Talk About Travel: Great Smoky Mountains, Dublin, More

Discussed lodging options in Nags Head, recommendations for Paris, flights to Las Vegas and more

Got a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel Section Flight Crew is at your service. They were online Monday, April 20 at 2 p.m. On the itinerary this week: visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, exploring Dublin bookstores, seeking out Virginia wildflowers, sampling chili in Cincinnati and more.

Browse an archive of previous live travel Q&As.

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Christina Talcott: Good afternoon, everyone, and thanks for joining us for another edition of Travel Talk. I hope you're all staying warm and dry today! What happened to the great spring weather we had this weekend?!

Joining us today is Sue Kovach Shuman, who wrote yesterday's story on Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is here to take your questions about the park and its environs. She's also very well traveled and has written in the past about regional travel, cheap lodging in Europe, cruise deals and sites in Munich, Madrid and Wales. Andrea, Scott, Carol and I are here, too.

I have friends staying with me this week for their spring break, and one of them started out her trip in a terrible way: She left her pocketbook on an Amtrak train. Distracted by getting her two children, their car seats and a pile of luggage off the train, she somehow failed to add her purse to the exit-bound bustle. She had to spend the next couple of hours canceling credit cards, calling Amtrak's Lost and Found and fretting about how to replace things like her driver's license and library card.

Fortunately, this morning Amtrak called her with the good news that they found her bag, including her wallet and all its contents, and are holding it for her to pick up. Crisis averted!

It made me think about starting off trips on the wrong foot: Missing the bus to the airport, stepping in dog doo in your only shoes and that all-time classic: the airline losing your luggage. Who's got a great story to tell of the vacation that began badly? Bonus points if the problem was solved in a creative/funny/unusual way. My favorite gets a Travel tote bag in the mail.

Ok, let's go!

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Tampa, Fla.: I have relatives who live in Cincinnati and whenever I go there, I have to get a three-way at Skyline. The idea of putting chili on spaghetti may seem strange, but boy, it tastes great. My brother, who lives in Annandale, said there was a Skyline Chili on Gallows Rd for a time, but it closed a few years ago.

washingtonpost.com: Chili, Your Way, Any Way, in Cincinnati (The Washington Post, April 19, 2009)

Scott Vogel: I'll confess I hadn't heard of Cincinnati's association with chili before Ben Chapman's story, but I certainly was intrigued afterwards...

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DC-St Thomas airfare in June: Hi Flight Crew!

I'm researching a trip to St. Thomas this June (from D.C.) and really expected airfares to be cheaper in the low season. So far they are about $400/person including taxes. The other problem I see with them is that there is almost always either a too-short layover (under one hour) or a really long one (over three hours) on at least one of the legs.

Do you think prices will go down? Also, I know a lot of sales are released on Tuesdays, but in terms of days of travel if dates are flexible I know its cheaper to fly out mid week and perhaps Sunday -- any other tricks?

Thanks!!

Carol Sottili: $400 round trip to St. Thomas, including all taxes, isn't a bad fare. It wasn't too long ago that we were seeing $700 round-trip fares to the Caribbean. Have you tried various dates/days/airports (BWI, DCA, IAD) to see if the fare remains consistent? Depending on the airport, the short connection may be fine, especially if you can walk quickly, don't carry heavy luggage and plot out your arriving/departing gates before you leave (I know, gates can change, but not a bad idea to think ahead). As for sales being released on Tuesdays, not sure that's true. Usually is cheaper to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays - Sunday is rarely cheaper.

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Manassas, Va.: Is it too late to book a relatively affordable place in Nags Head for Memorial Day weekend? We are celebrating our 5-year anniversary AND a babymoon (due in June). Everywhere I'm looking is ridiculously overpriced for the weekend. Is there no hope to find something nice but under $300? Thanks!

Carol Sottili: If you would consider a townhome, condo or single family, try contacting owners directly. Even those that say they only rent by the week may be willing to negotiate if their place is still available. Sites include www.rentalo.com, www.vrbo.com and www.cyberrentals.com.

Also, it's often cheaper to stay south of Pea Island. You may want to look into Avon, Rodanthe, Cape Hatteras areas.

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Smoky Mountains: I live in Knoxville and love having the GSMNP as my backyard. I appreciate that you focused on the historical and natural aspects of this beautiful park. If my first experience with the park came after a trip through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, I think it would have been my last visit. It's hard to see the mountains through the traffic and tackiness. It can often take HOURS to move through those towns to the park, and the towns are horrendously overcrowded and cheesy (and not in a good way). As a 20-year Tennessee transplant, my advice for a peaceful and enjoyable trip is to focus on the Townsend and Cosby areas on the north side of the park. Or, stay on the NC side. There's plenty of lodging in Townsend (less in Cosby), and much easier access to the hiking, fishing, biking, tubing, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, and auto touring that make a visit to this park such a pleasure. If you feel the need for a trip to the outlet malls and go-cart tracks of Pigeon Forge and t-shirt shops and pancake houses of Gatlinburg, it's an easy 1/2 hour drive around the outskirts of the park. If you must do Gatlinburg, don't miss the Arts and Crafts Community Loop which starts on the road to Cosby and the Arrowmont Craft Center. Supporting these centers for arts and native crafts helps keep the legacy of the people of the Smokies alive.

Sue Kavach Shuman: Lucky you to live so close to the park! Friends of the Smokies are planning hikes throughout the month that take you off the beaten paths, so to speak. The park is soooo big with so many different sides that's it's hard to focus on just one thing in a story. And you're right that tourists crowd Gatlinburg and Cherokee in the summer and some weekends, but Cosby and Townsend as well as places on the North Carolina side southwest of the park are more appealing to serious outdoors types, and quieter. One October I saw a mother and two cubs near Cosby campground -- right before weekend crowds descended.

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Boulder, Colo.: Here's a question which may start a riot, or maybe not, but I am seriously interested in knowing if there is an age limit for flight attendants? I've been in exit rows where older people have been asked to move and am curious about flight attendants. I was on a flight Friday night (which was ultimately canceled due to weather) and we had two female flight attendants who were at least 60. Maybe I am an ageist (I'm a 37 year old. female) but I didn't feel very safe or confident having them on my flight. Thanks.

Scott Vogel: Unsafe with a 60-year-old? Really? I can't say the number alone would give me pause.

What do the rest of you think?

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Falls Church, Va.: Love your chat! I am planning a trip to Greece at the end of August, flexible dates. I'm looking at BWI and Philly flights since Philly is direct. Right now, prices are around $1050 out of BWI and $874 out of Philly. I read in the Post travel section that it's safe to wait awhile for July-August travel since flight prices have been dropping, but these flights were cheaper two weeks ago. Should I go ahead and purchase or wait and gamble on the price?

Carol Sottili: There have been some very good summer fare sales out of Philadelphia, but very few out of the DC airports. Take a look at Air France out of Dulles -- I think those fares may be lower than the $874 out of Philly.

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Worried - Downtown D.C.: We're taking a family vacation to Turks & Caicos leaving on Memorial Day with US Airways. The flight leaves from DCA and stops at Charlotte. We have 70 minutes to switch planes to head to Provo. I'm now worried that if for some reason the flight out of DCA (only 60% on-time record) is delayed, that I will miss my connection. Is there any recourse if this happens? Can I buy trip insurance to cover this?

