Got a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel Section Flight Crew is at your service.

On the itinerary this week: Staying cool in Maine, Montana and Michigan; and checking airline rules to see who will charge you extra for your luggage.

All other travel topics are open as well. If you have insights, ideas or information to add to the discussion, just press the call button above your seat and we'll get to you as soon as we can. 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.

A transcript follows.

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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Scott Vogel: Afternoon, everyone. Ninety-six degrees: That's what the mercury's supposed to go up to, on this, the hottest day of the year (at least historically). It's weather like this that inspired yesterday's Travel stories on cool destinations, which we collectively termed "Chill Out." In the hothouse today are Nancy McKeon, Christina Talcott, Carol Sottili and yours truly, here to take your travel ideas and either fan the flames or pour cold water on them, as the situation requires.

Speaking of which: this week's contest ought to really tax your imaginative abilities, especially today. We'd like to know about the coldest you've ever been in your life, the more bone-chilling the experience the better. The chatter who's best able to make our teeth, um, chatter, and transport us from these summer doldrums will win a nice prize: His and hers travel kits from mysmartpac, each of which has plenty of lots 3-1-1 products just perfect for carry-on.

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Chicago, Ill.: I need help with a claustrophobic spouse. Since a bad experience being trapped in an elevator a few years ago, she can't comfortably go on the El in Chicago, much less an airliner. I, on the other hand, am dying to travel to Europe. I have cheerfully proposed first-class seats with plenty of comfortable space to stretch out. She talks about the anxiety of knowing how far she is from fresh air. I've talked up trans-Atlantic cruises, but without much luck (all the stories of viral disease-ridden cruise liners really haven't helped my cause). Short of either suspended animation, like in 2001: A Space Odyssey, or pumping her full of animal tranquilizer before dragging her onto a flight to London at O'Hare, I'm stumped. How have others handled the fearful traveler problem?

Christina Talcott: Two of the most well-traveled people I know are both terrified of flying and have different ways of handling it. One swears by Xanax. The other brings headphones and listens to the cockpit the entire flight (there's a special channel for that, apparently). The rewards of going somewhere fabulous usually outweigh their fears. But fear of crashing is different from claustrophobia, and other than drinking lots of water and taking something like Airborne to ward off germs, I don't know what your wife could do to feel better flying. Anyone out there have suggestions?

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Falls Church, Va.: I am landing at Dulles at midnight on a Friday. Are cabs generally available? What about later in the earlier morning hours-in case I am delayed?

Nancy McKeon: I recently came into Dulles at around midnight on a Thursday-Friday (in fact, the Friday was July 4th) and was worried that the delay in my flight's arrival might mean coming into an empty, cavernous airport with few taxis and no support staff. Well, consider me corrected! The airport was teeming with travelers, there were lines of cabs, and even the rental-car counters were manned. Flights from Singapore, California and mine from Atlanta had just touched down. My cab driver assumed I had just come from California because, he said, that's when a lot of West Coast flights come in. He also thought it was strange that I had been worried. It's a 24-hour international airport, he pointed out. So here's hoping your experience is as good as mine was.

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D.C.: New to the area ... I've been to Ocean City and am looking for a quieter smaller place to take my young kids for a long weekend where we can canoe, kayak, swim etc. Not crowded. Not expensive. Ideally within 3 hours of D.C.

Thx.

Scott Vogel: Okay, with the caveat that "not crowded. not expensive" is a tall order at this time of year, I'd advise you to look into Point Lookout state park in southern Maryland, Cape Henlopen in Delaware, and Rocky Gap state park in western Maryland. Anybody else out there with a hidden gem they'd care to disclose?

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Bangalore, India: Hi Flight Crew, I'm a former Rockville resident and have been living in India for a couple of years. I'm coming back to the D.C. area for a visit in mid-August with my husband and two young kids. I was looking for an affordable hotel to stay for about a week in Maryland or D.C. Can you please help me!

Nancy McKeon:"Affordable" is such a relative term! But I began thinking in terms of a suite, and a place with a swimming pool, because of the kids. The Embassy Suites hotel in Washington's West End offers a pool and suites for $197.95 a night in mid-August. The Hampton Inn and Suites in Frederick ranges from $129 to $154 a night for a suite. The SpringHill Suites (a Marriott brand) in Gaithersburg offers a studio suite, with 2 double beds and a pull-out sofa at $159 a night for a stay of 7 nights or longer. The Marriott TownePlace Suites in Gaithersburg has a BBQ grill by the pool and suites with kitchens at around $189 per night. But you really owe it to yourself and your family to cruise around some hotel-group sites to find what suits your needs (and be sure to read all the small print). Also, hotels aren't doing so well that they aren't offering deals, which you can also find online.

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Frederick, Md.: My daughter will be flying El Al from Newark, NJ to Tel Aviv, Israel in September for the next school year. Do you know the weight and baggage limitations and additional charges for foreign carriers? Thanks.

Christina Talcott: I couldn't find all of El Al's rules online, so I called them and got the following info on economy flights from Newark, Chicago and Miami to Israel: You can check two bags up to 50 lbs for free. Additional bags and overweight bags cost from $230 to $255. You're allowed one carry-on up to 17 lbs, with maximum dimensions of 22 inches long, 18 inches wide and 10 inches deep. Does that help?

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Arlington, Va.: On your Baggage chart, I am not sure what you mean by the carry-on limit of 45 inches, 51 inches, etc. Aren't bags measured in 3 measurements - height, width and depth? Please explain. I am searching for a perfect carry-on rolling bag (not a duffel) that will meet the airline with the most limited maximum.

Christina Talcott: Hi Arlington, I'm sorry it wasn't clear! You're right, bags are measured by height, width and depth, so those sizes I listed are the sum of those three measurements. As for the perfect carry-on, there are so many great ones out there. I'd recommend one of the bags I tried out and wrote about a month ago ("Whole-in-One Luggage"), especially the rolling bags with zip-off daypacks. The High Sierra ATQ Carryon Wheeled Backpack with Removable Daypack (http://highsierrasport.com)is great because the bag's big enough for clothes and whatever else you need, and the daypack can be your personal item. Same with the Eagle Creek Tarmac Plus One (www.eaglecreek.com). If you don't want a two-in-one bag, consider a soft-sided spinner bag (a wheelie with four wheels instead of two) - Samsonite's are practically indestructible. Try ebags.com or highsierra.com (no relation to the bag company) for discounted luggage.

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New Orleans, La.: I want people to know, to be fair. I have criticized US Air and American West for poor customer service, for making me miss connections when I could have made them, and for losing my luggage for several days (although never losing it for good), that my last few trips have been excellent, no problems. Not every time is a problem. Times that are problems are complaint-worthy, but other times, I want to thank the personnel for their excellent service.

Carol Sottili: I wish I had a dollar for every time I get an email from a reader saying they will never fly Delta, United, America West, Alitalia, American, fill-in-the-blank again. I've had both good and bad experiences on most of the major airlines. Some are better than others, no doubt. But they all have good/bad days.

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Anonymous: Is there still a liquid ban on carry ons?

I'm flying out in a few weeks but have a prescription which is a liquid form of the drug.

Do I need some kind of doctor form or is all this been cleared up by now?

