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

The Post's Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of ... the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions -- but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who've been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain's chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.

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 travel chat on this blooming but cold spring day. Stay home next week--I'm predicting good weather and the Washington area won't look so beautiful again until next year.

But summer is around the corner, and we're hoping we can be helpful in planning a well-deserved vacation.

I, Cindy Loose, am your travel host today. We're welcoming a new crew member, Scott Vogel, our new writer and Escapes editor. Scott's travels these days are dictated by his six-year-old son, but luckily he's a precocious traveler who is a fan of the book and TV show, "1,000 Things to See Before You Die." Left to his own devices, Scott would stick to theater festivals, any place where the relationship between natural beauty and crass commercialism is uneasy, and any beach convenient to clam rolls. That's a quote.

Also on board today: K.C. Summers, Gary Lee, Andrea Sachs, Anne McDonough and Carol Sottili.

My question for the day: Am I the only person flummoxed by airline customer service lines staffed by overseas reps? Not that American-based customer service help lines are anything to write home about, but I think I had an especially frustrating round with United's call center in India this past weekend. The first person's accent was so strong I couldn't communicate. I called back and got a person who spoke a version of English familiar to my ears, but her geographic sense of the U.S. created other issues--like she seemed flummoxed by my willingness to fly into Baltimore or Dulles or Reagan. And why not-- I certainly don't know what's near Bombay.

Okay, let's roll.

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Deep Valley, USA: Please help out my aging brain: which US city is close enough to Toronto to make it practical to fly there and drive to Toronto?

Any caveats concerning car rentals that cross into Canada? We have passports, insurance that is valid for rentals in Canada, etc.

Cindy Loose: Buffalo is a short hop---map it at someplace like www.mapquest.com. And I've never had any problem renting a car in the U.S. for travel into Canada---in fact you'll find it's cheaper than renting across the border.

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Washington, DC: I have a handle on the discount websites for domestic travel and where to look for the best fares, but what websites are best, where would you all recommend to find sale fares/cheaper fares for international travel (specifically either Cambodia or Ethiopia)? Thanks!

Carol Sottili: I don't know of any sites that concentrate on international airfares. You may want to go directly to airlines that fly to specific destinations - you can figure out which airlines serve a specific city by finding the airport's Web site and then scrolling through the airlines. For example, Ethiopian Airlines flies out of Dulles, and has occasional Web-only sales: go to www.ethiopianairlines.com.

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Washington, DC: Hi Flight Crew,

I have a travel insurance question -- my husband and I just bought two tickets for a Europe jaunt in May (amazing prices!!), while I'm in my second trimester. Things look good so far and I have my doc's okay, of course, but this seems like a good time to buy travel insurance. Is it too late? We bought the airline tickets yesterday (United).

Thanks!

Cindy Loose: You can buy insurance after you buy your airline tickets, assuming you meet other deadlines, but I'm afraid that what you've got is a preexisting condition. I don't think anyone will insure you for pregnacy-related troubles at this point. Hope all goes well.

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Durham, NC: I booked a flight to SFO and back about 6 weeks ago on Delta for the end of May. When I booked it, the schedule was perfect - less than an hour layover each way in Atlanta. However, at least once a week I got an e-mail changing the itinerary. As of a few weeks ago, I was waiting 4+ hours each way in Atlanta. I got so frustrated that I sent a letter detailing my experiences to all of the board members of Delta. About two weeks later, I got a phone call from a Delta rep changing my flights once again - but this time improving them greatly. Do you think my letter had something to do with this, or was Delta just being helpful on its own?

Cindy Loose: Delta being helpful on its own? I suppose anything is possible.

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Gaithersburg, Md: Hey Crew!

We're in the process of planning a family trip to Belgium for the summer. A quick search through Hotwire, Kayak and Orbtiz puts round-trip ticket prices around $1200 a pop-yikes! Is there any hope of getting three-digit ticket prices to Brussels for July 21st-ish to August 4th-ish? Many thanks!

Andrea Sachs: Even for summer travel, that seems high for Belgium. I would check online and watch for lower fares. It is still early enough in the season for sales to pop up.

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Maryland: I am traveling to Italy later this month and wondering if I should get my Euro's before I go or once there. Does it make a difference? Also I have been advised not to bother with travlers checks as most places won't accept them and there are ATM's everywhere. Anything else I might need to know?

Thanks and love your chat!!

KC Summers: I like to get a small amount of foreign currency here before I leave so I'll be all set for taxis and incidentals, but I don't get a lot, preferring to hit ATMs periodically once I'm there. We do generally advise not to bother with traveler's checks: They're inconvenient to use and it's true that many places don't accept them. ATMs really are everywhere. Just try to use a credit card that doesn't charge exorbitant conversion fees.

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Baltimore: Kudos to Cindy Loose for her story on the Canadian Rockies. We're heading to Edmonton, Alberta, this summer to attend what I'm told is the best folk music festival in North America. Then, we're driving, I think it's about four hours, to Jasper for a quick tour of the Canadian Rockies. I'm wondering if Cindy has a hotel and/or restaurant recommendations for Edmonton? We hope to avoid the big mall there, which, I think may be even bigger than the one in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Cindy Loose: I'm afraid I missed Edmonton and none of the crew members has suggestions. Can anyone else help?

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Florida Keys Road Trip: My husband and I want to do a Florida Keys road trip this

summer for our first anniversary. The plan right now is to fly

into Miami, splurge two nights in the Ritz on Key Biscayne

(so we can easily head into South Beach for dinner but still

have the really nice beach) then drive down to Key West for

two nights, heading back up to Miami to fly out the last day.

5 days, 4 nights. Does this sound like a good plan?

Suggestions for a guest house/B&B in Key West? Things not

to miss on the drive down? We definitely plan to rent a

convertible!

Anne McDonough: You're in for a great trip! Coming up should be a link to our Florida Keys issue from last year, which will have lots of ideas of what to see on the way down to Key West. One suggestion is to take the toll road into the keys instead of staying straight on route 1--it's much more scenic. The issue we're linking to has a story by Andrea about 10 funky places to stay in Key West, which sounds up your alley (and if you wanted only do one night in Miami and another on your way down to Key West, I just LOVED the Casa Thorn B&B in Islamorada, just past Key Largo). It doesn't sound like you're looking to save money on the trip, but if you were, flying into Ft. Lauderdale adds on about an hour to the trip but is generally a lot cheaper than flying into Miami.

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Destination Unknown: Madrid or Barcelona?

Here's the situation: Two weeks total, will be traveling on short notice late this year or early next year, travel to surrounding towns preferrably by rail, can't guarantee I'd be able to make hotel reservations in advance of arriving in a town. Any thoughts on whether one of these cities (and the surrounding area) is better suited to my adventure?

Gary Lee: Either city would fit your bill. Since Madrid is less touristy, however, you probably more likely to get a decent hotel room there without too much notice. There are also lots of great day trips you can do by train from Madrid -- Toledo, etc. You can also take a fast train from Madrid to Sevilla -- a great destination in its own right. But given two weeks, I am not sure why you shouldn't be able to hit both Madrid and Barcelona.