Andrea Sachs: Your connection time is long enough to not worry. And if you do miss the connection, US Airways is responsible for getting you on the next flight out. If you wish, you can research the next flight out to T&C, so you can be better informed in case you are delayed. Of course, you can get insurance. That will help if you can't get to the Caribbean until the next day and lose out on one's night hotel, or if you have to pay for a hotel in Charlotte. In my opinion, though, I would not worry.

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For Tampa: There are Skyline Chili restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, Naples and Clearwater as well.

Scott Vogel: More chili -- thanks.

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Paris in a day?: I'm taking Rick Steves' advice and traveling to Paris from London for one whirlwind day, on a Sunday in May. I've never been, so figure this is a good introduction.

He recommends starting at Notre-Dame, then hitting Sainte-Chappelle, the Louvre, the Tuileres Gardens, the Champs-Elysses, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. (I'll probably skip the Eiffel Tower as I'm okay with seeing it from a distance.)

Have any of the chatterers done this itinerary? Any recommendations for a good cafe or two near these spots? How many euros should I get from the ATM for the day, which will include a few taxi rides? Thanks.

Christina Talcott: I've walked that route many times, and I'm glad you've decided to do it! I concur on skipping the Eiffel Tower. If you want a great view of the city, consider the steep climb (387 steps!) up the towers of Notre Dame, which will get you face to face with gargoyles. (8 euro, open daily from 10 to 6:30 April 1-Sept. 30, till 11 in the summer, and till 5:30 in the winter).

The Louvre costs 9 euro, and I'd highly recommend either a guided tour or at least a best-of guide like this one. As for cabs, I think you lose a lot if you don't walk -- the whole route from Notre Dame to the Arch de Triomph at the end of the Champs Elysees is only 3 miles long.

As for food en route, I remember there being a nice, less-touristy cafe across the street from Sainte-Chappelle (perhaps on Boulevard de Palais) -- anyone know what it's called? In general, I'd recommend popping into anyplace marked Tabaq and getting whatever's the special of the day, or getting a croque monsieur or onion soup. Those places tend to be good but less touristy/pricey than most cafes and have real, old-timey Paris feel. Or take a little detour to the Marais for interesting middle-eastern eateries. If anyone has other suggestions for dining from Notre Dame to the Etoile, please chime in!

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Mid Atlantic beach travel: Last week, a poster wondered why there aren't hotel deals at local beaches, given the state of the economy.

You are not likely to find any, except for the last minute deals. The reason is because the beaches of Delaware and New Jersey are an easy weekend trip for MANY people (same true for MD and VA beaches).

Now with the economy in a tailspin, many will travel locally in lieu of airline travel. In the Mid-Atlantic area, the beach is a good option.

You may find more mid-week deals than weekend ones. You may also find deals if you are willing to stay at places that aren't beach front.

Carol Sottili: There is some truth in your argument. I hear that occupancy rates are down, but hotel/rental unit owners are holding out with the thought that many are planning vacations later just in case their economic situation changes.

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Travel to Vegas?: I am looking into flights in August to go out to Vegas. While the hotel rooms are a steal, the flights are not. What gives? There are flights above $500 per person, unless I'm looking in the wrong search engine!

Andrea Sachs: Fares to Las Vegas vary depending on the season and if there is a big event in town. However, I am finding flights from $219 (US Airways from DCA, for example) when I search August dates. You can also save $$ by booking an air/hotel package. Check out Priceline and Hotwire.

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Starting off on the Wrong Foot: In college, I studied abroad in Spain. When I got to Madrid, I was met by a representative for the school. They were also gathering high school students bound for a program in Salamanca. Long story short, they accidentally put me on the bus to Salamanca. What I got there they asked if I wanted to call my parents. And I said, yeah, that's exactly what my mom wants to hear -- that you lost me on the first day of the trip.

Christina Talcott: Hahaha, that's awesome/awful! What in the world do you do in a situation like that?

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Ellicott City, Md.: I am planning a trip to the Middle East later this year and want to know if you can recommend any hotels and restaurants in the occupied territories of Palestine. While I will visit both Palestine and Israel, for political reasons I prefer to stay in a hotel in Palestine.

Christina Talcott: I'm going to have to throw this one out there, having never been to that part of the world (not yet, anyway!). Anyone have advice?

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Washington, D.C.: I am trying to fly to New Orleans for a weekend in June from any of the three D.C. airports. The best I am coming up with is a flight out of BWI with a layover on each end for $250. Why doesn't anyone fly directly to New Orleans and do you have any advice as to how to get a cheaper fare? Thanks!

Scott Vogel: There is a nonstop option: US Airways flies to New Orleans from National airport, although it probably won't be your cheapest way to go. I'm not getting much better fares than you otherwise. Check sites like Farecast.com for Kayak.com; you may well find a better deal depending on your dates.

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Kingstowne, Va.: I missed last week's chat to attend the Nationals game and when I read it afterwards, I noticed someone had submitted a question about a cruise stop in St. Petersburg: "We're using one of the local companies who offer a typical schedule of Hermitage, the Peterhof, metro, hydrofoil ride, etc. but would love to hear from someone whose done it."

Hopefully that reader is back today. I was in St. Petersburg for two days on a Holland America Baltic Sea cruise in July 2007 and I have a few thoughts:

(1) We did the cruise line's shore excursions. The primary reason is the restrictive Russian visa regime. If you do the cruise line's excursions, you do not need a visa; when you go ashore and go through passport control, you'll be given a special card to keep in your passport instead, and you surrender it when you go through passport control on the way back to the ship. If you wish to explore on your own, you must obtain a "multiple-entry" Russian visa because going back aboard the ship to sleep counts as leaving the country. Getting the Russian visa can be a massive pain in the butt, especially with a family of six. The cruise lines' excursions do tend to cost more, true, but in St. Petersburg the money is worth it because your life will be far simpler. Plus if your shore excursion is late, the cruise ship will wait for you; if you go on your own, they won't, and when we were there every shore excursion was late in returning to the ship! (I know they were planning a new cruise ship terminal, but I don't know if it's been built yet. Assuming it's not built, you'll be docking in the main industrial port and you'll look outside in the morning and go, "Where the HELL are we????" There is NO public transportation to and from that area!)

(2) Seeing Peterhof is a MUST and the hydrofoil is a fine way to get out there if your tour group isn't using a bus. You DO NOT want to try to get around on your own. The traffic is horrendous, worse even than New York's, and if you don't speak Russian you won't be able to decipher the road signs because of the Cyrillic alphabet.

(3) If the tour company wants you to see Peterhof and the Hermitage on the same day, then find a different tour. Both are worth seeing, but both are also very crowded and it would be easier to see them on separate days. True, the hydrofoil to/from Peterhof docks directly across the street from the Hermitage. But if you want to spend even a remotely adequate amount of time in the museum, you'd need to skip lunch because Peterhof is easily a full half-day. Skipping lunch is a bad idea, I think, especially with all the stairs and walking you'll have to do in the Hermitage. (Even if you had a full day in there you'd barely scratch the surface, though.)

(4) Make sure you visit the Church on the Spilled Blood. Even if you're not into religious art and architecture, and even if you're not familiar with the design of Orthodox churches, this one is worth the visit because all the icons are done as mosaics. Stunning stuff.

Christina Talcott: Hey, clearly we missed you last week and didn't even know it! Thanks so much for your input!