Nancy McKeon: The liquid ban is still very much alive (I'm still mourning a recent bottle of olive oil). Medications are allowed in hand luggage, BUT, the Transportation Security Administration site clearly states, if they exceed 3 ounces or are not contained in a 1-quart, zip-top plastic bag, you must declare them to a security officer at the checkpoint for further inspection. Security personnel will then decide to visually inspect or X-ray or both. Based on the experiences of recent chatters, it wouldn't hurt if the clear container containing the medication were marked (officially, by the manufacturer) with the 3-ounce designation. In other words, don't pour 3 ounces into an 8-ounce jar and expect to get through.

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Alexandria, Va.: I took the Megabus from DC to NYC this past weekend and wanted to let you know about my experience. The ride up was fine, except that the AC was out on the bus, which made it pretty much a sweatbox on wheels. The ride back, however, was another story. The guy that showed up in NYC to check our reservation numbers so we could board the 9:45 pm bus was drunk as a skunk. I'm not talking a little tipsy either. The guy was wasted and totally rude. We asked him if he was going to be the driver, but he wouldn't give us a straight answer. Luckily, another guy showed up at the last minute to drive. Then, just as we were all settling in for a nap, they turned the TV on full blast to show Commando, that God-awful Arnold Schwarzenegger movie from the 80s. I kept waking up thinking we were being shot at! They did do a great job of showing up on time, and the price can't be beat, but I'm wondering if anyone else had a bad experience with Megabus, or did we just have bad luck?

Scott Vogel: I'm afraid complaints like yours are becoming more common, and not just with regard to Megabus. I was recently on Eastern and while the ride was uneventful enough, we too had to endure a ridiculously loud action movie (also one that was chock-full of violence and obviously R-rated, even as several children under 10 were on the bus). Hopefully the increased competition will eventually force these companies to pay more attention to customer service.

Oh, and another thing, anyone else out there have to sit while the bus refueled at a gas station? Can't they do that stuff before the passengers board?!

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CRAZY MOMMA AND THE RUSHMORE MEN: Help! My mother is a bit insane and wants to go (with me, her adult child) to see Mt. Rushmore "before she dies". Is there ANYTHING else to do in that immediate area? I'm NOT flying that far just to look at stone. And we aren't nature people... we are from the Bronx originally.

washingtonpost.com: Here are a few recent Dakota tips from Christina and Steve: . . . and Two Dakotas Make 50 (Post Travel Section, Feb. 10)... and here is a nice piece from our cousins at Budget Travel: South Dakota: Where Presidents Compete with Tumbleweeds and Brontoburgers (Budget Travel, April 2006).

Scott Vogel: There you go!

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Oakton, Va.: Hi Flight Crew,

If I have an issue I'd like Coming and Going to look at, who should I email the request to?

Scott Vogel: You can send it to cogo@washpost.com and we'll have a look right away.

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Washington, D.C. : Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive -- is this really worth the effort and extra time as opposed to taking Interstate 81?

I have driven a lot through the North Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, so wonder if the Virginia equivalent will be as exciting? Is there any particular stretch or sight that is worth the detour, in case I only take part of this route?

Thanks!

Christina Talcott: Hmm, tough question. Skyline Drive really is gorgeous, but if you're going a long distance, it's pretty slow-going. I'd recommend Route 29 as an alternative to I-81. It's ten times prettier and only a little slower. If you've never been on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah, though, you have to see it, with the lovely stone walls built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 30s, the stunning overlooks, the hairpins turns up the mountain. It's different from the Rockies, much older and gentler.

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Baltimore, Md.: My husband and I are considering staying in D.C. for our anniversary in September. Can you recommend any romantic hotels in the city?

Nancy McKeon: Two places come to mind. One is Dupont at the Circle Bed and Breakfast, at 1606 19th St. NW, just off Dupont Circle. The rooms are eclectic in size and shape and have a degree of Victorian to their furnishings (so many structures in D.C. were built after the Civil War that this is one of the abiding design trends in town). Rates are $185 to $350 (for a suite) per night. The other place is a quirky old standby, the Tabard Inn, 1739 N St. NW, a hotel pasted together from various old houses (no elevators, mind you). With a private bath (otherwise we thought it might not seem so romantic!), the rooms range from $158 a night to $208. There's a top-floor suite with kitchenette and a nice sitting area for $233 a night as well (three flights up). The Tabard has a good restaurant too. If your idea of romantic is a bit more modern and luxurious, consider the Four Seasons, at the entry to Georgetown (standard room rate listed is $595 a night), and the classic Hay Adams, overlooking Lafayette Park and the White House ($515 for an interior queen bedroom, $715 for a luxury king with a view of the park on a lower floor, all the way up to a $3,000-a-night suite with the best park view).

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Washington, D.C.: I want to visit Assateague to see the ponies, but it seems too far for just a day trip. Where is a good place to stay that's fairly inexpensive?

Carol Sottili: Assateague is very close to Ocean City. You can stay in OC proper or you can camp at Assateague. There are a few properties in West Ocean City that are generally cheaper than those across the bridge in Ocean City proper. Frances Scott Key Resort (www.fskfamily.com) is one. It may be ever cheaper to stay in Salisbury, but that's a bit of a hike from Assateague. Berlin, a small town just west of Assateague, also has at least one hotel - the Atlantic Hotel (http://www.solsticegrill.com/rooms.php). Go in the shoulder season to avoid paying top dollar. It's really hot and buggy there right now - fall is better. And make sure you look for the little Sitka deer - they're as interesting as the ponies.

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Washington DC - Negative 50: I was stuck up on Laramie Pass, off of I-80 in Wyoming 2 days before Christmas in '99, I was on my way home on Christmas break. Laramie Pass, btw, is the highest interstate pass in the US w/an elevation of close to 11,000.

It had been storming on and off and eventually the road became iced over. There were cars and semis overturned and crashed into one another all along the highway leading up to the pass. Anyway, that night, they closed down the interstate around 5 pm. I was stuck up there until 5 am the next morning, 12 hrs of freezing cold.

This is what -50 feels like... You have your car running w/the heater at full blast, you have a sleeping bag around your feet and a 2 quilts around your body, w/your coat on and clothes on and you STILL CAN'T keep warm or stop shaking. You are shaking to the point you want to throw up.

Scott Vogel: Wow, interesting stuff. Didn't know that frigid temps could actually make you nauseous, but I've never been anywhere near that cold. Thanks for sharing.

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Chicago, Ill.: Good news. My boss is giving us an extra week of vacation (in lieu of raises), but might not be able to go anywhere huge until after the November election. Last winter, I hit San Francisco and loved it, and could always go back. But looking to do something different in a November/December getaway. I've never been to Paris: is this the time and year to go? My destination doesn't have to be warm, but it can't be too cold. Looking for any inspiration I can get. Thanks.

Nancy McKeon: Anytime is a good time to visit Paris. You probably won't freeze, but you might be dismayed by some dismal weather. I spent a week last December, and it rained a little bit many days and was just all-around gray. But the museums weren't! And the cafes and brasseries just seem a bit more welcoming when they're offering shelter from the damp or cold (but it's just not that cold, despite the way the Parisians were bundled up). And odds are you won't run into your next-door neighbor's sister-in-law at that time of year!

