ball. When I lived there, I loved the neighborhoods of Wicker Park and Bucktown, where you can find great bars, boutiques and restaurants. World Kitchen also offers classes that let you sample Chicago's diversity by the plate. For example, this weekend they are holding an Asian New Year class. For other ideas: www.choosechicago.com.

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Alexandria, Va: To the European couple visiting Las Vegas: Don't forget to recommend that they rent a car and get out of town. The incredible desert scenery is much more interesting than anything in the town.

KC Summers: Very true... although they seemed to be interested more in city pleasures. But nature/outdoors people shouldn't miss nearby Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, etc.

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Don't buy from hotels.com!!!: I recently stayed in a terrible hotel in London that I had pre-booked from hotels.com, and because I had prepaid I had no leverage in getting problems fixed. Never, never fall for the prepaid, no cancellations, third party travel agent websites - it's far better to book with the hotels directly.

Gary Lee: One hot tip: check the third party sites to see which hotels on them are offering deals and then call the hotel to see whether they can meet or better the offered price.

I also would not rule out third party sites altogether. I have used most of them and have found some pretty good bargains on many of them.

Shopping around pays off.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: About how many inches of snow does it take to shut down an airport? I am supposed to fly out of Harrisburg on Wednesday morning and the forecast is for 6 to 10 inches of snow. I contacted US Air to fly out anytime today or tomorrow, but was told it would cost several hundred dollars in the price differential and ticket change charges. If the airport were placed under a travel advisary, I would be able to change without an increase in fare. At what point are travel advisaries declared, and will the airport still be open with so much snow?

Cindy Loose: That's a tough one and all I can tell you is to call the airline before leaving home in the morning so you don't head there for nothing. The airlines, though, are going to err on their side not yours---meaning that they're going to tell you to come even if there is only a prayer that they'll leave on time. After all, their employees have to be there ready to go just in case, so why should they give you a break? You've got of course problems on both ends. I would take lots of reading material.

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Philadelphia, Pa: I was wondering if you guys had any comments about Amtrak's AutoTrain. We're thinking about taking it down to Disney this summer. Thanks!

Steve Hendrix: LOVE the Autotrain, although I've only taken it once, about two years ago. We were Disney-bound too, and it was a treat to arrive down the early in the day after a full night's sleep. Aint cheap, though.

We'll link to the small review I did of the service.

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washingtonpost.com: Taking a Ride on the Autotrain, (Jan. 25, 2002)

Steve Hendrix: Here's a look at Autotrain...

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Time-of-Day vs. fare price: My experience has been that early morning (6:00 AM or 7:00 AM) flights are often priced lower than others, certainly lower than mid-afternoon peak travel times. This is from booking online with seven or eight different airlines, from Southwest and JetBlue to United, American, and others.

Cindy Loose: I've just been corrected abouttime to buy--my colleague Carol Sottili isn't here today and I just heard she says Tuesdays and Saturdays are good days to buy.

As to when to go; off peak is always best, and to cities at least that usually means the same times as rush hour.

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Best time for low fares:: When looking for a best fare, I find that Tuesday or Wednesday are usually cheaper than any other day of the week. Also, try farecast.com to see what they say a fare will do.

Cindy Loose: Great advise. Thanks. And if you want the John Grisham book, email me with your address.

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Juneau, Alaska: Hoping this isn't too late...but a question about multiple visas for an around-the-world trip. I live in Alaska and need roughly a dozen of them for a trip taking place three months from now, but can't do it by mail. Are there options besides going to San Francisco or a similar city and spending weeks doing it in person?

Andrea Sachs: You might want to contact a visa service, who can help you arrange your visas and other travel documents. Contact such companies as TDS (www.traveldocs.com) and Passports and Visa.com (www.passportsandvisas.com), who specialize in this service. Your travel agent might also be able to assist.

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Washington, D.C.: Thanks for the chat! What do you think of visiting Rome in April? Have you had any experience doing day trips such as visiting olive farms outside of the city, or other fun trips?

Gary Lee: Rome is appealing at any time of year. I have had good luck with the weather there in April: days in the mid-60s and slighter cooler nights. Just be careful that you don't make plans to go around Easter. It's tough to get a decently priced hotel room in that period.

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Clifton Inn and Charlottesville: Thinking about taking my husband to the Clifton Inn for his 50th. Is it worth the price? Also, any recommendations on what to see and where to eat in Richmond? Thanks!

Steve Hendrix: It's a great old inn, which has reportedly come back just fine from the terrible (and fatal) fire they suffered there a few years ago. Marc Fisher visited it for us last year. We'll link to his report.

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washingtonpost.com: The Comemback Inn, (Jan. 25, 2006)

Steve Hendrix: Here's Marc on the Clifton Inn.