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SS, MD: On my first international trip that included transfers within countries, my two traveling companions and I arrived in New Zealand with plenty of time for our next flight. We relaxed and had breakfast, without realizing that our luggage was not automatically put through to our final destination. We thought we'd go through customs at our final destination. So when someone told us we should have picked up our luggage at the arrivals section and then go through customs it was really close to our departure time. We ran to get our luggage, only to find out that because it was on the carousel for too long, it was intercepted and would have to be examined individually by hand. Because we were to be in the Oceanic region for two months, we had a lot of stuff! We almost missed our flight, and were running for our gate when a fire alarm went off and the entire Auckland airport was evacuated and all flights delayed. We made our flight and had an amazing rest of the trip!

Christina Talcott: Wow, deus ex machina in the Auckland airport! You couldn't make these things up.

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Tysons Corner: A friend and I were not able to land at Quito airport due to fog. We were rerouted to Guayaquil airport where we had a terrible night sleeping on the floor without our luggage. While waiting around for our flight to Quito, we met a large group of Rotarians (members of the Rotary club) who knew of already-paid-for spaces to the Galapagos (due to one American couple's cancellation). We were invited along...We ended up joining them, paying only our airfare to the islands, for a 5-day all expense paid trip! It was amazing!!

Christina Talcott: OMG that's INCREDIBLE!

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Bad travel start: My husband drops me off with 7 week old infant at Dulles, for Christmas flight to San Fran. He was to park in long term, and meet me with our 3 year old. Car dies at Dulles drop off, but I have gone on to Mid Field Terminal. That awful sound of one's name on the paging, please use the white courtesy phone, with baby in hand (no stroller), go back to other terminal. United desk reports that they have my 3 year old behind the counter. Husband is outside getting car started. Miss the flight (but back in the day, they could get us on a later one). On return, infant ends up in hospital with ear infection. All to visit the in-laws for the holidays.

Christina Talcott: Yikes, that's one great excuse to start a stay-at-home holiday tradition.

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Silver Spring, Md.: We're flying to St. Petersburg in July to catch a tour (returning from Moscow) and would like to stop in Paris en route for a few days.

Is it better to buy now and be assured of seats, or wait a month in hopes that prices will go down?

Carol Sottili: I'm fairly conservative when I know I need to be in a specific place on a specific day, and I have requirements, such as stopping in Paris for a few days. Some airlines will let you see how many seats are still available on flights before you purchase. For others, you can try calling reservations re: whether the flight is wide open or not.

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Ashburn, Va.: I'd like to take my two sons, ages 7 and 9, to see the Smokey Mountains. I do not want to camp, but the thought of staying in Gaitlinburg (Ocean City in the mountains) makes my skin crawl. Is there any place to stay that is away from the Ripley's Believe it or Not and Wax Museums? I really just want to enjoy the Smokies, not the over-stimulating tacky tourist stuff.

Sue Kavach Shuman: Yes! There are many places surrounding the park without the tourist attractions of Gatlinburg. Cherokee, on the Indian reservation in the south, also has tourist attractions -- an outdoor theatre, entertainers, plenty of shop-opportunities, so you may want to avoid that, too. Perhaps a cabin rental near Townsend or Cosby, in Tennessee, or an inexpensive hotel in Maggie Valley, N.C., would keep expenses to a minimum, yet be close to the park. Google "Smokies cabin rental" and you'll see what I mean. Prices are all over the map -- but even some rustic cabins have hot tubs (this is honeymoon central). Your rambunctious sons can hike and tour all day, and see the natural history museum at Sugarlands Visitor Center, and the Mountain Farm Museum's restored buildings, and hike one of the shorter waterfall routes. Please look at both Tennessee and North Carolina web sites (www.tnvacation.com and www.visit.nc.com) for the whole list of options.

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London, U.K.: Hello! I have a sort of reverse travel question, as I'm coming to D.C. this week -- do you know where in D.C. I could get a SIM card for my U.K. phone? Are they very expensive? My U.K. service is supposed to work in the U.S. but I found on my last trip that it did not, so I thought I might try a U.S. SIM. I know it's possible to order such things online but I'm arriving in two days so don't have time for that. Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers.

Carol Sottili: I'm posting this in the hopes that one of our chatters will have an idea.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: I once went to New Orleans one evening and US Airways informed me my bags went to St. Louis. What surprised me was they said a cab would drive my bags from St. Louis to my New Orleans hotel. Sure enough, next morning, the hotel had my bags and they said they came by cab. I was really surprised that they would send bags that far by cab, but, that's what they should they would do, and they did.

Christina Talcott: Wow, what service!

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Northern, Va.: I lived for about 3 years in eastern Tennessee and thought I'd recommend two great additions to any Smoky Mountain vacation:

1. Asheville, N.C. -- about 45 minutes away. A really great artsy-college town that is also home to the Biltmore estate. Pigeon Forge doesn't have much of a night life. If you're craving one Asheville is worth the trek for one night.

2. Jonesborough, Tenn. -- about an hour north of Pigeon Forge. Visit during their story telling festival which happens each fall.

Sue Kavach Shuman: Thanks for adding that. You can never be bored near the Smokies. Pigeon Forge is a bit like Las Vegas at night, and anyone who likes live music and the neon glitter should, even if they want to avoid tourist-y things, at least drive that strip at night (with sunglasses). There are some food bargains to be had. Asheville is a totally different scene.

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Wet and cold in France: Speaking of trips getting off to a bad start, I just heard that a friend who left last night from Paris (CDG), headed for Australia, became ill on her flight, which made an emergency landing in Turkey, where she is now in hospital undergoing tests.

I can't imagine a much worse scenario than that.

Christina Talcott: Holy cow, I hope she gets better soon!

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Union Station, D.C.: My husband and I are considering a babymoon in a tropical location this summer. Among the usual vacation concerns, I'd love to learn more about the hospital facilities and especially neonatal care of potential destinations. Are there any Internet sources for this information? Do you know anything about health care in the Caribbean?

Andrea Sachs: When my father fell ill in during a Caribbean sailing trip (a bad ice cream cone in St. Vincent), he was flown to Barbados. No offense to Caribbean health care, but you most likely want to look for Western-trained doctors and Westernized facilities. (Dad's doctor was from Britain.) The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (716-754-4883, http://www.iamat.org) has a list of English-speaking docs trained in Europe or North America. Also, I would recommend going to an island that is an easy, nonstop flight to the States, in case you need to return stateside fast. Also, pick an island with good sanitation, including clean tap water.

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Pennsylvania: My family is visiting my brother-in-law in Sicily who's a Navy captain. We booked a PHL-ROME flight through US Airways, but want to avoid Alitalia since his family has lost luggage and had canceled flights. Doing my own searches, I found a decent fare with Blu Express or Blue Panaromic Express, a low-budget Italian airline using Boeing 737 and 747s according to web site. I can't find many reviews about BE; I'm told most budget airlines are okay. It's just an hour flight from Rome to Catania. Any thoughts before I book three tickets for early May?

I tried Air One, but since their merger, they send you to the Alitalia site. We land in Rome at 8:45 a.m. and I want to take an 11 a.m. flight on Blu Express. Cutting it too close? Thanks.

Carol Sottili: Airlinequality.com only has two reviews, but they are both positive. And I can't find any negative financial stuff on the company. So I'd go with it. Layover time sounds good.