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Fairfax, VA re United reps: I recently had a situation where I had to redeem a paper voucher at Dulles. I called first to make the reservation as the voucher said but was told by "Todd" that I couldn't make the res by phone. So off to Dulles I go, where the rep asked me why I didn't call to make the reservation! I told her "Todd" told me I couldn't and she rolled her eyes and muttered "Indians!"

Cindy Loose: The call center rep told me that I couldn't fly standby on a flight that departed and arrived at the same destination because it had a different connection city. I ended up going to the airport and the agent there had a totally different idea of the rules. Unfortunately, though, the flight was already overbooked---something the call center rep didn't mention. I ended up with a $30 parking ticket at the airport, though.

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washingtonpost.com: All Keyed Up, (Jan. 15, 2006)

Anne McDonough: For the first anniversary trip takers...enjoy!

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Fairfax, Va.: For Owasso, Okla. who was worried about driving in rural England. I did just that a week ago, from Heathrow to Bath to Cirencester in rural Wiltshire. It's not slow tour buses that you'll have to ccontend with, it's big trucks, and fast-moving traffic in general. Roads are well marked, but while A-roads are reasonably wide, B-roads can be quite narrow and winding. The speed limit is usually 50 mph, and everyone takes advantage of it. If you like to drive however it can be an exhilarating experience.

KC Summers: Thanks for that ground-level report, Fx. Interesting that lumbering motorcoaches aren't a problem -- they certainly jam up the roads in rural Ireland, so there's a big argument for choosing England right there.

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Washington DC: I found the brief article on bringing alcohol aboard cruise ships quite interesting, but as someone who travels abroad a lot, but has never "cruised," I was confused by one thing. Exactly how do the cruise-ship personnel know you are bringing a bottle of wine aboard? Is all luggage including handbags X-rayed or rummaged through when you first board? Are you patted down for flasks or bottles in a suit jacket? Every time you come back aboard from a stop is the process repeated? I really have little sympathy for their argumetn about making you pay their prices. And the argument about safety is just specious. Given certain recent incidents it is clear they aren't limiting booze on cruises. I would imagine ships have multiple bars, so how would they keep track? Is it by signing?

Carol Sottili: I believe that most cruise lines now pass all luggage through screening machines that would be able to detect bottles of liquid. It's similar to airport security. I don't know that they actually limit how much people drink while onboard - let's face it, many people go on cruises to drink and eat too much. Bartenders are instructed not to serve the obviously inebriated, but they don't track how many drinks you've had.

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S. Rockville, Md: Re: United's call center. It really is like playing roulette when you get somebody. I'll hang up if either I can't really understand "Susie," or I just don't like her answer. And I can call back ten minutes later and get "Jennifer" who will give me exactly what I'm looking for. It's a very frustrating experience. My experience was with flying into Buffalo back in October during the freak snowstorm - first I wanted to move to Rochester (both are an hour from my ultimate destination), and then to cancel when I learned about the total blanket of snow. First Susie wouldn't switch destinations, then she would, then Jennifer cancelled, which United offered on the front page of their website, but only after I transferred three times and was on hold for 45 minutes. But really, is that any worse than what I got with JetBlue in February?

Cindy Loose: Is there maybe a difference, though, in that customer service goes screwy at all airlines when something goes wrong, but the overseas calls centers are screwy all the time?

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Arlington, VA: Not a question, but something I just wanted to share with fellow travelers. I stayed at a Wyndham this last weekend and was very impressed (I swear I don't work for them). The rate was among the cheapest I could find and because I joined their free ByRequest club, 20 minutes after I checked in a nice plate of cheese, crackers, grapes, and strawberries and a Coke were delivered to my room for free! I suspect the low rate was because I was only staying one night on a weekend, it is probably more expensive M-F, but that place is awesome and it will be the first place I check when I travel in the future. I'm tempted to not even share, because I fear if too many people find out about this ByRequest thing they'll take it away from me.

Cindy Loose: Thanks for the tip.

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One way OK?: I need a one-way ticket in a few weeks from Raleigh-Durham back to DCA. According to Kayak, fares are running about $50 cheaper to buy a round trip ticket than a one-way fare. Is it acceptable to use only the first leg of a ticket, or am I going to get dinged for that somehow? FWIW, I'm a frequent flyer on United and US Air but the round-trip ticket in this case is on American.

Thanks for any help!

Carol Sottili: Just don't try to use the second leg of the ticket - that won't work. Most airlines prohibit using only one leg of a round-trip ticket in their contracts of carriage, but I've never heard of an airline going after anyone for this.

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Rockville, MD: Need help from the clicksters--anybody take their tentpoles as carry on lately? Any problems? Last time I checked mine they got cracked. I am planning a trip in AZ and assume I'll need to check my stakes, but can I carry on my poles? They do break down...

thanks!

Andrea Sachs: I could not find a specific reference to tent poles on the TSA's Web site, but under fishing poles (nearly the same, no?), the agency says they are allowed as carry on. However, they suggest travelers contact their airline to be sure the poles will fit in the allotted cabin space. (Other interesting things I learned: bows and arrows, no; but bear repellant, yes, if it is smaller than 4 ounces and has less than 2 percent active ingredient.)

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Arlington, Va.: I'm off to the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia later this week on a business trip that will include a free weekend while I'm up there. While I have some familiarity with the B.C. coast and Vancouver Island, this will be my first visit to the interior of the province.

I'm not a golfer, which apparently is one of the major activities there, so does anybody have any other suggestions for things to do in Kelowna or Penticton if I have a couple of free hours?

Cindy Loose: Can anyone out there help us with Kelowna or Penticton in B.C. This chatter has definately stumbled outside our comfort zone.

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First time back packer: I'm a healthy 23 year old who loves adventure. I would love to back pack somewhere in Central/South America. Macchu Picchu is my first choice followed by the ruins in Mexico down through Belize. Where do you recommend I should go for my first time "winging" it? And am I naive to think myself and a friend can just fly down and fly by the seat of our pants once we get there?

Gary Lee: You will have the time of your life in any of the places you mention. However, I would strongly suggest that you do as much forward planning as possible. For example, if you want to hike the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, you can't wing it on your own must go in a group -- lots of agencies offer guided tours. Even if you take the train, the trip is so popular that you can't usually just show up and get a train ticket. You gave to book one and sometimes you have to reserve book a couple of days beforehand.

The ruins in Mexico and Belize require less planing but there too I would suggest reading up to see what the best ways of getting there are, and so on.

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Lusby,Maryland: Cindy: I enjoyed your article on the Canadian Rockies, but you did readers a disservice by saying that standing on a glacier was no big deal. Had you planned ahead and booked a guided hike on the Columbia Icefield, I think you'd have felt differently. Actually walking with crampons on a glacier and jumping over crevasses and peering down virtually into oblivion is something not to be missed. Nor is Jasper, which you didn't get to. Much more serene than Banff, and unbelievably beautiful.

Cindy Loose: I did note in the story that I'd made a mistake by not knowing ahead of time that I should book a guide---a suggestion I noted was made by a park ranger, but too late. When I learn something on a trip, I tell, in hopes that the next person will benefit from my mistake. It's good to know, from you, that the ranger was definately right.

As to Jasper---hope to make it there in future, and appreciate your advice.