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Coldest I've Ever Been: The coldest I have ever been was off the coast of Maine in January in an open duck hunting, let's generously call it a boat. We went out around 4 am and slashing snow started coming down to go with the biting cold. I figured I was made though - I had a ton of long underwear and wool clothing on and huge winter boots. I knew it was cold when I tried to get off the boat and my boots were frozen to the boat and the pocket heater I had in my boots were completely frozen. Of course in this water the dog still jumped in to retrieve the downed ducks.

Scott Vogel: Un. Believable.

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Fairfax, Va.: I was raised in Ohio so I remember some cold winters. The one that I remember was a really deep snow and strong winds that caused huge drifts. I was about 8 years old and wanted to go out and play in it. I didn't have any boots on as I walked almost on top of the crusty snow. I came to the fence that enclosed the pasture. It was just a regular old aluminum farm fence. I was looking through the fence at the cows. The fence was just even with my mouth... So of course I wrapped my mouth around it. I couldn't open my mouth to yell for help. Eventually I managed to de-ice my mouth and get back home. I remember my feet and legs being numb and my shoulders and hands being so cold. And my mouth being bloody.

Scott Vogel: Here's one that'll bring back painful memories for others, I'll bet.

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Eastern Shore, Md.: Hi Crew, the in-laws are visiting next weekend and we're planning a day trip to the Eastern Shore (probably St. Michaels-centric, but open to suggestion). Sad to say, after six years in DC, I still have not been across the Bay Bridge (can't wait!), so any tips you can give on what do to on a day trip over there would be much appreciated! Criteria would include: outdoor activities, water views, lots of walking okay. Lunch tips also welcome. Thanks in advance!

Carol Sottili: I've not been there, but I hear the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels is quite nice (not cheap). Also, take a look at Easton. Again, I've not stayed there, but I've driven through it, and it has lots of cute shops and restaurants. And the Tidewater Inn is there. You could do day trips to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. I'm sure our chat participants have more ideas. Please share!

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Coldest Ever: The coldest I can ever remember feeling was on a bus trip across northern India in the middle of July. It was easily 110 degrees outside, but the bus driver kept the air conditioning on SO HIGH that we had chattering teeth, goosebumps, and our joints started to stiffen. Despite repeated pleas to turn it down he wouldn't. Of course, the windows also would not open. We resorted to taking the bus curtains off their hooks and using them as blankets!

Scott Vogel: This one gets major points for pluck.

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Dupont Circle: I am going to Chicago for a long weekend (Thurs.-Sun.) and am wondering about any flight crew or reader favorites and current can't misses. I've been there many times so have hit the typical destinations, so I'm curious for more personal favorites or recent openings, etc.

washingtonpost.com: Here are the most recent Chicago stories from the Travel section: 'I Want You to See What I See':'Poorism' Tour Shows A Slice of Chicago That Most Visitors Overlook (Post Travel Section, March 9)

In Chicago, Thin Is In (Post Travel Section, Sept. 2, 2007)

Christina Talcott: Hey there, in case you missed my story yesterday about Chicago beaches, a link's coming up, and below are a couple of other Windy City stories. I'd check out Metromix's list of festivals to see what's going on the weekend you're there, and browse chicagoreader.com for more. For food, I love Ann Sather's cinnamon rolls for breakfast in Andersonville, Indian food on Devon Ave., pizza and Mexican food anywhere. The Museum of Contemporary Art is terrific and a beautiful space, and I highly recommend a bike ride along Lakeshore Drive. Chatters, it's your turn now. Suggestions?

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Formerly from Minn.: The coldest I have ever been was one winter during my college years at the U of Minn. I grew up in Minn., so I knew cold winters, but one year the weather was around 50 to 60 degrees BELOW zero with the wind chill and walking around campus we had to rub our eyelashes (because as our eyes watered the tears would freeze and form an ice crust) and breath through our scarves (because taking that temperature of air directly into our lungs made us gasp).

Scott Vogel: Wow, cold even for a Minnesotan.

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washingtonpost.com: Chicago Festival Guide 2008 (Metromix Chicago)

Christina Talcott: For the Chicago-bound chatter.

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washingtonpost.com: In Chicago, a Lake Shore Dive (Post Travel Section, July 20)

Christina Talcott: More for Chicago travelers...

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Dupont Circle: The claustrophobia sufferer may want to look into hypnotherapy. I've read and heard good results for people afraid of heights and other similar sounding things. It's important to make sure the person is a hypno-THERAPIST and not just a hyno-TIST (but I am, admittedly, not expert).

Christina Talcott: Thanks for the suggestion!

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Arlington, Va.: Thirty years ago, I was on a tour of Israel and we ended up at a hotel in Beersheba and found out that it is very very cold on the desert at night, regardless of how nice it appeared during the day. The group was almost ready to burn the hotel down for warmth but we survived the night without doing so.

Scott Vogel: Probably best that you backed off from that idea.

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Coldest I'd ever been: TRUE!: College. Penn State. January 1982. -10 degrees with a -20+ windchill. walked 10 blocks to an 8 am class. No kidding. Nose froze to scarf.

Scott Vogel: This is working. I'm starting to get goosebumps.

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Arlington, Va.: The coldest I've ever been: Well, not really, but one summer we were in Iceland at the beginning of July and spent the 4th of July trekking up a glacier. It wasn't particularly chilly (I wore jeans, sweater, and wool hat) but it was a marked difference from what everyone back home was doing.

Scott Vogel: Here are two votes for Iceland. Above is one, below is another.

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Washington, D.C.: My friend and I decided to take advantage of the cheap prices by taking a trip to Iceland... in January. One day in particular was bitterly cold. So cold the Skyr in my backpack froze. So cold, the geothermal water running down an outdoor fountain froze before hitting the bottom. So cold we had to take refuge every 15 minutes anywhere we could find that was heated. But I guess the real prize goes to my friend, who decided that was the night to 'enjoy' the outdoor (heated) pool.

Scott Vogel: The lengths some people will go to for low airfare -- this is what the airlines have pushed us to!

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Washington, D.C.: Why are people still taking or recommending Airborne? This product does not prevent colds. In fact, Airborne's manufacturer has reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that Airborne falsely advertised certain therapeutic properties, including the ability to cure or prevent the common cold.

Christina Talcott: Woah, I didn't know about that! I'll have to look into that lawsuit. Airborne (and the generic knockoff I buy) does contain some vitamins that have helped me prevent colds, like Vitamin C and Zinc, but I don't know about it's herbal properties. Interesting.

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Central Cal: Cold: Back when I was 17, I went on a 'throw down a sleeping bag vacation' with a friend before our Senior year. Summer in California is nice. We were in Lake Tahoe, an alpine lake and ski area, usually perfect that time of year. Well, the clouds rolled in and reports of possible snow were on the radio. At the first sign of flurries, we packed up and headed for warmer environs, since we had no chains or any winter gear. On the road, the snow came down harder. Since my wiper had weathered a Central Cal summer of no use, dry and cracked they fell dead away, leaving no choice put to hang our heads out the window in heavy snowfall for about 40 miles. Our lips were blue.

Scott Vogel: That capricious California weather....

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Alexandria, Va.: Let's say I might be (cough, cough) feeling sick this (cough, cough) Thursday and think some fresh air would make me feel better. Is there a place within a reasonable driving distance where I can sit with my feet in the sand and take in the restorative sea air? Requirements other than the sand and water: lunch place where a bathing suit and shorts is acceptable attire and a place to change out of said suit for the drive home. Other than that, I just want to be able to sit and read a book and maybe pop in the water to cool off. Does such a place exist within a shortish distance of Alexandria? Thanks for any suggestions!