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With Age Comes Experience: Hi Crew -

I must say I am a little appalled that 60 year-old flight attendants would cause safety concerns for a traveler (and I am only 35). Capt. Sullenberger of "Miracle on the Hudson" fame was over 60, I believe. With age comes experience and knowledge which are much more important during a plane crash than brute strength or physical agility that could be slightly diminished by age 60. I'll take a more experienced flight crew any day.

Scott Vogel: I believe Mr. Sullenberger is 58; nevertheless, point well taken.

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Arlington, Va.: If you didn't know, you can get your chili-mac fix 3-way through 6-way at Hard Times Cafe, including Cincinnati-style.

Andrea Sachs: Yum. Thanks for the tip.

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Washington, D.C.: I have an airfare question. Flights have been dirt cheap lately, but not for flights past the end of June. I already know of several flights I need to schedule between now and early fall. Should I just do it now, when prices are still fairly high? Or should I wait for them to extend the huge fare cuts into later summer months? Thanks!

Carol Sottili: I'd watch and wait for a few more weeks, especially if you're going overseas, and your dates are flexible. Track fares, and whether they're headed up or down, on sites such as www.farecast.com and www.farecompare.com.

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Whirlwind trip to Paris: Don't eat anywhere near Notre Dame -- everything along there is too tourist-oriented. There are decent cafes along either bank of the river (my favorite, less-touristy ones are probably too far off your route). The blocks right around Notre Dame are lined with especially cheesy ones.

Also, though you're fitting a lot into the day, try to walk as much as possible. I could (and do) just walk around those parts of Paris for hours. (Do tackle the Metro at least once, just to see what's similar and different from our Metro and NYC's subway.)

Christina Talcott: Here's one vote against cafes near Notre Dame, and one for walking. I think if the traveler's taking the Eurostar from London, he or she can get a feel for the Metro by taking Route 4 from Gare du Nord to Cite, then back on Line 2. The rest of the time, the walk is splendid!

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Older flight attendants: I'm still puzzling over Boulder's question. Is the concern about the flight attendants being able to open the exit door? Being able to handle an unruly passenger? I've always assumed the flight attendants just need to be level-headed people who know what to do in an emergency.

Scott Vogel: I think you're right that the questioner's concern stems from the fact that some passengers are not allowed to sit in exit rows (in some cases because it's assumed they aren't physically able to handle the doors, e.g., children).

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Salamanca: They took me to McDonald's that night (where the fact that there was no honey for the Chicken McNuggets was more upsetting than it should have been) and put me up in a hostel. The next day, they put me on a bus back to Madrid and someone met me at the bus terminal. Of course I missed orientation and my first day of classes. I only recently told my mother about the whole debacle because I thought now (almost ten years later) it wouldn't freak her out too much.

Christina Talcott: Woah, I can't believe you waited 10 years!!! That's incredible!

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re: sim card: Assuming the Londoner's phone is GSM, he should be able to go to any Best Buy (or AT&T or T-Mobile store) and buy a prepaid AT&T or T-Mobile phone and just use the SIM chip that comes with the cheap phone. I think it'd run him about $30 to $50.

Christina Talcott: Here's a response for the London caller.

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re New Orleans: As a native New Orleanian, I travel home several times a year. Normally I fly direct from DCA on US Air (usually paying around $220) but Southwest also flies direct from BWI. You just have to choose carefully with them, as most of their flights to NOLA are not direct from BWI.

Scott Vogel: Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello, Crew. My boyfriend and I are trying to plan a vacation for this coming August. We are looking into Aruba because it is out of the hurricane zone and still an island. We are aiming for an all-inclusive resort. In a quick check of airfares in August, it looks like they are in the $475 range with at least one stop. Is this about right for the airfare? Would it be better to consult with a travel agent and get a package deal? Thanks.

Carol Sottili: It's always worth pricing out a trip through different sources. I'd try a travel agent, and then I'd try an online agency, such as Expedia.com, and then I'd try it all separately to figure out which offers the best deal. Depending on your dates, you can probably do better than $475 -- round-trip fare should be closer to $400.

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Nags Head and OBX: It's very possible to get a place -- we have been going for years and years, and they are having a bit of trouble this year, and a lot of the rental companies have specials on their sites. We deal with Hatteras Realty, Midgett Realty, Outer Beaches, and Surf or Sound. We prefer the southern part -- Avon, Buxton, Hatteras. Some of the prices have really been cut.

Carol Sottili: Thanks!

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Great Smoky accommodations: Is there anywhere to stay in the park that DOES have showers?

Sue Kavach Shuman: Nope. Even at LeConte Lodge, a sponge-bath is your only option. But the National Park Service volunteers at Sugarlands Visitor Center will give you a flyer with a list of places around the park that do have shower facilities, and the prices (no more than a few dollars per shower per person). Of course, in summer those showers can get crowded with entire families. Best to go early in the day, or at late as possible. But don't let the lack of showers stop you from camping. That's the best way to see wildlife. It's great to see white-tailed deer right outside your tent, or a wild turkey, or salamanders that can range up to two feet!

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20037 -- Midwest transplant: One thing your Cincinnati chili article could have mentioned is that you can actually buy Skyline Chili in cans at the Wegmans in Dulles and Fairfax. It's pretty close to the original, although you still need to improvise for the hot sauce.

Scott Vogel: Attention staycationers!

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi - I'm off on a cross-country flight on Jet Blue with my two preschoolers. I understand that I can purchase headsets at the gate for $1. Will those seats be okay for little kids? Are there better headsets that I can purchase before we leave?

Also, any thoughts on a local store where I can buy decent quality kids' luggage? Target was a failure, there were some carry ons at Ross/TJ Maxx/Marshalls that might work for kids, but if there is store with better selection, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks!!!

Andrea Sachs: Airline headsets aren't top quality, so if you kids have headsets from home, bring them (save a buck, too). But, to be honest, entertainment sound systems on planes are top quality, anyhow. No matter what, their shows will be interrupted by the groan of the plane and the chatter of pilots and people. If you need to shop for headsets, look for ones that have an adjustable headband and padding. Also, consult with your doctor, as you don't want your little one's to blow out their eardrums.

For kids' luggage, if you don't mind ordering online, I would look at the reams of styles as eBags.com. They have a whole Kids category.

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Washington, D.C.: When looking for Vegas flights, keep in mind that Southwest Airlines is not part of the major travel search engines, like Kayak.com. I just booked a non-stop flight from BWI to Vegas for $89 each way.

Andrea Sachs: Wow! That's a great fare. Thanks for including Southwest.

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Rockville, Md.: Travel mishap: new friend got a job teaching yoga at an all inclusive couples resort in Jamaica over New Years and didn't want to go alone. All I had to pay was airfare. She missed our 6 a.m. flight to Miami. As I wandered around the airport, it dawned on me, what if she didn't make it to Jamaica? I didn't have money to pay for a last minute hotel NEW YEAR'S EVE. Mind started racing at alternate plans. She made it, later in the day. Not only was the resort marvelous, the concierge insisted she knew me from somewhere and comped a bunch of off-site and some on-site extras.