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Travel insurance: The policies that my travel-related business sold definitely covered complications in a "normal" pregnancy as a reason to cancel a trip. Then there were all sorts of definitions regarding "normal", and perhaps something to do with doctor's prior approval. But once those conditions were met, your pregnancy would be covered.

The company was Access America, not that I have any personal or professional interest. They were just really easy to work with, from the agent end, and my few clients who needed to avail themselves of the coverage were universally happy with the outcome.

Cindy Loose: Hey---thanks for that great advice. Hope the mother to be is still online and will check out any policy that might cover what she's worried about. Read the fine print, as always.

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Rental Car Worrier: Hi All! Headed to Orlando in June for a Disney visit, but staying off-site so we'll need to rent a car. Since I've never rented a car before, I'm a bit worried about what I should look out for/what companies are reputable. What are the typical pitfalls?

Scott Vogel: I've just returned from Orlando, where the amount and variety of rental agencies is, as you can imagine, quite astounding. The upside for consumers there is that rates are very competitive, so much so that I would recommend sticking with a nationally known agency, although I've not heard of any problems with the smaller ones. One tip: Don't be afraid to ask for an upgrade, even if you'd planned to rent something small like a compact. You might find, as we did, that the company is willing to upgrade you to a larger sedan without increasing the price.

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Okanagan Valley: Wineries! Visit the wineries! BC has some outstanding ones, and it's hard to find their wines outside of the province because local demand is so high.

Cindy Loose: One suggestion for the B.C. away from the coast traveler.

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Calgary, Alberta: Sorry no recommendations for hotels in Edmonton. It's not my favorite city... You might want to pass along a great place to stay in Lake Louise that you missed. The Post hotel is owned by 2 swiss brothers and the accomodations and restaurant are just fabulous. If you can afford it there are small cottages by the river that look very peaceful. The restaurant is only one of two canadian locations recommended by the Wine Spectator. Also, for hiking, get a copy of "where the locals hike in the canadian rockies". A caveat: easy really means moderate to difficult. Can't say enough great stuff about our part of the world. We have lived in 4 countries and 3 of your states, and it's the best!

Cindy Loose: Am I sensing a little Calgary/Edmonton rivalry here?

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Washington DC: I have an awkwardly timed layover in Singapore on a trip to Indonesia. I arrive at 11:55 p.m. on a Wednesday and leave at 4:00 p.m. the next day. Do you have suggestions for what I can do - I'll probably sleep in a bit (9ish?) and then try to explore for a few hours. Also do you have ideas for not too expensive hotels that are reasonably close to both the airport and an enjoyable attraction. Also does anyone have dim sum breakfast suggestions? I do the same in reverse on an even tighter deadline so is there a relatively inexpensive hotel near Changi?

Gary Lee: We have spent enough time in Singapore to tell you that getting a taste of the city in the time you've allocated is very doable.

However, we don't know it well enough to give any more specific tips.

Anyone know Singapore well enough to help this Indonesia-bound traveler.

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Washington, DC: I'm overwhelmed planning for an upcoming trip in June: multiple stops with a somewhat illogical travel order due to events I will be attending at certain times. I think I need a travel agent, but don't know how to find one that specializes in the areas I want to visit. I'm also a bit scared by stories others have shared w/me when they've gotten the "wrong" agent. Are there trusted "reliables" for certain areas? My trip starts in DC, w/next stops in Berlin, Turkey, Capri, and finally Greece. Is this multi-leg journey something I should attempt on my own or leave it to an expert. My experience in traveling in Europe is practically zero.

Andrea Sachs: For a travel agent, look for one who specializes in the region you are visiting. The best place to find an agent of this stripe is through the American Society of Travel Agents, which lists certified agents. Its Web site (www.astanet.com)lets you search for agents by zip code or specialty or destination. However, before you contact an agent, do a little research on your own online or with guidebooks. Always go armed with information; the more specific you are in terms of likes/dislikes, budget, time, interests, etc., the better trip you will have.

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Native New Jerseyan : Needs help with flying to Las Vegas. I've got two weddngs this year and was able to get a reasonable fare to Seattle for the first one. The second one is in Henderson NV for the weekend on 6/23-6/24, but the fares are $500-$600 on Southwest, Jet Blue and United. Who else flies (nonstop preferably)to Las Vegas from BWI or IAD? When should I expect to see better air fares? I just can't stomach paying $600 to fly non stop on United just to get my mileage.

Carol Sottili: I found an America West flight out of BWI for about $476 round trip, but that's as cheap as it gets. There's a chance a sale will be announced, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Too bad you didn't buy earlier - Southwest has $99 each way fares, but they're sold out around those dates. America West is the only other airline that flies nonstop to Vegas (plus the ones you mentioned). You could also try flying a red-eye on Thursday, and returning early Monday to save a few bucks.

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Washington, Dc: the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal have both run extensive pieces recently on Madrid, particularly since Air France lowered fares to Madrid and Barcelona to $470, no, this is not a typo. Do you plan to do anything on Madrid or you'd rather we read about it elsewhere? Your choice.

KC Summers: Is that a threat? Since you asked so nicely, yes, we do have a story on Madrid in the works. PS -- The fare you're talking about is out of New York. Still a good fare, though.

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Faithful Reader, Forest Hill, MD: Posting early because will be in mtg during chat. My sister and I are using Northwest's FF miles to fly to London, so must go through Amsterdam. We want to include a day trip to Versailles. Would it be more efficient to arrange a layover in Amst. and go to Versailles from there, or would you recommend doing that side trip from London via Chunnel or local air? Thanks much.

Anne McDonough: Hi Faithful, this seems like kind of an all-over-the-palce itinery but if you're absolutely set on seeing Versailles and money's no object, I'd go from London via Eurostar to Paris, and then it's about a 35-40 minute trip to Versailles from there; that will be the fastest way and if it's a short trip, saving time will be paramount (and remember that Versailles is closed on Mondays). Check out the Eurostar Web site for more info: www.eurostar.com.

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Pittsburgh Pa: A couple of months ago I inquired about short trips from Lisbon, and I thought I'd report back. We didn't end up having enough time to make it to the recommended Evora, which is more of an overnight, but I want to recommend the town of Sintra, which is an easy 45-minute ride from north Lisbon on the commuter rail. It features two royal palaces, a tremendously whimsical garden, and a wonderful, mossy castle ruin atop a nearby mountain. For the nondriver, tourist buses regularly shuttle visitors between the main sites and the train station. And try the Cafe Paris next to the National Palace downtown.

KC Summers: Thanks much for those tips, Pitt.

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Alexandria, Va: Following on the other reader's question about foreign currency. The GF and I are going on a Holland America cruise around the Baltic Sea this summer, which leads to this mishmash of currencies: two ports in Denmark (krone), Estonia (kroon), Russia (ruble), Finland (euro), two ports in Sweden (kronor?--I know they have their own), and Germany (euro). Would your advice be the same on the ATMs? Or do you have a sense whether the euro is accepted much in the non-euro countries on this route? I've heard that the Danes turn up their nose at accepting it, and I've heard that the Russians like dollars, but I don't know anything about Estonia and Sweden. (I suppose I need Sterling for the connection at Heathrow, too.)

