Travel Tidbits

I found Cape Town, South Africa, to be a beautiful city (October ’07), but just about every residence was walled, often with barbed wire atop the wall. One had to be buzzed into stores, restaurants and even our hotel. Posted everywhere were notices of “Aware Armed Response”; I saw them not only in Cape Town but in communities throughout the area. Security guards abound. Crime is a big issue. Nighttime explorations are not recommended. — JO RAWLINS GILBERT, Menlo Park, CA

A reader’s suggestion to lock up the money, itself, that we then put into a hotel room safe was excellent (May ’07, pg. 41). We now use a packing cube with a double zipper and lock the zippers together. Hotel employees can take it all, but they can’t skim off just a little. — NILI OLAY, New York, NY

It was summer in South America during our January visit, but in Patagonia the winds often were intense and temperatures were about 50°F, often climbing somewhat during the day. They aren’t joking when they talk about Patagonian winds; we were incredulous at their force. Whew! Torres del Paine National Park is isolated and beautiful, with gorgeous waterfalls and a majestic view of the Paine massif. Did I mention the condors and the llama-like guanacos we saw on our hikes? — IRIS BING, Pennington, NJ

Good sources of information that we use for our trips to New Zealand include the “New Zealand” guide from Lonely Planet ($25.99 — 800/275-8555, http://shop.lonely planet.com) and detailed road atlases, available at most NZ gas stations. We also brought the “New Zealand Touring Map,” available free or by download from Tourism New Zealand (New York, NY; 212/661-7088, www.newzealand.com); it shows both the North and South Islands on one foldout along with all the information you need to plan your trip. — ROBERT A. RINGGENBERG, West Chester, OH