Christina Talcott: Hoo boy, that could have been awful! Reminds me of the time I went to the Alps with a bunch of friends, and only two of us made the train from Paris. We only knew what town we were going to, didn't have the directions, anything. The ones left behind (who joined us on the next train, 6 hours later) had the address and the keys to the ski house. Before they arrived, we were envisioning sleeping in the train station.

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How old is Sully?: The FAA may have changed the retirement rules for airline cockpit crews, but unless they did, Sully couldn't be over 60 -- that's the mandatory retirement age.

Scott Vogel: Actually, the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots is now 65 (since Dec. 2007).

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Bad start in New England: We had to leave the house at 5 or 6 AM to catch a flight to Prague. It was a "burn weekend" here, where if you obtain a permit, you are allowed to burn small piles of rubbish. I heard a "whoosh" outside and then saw that the neighbors behind our house had at least a 30' flame going on a pile of trees they had recently chopped down. I immediately called the fire department, as the neighbors were clearly unable to keep something like that under control by themselves. Not the most comforting feeling as you are about to leave your property unattended!

Christina Talcott: Oh geez, how scary!

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Vienna, VA: Oh please don't advise people to fly to Europe on Air France, Charles deGaulle is a disaster. At the very least one would need at least a 2 hour layover in Paris, and AF never books one that long.

Carol Sottili: Some people are willing to take the chance to save a couple hundred.

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Bowie, Md: A trip that started badly...MANY years ago, was taking the wife to Disney World for our first anniversary. I had learned to allow for extra time since she had a tendency to be a "little" late, but we still got out of the house late. I'm not keeping my cool on the way to BWI and for awhile, words flying between us we getting heated, and it didn't look like we were going to make it to our second anniversary. We get to the airport, check in, and were told we were too late, they had given our coach seats away and it was totally full. JUST as I was about to explode, the ticket agent said "But we can still put you in first class, no charge, if you hurry to the gate." All is can say is picture the smug look on my wife's face as we settled into our big seats. (And by the way, we just celebrated number 31).

Christina Talcott: Woah, congratulations! Guess you learned your lesson, huh?

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Phone Geek, DC: For your London questioner, SIM cards should be available at any company-owned AT&T or T-Mobile store (I believe T-Mobile is easier to deal with). The important thing is to make sure it's a quad-band phone (so it's guaranteed to work with either network) and that there's no carrier lock (much easier to get removed over there before departure than here).

Carol Sottili: Thanks for the input.

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Bad Start: My bad start to a trip? More like bad start and end. Three week family trip to Italy in 2007 -- two adults, two teens. Frequent-flyer tickets meant we took what we could get, which meant connecting through JFK. That resulted in a missed connection in Brussels, and we arrived in Florence (not our original destination) without any of our checked bags. I was the only one who packed clothes in my carryon. Lost luggage at Florence is a complete disaster -- no one knows anything, you can't get a real person on the phone, etc. We spent the first six days chasing our luggage; it was always "definitely going to be delivered tomorrow." I improved my Italian talking to other people in the line outside the lost luggage department. We rescued the last bag from the Florence airport just before it was to have been sent back to the US as unclaimed. Absolutely no help from American Airlines or its partner, Brussels Airlines.

After the initial stress and hassle, the rest of the trip was great. Then we arrived at the Milan airport for our flight home, only to be told we were too late (2 hours ahead) and the flight was fully booked already. After much back-and-forth between the check-in desk and the biglietteria (which, of course, are on opposite sides of security), we wound up on Alitalia, then British Airways. The BA staff at MXP were wonderful; one woman probably spent 90 minutes on our situation. Then at LHR we were upgraded to business class for the trip to IAD.

The end of the trip? We got to baggage claim at IAD at about 11 pm to discover that BA had lost one of my wife's checked bags! (We got it back after 5 days.)

Christina Talcott: Wow, at least the rest of the trip went well...

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On my way to the airport...: The morning before my flight to Vegas with some friends, I had a car accident. In the craziness ensuing, I tucked my drivers license in with my insurance info and left it on my kitchen counter. I get to the airport, and they ask for my ID, and I realize the mistake. I freak out, and ask if the counter agent will take my student ID (from the college I graduated from several years before). She laughs, and let's me check in -- this was pre-9/11. I frantically call my sister, beg her to bring my license to the airport. She agrees, so I go to the bar with my friends to wait. When my sis calls, she drives through the drop-off area and passes the license to my outstretched hand. My friends and I run through security and make it onto the plane!

And the whole time, what I was really worried about was -- how will I drink and gamble without my license?!

Christina Talcott: Oh, I can see it now: You sitting at the airport in tears, thinking about how you'll be stuck in the hotel room the whole time while your friends are out having fun. Classic story!

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Bethesda, Md.: Worst start to a trip -- at the beginning of a long-planned week away, we got the cats to the kennel, got the luggage, maps and pillows in the car and headed out. By the time we got to the Beltway, we realized we had headaches and didn't feel very well. We decided it was probably hunger, so stopped in Manassas (bonus points for having the first leg of the trip be less than some people's daily commute) for lunch. Realized it wasn't hunger, drove home, and spent the next few days in bed with the flu. (We definitely over packed for the 60 mile round trip).

Christina Talcott: Oh, what a shame!

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Rockville, MD: Paris for the day....good enough plan as it stands, and I know it's not what the person wanted to hear, but any chance of staying over at least one night? Paris is a completely different city by night. You should probably still be able to find a good hotel rate in May. This would give you a chance then to see the little light show on the Eiffel Tower (even the Parisians like it, truly) and sit for a leisurely meal at a bistro, and then have a nice walk in the morning maybe in the Marais as you suggest, or perhaps the 13th near Place d'Italie for a totally different experience. Could still make it back to London by early afternoon. Also for food for the single day, if you walk a couple of blocks away from the Eiffel Tower toward the Boulevard de Grenelle there are many really nice local restaurants, or in the other direction past the Ecole Militaire towards Rue Cler.

Christina Talcott: Good call, thanks! Yeah, staying overnight would be preferable.

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DC: Hi Crew -- I hope you and the chatters can help. I'm expecting a baby in June and would like my sister to fly in to Reagan (or Dulles, second choice) from Manchester or Boston on last minute notice. I looked into open tickets on the USAir shuttle, but they appear to be $700 each way (?!). Should she just plan to get her ticket last minute or is there any way I can reasonably book some sort of changeable ticket in advance? (Southwest would be perfect for this, since they have so many flights and no change fee, unlike JetBlue, but we're trying to avoid her taking a cab ride from BWI.) Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Why can't she just take the train from BWI to Union Station, where she can pick up Metro or VRE? That's a much cheaper way to go -- $6 each way on the Marc Train (www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc). Amtrak also offers service, but is more expensive.

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Cincinnati chili: It's true that novices can get a decent introduction to Cincinnati chili at Hard Times, and transplants can get a fix, but it doesn't taste quite like the real thing. (I grew up in Ohio, with my mom's family in Cincinnati area, so I was raised on Gold Star and homemade, and later switched to Skyline.)

I think the wide availability of Skyline in parts of Florida (both in restaurants and in grocery store freezer sections) is due to the high numbers of Ohio snowbirds and retirees (like my mom) down there, especially around the I-4 corridor.

This discussion is making me think of thawing out the package of Skyline in my freezer for dinner tonight...

Scott Vogel: I'm with you, especially with the unrelenting dismal weather outside.

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Alaska cruising?: Hi all (and posters) -- Am looking at cruising for my parents' anniversary and wondering about the season for Alaskan cruises.