Carol Sottili: Try Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County. It's less than an hour from Alexandria. There are a few restaurants along the road that fronts the beach, although I didn't stop to eat there. Or you could go to Sandy Point State Park and eat lunch in Annapolis.

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Arlington, Va.: It was great to see K.C. Summers covering the public transit options to get around L.A. in Sunday's Travel Q. and A. It seems that travel writers so often ignore local transit when they are writing about a place.

Scott Vogel: Aren't the Q and As informative these days? Not like when that other guy was doing them... Please see a link to KC's Los Angeles answer below:

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washingtonpost.com: Travel Q and A (Post Travel Section, July 20)

Scott Vogel: Here it is.

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Arlington, Va.: It's probably not enough to get the prize, but for a time while I was in college I worked loading trucks in a grocery warehouse. Every once in a while you'd have to load a shipment from the dreaded freezer warehouse where the frozen foods were stored. This particular part of the building was kept at 0 degrees, and any exposed skin would begin to sting within seconds of entering. No matter how many layers you wore or how fast you worked, that cold would always slowly seep through you.

Scott Vogel: Brr... then again, I wouldn't mind sneaking into one of those warehouses long about now.

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Megabus: In regards to the earlier comment about Megabus, I had the exact opposite experience this past weekend. I took Megabus from DC to NYC and back. Both times the bus was on time, the driver was professional and courteous, and the bus left on time. Both times no movie was shown (which was a small disappointment, but it was not a marked Megabus but a Coach USA bus, so that might have had something to do with it), and the passengers were all quiet and considerate. All in all a pleasant experience--and an affordable one, at $16.50 round trip! I would definitely recommend it in the future.

Scott Vogel: In other words, chatters, your mileage may vary.

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Pittsburgh: The coldest that I have ever been occurred when I was around ten years old. I lived in the infamous snow belt area of western New York, near Rochester. It was during a major snow storm, with blizzard conditions and blustery winds. We lived out in the country, where snow drifts were pretty common. My sister and I had just gotten off the school bus. We walked down the road and down our long driveway to find our house covered in a ten snow drift that completely obstructed the garage door AND our front door. Needless to say, we were stuck out in the cold for two hours, waiting for my parents to come home from work (this was in the 1960s when kids were more commonly left home alone). We didn't have a shovel to dig through the drift and we couldn't get into the house. We managed to find a little corner of the front porch that offered a little shelter from the winds, but the memory of that interminable wait, with the shivering and chattering of teeth, is still vivid some 40+ years later.

Scott Vogel: Wow, we're getting them fast and furious now...

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Maryland: How can airlines remove you from a paid for itinerary, and replace it with one that isn't possible? I had paid for tickets for my honeymoon to the Caribbean - a nice 5 hours total travel time from BWI. Some time in the last several weeks, American canceled the BWI leg, and moved me to a multiple connection. They only allowed a 25 min layover at the first stop (which wouldn't make it) and the final leg departed five minutes BEFORE the middle leg was scheduled to arrive. When I called, by their own admission the flights weren't possible and had I just shown up I wouldn't have been "allowed" to fly (their words).

How can they do this? Don't they have an obligation to get me there once I buy a ticket? As it stands now, I've had to pay for overnighting (at my expense) to make the final leg of the flight on my desired day, or otherwise I was told I had to wait until what would have been the second day of my honeymoon to even fly. Coming back, they can't even get me back to BWI at all, and they insist they have no responsibility to compensate me for the cost of getting myself from DCA back to Baltimore.

This seems outrageous. If I had requested even a slight change they'd force me to pay, but they can do whatever they like with no penalty. How is this allowed under current regulations?

Carol Sottili: There is no passenger bill of rights. And if you read the airline's contract of carriage, which is the legal document attached to the purchase of every ticket, they usually say something along the lines of "at our discretion" when discussing compensation for changed flights. Here's what American's says:

American will endeavor to carry you and your baggage with reasonable dispatch, but times shown in timetables or elsewhere are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract. American may, without notice, substitute alternate carriers or aircraft and, if necessary, may alter or omit stopping places shown on the ticket. Schedules are subject to change without notice. American is not responsible for or liable for failure to make connections, or to operate any flight according to schedule, or for a change to the schedule of any flight. Under no circumstances shall American be liable for any special, incidental or consequential damages arising from the foregoing.

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Coldest I've Ever Been: President's Day weekend in the Poconos at a friend's ski house - a snow storm knocked the power out! Everybody was wearing every stitch of clothing they brought with them huddled in front of the fire but it was still freezing! The only beer in the house that DIDN'T freeze and burst was in the fridge!

Scott Vogel: Hey, good point -- a fridge would actually be warmer in certain conditions...

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McLean, Va.: My grandfather always tells us about the coldest recorded day in North America's history. Now 82 years old, he was one of four weathermen stationed at the Snag airport in Yukon, Canada, on February 3, 1947. On that day, the temperature dropped to 81 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

He remembers tossing water into the air and watching it freeze into pellets before hitting the ground.

Scott Vogel: I've always wanted to try doing that. Thanks.

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Alexandria, Va. (traveling right now in Ore.): I have a question that's not entirely clear to me from the baggage fee schedule (God, I hope I'm not giving the airlines ideas).

Is the first bag fee for, say, US Air, $15 for your FLIGHT or $15 per SEGMENT of your flight?

Christina Talcott: I just spoke with a friendly guy at US Airways who said the $15 charge is per flight, even if your flight has multiple segments. Let's hope nobody gets any ideas!

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Polar bear camping: Boy Scout trip in February in Michigan. Somehow I didn't pack my boots and wore Converse Chuck Taylors all weekend. No frostbite, but I swore I'd never camp in the snow again. Looks like no climbing Mt. Everest for me.

Scott Vogel: Nah, don't let the shoes stop you!

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Cold in the Desert: Motorcycle ride from Phoenix to Tucson after seeing a concert at night in February. 75 MPH for two hours in 28 degrees. I think I stayed in the shower for an hour once I got home.

Scott Vogel: Amazing how many of these stories involve cold in the desert. Wouldn't have guessed that.

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Arlington: For the claustrophobic, some people swear by taking Dramamine to help them sleep through a long flight.

Christina Talcott: Thanks for the tip!

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Coldest I've ever been: Junior year at college in Maine, my bed was conveniently located directly under the only window in the tiny room. You'd think the college could have sprung for double-panes, given that Maine winters are usually fairly cold, but nope. The nighttime drafts were so bad that I slept in multiple sweatshirts/sweatpants/pairs of socks, a jacket, and even multiple hats. Eventually my roommate and I figured out a way to reconfigure the furniture so only my feet remained in the draft.

Scott Vogel: Wait, aren't you supposed to keep your feet covered at all costs? Or was that an old wives' tale...

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SWDC: Coldest -

Well, not all that cold, but Bodie State Park in California had to be the most memorable. It's often the nation's low outside of winter, with summer lows below freezing. Between that, the eerie desolate landscape of an authentic ghost town, and the stories the rangers tell - it's enough to give you chills.