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SFO: I come into SFO all the time (I live here and fly internationally 4x/year) and have not had much trouble with SFO customs. The key advice is walk quickly out of the plane! Try to get in line ahead of everyone else. Fill out the customs card IN LINE if you have to, not at the back of the room.

The worst customs are at London Heathrow. Try to fake your way into the business class "Fast Track" line if you possibly can.

Andrea Sachs: Good to hear. Thanks!

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For Seoul Traveler: When you get to the airport in Seoul, they will give you a form that you will need to leave the country. Make sure you hang on to it-takes much longer to process out if you don't have it!

Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the tip. It'd be nice to make the process as painless as possible.

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Hong Kong Dreamin': I recall reading something re new low airfares for non-stop (I think) from the US to Hong Kong starting this year. Can you give us more details please? Like, from where, how much, when does it start, how often, which airline, etc.?

Cindy Loose: Is it possible you're thinking of the new United to Bejing service starting March 28? United didn't have much time to fill the planes between last week, whenthey got final permission, and their first flights, March 28. They've got fares as low as $780 rt, which is quite a good price esp for non stop service.

Hong Kong I've not heard anything special about---any know if I'm missing something?

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Reston, Va (RE: russian visas): I worked for a nonprofit org in DC, and had the nightmare task of getting visas for myself and a colleague to visit Moscow and then Tatarstan. When you go to the embassy, pls do yourself a huge favor, and have with you the application, fee (cashier's check) and proper hotel documentation from an APPROVED hotel that specifies what dates you will be staying there. This document must be exact and account for all days you will be traveling...i.e., if you will be in Moscow a few nights, in St. Petersburg another few nights, etc. You will be turned away without it. Your travel agent (if anyone uses those anymore) or the hotel themselves will tell you if they are authorized to produce those travel documents. I had to make about 3 trips back and forth, and it took a call from our organization's very high-powered board chair, directly to the Russian Ambassador's WIFE, to get our visas straightened out. There are services you can hire in DC to produce the necessary travel/hotel documents...their couriers are in and out of the Embassy all the time.

Gary Lee: It's true that the Russians can be sticklers. I have had ti apply for visas there at least a dozen times. I once waited for three months to get one approved. It's also true that you can get a visa service to do all the work, for a fee of course. But in my experience as long as you have all of the required items listed on the Web site, you will get a visa. Just make sure you allow adequate time before your trip.

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Hyattsville, Md: Regarding Alexandria's question on Mexico: Guanajuato is a friendly and beautiful town that's visitor-friendly (yet not packed with Americans) and full of cultural opportunities. The local university fills the city with lively young Mexicans, and there are many Spanish language schools where foreign students could take classes for an hour or two each day. I've visited both Cuernavaca and Guanajuato, and I would prefer Guanajuato for a week-long visit.

For information on Spanish language schools, visit www.123teachme.com. Many of these schools are very casual and it's easy to take classes for just a week.

Gary Lee: Hey, thanks for the suggesion.

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Hamburg: Visit St. Michael's Church - it's bombed out from the Allied bombing during WW2 and they never repaired it - just left it as is as a testament to what war can do. You can go up in the spire, which somehow was never hit, and have a nice view of the city.

Gary Lee: Nice tip, thanks.

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Boston, Mass: I second the notion on Puerto Rico. About a 2 hour flight direct from Boston, and you're in paradise. The beaches are amazing, and I highly recommend staying outside of Old San Juan, if you're sticking to that side of the island. The rainforest is incredible, and the waterfall is a perfect way to cap off a day of hiking. Also especially grand is the little "hut" halfway up the mountain that serves delicious fresh fruit juices and prepared seafood patties. These were so good after a day spent hiking around the rain forest!

KC Summers: I love PR too, and your tips are great, but I would just add not to dismiss Old San Juan quite so readily. Try to stay a couple of days at least at the wonderful El Convento hotel. It's an architectural landmark, housed in a former convent, completely romantic and beautiful, with huge gorgeous rooms, a wonderful courtyard dining area, fabulous atmospheric bar... one of my favorite hotels in the world.

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Snow and travel: hi Flight Crew, I hope you can help me with this question. I'm supposed to fly to Rio tomorrow but of course DC is expecting the "biggest snow storm of the season." Will I be able to fly out of DC in the snow or do the airports shut down too? My flight is expected to leave at 4pm to Atlanta where I catch a connecting flight to Rio. Or should I try to get on an early flight and hang out in Atlanta until my 7pm flight? Or is it hopeless as the plane leaving Atlanta may be grounded elsewhere?

Any advice or guidance you can provide is greatly appreciated as now I'm nervous that I won't be able to fly out tomorrow. Thank you!