Found a website that says you can "still see whales" at the end of the season in September; does anyone know if this is true or will they have a disappointing, whale-less trip?

Thanks!

Andrea Sachs: Sadly, there is no guarantee that the whales will surface for you, but they are around: They feed in Alaskan waters through summer, before heading south for the winter. These include blue, fin, minke and humpback whales. In addition, orcas live in the cold waters year-round.

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Washington, DC: I've noticed that there are some great airfare deals to Europe if you're flying out of New York or Philadelphia. Can you offer insight as to why those deals aren't reflected for the DC area?

Carol Sottili: More competition and more flights out of those markets. But try pricing a connecting flight that begins from a Washington airport and goes through Philly or NY -- Continental, for example, had a great fare sale out of Newark, but was offering cheap add-on fares from Reagan National and Dulles.

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Travel to Vegas: I just looked and you can find prices in August around $225 (Delta, USAir) which is about the best you will ever get.

Unless you are looking specifically from one airport or it has to be at a certain time, or certain airline.

Andrea Sachs: Yes, agree, the fare will change depending on the day and date. But it seems they are definitely in the $200 range, much less than what the original poster was finding. More money for the tables!

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Alexandria, Va.: Each Sunday I look at the Travel section, shake my head, and mutter, "nothing new or exciting." In other words, it seems that you report on the same places year after year: Caribbean islands, local beaches, New York... Please expand your horizons. How about something we haven't read before or that isn't widely available elsewhere? Give readers something unique for a change.

Christina Talcott: One word: Kazakhstan.

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Not a beginning but an end...: After spending a semester in Spain, I went to Paris and spent a great week in the city before I was supposed to fly back to Spain to catch my flight to the States. The only bad part was that I was in a room full of snorers at the hostel and didn't sleep much. It finally caught up with me the last day when I didn't hear my alarm go off and I woke up 30 minutes before my flight left. I was more than 30 minutes away from De Gaulle by cab and didn't have much money so I took the train to the airport. I started crying immediately when I got to the Lufthansa counter. At first they agreed to book me on a new flight back to Madrid for the price I paid for the ticket. I only had $80 in my bank account so I tearfully asked them if I could call my mother and give them a credit card. After about 30 minutes and more typing they told me that I "clearly needed the money more than Lufthansa did" and comped my flight. I was elated! But then I got to Frankfurt and my flight to Madrid was cancelled and they booked me on a flight for the next day. After more crying at the airline counter they put me on a flight that day to Madrid and I just barely made it there in time to pick up my stored luggage and get on my flight back to the states. It's been 5 years and I haven't told my mother and I probably never will.

Christina Talcott: Ooh, next time we should ask: What travel experience have you had that you never told your mother about?

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need the beachville: Driving to Virginia Beach for my big birthday -- I'm alone and averting the pity party. Am I better to book a hotel on kayak before I go? Or be aware of price and bargain when I'm there? Thanks!

Andrea Sachs: It all depends on when you are going, but I always find that you get a better price in advance, when the hotel knows you are not as desperate. You can also call the hotel and ask if they have any birthday, off-season, pity-less discounts? Or, when you get there, see they can upgrade you -- it's your birthday, after all. For kayaks, again, if you are going high season, book in advance. If not, just grab one when there.

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Another study abroad story: I arrived in Glasgow in 1987 for a study abroad program after Christmas, because everyone said how great New Year's Eve/Hogmanay was there. I was to stay in a YMCA-run hostel. I showed up at 4:30PM (pitch dark by then), after a red-eye flight and a long layover in Gatwick, only to be told that the hostel was closed for the holidays. As the tears welled up in my eyes, the security guard took pity on me and was able to get me into a flat. The building had no central heating, so I cranked up the space heater, only to wake up cold and learn the hard way about pre-paid electricity card systems. I also had no hot water because I didn't know about "immersers". After I took my first bath with a half inch of electric tea kettle water, a neighbor showed me how to get the water tank hot. Awful start, but the experience led to lifelong friendships.

Christina Talcott: Now, the question is: Did you tell your mother about this?

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Moving to Vancouver: Here's an odd air travel question: How do you book a flight and a cargo shipment so that you and your item go on the same plane? I'm moving this August, and have one very large item (musical instrument) that won't fit as baggage. I'm very protective of it, and want it sent with me on the same plane, but I understand there are turnaround times involved with cargo when there's a connecting flight involved. Any thoughts?

Scott Vogel: This is a good question, although one I don't have a great answer to. (Help, musicians!) Not sure what kind of instrument we're talking about here, but I'd suggest attempting to gate check it or sweet-talking the flight attendants into finding a place in the passenger compartment. Of course, if it's a tuba or something, you'll likely never get it to the gate...

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Wet and cold in France: Re my friend's bad start: We're hoping she's okay soon. I can imagine few things worse than being in a hospital in a country where I don't speak the language.

Re whirlwind tour of Paris: There are some good, moderately priced restaurants on the Ile St. Louis (just east of Notre Dame): an excellent Italian restaurant on the rue Deux Iles and a good wine bar on the next cross street to the north (can't remember the name).

Re older flight attendants: Age-discrimination laws notwithstanding, I doubt there are working flight attendants who aren't capable of opening emergency doors.

As an aside, my husband and I, both 60+, have reserved exit-row seats on our next international flight. He's a runner, and very fit; I walk 1.5-3 miles a day and lift weights. We wouldn't request those seats if we weren't confident that we can perform as necessary. I've seen a lot of younger people who appear to be less fit than we are.

Christina Talcott: Thanks for the Ile St. Louis suggestions. I've never eaten there but hear it's terrific.

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SoMD: Hi! Thanks for taking my question! Traveling in the fall with my husband and 17 year old son. We plan to visit Edinburgh, Scotland and London. Suggestions for places to visit which will keep the teen interested and engaged? Thanks!

Sue Kavach Shuman: Edinburgh is a great place to walk! This is the land of King Arthur, so hike up to Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park for a glorious view. People have been doing that since at least the 15th century. Along the Royal Mile is the People's Story Museum, in a 16th-century tollbooth across from the swankier Museum of Edinburgh. The People's one shows life as it really was for commoners -- the fishwife, the washer-woman, etc. -- and prisoners. It's not the usual behind-glass experience. The National Museum has an exhibit on Dolly the cloned sheep.

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Bad vacation start: It was Christmas time, and I was meeting all my fiance's relatives in New England. I flew into Dulles from Albuquerque, and we were leaving the next day to drive up to New England. My luggage got sent to Dallas, not Dulles, so I had to borrow clothes from my future mother-in-law, who lives in polyester pants and polo shirts. (I am a clothes horse.) My luggage spent three days chasing me around New England, when we finally located it in New Hampshire. I have never been so relieved in my life to see my own clothes.

To this day, I can't figure out why I just didn't go to a local department store and buy some clothes with my father's credit card. I think it qualified as an emergency and he wouldn't have minded. I think I was just in shock. The rest of the trip was fabulous.

Christina Talcott: All I can think of is "Meet the Parents."

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Re; UK phone: Your UK SIM card may actually work, but perhaps you need to put it in another phone - a tri-band GSM. I agree with the other poster that a prepaid US phone may be a better idea, but you obviously won't keep your phone number.

Christina Talcott: more on SIM cards...