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Gary Lee: When I was in Sweden a couple of years back, I was able to use euros and I can't imagine that has changd. Also, most Estonian shops will accept euros. In any case, you have to keep close track of what the euro exchange rate is for whatever the local currency is so that you don't get cheated.

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I need a vacation on the cheap!: Hi Crew,

I hope you can help. I want to take a 4-7 day vacation, hopefully near a beach, drivable from DC (in about a day), in June. Is there anything remotely cheap--say less than $200 a night, or doable with Marriott miles, that you could start me off with? Bonus points for non-beach activities like nature, town, nightlife, etc. I just don't know where to start . . .

Cindy Loose: You should be able to find plenty of places under $200 a night at just about any East Coast beach in the area. But give you have the possiblility of free nights at a Marriott, I'd just go to Marriott's site and see what hotels they have along the Delaware, Md., Va. beach. I think Virginia Beach has a nice Marriott. If you have trouble pinpointing a location after that let us know and we can research or advise.

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NY: Overseas call centers - frankly...I always say to people that I rather like detecting an accent - nearly every experience I've had points to the customer service rep. being more polite, faster to achieve an understanding of what I'm looking for, etc. Statistically-speaking, overseas call center employees are better educated than domestic. Whereas the past 3 unpleasant calls I can remember all involved native American-English speakers (in fact, had to ask for their supervisor in every case because they). They could not answer my question, talked over me while I was trying to express my concern, were getting verbally frustrated themselves before I even got frustrated with them.

Cindy Loose: A different perspective---maybe I was having bad luck this weekend.

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Annapolis, Md: I know you've covered this before, but I wasn't in the market for a cruise, so I didn't pay attention. My husband and I are thinking about a cruise around the Baltic, but I don't have a clue how to pick the cruise line. We want something relatively small (500? fewer?), relatively informal but with good food and good lectures/shore excursions, with plenty of walking. (We usually travel by ourselves, by car, but this are seems more suited to a cruise.) People have recommended Regent and Oceania - any other suggestions? Am I better off with a travel agent? How do I pick one?

Andrea Sachs: We haven't sailed on either of those cruise lines. Any chatters have some advice to share, or other lines to recommend?

As for travel agent vs. online booking, if you are new to the cruising world, it is wise to go with an agent, who can walk you throught the different choices of cabins, shore outings, dining, etc. But do your homework first online.

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Arlington, Va: What steps are airlines required to take to reaccommodate passengers on flights cancelled for reasons other than weather? When our flight was cancelled Friday with no explanation given, the airline would only rebook us for a flight 10 hours later. The agents were unwilling to try to find an earlier flight through a connecting city, search for flights departing from other D.C. area airports, or book us on another airline. Is it reasonable to feel that the airline did not try to accomodate us in a fair manner, and if so, is there any recourse we can take?

Carol Sottili: That's a strange one. I'm guessing it wasn't a major airline. There are no federal rules on this, but most airlines have their own internal rules, outlined in their contracts of carriage, that spell out what they will do for in in case a flight is cancelled.

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Near Toronto:: Detroit is only a few hours away. Many Detroiters make the trip for leisure.

Cindy Loose: A longer flight, but sometimes cheap given all the flights there on Northwest. Thanks.

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Bethesda,Md: Do you know whether the weekend buses from Washington, D.C. to New York stick to their schedules concerning arrivals and departures? Do you know if one bus line is better (in terms of comfort and/or reliablity) than the others. I will be commuting on the weekends for approximately 2 months and would prefer to stick with ground transportation.

Anne McDonough: Hi Bethesda, I've used all of the companies and schedules and trip times have been all over the map, anywhere from 4 to 6.5 hours. I've never had any incidents but would be remiss for not mentioning the sketchy safety record of some of the companies. Coming up should be a link to a piece Cindy did on the topic; it includes information about how to check the safety records of the companies.

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Bethesda, Md.: Re. Edmonton:

I'd suggest the Hotel Macdonald, part of the Fairmont chain. I've never been treated better by a hotel staff than two yers ago when I traveled there with my elderly mom. When my mother returned to the hotel by herself, the front desk person noticed she was not walking all that well and escorted her up to her room.

At breakfast, the waiter asked what we had planned for that evening. When we said we weren't sure, he gave us two tickets to the Edmonton Symphony. The hotel dining room, he explained, sometimes gets comps. And we saw a great concert in one of the best musical venues in North America.

For restaurants, the Hardware Grill, so named apparently because its building once housed a hardware store, is one of the best in Canada, featuring Canadian fare, whatever that means. All I know is that my mom and I had a fabulous meal.

Cindy Loose: Thanks for Edmonton ideas....

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Outsourcing calls: I just wanted to share my good experience. After willingly giving up tickets from DEN to WAS, my husband and I were given free flight vouchers. We decided to use them to fly to my parents' home in Utah for Christmas. Guessing that airlines only allow so many of these seats per flights, I went ahead and made the reservations last month. Not only did we get the flights we wanted, but the reservation agent (who was definitely not in America) was extremely helpful and understandable. Our tickets are even multi-city. I was quite surprised at how easy it was to do all of this.

Cindy Loose: Yeh, a good news story.

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Singapore recs: The botanical gardens are a MUST! For food, check out the food courts in the basements any of the malls... lots of choices, and really good food.

Cindy Loose: Singapore ideas.

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Belfast: Have any of you been to Belfast, Northern Ireland before? I'm thinking of going when I'm in Ireland in a few months. Any tips on good pubs to go to (besides the crown bar, I've heard of that one before).

Thanks!

Andrea Sachs: We need to do a live chat from a Belfast pub, but until that happens . . . any suggestions Irish quaffers can share with us on Belfast pubs?

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for Andrea: Just wondering how it feels to share your name with the infavorable quirky Anne Hathaway character from "The Devil Wears Prada?"

Anne McDonough: Andrea is not a fan of the coincidence. But she wouldn't mind sharing Anne Hathaway's paycheck for the role.

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Scary Stories about United: Could someone please relay a positive (or just neutral) story about United. I am flying U internationally next month, and I am starting to get really nervous!

Cindy Loose: No, we don't mean to alarm you. United is a reputable airline. They've just chosen to outsource their customer service, and as you can see, at least a couple people have had good experiences even with that aspect of United's operation.

Fly in peace.

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New York, NY: The amount of xenophobia in today's chat is overwhelming. Maybe the problem isn't those "Indians" overseas, but the airline (um, located in the UNITED STATES) that is responsible for training them accurately. If the Dulles rep had muttered "Indians" to me, I'd have reamed her out so quickly...I wouldn't blame a person doing the best they can with limited training -- I'd blame the TRAINER.

And you can't understand people's accents? I have difficulty understanding people from the Deep South, but I don't hang up on them. This chat is leaving a seriously bad taste in my mouth. (And for the record, I'm some white girl from the Northeast.)

By the way, it's now Mumbai -- not Bombay.

Cindy Loose: I didn't hang up in a nasty way, I just gave up on getting information that I could understand and said thank you and tried again.