Cindy Loose: Airports shut down too if the snow if bad enough. Morning might be the worst time to try to fly out, but if the weather looks like it will be geting worse rather than better it's an option---Delta will let you fly standby the day of for $25, some airlines don't charge.

Your airline should be able to tell you where the plane you're taking from Atlanta will be coming from prior to heading towards you, and that could help you decide.

Good luck.

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Baltimore, Md: My husband and I want to travel to Antarctica. I read the travel q&a a few weeks ago, but I still don't have a sense of how one finds a tour provider. Does anyone have any experience to offer a recommendation? This trip is too expensive to plan without more information. Thanks for your help.

Andrea Sachs: Basically, you are selecting the ship and experience, so choose depending on your level of comfort and adventure. Since you are investing a chunk of money for this trip, you might want to consult an adventure cruise specialist, such as TravelWild (http://travelwild.com/HomePage.aspx?p=10001&)

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Globes: I don't know of any specific locations in the area, but a lot of times teacher stores have globes.

KC Summers: Great idea, thanks! But what's an example of a teacher store?

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Arlington, Va: For McLean who has to clear customs at SFO. I've done it several times returning from Australia and Asia and found it's not that bad. The lines move pretty fast, especially the US citizens' lines, and unlike several other points of entry, the arrivals hall is fairly large. A suggestion: if you're making a connection, don't use the transfer security check. It's small, crowded, and often gets backlogged. Instead, leave the international terminal and instead go through security from the domestic terminal.

Andrea Sachs: More encouraging news.

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Baltimore, Md: My lady and I enjoyed a very nice vacation in Nevis (of the nation Saint Kitts and Nevis) last June. The two "nice" places I know of are the Four Seasons and Nisbet Plantation (where we stayed).

There is a very conveniently located, extremely scenic golf course nearby. The golf's not first rate, but the greens fee of $10 is worth it for the walk around the course with the breathtaking views.

Two meals are provided; they're terrific. It's a former English colony and a nice afternoon tea is still provided.

You can take a taxi tour of the entire island, including its downtown area, in four hours; there are several rainforest nature hikes available at moderate prices.

A decent room at Nevis, half of a two-room cottage, went for about $1300, including breakfast, tea, and dinner. Airfare for two (via PHL, connecting in San Juan) was also about $1300.

One other nice touch, Nisbet offered free internet in the hotel lobby. That's a terrific way to let people know where you are without paying $4 per minute on the phone.

Cindy Loose: I knew Nevis was upscale, but that $1,300 for a room--for a night?

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Re: Hong Kong Aifares: There's been talk of a low-fare airline- Oasis Hong Kong- starting up serive between OAK and ORD and HKG. Its currently flying between Gatwick and Hong Kong.

This might have been what the chatter was referring to.

Cindy Loose: Ah, perhaps. Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi! I am travelling to London next month for a week and a half (lucky me!). I've never been to Europe at all, so while I will be spending most of my time in the city (free place to stay!) I really want to take a couple of days and go to either Scotland or Ireland. Any suggestions on which one to choose? What to do while there? Also, what is the least amount I could spend in either place to do it (some) justice?

Thanks!

Anne McDonough: I totally understand wanting to see more of Europe while you're there, and you can get cheap flights via Easyjet, Ryanair, etc. (also, check openjet.com). But you do have to pay to get to and from the airports, which can make a cheap flight nazzo cheap anymore, and you have to deal with security, etc. I'd suggest traveling by coach within England itself--Brighton for one is a LOVELY day trip, and you wouldn't have to pay for a place to stay since you could be back in town by evening. England is ridiculously expensive, yes, but traveling by coach isn't--London to Brighton takes between 2 and three hours and a day return is only 10.50 pounds (which is about $20). Check www.nationalexpress.com for schedules and prices--Bristol (2.5 hours), Cambridge (2 hours if you get the non-stop) and Oxford (1 hour 40 min) are just a few of the wonderful places you could go to explore outside of London on day return tickets. You could spend a week and a half in London itself; why waste time at airports when that's all the time you have?

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Toronto: I have been to Paris once before and have seen the usual suspects. I am thinking of a return visit on Easter weekend. Are places and restaurants open Good Friday-Easter Sunday or does the city shut down? Can you also recommend any good websites for finding budget, apartment-style accomodation, in central Paris? What is a good price for one week's stay? It's for two people, but we prefer to cook our own meals.

Gary Lee: Paris does not shut down at Easter but it does book out. If you want to go, reserve soon. I like the site vrbo.com. There are a range of options offered there at various price levels.

(In the interests of full disclosure I also advertise my own Paris rental property on that site.)

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Washington, DC: For Mexico:

I stayed in Cuernavaca for five weeks a few years back. It was amazing - super cheap, friendly people. I happened to get very ill there as well, but the hospital was very clean and the staff spoke english (one nurse even trained in the U.S.)