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Columbia Heights, DC: Bad start to a vacation: family trip to Hawaii when I was about ten. My checked bag was lost en route, I came down with diarrhea before we were able to check into the hotel and ended up soiling myself. No problem, I had a change of clothes in my carry-on, except I managed to soil that too.

For the first two days of the trip I lived in my swimsuit (at least it was Hawaii). Mom washed my clothes in the bathtub but the Hawaii air was so humid they weren't dry until the day my lost luggage finally arrived anyway.

Christina Talcott: Oh dear, what a disaster! Bet Hawaii's not at the top of your "romantic destinations" list.

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travel starting off badly...: I was seven months pregnant with my first, and decided to take my beloved 11 year old niece on a vacation to San Francisco. I flew from DC to LA to pick her up, and we headed back to LAX together. We went through a crowded security gate with all carry-ons, and when we came out the other side, we went to the convenience store to buy snacks and magazines. Only then did I discover that I had left my entire purse -- wallet, money, credit cards, boarding passes, ID, etc., at security! I ran back to security at full speed with the rest of our luggage and my little niece trailing behind. Unbelievably, it was still awaiting pickup at the end of the conveyor belt (at least 15 minutes later!). Crisis averted! I'm sure we would have had to cancel if it had been stolen. I think security gate robberies are down with post 9-11 security improvements.

Christina Talcott: Let's hope so! Yikes!

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Merci beau coups for the Paris advice: Thanks, everyone -- this is just the kind of info I was hoping to find on the chat. Between the Louvre, Notre-Dame, walking, people-watching, window-shopping, and eating in non-touristy cafes, I will be happy as can be. I've already bought my ticket and will be there just for the day, but I'm looking at this brief trip as a preview of several days in Paris before too long. I'll file a report after I return.

Christina Talcott: Have a great time, and can't wait for your report!

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Headsets: Please! Get some kind of headsets for your kids. On my way back from Christmas, a woman let her kid watch movies on a portable DVD player without the headphones. I asked her to put them on, she turned the volume down once then asked the kid to put headphones on. The kid took them off, and the mom didn't do anything. I could hear the movie (several seats away) over my mp3 player, which I turned way up. It was like there was no concern for anyone else on the plane!

Scott Vogel: Couldn't agree MORE with this statement, having experienced something similar a few months back. In my case, I couldn't tell if it was due to ignorance or arrogance on the parent's part, but it certainly sent the wrong message to her child.

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Bad start: This isn't my story, but I don't have a good one and I doubt my friend posts on this chat. A few years ago she was leaving on a business trip to another country, and her car died in a traffic jam on the Beltway. Not on the shoulder -- in the middle of the lane. She called for a tow and was told it would be at least an hour, and she couldn't even move the car off the road. She ended up abandoning the car with the hazard lights blinking. She hiked through the grass to a side road and hitchhiked to the airport, made her flight, and called the towing company during a layover in a European airport to check on the car (which had made it safely to a mechanic). It all worked out in the end, but I know I would have been a complete basket case.

Christina Talcott: Holy cow! I would have been, too.

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Falls Church, VA: Hoping for a suggestion for a May trip to the Pacific NW. My husband and I have 2 nights, 3 days free mid-week as we travel from Portland to Seattle. What would you recommend to fill up those 3 days? We can spend the time near Portland, Seattle or anywhere within a few hours drive of the two cities. We love to hike, so that would be a plus. Is a trip to the San Juan Islands too much to fit into such a short trip? Any other ideas? Thanks!

Andrea Sachs: I would definitely recommend the San Juan Islands; just don't try to do too many islands. I would stay on San Juan Island, but plan a day on Orcas, which has great hiking in Moran State Park.

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Pittsburgh: Visited the Smokies in the mid-'70s, recall driving up to Mt. Pisgah -- fairly short hike from the parking lot to the summit -- then ate at a nice restaurant there (is it still in business?). Not crowded on a weekday during autumn leaf-peeping season. Would love to visit again someday.

Sue Kavach Shuman: Mt. Pisgah is on the Blue Ridge Parkway, bordering the park in North Carolina. The restaurant at the Pisgah Inn is open.

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Arlington, Va.: Your chats are so helpful, I hope you can take my question. My husband and I are planning a trip to Belgium in the fall. I'm intrigued by the idea of getting an apartment for the week, rather than booking a hotel. But I haven't found many apartments in Brussels thus far, maybe I'm not looking in the right place? I found one place that looks nice (about 3 miles from the center of Brussels) on vrbo.com. Is that a reputable website? Is there somewhere else I should be looking? Is the apartment thing a good idea? Thanks!

Carol Sottili: Vrbo.com is a reputable company. You could also try www.rentalo.com and www.cyberrentals.com, although I don't think they have many rentals in Belgium. I know there are European-based rental companies, but I don't feel comfortable recommending them because I'm not personally familiar. If a chatter can help, I'll post.

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Iowa City, Iowa: In September, I'll have a day in Toronto, three days crossing Canada by train (roomette), three days in Vancouver. I'm female, 70, healthy but not bungee-jumping agile; like walking, outdoors, museums, zoos. What shouldn't I miss, since I probably won't do this again? (Especially Vancouver, I've not been there before.)

Scott Vogel: For starters, don't miss this Sunday's Travel section story on wild and wonderful Vancouver. You should get plenty of ideas there.

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Heathrow: What's the minimum connection time you would recommend for Heathrow? According to BA, the flight from DC is supposed to land in Terminal 5 and the connecting flight is supposed to depart from Terminal 5. With carry-on luggage only, is 2 hours, 15 minutes on a Saturday morning enough? BA seems to think 2 hours is enough, but I'm skeptical. The next option gives us an 8 hour layover, which seems way too long!

Carol Sottili: As long as flights are in and out of same terminal, two hours should be fine.

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Saginaw, Michigan: For: Ashburn, Va.

We stayed at Hidden Mountain Resorts when we visited SMNP. Had a look at their web site yesterday and they have specials at the moment. Away from Sevierville in an upward direction! Great views, yet close enough not to feel too removed with youngsters:

http://www.hiddenmountain.com/

Sue Kavach Shuman: Thanks for the suggestion. The good news for travel to the Smokies is that MANY places have accommodations specials this year -- in all price ranges, including some stay 2 nights, get one free.

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Wildflowers: I loved the Great Smokey Mountains article; I've always wanted to go there. But in the meantime, can you tell me where the photo was taken that accompanies the Va. wildflower road trip? (It's the one with the field of flowers. I don't know if there are more photos in the paper. I'm pretty much WaPo's ultimate reader: I buy the paper yet read it online. That's twice the ads!) Also, I noticed that the map graphic is numbered wrong. They should go in the opposite order.

washingtonpost.com: We've fixed the map -- thanks for pointing that out!

Scott Vogel: Regarding the photo, it was taken at stop #8 on the journey Valley of Wild Flowers Meadows.

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Arlington: I want to fly Eva Air's premium economy seat to Asia from Newark, N.J., but from its website, if I select Washington as my departure city, the system will force me to fly to L.A. first via AA ( I think), so I am thinking buying a separated ticket from DCA to Newark, although I know buying 2 separated tickets on your own is not a good idea. Under this situation, what is your suggestion or what should I do to protect myself from missing my flight? Thanks very much.

