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October 2006 issue

To London on MAXjet

In July ’06 I had the opportunity to try out a relatively new airline called MAXjet (888/435-9629, www.maxjet.com), which started up in November ’05 and currently operates from New York’s JFK Airport and Washington’s Dulles Airport to London’s Stansted Airport, though new destinations are planned.

The MAXjet difference is that it features a single class: business. Flying the long-range Boeing 767, a plane that normally carries some 300 passengers, MAXjet has configured it with just 102 seats, each on an aisle or window. Wonder of wonders, there are no middle seats.

MAXjet’s...

November 2005 issue

Romania and Bulgaria

Six of us toured ROMANIA for 10 days in May ’05 with Cristian Florea of Crif Tours (phone 40 722 606 610, e-mail romtours@digicom.ro or visit www. discoverromania.ro).

He was wonderful and we had a great time on our customized tour of the country — over 2,000 kilometers of travel. The cost was €850 (near $1,102) per person, not including lunch and dinner (less than $10 per meal). He accepts credit cards for payment.

Cristian’s English was excellent, which explained why he sent a substitute tour guide the second day because he was working as an interpreter for former President...

September 2005 issue

Seniors at the wheel

I read the article on seniors and car rentals in the July ’05 “Discerning Traveler” column. Another car rental agency on the European continent is Sixt GmbH & Co. (Zugspitzstr. 1, 82049 Pullach, Germany; phone 888/749-8227, 877/474-2566 or +49 [0] 89 7 44 44 0 or visit www.e-sixt.com).

When we motored Portugal for two weeks in 2002, our travel agent recommended Sixt because they would have no problem with our driving. My wife was 73 at the time and the driver, while I was 77 and navigator and alternate driver.

For the record, neither of us has ever had an accident or...

June 2006 issue

Keeping up with the group

The issue of accommodating handicapped or disabled persons on tours or cruises was raised in two readers’ letters (March ’06, pg. 35 & July ’05, pg. 27). The issue goes beyond handicapped or disabled persons to anyone who cannot meet the physical requirements of a trip. As I see it, there are various aspects to addressing the problem.

• Tour operators need to specify the physical requirements of a trip as clearly and realistically as possible. (Are there elevators? How much walking is involved? What kind of surface?)

• Tour operators must be willing to send home, or limit...

August 2005 issue

Reserving wheelchairs in airports

I took a Continental Airlines flight from Seattle to Cancun and return, Feb. 27-March 8, ’05. I know ITN does not normally include anything on North America, but Houston is an international gateway plus I was assured by the ticket clerk that the same policy holds true everywhere: that is, even if you have made a reservation for a wheelchair, it will not arrive if you have not filled out and submitted the proper paperwork.

In Seattle, after the agent saw I had reservations for wheelchair assistance in Houston, he offered to provide for me a wheelchair to the gate. I declined, since I...

October 2006 issue

Speedy descent

I enjoyed the articles on China in the April ’06 issue and especially the pictures of the Great Wall on pages 10 and 121. Before tourists could visit on their own, I was in China in 1976 with a group from Wayne State University’s Medical School. In addition to medical sites and other places of interest, we were taken to the Great Wall.

If you look closely at either picture, you’ll see that the handrail on each side of the walkway extends farther out than handrails anywhere usually do. When I was walking down, I saw some young men sliding down the right rail, each sitting “sidesaddle...

November 2006 issue

Turkey with FLO USA

In a letter on a tour in Turkey (March ’06, pg. 50), the reader mentioned that their two days of touring cost $562 for two people. It appeared to be all local travel, airport/hotel transfer, guide, admissions, etc. I was really surprised that they were delighted with the price; I have taken two trips to Turkey with FLO USA, Inc. (Lake Mary, FL; 888/435-6872) and would highly recommend them for travel to and within Turkey. Their prices are absolutely the best, the service is incredible and they advertise in ITN.

My first FLO USA trip to Turkey was in November ’04. It was an 18-day...

January 2006 issue

Where to stay in South Africa

South Africa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There is a rumor that every other house in South Africa is a B&B. We are sure this is an exaggeration but only a slight one. There are literally thousands of B&Bs, guest farms, lodges, game parks and other variations on the same theme. So how to sort them out?

An organization called The Portfolio Collection (Box 132, Newlands, 7725, Cape Town, South Africa; phone [+27] 21 689 4020 or visit www.portfoliocollection.com) makes the job a lot easier. They publish three pocket-sized guides: “The Country...