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No seats: I have an upcoming trip to Europe on United. After I booked it (through Travelocity), I went onto the United Mileage Plus website to pick seating assignments. I found that for one leg of the trip, no seats are available; it said seats will be assigned at the airport. I had the same thing happen with a domestic United flight a few months ago, and I called United to ask whether that meant there was any chance I'd be bumped off an oversold flight. The call center guy told me it wouldn't happen; he said they have a certain number of seats they can't reserve in advance but that are released 24 hours before departure. (As it turned out, I didn't have a problem on that trip, but I upgraded to Economy Plus, so I don't know what would have happened otherwise.)

Do you know anything about this practice? Have you ever heard of people with confirmed reservations but no seat assignments getting bumped? Is this anything to be concerned about for the European trip? Thanks.

Carol Sottili: It's commonplace not to get seat assignments on flights to Europe, especially if you paid at the cheapest economy level. Airlines save the better seats for travelers who pay more for their tickets. There's a good chance you'll get stuck in a seat in the middle of the middle, but you'll get a seat. Bumping can still happen even if you have a seat assignment.

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NIagara Falls: Hi,

Interested in going to the Canadian side of Niagara this summer. We are considering either of the Sheraton properties to stay in and wanted to know if people had recommendations one way or the other, or if there is another hotel we should look at. Looking for a place that will be a bit more romantic and relaxing (while realizing this is a busy time of year).

Andrea Sachs: We haven't been to the Falls in a while (last time I was there, I was too little to know that more went on in a heart-shaped tub than scrubbing). Any chatters with Niagara Falls advice?

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Travel agents: For the poster who is going to multiple destinations and wondering how to get a reliable travel agent. Conde Nast Traveler has an annual review of the best travel agents in the country. They also list what their specialty is. I don't know if they have it online but its worth a look, especially because they have been reviewed by your peers! Good luck!

Andrea Sachs: Great to know; thanks!

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washingtonpost.com: Chinatown Buses: What You Need to Know, (Sept. 17, 2006)

Andrea Sachs: Here is your info for Chinatown buses.

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Washington, DC: I'm travelling to Bristol (UK) in May-- any events or must-sees? I don't know much about the area!

KC Summers: We don't know Bristol at all, I'm afraid -- but a quick Web check shows it has some pretty cool attractions, like Brunel's SS Great Britain, a "maritime masterpiece" from 1843 that was the world's first ocean-going, propeller driven iron ship and is now a museum. They've also got England's oldest inhabited castle, Berkeley Castle. For more info: http://visitbristol.co.uk.

Anyone out there know Bristol firsthand?

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Clifton, Va: My wife and I would love to visit Central Europe this October/November - Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest. We're not big fans of guided tours, though, and like off-season travel. (We've done Ireland in February and Iceland in December.) Any suggestions for ways to get over there and get around? When should we start looking for airfares? What should we expect to pay?

Gary Lee: If you don't mind nippy weather you're smart to go to this part of the world in the off season. For one thing off season rates in Eastern Europe are far cheaper than they are in summer or spring. Your best bet for saving money is to fly into Berlin or Vienna -- you usually find the cheapest fares to these hubs. You can then work your way south or north by train. If you're there for long enough, you might look into a rail pass; some of them cover all of the countries you have in mind. You might also check out europebyair.com; they offer air passes between lots of European cities, including those in the East.

Finally, in doing your trip planning, don't forget Dresden and Bratislava. Both are worth side trips.

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Arlington, Va: Hi, Flight Crew! I won a cruise from a group called "Celebrity Productions" - it's a choice of 5 or 7 days on Carnival or Royal Carribean. Sounds too good to be true - has anyone ever had any experience with them? I'm wondering if we'll be sleeping in the engine room or something...

Cindy Loose: I would be wary. Check them at the better business bureau www.bbb.org to see if there have been complaints, but I wouldn't assume all is well if you don't find a bad report, cause bad companies just change their names when they get into trouble. Also google the name and see what comes up, if anything.

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Flagstaff, AZ: Greetings from Grand Canyon country. We're former N. Virginians who miss the eastern beaches--trying to meet up with friends from DC and Raleigh for a beach vacation in the Carolinas this summer. Which beach towns in North or South Carolina are within an hour or so of an airport--we'd be flying from Phoenix with our 2-year old. Myrtle Beach seems to be the obvious choice, but it seems, well, tacky.

Scott Vogel: Welcome, and congratulations on having the gumption to fly cross-country with a toddler! One option you might consider is flying into Wilmington, NC, which is north of, and less than an hour from, Carolina, Kure and Wilmington Beaches. Wrightsville Beach is just east of the city of Wilmington, and Topsail Beach is less than an hour north.

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To Stay in Edmonton ...: The Hotel MacDonald, part of the Fairmont chain. Upscale, lovely, still a good deal with the exchange rate.

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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Washington D.C.: Loved Cindy Loose's story on the Rockies and Calgary. We're now feeling pretty good about ourselves because we've already locked in airfare to Calgary for this summer. We plan to spend a couple of days in that city, and then move on to Banff and Lake Louise. The prices were so high in Banff that we're decided to stay in Canmore. I'm told that about a 20-minute drive to Banff. Are we making a big mistake? Should we empty the family savings account and stay in Banff or Lake Louise? What do you think?

Cindy Loose: I think staying in Canmore is just fine. It's about 20 min from the entrance to the park and much cheaper. You might also consider breaking up the stay, and spending your nights in Canmore when you're visiting in the southern part of the park, then moving along into the park when you want to spend your days further north. Try looking north of Banff.

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Washington, DC: Here are a few suggestions for restaurants in Edmonton, AB:

Hardware Grill, Hy's Steak Loft, and Sorrentino's. You can find more suggestions on www.edmontondining.com.

For hotels, try:

Fairmont Hotel MacDonald

Delta Edmonton Centre Suite Hotel

Sutton Place

Union Bank (4.5 star boutique hotel)

Crowne Plaza

Courtyard by Marriott

Westin

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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Kingstowne, Va: I'm going to England for the weekend at the end of the month and flying Virgin Atlantic between Dulles and Terminal 3 at Heathrow. Do you know how the car hire is set up at Heathrow? Do I fly into T3 and then take a shuttle bus to somewhere, and then the reverse when I return the car? I've flown to and from T4, and connected to T1, but I've never used car hire at Heathrow and I'm trying to anticipate how much time to allow for dropping off the car and getting through security on the way home (I get to use Fast Track on the security since I'm booked in Upper Class).

Thanks in advance. I'm not heading into London from the airport, going quite the other way actually, hence why a car is needed.

Andrea Sachs: We have never hired a car from Heathrow before. Best to contact your rental agency for those specifics. The airport's Web site (www.heathrowairport.com) also has terminal maps so you can plot out your route.

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Swansboro, NC: My father and I want to go to NYC this summer to attend a Yankees and a Mets game. See the sights by day, baseball by night. Probably 3-5 nights. What part of the city should we try to stay in without breaking the bank?

Anne McDonough: Shea Stadium is in Flushing, Queens(http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/directions.jsp). Yankee Stadium is in the Bronx (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/ballpark/directions_parking.jsp). Both are easily accessible via public transportation (Shea via the 7, for example, and Yankee Stadium via the 4, B & D), so really, you could stay anywhere you found a good rate without cramping your baseball style too much. I guess it depends more on what you want to see during the day; during summer, which is a popular time to be in the city, I'd go with whatever Manhattan hotel was offering a decent rate, and then just take the subway to the games.

