Travelers' Intercom

November 2013 issue

Uses ‘new-looking’ currency

A note about the subscriber’s letter “Took New Bills to SE Asia” (Aug. ’13, pg. 50) — for years, I have been getting newer currency before I travel, and I’ve found that the bills do not have to be brand new and never used. They just should be clean, with no marks, not wrinkled or folded, and no older than about Series 2009, or five years from the year you are traveling. I ask my small-town bank a week in advance and get the currency easily.

I last visited Southeast Asia in 2002. I went to Mongolia and Bhutan in 2007, Papua New Guinea in 2008 (where I was able to use US bills instead...

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May 2013 issue

‘Wonderful’ Iran
By Peggy Scanlon
I was very pleased to read Marvin Primack's letter "Misconceptions of Iran" (March'13, pg. 26). How lovely to read of someone else's pleasant experience in that wonderful country.
January 2014 issue

Drake Passage — sail, fly or both?
By Kenneth Crosby

CLARIFICATION — Regarding the article “Awed by the Pristine Beauty of Antarctica” by Nancy Tardy, subscriber Kenneth Crosby of Laredo, Texas, wrote, “The statement in the August 2013 issue that air/sea tours of Antarctica are less expensive than all-sea ones is simply false, and the statement that air/sea tours are more enjoyable than all-sea ones is only the author’s personal opinion.”

After reviewing the information published, ITN decided that a clarification was needed.

Ms. Tardy booked a “Fly the Drake” cruise-tour and wrote, “I had chosen this trip from Quark because it...

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December 2012 issue

International Expeditions in India
By Nell McCombs
Swimming pool at Laxmi Vilas — Bharatpur, India.

My husband, Ed, and I chose “Tigers & the Taj” for our fifth trip with International Expeditions (Helena, AL; 800/234-9620). Our trip, March 10-25, 2012, cost $6,680 per person, excluding international air but with a discount for having traveled with the company.

We like International Expeditions because it provides superior guides and excellent accommodations, your only tipping is to your main guide and, on this trip, all meals were provided. On this trip, there was only one other tour member.

Our guide, Harendra (“Harry”) Singh, grew up close to the bird sanctuary...

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April 2013 issue

Turkey with TEO
By Dorothea French

We learned about TEO World Culture Tours (New York, NY; 888/444-1110), which specializes in small-group travel, from a letter in ITN (Aug. ’11, pg. 31). From June 19 to 29, 2012, our group of five friends enjoyed an incredible tour of Turkey under the personal guidance of company owner Tamer Teoman.

We had contacted a number of companies to help us plan our trip. Tamer was the only one to call to find out exactly what we had in mind and suggest the best way to organize our itinerary. It was important to us that we had a guide who was highly educated, articulate and flexible. We...

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October 2013 issue

Music! Music! Music! — Locating recorded music
By Beverly Mendheim

I read the letters from people who had traveled to countries, listened to music and later sought that music out (Aug. ’13, pg. 56). As someone who received her degree in ethnomusicology, I have a few suggestions that might help travelers find recordings of the music they’re seeking.

If you know the name of the act (person or group), check to see if they may have something on YouTube.com. So many performers these days utilize this platform to promote their music. 

Sometimes, just doing a search on Google of something like “music from Bali” pulls up names of performers, but...

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March 2013 issue

Public transport in rural China
By Joyce Bruck
This man was selling birds (probably canaries), cages, food and other items at a

After the local travel company I was using canceled the last six days of my prepaid tour of China in October ’11, I had no choice but to get myself from Guiyang, in rural Guizhou province, to the international airport in Guangzhou for my flight home. This was no easy task, since very few people in China speak English and almost all of the signs are in Chinese.

Fortunately, my hotels (which I had booked, myself) were 4- and 5-star establishments, so desk staff were able to assist me in getting to and from bus and train stations and to a few local sites.

Before leaving Guiyang...

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December 2013 issue

Denise’s in London
By Dee Poujade

When, after an absence of several years, I walked into my favorite London restaurant, Denise’s (79 Southampton Row, London, Greater London, WC1B 4ET, U.K.; phone +44 20 7436 1562), I was warmly greeted by the owner, who never forgets a face!

Denise asked about my family and proceeded to insure that my daughter and I enjoyed our meals.

The cuisine is French, the ambiance is cozy and bistro-like, and the food is wonderful and reasonably priced. My daughter had pork chops, I had calf’s liver, and we both had wine and shared a dessert for a total cost of £60 (near $95). 

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