The real irony is that Death Valley is in the adjacent county, and is often listed as the hottest place in the nation the same day Bodie's the coldest.

Scott Vogel: Hear that, people? Book passage immediately.

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Coldest I've ever been: On a group trip from our home base in Bologna, we stayed in cabins in Yugoslavia (it was March 1987, I think it's Croatia now). It was bitter cold, there was no heat. We all wore our coats and gloves to sleep, had a blanket or 2, but not much, and couldn't wait until sunrise for breakfast.

Ugh!

But the waterfalls were beautiful later in the day. . .

Scott Vogel: A frozen silver lining, this story has.

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Ft. Lauderdale: I booked a flight from FLL to SJU nonstop on American Airlines, which was then switched to a stop due to rescheduling. AA let me cancel the flight for free, and I rebooked on for a nonstop on Spirit Air. Now Spirit Air has changed the nonstop to a stop. If I try to cancel online it costs $80, and I've been on hold with Spirit for 3 hours now. Are airlines required to offer a no-fee cancellation policy if they drastically alter a flight schedule? (I'd like to just return to American and do a nonstop from Miami).

Carol Sottili: No, airlines are not required to offer a no-fee cancellation policy if they drastically alter a flight schedule, but most do. Spirit's contract of carriage states:

Refunds are provided when Spirit is unable or unwilling to accommodate the passenger. In the event that Spirit is unable to provide a previously confirmed seat and is unable to reroute the passenger to their satisfaction via Spirit, Spirit will refund as indicated below:

If no portion of the ticket has been used, the refund will be equal to the fare paid by the passenger.

If a portion of the ticket has been used the refund will be equal to the value of the unused portion.

Customers involved in a Spirit Airlines initiated cancellation or schedule change in excess of 30 minutes will have three (3) options available to them, re-accommodation, future flight credit, or a refund.

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Cold: Driving to Vermont one Christmas in a white out and my father refused to pull over. So my mother was tasked with leaning her head out the window and make sure we were staying on the road. Of course the snow and wind were pouring into the car. We passed a lot of people that night that were smarter than us and had pulled over.

Scott Vogel: I have this terrifically scary image of your mother's face right now.

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McLean, Va.: Coldest time of my life: skied at Stowe in January 1996. Temp at the base was -15 F. Temp at summit was at least -35F. Pocket thermometer had bottomed out at -35F. Conditions were blowing snow, with wind of at least 35 mph. Wind chill chart on my pocket thermometer translated that to -89F. It was so cold that my freshly-waxed skis were sticking to the snow. When I got off the mountain and told that to the locals, they said that skis don't start sticking to snow until at least -40F. Translation: I was NUTZ to be out there.

How cold was it? When my friend and I got off the mountain, he suggested going into the frozen food section in the local grocery store to warm up.

Scott Vogel: Another plug for the fridge!

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Coldest (and worst) ending to a trip: After an amazing 10 days in steamy Panama in January 2004, I was scheduled to fly back to DC through Newark. Because I had a ride home from DCA and never expected to be outside in the winter weather, I regrettably packed no warm clothing, and was in jeans and a light fleece when I arrived in Newark to find the airport completely shut down because of a blizzard. I had to trek outside to a satellite cab station, wait for an hour and a half in the pouring snow (does snow pour?)for a cab to the Amtrak station, and finally got a train back to Union Station several hours later. I look back now and laugh - at least I didn't have to sleep on the floor at the airport!

Scott Vogel: It pours if you say it does!

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"Calgon, take me away!": That is how work is making me feel. I have the last two weeks of August off and desperately want to go out of town to decompress for at least a part of it, if not the full two weeks. Having a hard time thinking of where to go. It needs to be significantly cooler than D.C., hopefully somewhere scenic, like a laid back town on a coast or mountains. Thanks!

Christina Talcott: I was in Burlington last weekend and it was so relaxing. The restaurants are great, the beaches on Lake Champlain are lovely, the water's warm enough for a dip, the Burlingtonians are super laid-back, there are beautiful biking trails, mountains all around, and you can get a direct flight from BWI on AirTran for under $200. Best of all, it can get positively chilly at night. But that's just one suggestion. Who else has a destination for Calgon?

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Calgary, Alberta: Coldest ever, 1984 Xmas, minus 40 for 3 weeks in our new home with a bad furnace. It was our first Christmas as a married couple complete with the in-laws and siblings. Father-in-law watched the weather channel the whole time. The tires on the car froze flat. We cross country skied when it was a balmy minus 25.

Scott Vogel: Love it: "Father-in-law watched the weather channel the whole time."

I swear I know this man.

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There is no passenger bill of rights.: And the major airline executives wonder why the traveling public has no sympathy for their current financial troubles.

Carol Sottili: Playing devil's advocate here - and I blame the airlines for creating this environment - could it be that we've all gotten very used to cheap air travel that is simply no longer economically sustainable?

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Mighty cold: My coldest trip ...

Knowing I'm a huge baseball fan, my husband decided to take me on a trip to Cooperstown, N.Y. to see the Baseball Hall of Fame. Awesome trip, right? Well, he did this for Valentine's Day. Upstate N.Y. in February. Brrr. But it gets colder. We stayed at a cute B and B. Great just-off Main Street location, could even see one of the baseball fields from our room. Except the radiator in our room didn't work. Made lots of noise though. Though we did enjoy many cups of hot apple cider before the radiator finally started working.

Scott Vogel: I can confirm what you say about February and upstate New York - personally the coldest I've ever been, for what it's worth.

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Arlington, Va.: Airborne might not prevent colds, but I'm one of those people that seems to get a cold and/or sinus infection every time I fly, and it most definitely helps me get over them within a day or two instead of a week or two which is the norm for me. Sure, it's just big doses of vitamins and herbal supplements, but whatever works for you...

Christina Talcott: One vote for Airborne, and we'll have a link to info about the settlement in just a minute...

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Great Cold Beer:"The other brings headphones and listens to the cockpit the entire flight (there's a special channel for that, apparently)." Actually, I think United is the only airline that puts the air-to-ground radio chatter on the in-flight entertainment menu (it's Channel 9).

As writers who pitch story ideas I think you'll appreciate my cold tale. In 2006 I convinced an editor for a beer industry publication to assign me to visit the beer festivals that have the audacity to call themselves the "Great" festival of an entire nation. That meant going to London in June to drink beer at the Great British Beer Festival, to Victoria B.C. in September to attend the Great Canadian Beer Festival, and to Denver in October to cover the Great American Beer Festival. Nice gigs, eh?

Then the editor asked for another story about another "great" festival: the Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Fest.

It's in Anchorage. In January.

Scott Vogel: Well, three outta four ain't bad!

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For the claustrophobe: Either preboard or wait until the last minute to board - I think the part of air travel most likely to frighten a claustrophobe is getting stuck in a crowd on the jetway or in the aisles.

Christina Talcott: That's great advice. I agree: the crush of people at the door of a plane is enough to freak anyone out.

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washingtonpost.com: Airborne press release on class action settlement

Christina Talcott: Here's what Airborne has to say about the lawsuit...

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Alexandria, Va.: Coldest I have ever been? Easy. I went to China with my then boyfriend, who is a native of Beijing. I had told him I wanted to travel, mentioning Shanghai and places south. Where does he take me in the middle of January?