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Arlington, Va.: Cindy Loose's trip to Banff was similar to mine two years ago. One of my delights was hiking several miles beyond Lake Louise to the tea house mentioned in the article (where the staff prepares food with no electricity - supplies are carried in on horseback or by helicopter). My day-long bus tour from Banff to the ice fields was a treat as well, with a knowledgeable guide. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Cindy Loose: Thanks---two votes for the guide.

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Vero Beach, Fla: RE driving from Key Biscayne to the Florida Keys. US 1 is very busy. However, if time isn't a big problem, it's easy to cut through Coconut Grove and follow Old Cutler Road south, perhaps stopping off at Matheson Hammock Park (elegant restaurant), the adjacent Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, or the Deering Estate, which I think is open to the public. Old Cutler can be busy, but it passes through some of the most elegant neighborhoods in the Miami area.

Anne McDonough: What a lovely idea! Thanks, Vero!

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Atlanta, Ga: I'm planning my first trip to the U.K. at the end of June--high season, I know, but my dates are flexible within a 3 week period (trip will be about 14 days). I'm biting my nails trying to decide if I should wait out the airfare prices to London or go ahead and shell out the $1,000 for a ticket. I REALLY wasn't planning on speding that much--especially considering the weak exchange rate once I actually get there. If I wait, do you think prices will drop at all? I just don't want them to go any higher! Your thoughts please??

Andrea Sachs: You are going to have to pay high fares, but not that high. Sit on it and you might be able to save a couple hundred.

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Flight Cancellations: I highly recommend that everyone print out a copy of the airline they are flying, RULE 240. Go to www.mytravelrights.com Print it out (usually just a page) incase you are inconvienced by a cancellation or major delay. Whip this out and remind them what you are entitled to.

Carol Sottili:"Rule 240" is not mandated by federal law. It refers to each airline's individual rules re: cancellations and delays. But many of the newer discount airlines don't offer any type of promises.

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On DC-NY Buses : I've taken lots of the NY-DC buses and I think Washington Deluxe is the best because it is an express route with no intermediate stops (like Bmore, Philly, etc) so it only takes 4 hours if they is no heavy traffic. I have also found that it sticks most closely to its schedule. Its a much better experience than the others like Eastern, Today's, Dragon, etc. The bad thing about Washington Deluxe is it doesn't run on Saturdays (ugh).

Anne McDonough: I've used Washington Deluxe numerous times; it's a good choice.

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Arlington (Jerry Haines): I'll have a one-day layover in Vienna, Austria this month. I

won't have much time to do anything (particularly if I factor

in the jet lag), but do you have any recommendations for

must-sees in the vicinity of the Vienna South train station?

(I think the birthplace of the Sacher tort might be in that

area.)

Andrea Sachs: Sorry, we don't have any specific ideas, but chatters, please chime in!

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Arlington, VAa: re your story on Super Shuttle, I made the mistake of using them several years ago. I had a 7:30 AM flight out of Dulles, and asked for a 4:30 am pickup (this was pre 9/11, but it was Thanksgiving). I called them every 15 minutes, and they never showed. I eventually called a cab, and they were at my door in ten minutes. I told the cabbie my story, and she said that several drivers from her company quit to go work for Super Shuttle. One month later they came back to the company, due to bad management. I also tried to get my money back from Super Shuttle, sent them a certified letter with my cab receipt, which they conveniently never signed for, so I never got any money from them. As far as I'm concerned, SS is good for picking you up at the airport and taking you home. NEVER use them to pick you up at home.

Andrea Sachs: We have heard lots of similar stories since we ran that item yesterday. Thanks for sharing and for the advice.

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Susquehanna Twp, Pa: For Gaithersburg traveling to Belguim, how about an alternative Airport - Luxemburg. The low cost carrier would be Iceland Air.

Andrea Sachs: Excellent idea, Pa.

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Washington, DC: I recently renewed my passport. I received the old style, non chip enhanced model. Should i be pleased that for the next ten years my date will not be spewed out to anyone within ten feet of my passport, or alarmed that I'll be stuck in the slow non scanned lines?

Cindy Loose: I haven't heard there would be separate lines for non-chip enhanced passports, so I wouldn't be worried. I'm also not worrying much about chip--they swear that no one can read it as long as it's closed.

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Toronto: Hi,

I am a single female in my mid-20s with lots of travel experience solo in Europe, and some experience with family in Asia. I am thinking of doing an independent trip for 6-8 weeks, looking to spend $6000-$8000 total, but can spend more, during July and August of this year. I have family in the Philippines where I can base myself, although I haven't travelled very much in that country. I am looking for lots of cultural and historical experiences and some nature trips, but unusual ones, e.g. camel riding. I am thinking of either the Trans-Mongolian Railroad from Beijing to St. Petersburg or starting out in Western China, going through parts of Central Asia (which parts I don't know)and then skipping over to Turkey and the Dalmatian Coast. What would you recommend and do you have any guidebook suggestions for planning?

Anne McDonough: Western China is one of my favorite areas-I'd pick that over the transiberian or transmongolian any day; to me, it's more adventurous and interesting being out of the road and putting together the trip myself than being on the train for most of it. I'd go to the nearest bookstore or library and check out the offerings from Lonely pLanet--they have plenty of themed guides, not just country guides, that follow the routes you're considering. Let us know what you decide!

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Washington DC: I am going to Italy this week. I see that you recommend using ATMs for cash. Do you have an idea on how much the local ATM fee is.

Would this be cheaper than converting to American Express euro traveler checks prior to leaving? (Not counting convience of ATMs).

Thanks!!

Andrea Sachs: I am guessing (please correct me if I am wrong), but don't ATM fees vary according to your card and the bank you are taking money from? Anyone have specifics on Italy and ATMs?

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Washington, D.C.: We've just booked an awesome vacation to Hawaii... remind me how I can get trip insurance for something like this? Thanks!

Cindy Loose: Compare policies at an insurance mall like insuremytrip.com and quotewright.com. Read the fine print; it can be tricky

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Miami, Florida: K.C., Thanks for remarking about the hidden fees at hotels like charging for use of the safe, etc. What can people do to fight these fees?

KC Summers: Those fees are outrageous, aren't they? I think one of the worst are the "resort fees" that many hotels add on -- an extra $10 to $30 a day for stuff you might never use, like the pool or tennis court. Fuel surcharges, housekeeping fees, it goes on and on. Why don't they just raise the room rates? Well, because then they'd get fewer bookings. To fight back, check the Web site before you book, call the hotel (NOT the 800 number of the chain, but the hotel itself) and ask about extra charges so you know what you're dealing with. Ask when you check in if there are added fees. Get the names of the people you talk to. At checkout, allow plenty of time to go over the bill so you'll notice any little surprises. If you don't believe the fee should apply, ask that it be taken off the bill -- this doesn't always work, but it's worth a try.

Also consider joining the hotel's frequent guest program, which is usually free and may give you some perks like free Internet, etc. And although it sounds counterintuitive, do the math and consider staying at a more expensive hotel, which may offer perks like free breakfast, afternoon snacks, etc.