Gary Lee: Gracias. I like it, too!

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Arlington, Va.: airplane air: Can you settle a debate? You hear awful things about recirculated air on airplanes. Is it better to keep the fan on or off? I saw filters for these fans for sale but would be embarassed to use them.

Steve Hendrix: The bad-air-on-planes thing is an oft-debunk myth. You're cooped up with germy people, and it's dry, but there's nothing about the air circ system itself that's icky. They've got good HEPA filters these days (which means the air coming out of the nozzle might be healthier than the air coming out of your seat mate.

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Vegas tips: We just came back from Vegas and I've been to the city every other year or so - so lots of ideas for the Vegas virgins: if you're getting a car at all, Red Rock Canyon is worth a scenic drive. The Red Rock Casino/Resort is classier/more subdued hotel for the money than you'd otherwise get on the Strip. Museums: check out in advance what's actually on exhibit at those places at the time you'll be there, since they change a lot and you really don't want to show up and then realize you don't feel like ponying up $18 for a tiny exhibit of something that is not hard to come by (e.g. Ansel Adams, not that we don't love him). Shopping: the Fashion Show Mall across from Wynn has a lot of high-end dept. stores under one roof, such that you get a broader selection than the mix seen at the casino malls. RE Caesar's - be sure to visit the new tip atrium where they have a ton of fashion heavy-hitters which you'd only find at the poshest neighborhoods.

KC Summers: Great tips, thanks much. Caesar's atrium sounds fun.

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Washington DC: I'd second the recommendation to stick to shorter flights for honeymoons. We got married in Chicago on a Saturday night, slept in a bit, caught an 11 am flight to Cancun, and arrived in Tulum (about a 90 minute drive south along the coast) in time to take a swim before dinner. If you tried to go to Tahiti, you'd just be boarding your second or third flight at that point.

Cindy Loose: A wedding is such a huge physical and emotional drain that emotional drain that personally I'd just take a day to collapse and then plan my honeymoon. But I'm with you otherwise---if you want to go right after, esp if you only have a week, go close.

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Arlington, Va: Thanks for all your helpful advice! I have a question. I'm going on a ski trip in Vermont and have to get a rental car from Logan airport. I'm not yet 25 years old. Is there any way I can avoid (or reduce) those daily fees for being under 25? Is it always $25 per day, or do some companies charge different fees?

Andrea Sachs: Rental fees are all over the place; I usually book through name-your-owon-price Priceline and pay $18 or so a day. However, I am tad older than 25, so I'm not sure how that will work for you. You might want to contact Sta Travel (www.statravel.com), which assists younger travlers and students. They might have a secret rental place that does not stick younger drivers with higher rates.

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Alexandria, Va: Greeting Flight Crew,

I can't recommend Dominica enough. I've been twice, once for my honeymoon and again just because. Talk about an unspoiled island. The beaches are nothing to write home about, but the interior of the island is spectacular. High mountains, too many rivers to count, rain forests, it's great. Since there are no big resorts on the island, you'll end up staying at small, family owned inns or cottages, and get to know the locals pretty well. Can't wait to go back.

KC Summers: That's one I haven't been to -- but as a non-beach person, I definitely want to check it out. Thanks!

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Chicago, Ill: Any thoughts on how to prepare for moving abroad? My husband and I may have the opportunity to move to London for a few years, and we are trying to figure out if we should do it.

Also, is there any way to fly a dog into the county other than cargo?

Thanks!

Cindy Loose: I'll move to London. Will they be paying your rent? If so, don't hesitate.

Shipping the dog to London is a hassle, for you and for the dog, but it can be worked out.

Even without knowing the circumstances I think you should do it. If you don't own a house then it's easy; if you do then you weigh renting it out--my choice--or selling.

Good luck.

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Seattle, Wash: I'm a frequent traveler (lose to 125K miles n 6 of the last 7 years). Last year, I found myself canceling numerous flights and business trips because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of the TSA and their stupid rules. 1.5 months into this year alone, I have canceled 3 fun trips to LA and 2 business trips for the same reason.

Am I an aberration, or are the airlines feeling the bottom-line brunt of these completely asinine travel restrictions? Restrictions, it should be noted, that have done nothing to actually improve security.

Steve Hendrix: I think you're in the majority with you feelings of beleagured woe, but you're not with your choice to travel less. The passenger loads for most carriers and airports are way, way up. We're basically back to Sept. 10 2001 levels.

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Cindy Loose: Thanks you all for tuning in and for your helpful suggestions and insights.

Next week we'll be so busy honoring former presidents that we won't be having a chat, but see you the Monday after that.

Cindy

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