HARBIN.

We drove with a driver in a VW bus with no heat from Changchun. There were no working headlights on the van. No one warned me that it would be so cold up there. I had only jeans, a winter coat and normal socks. I needed an outfit suitable for scaling Mt. Everest.

We get to Harbin and I am miserable. The only foods available in the city involve pork, which I do not eat, and cabbage which they store by hanging outside their windows all winter long.

I am taken to see the "Winter city" and by then I am crying. Except my tears get frozen and the snot coming out of my nose from crying also freezes. I get frostbite on my lips and face. My boyfriend tells me to stop it as I am embarrassing him. I wonder how the locals are prancing around in miniskirts. It is like 20 below out!

Needless to say it look me like 4 hours in a bathtub of boiling water to warm up. Broke up with the boyfriend as soon as we got back home.

Scott Vogel: Thanks -- I'm always curious to discover whether people's relationships survive these things...

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Harrisburg, Pa.: NOT the coldest, but should have been:

I visited the "Antarctic Experience" in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, a museum devoted to Antarctica. They have a "cold room" where they blow fake snow around at a temperature of, wait for it, -10 Celsius! I think it gets colder than that outside in Hobart in the dead of winter.

Scott Vogel: Fake snow but real cold -- gotta love those Antarctica museums.

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Re: Airborne: Yes, Airborne is not proven to prevent colds; it also contains a lot of different herbs and such that could have a reaction to medications you might be taking. What I do instead is bring along sanitizing wipes (used to use Purell, but now I use natural CleanWell wipes that smell better and aren't putting more chemicals into the environment) and wipe down everything around my seat as soon as I sit down in the plane -- armrests, tray table, seat belt buckle, even the wall around the window. I get some strange looks, but it's better than getting sick. It's really not the air in the planes that passes along germs, it's the surfaces.

Christina Talcott: That makes a lot of sense about the surfaces carrying the germs. Makes me want to wash my hands right now. BTW where do you buy those wipes?

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Capitol Hill, D.C. -- Positive Bolt Bus Story: I have a similarly positive story on Bolt Bus to the recent posting regarding Megabus. I took Bolt from DC to NY and back in mid-June. $10 up, $20 back plus 50 cent each way booking fee, which I find odd, but inconsequential. About 10 people on the way up in the bus, and a packed bus on the way back. No movies, considerate passengers, professional but funny drivers. One thing I thought odd is that the seat backs had no pockets, so I had to hold my book, water bottle, etc. on my lap or in my bag, which wasn't an issue on the way up but got annoying on the way back with the crowded bus. I'd definitely do Bolt again.

Scott Vogel: Good to hear -- there are definitely good experiences to be had on the bus.

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Bethesda, Md.:...but formerly from Wisconsin. Freshman year of college (this would have been winter of 1994), I was at St Norbert College outside of Green Bay, Wisc. The entire upper Midwest was experiencing record cold temperatures. So cold that is was just purely dangerous to step outside. Every single school - from preschool to college - in the state of Wisc. was closed one day due to the cold. Except St. Norbert. We still had to scamper across the frozen tundra that was our campus to get from our dorms to class and to the school's only cafeteria. Can't really tell you exactly how cold it was, as I've blocked it out as a very bad memory.

Scott Vogel: Wow, makes ya wonder what sort of lesson they wanted to teach you by staying open.

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Coldest I've been: College 1998.

I enter the shower at 7 am on a snowy winter morning. Next thing you know a fire breaks out in the dorm pantry. Staff runs up and down the halls getting everyone out. I run out of the shower, put a towel around my waist and flip flips on my feet and run outside.

It took the fire dept 15 minutes to respond and the entire time I was dripping wet in 25 degree weather with no shirt, a towel around my waist and flip flops on. I was purple by the time I got something a little warmer.

Scott Vogel: This one'll make you shudder.

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For the Chicago Spouse: I am speaking as a reformed frightened flier. My first flight was international and the turbulence was so bad that the luggage came out of the overheads. (This was after sitting for hours on an icy runway that another plane had skidded off of the day before.) Due to those unpleasant memories, it was nearly 10 years before I made plane reservations again and after I hit the submit button for my payment, I immediately started shaking and feeling super anxious. And then came the recommendations for Xanax. I was shy asking my doctor for a prescription, certain she would peg me for a scammer. But it has -completely- removed my fear of flying. It eliminated my anxiety about my anxiety- I was most afraid of being trapped on a plane feeling afraid for a whole flight. Now I don't even need the Xanax and ask my husband for the window seat so I can look out. It is totally worth trying. Maybe a shorter flight for her first?

Christina Talcott: Thanks for sharing! Good advice about starting with a short flight, and I'm glad you were able to get over your anxiety about being anxious.

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Calgon travel agent: For a seacoast vacation, Calgon should take her to the East side of Penobscot Bay, to Stonington, at the southern tip of Deer Isle. About as Down East as it gets.

For a mountain vacation, Calgon should take her to the Adirondacks, either Lake Placid or Saranac Lake.

For something in-between, Calgon should take her to the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River.

All these destinations are within 1.5 days driving distance.

Christina Talcott: Sounds lovely. Thanks!

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Skiing in New Hampshire: Three or four years ago. I have no idea how cold it was, but in retrospect it was definitely too cold for me to be skiing. I had no goggles, and I had to pause periodically to thaw my eye balls. I think my tears were freezing. They got all sticky and gummy and it was hard to blink.

Scott Vogel: How does one go about thawing eyeballs anyway?

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Near the White House: Keep those stories coming! AC is out at work today!

Scott Vogel: I'm with YOU!

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Washington, D.C. 20009: Hi Crew! I have a question about a trip of a lifetime. I am headed to Tanzania in October. Do you know of any consolidators who can help with the price of international airfare there?? Also, if you have any experience with safari operators, I would appreciate your wisdom. Thanks!

washingtonpost.com: African Safari Special (Post Travel Section, April 27)

Carol Sottili: Here's a link to our safari story. For consolidator fares, try www.spectortravel.com. And South Africa Airways often has good Web fares (www.flysaa.com).

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Spirit Hold Times: GF books travel for her theater company. She once spent 5 hours trying to get a Spirit ticket refunded. 3 hours, asked for a supervisor and was hung up on. 2 more hours of hold time before finally getting the ticket refunded in 5 minutes.

I on the other hand, flew them DTW to OAK back when they flew the route and had a lovely experience.

Carol Sottili: Did they pay for the phone call?

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Falls Church, Va.: The coldest I've ever been was on top of a ski lift at Jackson Hole, Wyo., on an August afternoon. It was in the low 90s at ground level, so I was wearing a light t-shirt and shorts. So I thought I'd go up on the lift, and just turn around and come back down. Surprise! After a refreshing turn about the area, admiring the obese ground squirrels and the view, I went to go back down, and no car. Someone had become ill, so rescuers commandeered several cars, and I along with many others was up there in the wind and cold for nearly an hour before getting a ride down. (The nominal shelter was packed, of course.) I came down, got in a hot shower, and cowered in my room, with all the blankets, shivering uncontrollably first with the cold and then with a fever till I passed out. I didn't feel right for 2 days after.

Scott Vogel: Okay, the obese squirrel thing was news to me.

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Stafford, Va.: I am going to Paris in September and don't have a cell phone. What is the best way to make calls in France without one - buy a phone card over there?

