Travel Briefs

December 2021 issue

Canyoning in Scotland

At Dollar Canyon, 45 minutes from Edinburgh in southern Scotland, visitors can take a 3-hour canyoning course with The Canyoning Company (Perthshire, Scotland, UK; phone +44 7725 813 729, thecanyoningcompany.co.uk).

Participants will follow a river through a tight canyon, with activities such as abseiling down waterfalls, leaping from outcrops into pools, and swimming. This is a “beginner” course; participants need no canyoning experience and only a basic level of fitness and the ability to swim.

Safety gear, wetsuits, shoes and snacks are provided plus flotation...

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December 2021 issue

US land borders reopen

The US opened its land and water crossings along the Mexico and Canada borders to vaccinated foreign travelers, regardless of their countries of origin, on Nov. 8. The borders had been closed to all foreigners except essential workers since March 2020. US citizens and permanent residents had been allowed to cross back into the US with proof of a negative COVID test during the border closure.

November 2021 issue

Haneda automated service chairs

In Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in Japan, passengers with mobility issues can hop on automated electric wheelchairs. The WHILL Automated Mobility Service chairs can be found at stations after the security check and in gate areas.

WHILL chairs include instructions in English. A person sits in the chair and chooses a destination within the airport from a prompt on a cell phone-sized screen. The chair then drives itself without any need for airport staff or a travel partner to push it. Using sensors, the chair will automatically stop or move to avoid any obstacle, including people. The...

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November 2021 issue

Ethical homestays website

On the short-term-rental website Fairbnb (fairbnb.coop), each property listed must conform to a set of ethical rules so rentals are not harmful to communities.

Each person renting out their house, apartment, etc., on Fairbnb must meet strict criteria, such as owning no more than two homes in their city and properly following local short-term-rental laws. Local representatives vet the owners and properties before any rental can be listed, and neighborhood residents and businesses can deny the listing if they feel it would be detrimental.

Fairbnb gives 50% of rental fees to...

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October 2021 issue

Venice tourist fees

Starting Jan. 1, 2022, day-trippers to the city of Venice, Italy, will each be charged an entry fee. The entry fee is expected to be €3-€10 (near $3.50-$12), depending on the season and the anticipated number of visitors on that day. Those who are overnighting in the city or visiting relatives will be exempt.

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October 2021 issue

Vaccine passport for France

Vaccinated US and Canadian travelers planning to visit France can apply for digital vaccine certificates allowing entry to the country as well as to indoor venues. To qualify, you must have been vaccinated with one of the four vaccines recognized in the EU: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson.

To apply, visit www.demarches-simplifiees.fr/commencer/passe-sanitaire-etrangers?locale=en, create an account and follow the application instructions, which will include uploading scans of your proof of vaccination and passport photo page.

If approved, a QR code will...

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September 2021 issue

Alpine platform in Austria

On Krippenstein mountain, near Hallstatt, Austria, the 5fingers Observation Deck offers views of Hallstatt and the Hallstättersee from nearly 7,000 feet in elevation. Each “finger” of the deck points in a slightly different direction, and one finger has a reinforced-glass floor suspended 1,300 feet over the mountain.

The 5fingers deck is accessed via an easy trail from the Krippenstein cable car station, the end point of section 2 of the cable car system that begins in the town of Obertraun. A “panorama” ticket, which includes round-trip passage on all three...

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September 2021 issue

Eiffel Tower reopens

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower (www.toureiffel.paris/en) reopened to visitors on July 16 after being closed for eight months due to COVID-19. In order to enter, visitors will have to present a “health pass” from the French government showing they have been vaccinated or have recently tested negative for the virus.

As of July 21, all indoor venues in France, such as restaurants, museums and theaters, require a health pass to enter. At press time, there was no confirmed method for vaccinated US travelers to receive a health pass; however, a negative COVID test taken within 48...

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