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Miami, Fl: For the Key Westers..

Key Biscayne is NOT close to South Beach! There is a LOT of construction going on and a LOT of traffic.

GO SEE THE CHIHULLY EXHIBIT! it's at the Fairchild botanical garden until the end of May. That's near Key Biscayne.

As for the Keys, my wife and i stayed in Marathon at tranquilitybay.com . it's a 2 bedroom townhouse resort. Beautiful and quiet compared to Rowdy Key West (if you want quiet).

Anne McDonough: Are you still there, Keys-bound? Maybe skipping the Miami leg for more time in the Keys is in order.

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Vacation on the cheap again: Hey, thanks for the advice to check Marriott's website. Maybe I am just checking a bad week, but all the things I could find are in the $300-$400 range and Marriott won't allow points usage. Is it still possible to find beachy rentals at places like Rehoboth, Ocean City, etc. this time of the year?

Andrea Sachs: Definitely, and this the best time to go: Rates are low and the beaches are empty! Check the area's tourism sites for rental companies.

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Bristol, UK: I'm heading there myself later this month and will try to report back on April 30. I don't know much yet either, but here are a few things:

The Brits I know all say that the Clifton Suspension Bridge is a must-see in terms of scenery, so I plan to stop by there one day.

En route from Heathrow, Stonehenge is on my list, as is a side trip to Swindown to drive through the Magic Roundabout (look it up on Google).

Anyone who has never been on a Concorde ought to stop by Filton, where the last Concorde to fly now resides (making for a far longer flight across to LHR.....)

KC Summers: More tips for the Bristol-bound. Thanks much -- and please report back if you can.

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For Niagara Falls: Have you considered staying at Niagara-on-the-Lake instead? The Oban Inn is lovely there.

Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the NF suggestion.

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richmond, va: a little levity to help tense posters uncleanch: the only place I've ever had trouble understanding people was when I asked directions in Boston and wondered why someone would name a street "Puberty." -it was Peabody with a thick Boston accent]

Cindy Loose: Levity is good. By no means was I meaning to unleash any xenophobia---and yes, a heavy Cockney accent would flummox me as well.

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Rental Car Worrier: If you don't want to mess with a rental car company that is offsite from the airport, stick with the older companies (Hertz, Enterprise, etc.) They generally have the in-terminal desks instead of the ones that are a shuttle ride away.

Andrea Sachs: Wise words of wisdom. Thanks!

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Niagara Falls - Sheraton: Hi! My husband and I visited in November for our first anniversary. We stayed in the Sheraton Fallsview and really loved it. The rooms were beautiful and the staff were nice and helpful. It was a quick walk to get to the falls and you could walk to quite a bit of other stuff easily. We saved quite a bit over the other Sheraton and didn't feel like we were missing a thing.

Andrea Sachs: Another option for our Niagara Falls-goers. Thanks!

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Rental car at Heathrow: I rent cars at Heathrow airport once or twice a year to visit family in South Wales and I always book online at eurocar.com - which consolidates offers from many companies. It gives the best prices - and I don't always end up with the same car rental company, but there are shuttles and kiosks at each terminal which tell you where to go.

Andrea Sachs: Sounds easy, thanks!

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Alexandria, Va: Travel gang-

First day back at work after a lovely 3 week vacation to the UK. Some of my favorites I'd share:

York:Fell in love w/the city, so much to see and so easy to get around. I stayed at a flat in Talbot Court(a lovely flat within the walls), new and clean decor and living and bedroom looked out on Holy Trinity Church and the Minister.Website:www.talbotcourt.co.uk

Fuller's Brewery Tour in Chiswick, London: Fascinating look into the beer making process and an seemingly endless tasting session afterwards(I was feeling no pain).

Seeing Equus w/Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffins: Absorbing and thoughtprovoking play w/good performances from the 2 leads. Of course, the overwhelming majority of the audience was young women w/camera phones!

Anyone have a cure to ease the pain of missing London?

Andrea Sachs: Thanks so much for sharing. Best way to cure those Britain blues is to start planning for another trip across the pond.

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re: reaccommodating passengers on cancelled flight: Arlington VA, again. Sadly, it was a major airline. US Airways. Is it fair to expect some compensation from them since I don't think they followed their own guidelines or procedures?

Carol Sottili: That's really surprising. US Airways has a fairly generous policy. For a copy of it, go to:

http://www.usairways.com/common/resources/_downloads/aboutus/US_contract_of_carriage.pdf

I'd write a letter outlining the situation to see if you can get some sort of compensation.

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Honeymoon exotica help: Thanks in advance for answering my question. My fiance and I are planning our September/October honeymoon. It was originally slated to be in Morocco, but our budget just didn't cut it. Now we're looking an organized tour in Turkey (I know, nay on the organized tour for the honeymoon but we loved the itinerary so much we couldn't resist). How do you feel about Turkey. Is it safe? We're both very adventurous, and would strangle ourselves if we had to spend the week at the beach like so many honeymooners (no offense to beachgoers, we're just very pasty). I love the idea of Turkey but am a little worried about our safety there, especially since we'll be touring all over the country.

Anne McDonough: I loved traveling in both countries, and would head back to either in a heartbeat. What I wouldn't do is give up the idea of independence on a honeymoon. You certainly know your budget better than I do, but if Morocco's really where you want to go, are you sure you've checked out all of the options? I stayed in an adorable courtyard hotel in the heart of the Marrakech medina in November: $11.50 for a double room. You could mix up budget nights with splurges (La Maison Arabe in Marrakech would be high on my list). I'm not naysaying Turkey, at all, but it just doesn't sound like you're sold on the tour. Have you priced out doing Turkey on your own?

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Baltimore, Md.: My husband and I have a week to travel this summer. We were having trouble deciding between Vancouver/Victoria, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Portugal ... but then we stumbled upon Madeira, which looks very intriguing: nature plus old-school Europe plus beach! Have any of you been there? Would four days in Lisbon and four days in Madeira be feasible? Insanely expensive?

Cindy Loose: Who knows Madeira???

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Ashcroft, B.C.: I live about three hours' drive from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, and know it pretty well. There are a lot of great golf courses there, but the area is better known for its estate wineries, which are world class. From a dozen or so in 1989, there are now almost a hundred wineries up and down the valley, most of which give tours and tastings, and some of which have excellent restaurants attached where you can get anything from a light snack to a full-course meal (all served up with local wines). Driving from Kelowna to Penticton (about 40 minutes if you just drive), you can start at Mission Hill winery, take in Hainle winery at Peachland, Sumac Ridge in Summerland, and conclude at Naramata, across the lake from Summerland just north of Penticton, at any one of the wonderful wineries over there. Make sure to sample some of the local artisan cheeses while you're there. There's also some great walking along the Trans-Canada Trail around Penticton and Naramata; the trail follows the old Kettle Valley rail line, which has magnificent views.

Cindy Loose: A B.C. answer about B.C.---thanks.