Christina Talcott: Last time I was there, about three years ago, they still had phone booths all over town, and you could buy a phone card at any tabac.

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freezing in D.C.: Coldest I've ever been: any day that it's over 90 degrees outside and I'm sitting in my over air conditioned office! Wool, slippers, and gloves (which really hurts the typing) seem really unnecessary in the summer!

Scott Vogel: Do they allow guests?

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Re: Mt. Rushmore: If you are not interested or willing to go to Mt. Rushmore, I will gladly pose as you and go! It is one of the few states I haven't been to, and will take any excuse I can to make it happen (and I will be a nice daughter, I promise).

Scott Vogel: Ya hear that?

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Bethesda, Md.: Just because Airborne doesn't prevent colds, doesn't mean it isn't helpful. I have found it very beneficial (and no affiliation with the company). I have no idea why people thought it would guarantee they wouldn't get a cold or cure it once they had one. They're just vitamins, people!

Christina Talcott: More on Airborne...

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Washington, D.C.: Some of the coldest places I know of are actually movie theaters in around DC!

Outside of those, the coldest I ever remember being was the year I moved from southern USA to northern Europe. While much colder (I started wearing 2 jackets in September), I didn't realize just how cold it was until the day I came home from school with ice on my eyelashes. I also never realized how sensitive my eyelids were to extra weight and extreme temperatures until that evening in November. My response was to ride my bike with my hat pulled so low that I could hardly look up while riding for the rest of the winter, which was how long it took to grow some pieces of my eyelashes back after accidentally rubbing them off while they were frozen.

Scott Vogel: Ick. I mean, great story!

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Bill of Rights vs. Poor Service: To Carol, re: Bill of rights vs. unsustainable low fares -- the thing is, low fares have little to do with the quality of customer service in terms of being straight-up with your customers. Of course, if you quote the contract of carriage to us after each response, no carrier is "required" to do anything. But that would be the same whether you bought first class or the cheapest fare! If an airline cannot be held accountable for re-assigning a passenger to a flight that is _physically impossible_ to fulfill, and then punishing them for it, then we have no hope at all. Regardless of the cost of the fare.

Carol Sottili: But if you have no legal stand, you can complain all you want. As long as people still fly, and the airlines are filling those seats, and Congress doesn't pass a bill of rights, that's reality.

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Arlington, Va.: I was an exchange student in Bremen, Germany during high school. Coming from VA, I thought it was freezing. I finally got proof when I froze my hand to an outside doorknob of one of our classrooms. How? I took off my gloves to wipe tears off my face from the bike ride while attempting to run into class before I was really late. Ripped some skin off and I never removed my gloves before going indoors ever again.

Christina Talcott: Thanks! That's really disgusting.

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Centreville, Va.: Cold stuff: My family and I went on an outdoorsy/camping vacation in Australia in August, which is the end of their winter, but still not very cold outside in Queensland. We had a very playful/cheeky Kiwi tourguide who warned us about "drop bears" (koalas, if you're not familiar) and just generally teased us about everything. Well, we camped out near a pool of fresh water that led to a waterfall and another pool (full of crocs, I was told -- still not sure about that one, either). Our guide, Rob, dove right into the water and told me how great the water felt and that I should jump in. I should have known better. I jumped in and nearly had a heart attack (at age 19) because the water was so cold. I unintentionally became a member of the Polar Bear Club that day. Cheeky Kiwi.

Scott Vogel: Didn't you have a boomerang handy to club him, or something?

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Cold!: I'm from N.H. and know of cold weather; I'm usually smart enough not to get caught in it. Went out one morning, temps were -30 with a nice stiff wind. My Jeep's battery has given up the good fight and refuses to start.

I wait outside an indeterminate amount of time for the tow truck guy (your brain can start to fog over when it's that cold), then end up outside an automotive shop trying desperately to change the battery. My fingers were completely numb and I kept dropping the wrench because I couldn't feel my hands. The worst part may actually have been the creepy-crawly feeling of thawing out.

Scott Vogel: ooh -- the only thing worse than being cold is feeling the cold goes away, it seems.

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Some are better than others, no doubt. But they all have good/bad days.: So, where can we find some objective data as to which is which? We constantly hear about how airlines have to cut XYZ in order to accommodate customers' desire for low prices. Well, I (and many people I know) would willingly pay higher prices for higher reliability and better service/quicker recovery from the (yes, I understand) inevitable problems. (and yes, I do currently and routinely pay higher prices for both direct flights and flights out of National as they are more convenient and less likely to miss a connection, so I am not just blowing smoke.) But I can only do that if I can find objective, relevant, and understandable comparisons between the airlines. Otherwise, getting mad and declaring we'll never again fly the airline that just (really bad thing here) is all we've got.

Carol Sottili: The Department of Transportation published on-time stats and complaint stats. Go to http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm.

They give an indication of which airlines are doing a better job. But those stats don't cover international carriers.

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Charlottesville: My cold story: snorkeling off the Great Barrier Reef. I was given a wetsuit that was too big, so instead of a thin layer of body-warmed water I had cold Pacific water washing over me over and over. And the boat had a limited supply of fresh water, so they could only let me rinse in warm water for a few seconds, which wasn't nearly long enough. I thought I would never be warm again.

Scott Vogel: Wouldn't have guessed we'd get a cold story about the reef!

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Washington, D.C.: Cold: My coldest time traveling was during a trip to Churchill, Manitoba to see polar bears. It was unseasonably warm. But I was predictably cheap. I did not want to spend the money for an expensive warm pair or boots or gloves. So I was wearing $20 non-insulated winter boots and knit gloves from CVS. I was lucky in that temperatures were generally around 0, instead of the 40 below it had been the previous year at this time. For most of the trip I managed to get by with my meager winter clothing. But when my group stopped to make an igloo, the wind, time, and hands-on nature of the activity quickly overpowered my clothing, and I was shivering and wondering how long I had before frostbite kicked in. I managed to hold out and the igloo turned out great. No toes were lost to frostbite in the making of this memory.

Scott Vogel: Thanks for the disclosure. I think we've all learned something about over-thrift.

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Washington, D.C.: The coldest I've ever been was snowmobiling along the Arctic Circle in Finland, the day after Christmas a few years ago. With windchill it was something like -60 -- I don't remember if that was F or C, but does it really matter?! The snowmobile company, in their infinite wisdom, issued cotton face masks for the ride. Cotton! I couldn't decide whether I'd be warmer with a cold frozen face mask or nothing at all on my face. It took most of the day to regain feeling in my toes...

Scott Vogel: Yeah, after a certain point, don't Fahrenheit and Celsius converge or something?

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Toronto: Coldest time was getting lost was after I got off the hydrofoil in Tallinn, Estonia after crossing the Gulf of Finland in early December. My visit to St. Petersburg was thwarted to due to visa issues to I went to Estonia instead. I arrived in the port without a map and only the address for my hostel, figuring that I would wing it when I arrived. When I arrived, it was dark, icy, and blowing snow. I wandered across an empty parking lot, without any cabs, people, or information office to provide help, and made my way towards the lights. Eventually, after wandering around, I found a street with tram tracks and discovered that I was circling the city walls for a while. The Old Town of Tallinn turned out to be quite beautiful and I enjoyed the rest of my visit.