Carol Sottili: Have you called the airline to find out if you can book your preferred route that way? That may work, unless you're trying to book a Web-only sale. Also, try a travel agent -- it may be worth what they'll charge you to book air tickets that way. I recently tried to help a rugby team that got stranded in Newark after missing their connection to Ireland -- long story short, they had to pay out of their own pockets for tickets on another airline out of JFK in order to get to their games. I wouldn't recommend it.

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Worst travel fiasco: Hope I get this in on time -- on my first day of vacation with my aunt and mom in Venice, a pane of glass dislodged from a skylight and fell directly on my aunt while we were eating lunch at an outdoor cafe. She was rushed to the hospital in a water ambulance and had to get emergency surgery to repair her shattered arm bones. We were featured in the Venice local newspaper. The highlight was that my mom and I were able to ship my aunt back to the States, and we continued on to Milan and Florence, where our vacation vastly improved!

Christina Talcott: Seriously? That's awful!

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Fairfax, Va.: Our family trip plan to Europe this summer includes renting a car to spend a few days driving in Germany and France to visit various friends. Other than getting an IDP, what should we keep in mind and/or expect as far as dealing with a rental car and rental agencies?

Andrea Sachs: Make sure you rent in advance, preferably from a well-known agency that has a U.S. presence or has English speaking agents. Ask about any restrictions on ages or number of drivers, and driving across borders (you may need extra documentation). Ask your car insurance company if you are covered; if not, get their advice on what to purchase for coverage. Ask about manual vs. automatic; be sure you have a phone number in case of a breakdown. Get loads of maps and make sure you know of any country-specific driving laws (headlights, cell phones, etc.).

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Expecting mom with sister again: Normally, I would have her take the MARC or Amtrak but time will be of the essence, and that would take her to Union Station, where she would have to get in a cab anyway to get to Sibley. Any ideas for getting open/refundable tickets to DCA or IAD? Are last minute tickets on some airlines less ridiculously priced than others? Thanks.

Carol Sottili:

Sorry, there are no cheap open tickets.

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Seattle, WA: If I was an outdoor enthusiast/hiker traveling between Portland and Seattle, there are two places I'd definitely stop: Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens.

Andrea Sachs: Thanks for the suggestion. Good to have a local source.

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re moving to Vancouver: It's a double bass. six and a half feet tall and, in the flight case, about 100 pounds. Can't go as a passenger, as carry- on, or as checked baggage. Has to go cargo.

Christina Talcott: We'll have to look into that. E-mail me at talcottc@washpost.com and I'll see what I can find out.

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Great Smokies-North Carolina lodging options: It's a late post, I know but I had great luck and great experiences on the NC side of the Smokies staying in cabins: www.scottishwoods.com www.mountainbrook.com

Sue Kavach Shuman: Thanks for the suggestion. Seems that North Carolina lodging is easier to find.

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Almost a bad end to a trip: I flew from Heathrow to JFK on Concorde in 2003 and took around 160 pictures during the flight. Set my camera down on the counter at passport control and then walked off without it!

Thankfully I realized it at the baggage claim and was able to go back and get it. It was right where I had set it and the immigration guy didn't say a word. Typical helpful New Yorker, huh?

Christina Talcott: Lucky you!

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Arlington, Va.: Vacation beginning badly -- my friend and I went to Italy over Inauguration. We planned to keep in touch via texts. Her iPhone wouldn't turn on when we got off the plane and we got separated approximately two hours into our trip on the first day and didn't find each other again until 10 that night. Rather than seeing sights, we were each wondering around Rome trying to figure out where the other would be. It sucked.

Christina Talcott: How terrible!

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Reston, Va.: Bad start: Before we were married, my husband and I tried to go away for New Year's Eve to a B&B in Staunton. We both left work early on the 31st in order to drive out. About ten miles from Winchester, the car started sounding funny, and all of a sudden there was this horrible grinding noise. I pulled over and he looked under the car--the pipe connecting the engine and the muffler (or something like that) had come off at one end and was dragging.

AAA came and towed us to Winchester, where after several misses, we finally found a Monroe Muffler that was still open. The mechanic spent two hours trying to fix the car but couldn't because he didn't have the right part, and the parts supply store was closed and wouldn't be open again until January 2.

So we were stranded in Winchester for two nights, and the B&B charged us as no-shows. But the mechanic got us an emergency rate at the hotel across the street, which had a pool, a decent room, a restaurant next door, and a mall across the street. Wasn't the romantic weekend away we'd planned, but we had a good time anyway. (Still won't go back to that B&B, though.)

Christina Talcott: Yikes!

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Philly vs. DCA: Regarding the earlier post about cheaper fares out of Philadelphia or Newark, depending on where you live in the D.C. area, it could even make sense to drive up to Philly. It's not that awful far -- maybe a little more than 2 hours -- and you can save quite a lot. Last summer we went to Greece, flying USAir out of PHL, and saved something like $300 per person. Of course, a lot depends on flight times -- for example, driving from Woodbridge to make a 7 a.m. flight out of PHL might be a bit of a stretch.

Christina Talcott: One more thought...

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Re: Salamanca and McNuggets: You don't know how happy I am to read that there's another person around here who likes their McNuggets with honey. Most people think I'm nuts when I tell them it's my preferred dipping sauce, but don't knock it until you try it.

Sorry, no travel stories.

Christina Talcott: Noted.

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Arlington, Va.: A couple years ago, my parents and I took a trip to Vietnam. I made arrangements for a taxi to pick us up at the ungodly hour of 3 a.m. The taxi driver was prompt and he drove us from Arlington to Dulles Airport. I tip the driver 20% of the total amount -- comes to about $30 or $40 dollars.

It's common practice for me to tip 20%, so little did I know that this would cause my mom to blow a fuse. My mom is very frugal, but I didn't know how frugal she was. My mom ranted and raved from the security lines to the airport lounge about how I paid the taxi driver to much. When asked how much I should have tipped, my mom said $1. To make matters worse, I was facing a 24 hour travel time with two layovers from D.C. to Vietnam. Lesson learned: treat my parents to trips, but don't go with them.

Christina Talcott: Haha, thanks!

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Central Cal: Bad Beginnings: On a 2 stop flight to Halifax from LAX, the rain started in New York after the first leg. I'm sure we were close to last off for Boston. After landing at Logan, the rains and lightning kept us on the tarmac for 45 minutes.

Shouldn't have worried about missing the next flight since all flights were canceled. Everyone was leaning against their bags in the terminal as I headed to the the airline desk.

This being Thursday night, all of us were slightly agitated when the desk personnel told us the next flight available to Halifax was Sunday. I walked by the baggage carousel (I only hand a carry-on), thinking the best thing was to return to LA since I had to be back on Monday.

I was approached by a guy saying if I paid for 1/3 of the rental we could drive to Halifax. I knew it was a drive, but when he said 14 hours... But faced with the termination of my vacation or striking off with four total strangers, my adventurous side said why not. Cramped in and singing songs all the way to Canada... I wouldn't recommend it. And for good measure, my return was re-routed thru Atlanta.

However, Nova Scotia and Halifax were wonderful.

Christina Talcott: Sounds fun!

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Christina Talcott: Thanks for joining us, everyone, and thanks for sharing your travel-disaster stories! For the accidental Salamanca tourist, send your name and address to talcottc@washpost.com and I'll send you a tote bag to give to your mother.

Hope to see you all again next Monday!

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