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Jamaica: Hi Flight Crew! I hope you'll answer my question as I have such a dilemna! I won a 4 day, 3 night trip to Ochos Rios Jamaica from my job. I need to pick a few dates between Aug and Dec for when I'd like to go. I can't seem to get a good answer as to when is the best time to go. It seems it'll either be the rainy season or hurricane season. Any advice? I was hoping to find the average temps and precipitation rates on weather.com but couldn't find them. Ideally I'd like to go when it won't rain every day and I'll be able to enjoy the warm weather and lay on the beach. And making my friends jealous doesn't hurt either. Can you help or shed light on the different seasons? Thank you!

Scott Vogel: Well, the good news is, unless you choose a date after mid-December, you'll be traveling during the island's low season, which means you'll get lower prices most everywhere. On the other hand, as you mentioned, the weather can be unpredictable, particularly as hurricane season doesn't end until November 30. September and October have the heaviest rains of the "rainy season" that you mention. So it sounds like the safest bet would be to book something either early (in August) or late (in November). Given the relatively balmier temperatures, I'd opt for the latter.

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Arlington, VA: For the Okanagan trip: a Wine Information Centre recently opened in Penticton, BC. That should be a good place to start your wine tour.

Cindy Loose: More on Penticton.

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Maryland: I recently recieved two vouchers for America West, each valued at $250. I recieved these after a horrible experience I had with USAIR. (Write letters people! Let them know when they messed up) Anyway, the tickets say they can only be applied to America West travel. I know USAIR and America West merged and now act together, so does that mean that these are good for all USAIR travel? There isn't a America West Airlines website- it only takes you to USAIR. Do you have any ideas or should I go ahead and call "Todd" in India and ask him.

Carol Sottili: They should be good on either. When you call reservations to book, they should be able to tell you.

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Silver Spring, Md: Hi there - my family of four wants to travel to Santiago, Chile in early August. Right now, the flights are around $1000 or more - that's not right, is it? If I wait, will it get cheaper? Any tips to find deals? Could flying to Buenos Aires and then to Santiago be cheaper? Thanks so much.

Gary Lee: Unfortunately, I don't think it will get much cheaper, if at all. Chile is a wonderful country and it's pretty cheap once you get there but getting there is costly made more so by the fact that August is high season in South America. Traveling to BA is cheaper for sure but because of the distances, I doubt that you'll be able to get from BA to Santiago and back for less than US $250 a person round trip. Also, keep in mind that US citizens are required to get visas to Chile -- you can obtain them at the airport. I believe the rate is US $100 a person.

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for going to Belgium: You could fly in CDG and take the train - it's only about three hours to Brussels. There's also the easyjet route from, say, London (although that would probably involve going to Stanstead).

Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the great suggestion.

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Sarasota, Fla: I'm off to Carmel, Calif., for a quick weekend after a business trip to San Diego. Haven't been there in more than 20 years. I know the Monterey aquarium--news since I've been there--is a must, but what else should I be doing?

Also, any restaurant suggestions in Carmel that would be fun for a woman traveling alone...not looking to meet anyone, just want a comfortable, nice dinner.

KC Summers: Carmel highlights include the Carmel Mission; the 17-Mile Drive; Point Lobos State Reserve, a beach, nature reserve and wildlife park; and Carmel Beach for the sunset. There's a nice summary of stuff to do on TripAdvisor.com, http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g32172-s4/Carmel:California:Things.To.Do.html (sorry about that unwieldy URL).

Anyone got Carmel restaurant recs for Sarasota?

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Fare randomness: Am trying to go to AZ this summer and was checking USAir's Web site, which displays the fare for each leg. Outbound has held constant at $209. Last weekend, return was also $209; mid-week it was $164, and now today it is $363. (Checked a range of dates - all the same.) The seat maps have shown all of the flights as being very open. Seems like a lot of fluctuation. Is this an example of airlines greatly increasing fares on weekends when people may be more inclined to buy? I'll definitely be checking back mid-week!

Carol Sottili: Fares change really quickly. Some experts believe that it's better to buy at certain times of day, or on certain days of the week. I'm not convinced this is true, but several Web sites are now charting fare trends. Go to www.farecompare.com or www.farecast.com. Farecast.com will even guarantee a specific fare if its model says the fare won't go up (for a fee, of course).

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Arlington, VA: For Singapore, you'll need to take a cab into town as the subway closes at midnight. Fares aren't bad, though there will be a surcharge. Take a walk along the river, visit Raffles Hotel and the Long Bar, take in the Asian Civilization Museum, watch the Merlion spouting, and enjoy the amazing - and safe - street food.

For Heathrow: All the car rental agencies are offsite and require a 10-15 minute bus ride. There's one gas station near the agencies, but getting there takes some backtracking. I usually build in an additional 30 minutes to my planned arrival time at the terminals.

Gary Lee: Thanks for the tips.

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London (again): Also for Bristol-bound: Depending on how much time you have, and what your interests are, Glastonbury and Bath are easy trips (the former a bus ride, about one hour each way, and the latter a train ride, about 15 minutes each way). If you're here long enough, Bristol does have an airport and you could use it for an easy hop to other locations within the country. I forgot the Web site off the top of my head, but if you check, maybe it's First Connect?, you'll find the local bus information to leave Bristol proper, if you aren't going to be driving yourself around.

KC Summers: Ah, good to know. Thanks a lot.

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London: Bristol - Cabot sailed from there, so there's a statue of him looking out across the harbour. You can climb Cabot's Tower and get great views of the city; a replica of his ship is near the SS Great Britain (which is definitely a fascinating visit, even if one is not interested in such items). Bristol Cathedral is breathtaking, and it has on display a Saxon carving of the Harrowing of Hell (the cathedral's choirs are also well-recognised). William Penn's ancestors are buried in Bristol, so it could be fun - if there are children (pre-teens, I'm sure) - tracking down those graves throughout the city. There's the waterfront, which is a fun place simply to stroll. (Also along the waterfront is the youth hostel, which has a nifty little cafe. From the cafe you can climb to the next floor up and rest for a bit, use a toilet, borrow a book for a reading - when I was last in Bristol they didn't pay attention to people coming and going, so it doesn't matter if you're not a Hosteling International member.) And definitely get to the Clifton Suspension Bridge!

KC Summers: Posting these a little backward, sorry about that. These are great tips, London, thanks much.

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someplace warm: We will be in Budapest and Vienna later this month. Must-sees in either city? My wife will be in meetings in Budapest so I will largely be on my own. Some things (e.g., cruises on the Danube) seem awfully pricey, with the weak dollar. As fans of the film The Third Man we would like to take the giant ferris wheel in Vienna, but one of my worst memories of my single days was getting sick on the ferris wheel at the Chincoteague summer fair (made worse by the fact that it went backwards). Dare I go?

Anne McDonough: Im Budapest, I would cafe hop and bath-hop (though if their spring is anything like ours these days, perhaps the outdoor baths on Margaret Island would need to be saved for another trip). And I would try to go to the opera.

In Vienna, the Upper and Lower Belvedere are fabulous, as id the Hundertwasserhaus.

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Arlington VA: That advice about flying Iceland Air low cost to Luxembourg is about 30 years out of date. They don't even fly there anymore.

Andrea Sachs: Ooh, thanks for the update. Good catch!

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Cindy Loose: Thanks for tuning in today, but we're out of time. Hope to connect again next week. Until then.....

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