Scott Vogel: Okay, like the happy ending at least.

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Arlington, Va.: I am looking at $500-600 price for economy round trip from BWI to California during Christmas. Do you think there is any change this will go down, or only up?

Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Christmas holidays are busiest time to fly. If you're not flexible re: dates, buy now. Cheapest to fly on Christmas Day/New Year's Eve (late) or NY Day.

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Thurmont, Md.: The coldest I have ever been was Blackwater Falls where we were with a group learning to cross-country ski. Temps went down to 20 below and it was suggested that we take the battery out of our car so it wouldn't freeze.

Scott Vogel: The battery? What about you?

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Refunds from airlines: If you live near an airport, the easiest thing to do is go there in person to get a refund. And it's harder to say "no" to a person in, um, person than on the phone.

Carol Sottili: I used to go to the airline ticket offices in the District, but most have been closed down. Airport trip may be less time consuming than waiting on hold for hours.

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Stafford Va.: Can you get travel/trip cancellation insurance on a flight you "purchased" with frequent flier miles?

Carol Sottili: No. I don't think any travel insurance company will insure those miles. But go to www.insuremytrip.com or www.squaremouth.com to make sure.

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Coldest I've ever been...:...would have to be when I was a senior in high school, and flew to Chicago, where relatives were going to pick me up and drive to Madison, Wis.. I stood outside at the O'Hare "pick up" lane and waited in the late October chill nearly an hour. When I went inside to figure out what to do next, since they hadn't shown up yet, my toes started to burn as they thawed out. (I finally found my relative, who instead of driving had taken the train, but didn't get the message to me.) That trip was also the first time I saw snow before Halloween.

Scott Vogel: Finally -- someone confirms what's always been believed in my family: Chicago's the coldest place in the world.

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New Jersey: Thank you for the article on baggage; it was useful. What is the rationale for the new rules - are they designed to save money by decreasing weight or by decreasing baggage handling?

I've already had to go out and spend money to get myself some new luggage. Mine was over 20 years old and admittedly getting worn, but those two soft-sided bags were amazing travelers. They weighed less than 1 lb apiece. They were small (the smaller was actually a briefcase). They held enough for 10 days of foreign travel. I kept putting off getting something new because I wanted something like them - and that kind, without wheels but superlight, is no longer available. My bags were famous with my travel group.

But they only worked if I could check them. Now I have two new bags, heavier one over 8 lbs, that will no doubt be awful to try to get around, even with wheels. And my luggage will be significantly heavier for the airlines.

Christina Talcott: I'm so glad you found the baggage charticle helpful! I thought it was high time to have all those fees and restrictions laid out. I think the rationales are many, including the ones you listed, as well as airlines' desire to bring in extra money without having to further jack up ticket prices.

I love that your bags were famous with your travel group. I have a pair of travel companions who LOVE making fun of this little green Aquis towel I always pack. ("Hitchhiker's Guide" was right!) That's sad you had to give up your lightweight bags! Why, may I ask, did you buy two new bags that you don't like? Being happy with your luggage goes a long way to making you happy in your travels, IMHO.

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CleanWell wipes: I've found the CleanWell wipes at Target. I think you can go to their web site (www.cleanwelltoday.com) and look up stores that carry them.

Christina Talcott: Thanks!

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Juneau, Alaska: Six minutes to go, but coldest I've been... South Pole, in sweatclothes, went 100 feet from my dorm to the bathroom in the next building in the middle of the night, then passed out from altitude sickness walking back. No time for details, but you can imagine...

Scott Vogel: And someone dragged you to safety, I'm hoping.

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claustrophobia on planes: I'm also claustrophobic (passed out twice in crush of people leaving huge crowded stadiums) and when I fly I get aisle seats and position the air vent to blow on me full blast the entire time and I usually do ok.

Christina Talcott: Another great tip!

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Washington, D.C.: My partner and I are thinking of renting a small cottage in Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard during the first week of September. We're hoping to spend around $1500 or less for the week-long rental. (If that's even reasonable for that area and time.) Any ideas on a reputable agency for finding a place to rent? Will the beach still be nice? Thanks!

Scott Vogel: Yes, yes and yes. You should definitely be able to find something in that price range and, yes, the weather will be gorgeous. No time to answer this one fully, but please check www.mvol.com for info on real estate. And consider the Methodist Campground for cottages. Some of those are adorable and quite within your price range.

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Eastern shore: I can recommend a place that we've stayed that might help out the parent w. the kids whose done O.C., and the "never crossed the Bay Bridge" traveler.

We've stayed at Cambridge Hyatt for a weekend, and it was wonderful. It was a while back, and mid-May, so it wasn't too crowded. We brought our bikes, and did two loops through the Wildlife Refuge that were just gorgeous. There are all kinds of activities there as well - even marshmallow roasting.

I can also recommend Rocky Gap, as my daughter, who I never thought would touch a worm, learned how to bait a hook and fish. They also have a bird sanctuary of some sort there where the kids can learn about birds of prey.

Christina Talcott: Blackwater Wildlife Refuge is a great place for biking (I had a story on that a few months back), and that Hyatt is just beautiful. Thanks for the tips!

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Baltimore, Md.: We are planning to go to Niagara Falls this weekend, leaving from Baltimore Friday afternoon... would you or the chatters recommend a "not too expensive" hotel for 4 adults (1 room)? We would like to be close to the Falls so we don't have to drive (if possible). Also besides seeing the Falls early Saturday, what other places/towns close to Niagara should we not miss that Saturday?... Is Toronto doable?

washingtonpost.com: Both Sides Now (Post Travel Section, Sept. 18, 2005)

Christina Talcott: Here's a story we had on Niagara Falls recently...

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a polite airline?: Not sure if you caught the recent New Yorker humor column - but the author satirizes the state of flight travel, and says his airline would have fees for people reclining their seat, playing their DVD player loudly, etc. Otherwise, charge for all pet peeves that have been mentioned in this chat. Do you think there is a market for such an airline to exist? Where customers would agree to a certain list of things they would/would not do? And would people pay a premium to fly on such an airline? I know in light of rising fuel prices this probably won't be a consideration for most, but I gotta say, I would pay an extra couple bucks to have a civilized flight (or is that just what it's like in first class?)

washingtonpost.com: My Airline (The New Yorker, July 7)

Carol Sottili: Here's the column for those who didn't read it. Several airlines who tried the all-business-class model (Maxjet, Eos, Silverjet) have gone out of business recently. Based on that, I'd say most people would still prefer just plain cheap.

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Another Chicago question: I have a 3-hour layover at O'Hare in September. Can you recommend anything to see/do to kill the time, besides sitting around at the airport?

Christina Talcott: Get to your gate early, then check out the shops and restaurants around there. It might take you a long time to get from one gate to another, so you might not wind up having as much time to kill as you thought...

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For Niagara Falls Traveler: Skyline Inn Imperial Hotel and Suites

Reasonable and close to the falls.

Christina Talcott: Thanks!

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Scott Vogel: Okay, you'll think I'm exaggerating for effect, but... thanks SO much for the, um, avalanche of cold weather stories. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've felt cooler the entire hour. See ya next week, and if you're the guy who survived duck hunting in Maine in January, you're our winner. E-mail me at vogelsi@washpost.com to claim your prize.

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