Travel Briefs

January 2010 issue

Retro London tours

The company smallcarBIGCITY (phone +44 [0] 7891 998 328 or +44 [0] 2075 850 399) offers six guided tours of London. Up to three people tour in a Mini Cooper driven by a chauffeur/guide dressed in retro 1960s garb, with ’60s music on the sound system.

Tours range from the 30-minute “Royal Tour” for £54 (near $90) per Mini, touring major London landmarks, to the 5-hour “Tale of Two Cities,” which combines an hour’s tour of London and an hour of Paris (with transit between on the Eurostar train), for £299 ($500) per Mini.

June 2014 issue

Tutankhamun tomb replica

An exact replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb was scheduled to open in Luxor, Egypt, on April 30. The facsimile was a gift to Egypt from the Factum Foundation of Madrid, Spain, the Society of Friends of the Royal Tombs of Egypt in Zürich, Switzerland, and the University of Basel. 

Work began in 2009 when the Factum Foundation used 3-D scanners to map the tomb and its contents. The original tomb has begun to suffer deterioration due to the CO2 exhaled by the many visitors. In 2011 the Supreme Council of Antiquities called for the tomb to be closed to the public, but it remains open. 

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May 2010 issue

Egypt bans VoIP calls

Cell phone service providers lose revenue when people use VoIP (voice over internet protocol) on their mobile phones to link to the Internet and make free phone calls with programs like Skype.

In March, the Egyptian government banned the use of services like Skype for cell phone calls made over Egypt’s three national mobile networks (Vodafone, Mobinil and Etisalat). The ban does not affect cell phones using international mobile phone providers. Also, the ban does not affect fixed-line Internet calls made using a computer/laptop.

September 2014 issue

TSA’s new electronic device rules

The US Transportation Security Administration, in cooperation with air travel authorities in other countries, has implemented new security measures regarding electronics, citing intelligence that terrorist organizations have been attempting to create explosives that are harder to detect. There was no specific threat or incident to cause the increase in security.

As of July 8, travelers flying into the US from selected foreign airports (unspecified) must show that they can power on all electronics, including phones, laptops and tablets, before being allowed to take them through...

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January 2014 issue

Greeters in Belgium

Brussels Greeters (Rue Louis Haps 16 - 1040 Brussels, Belgium), a member of the Global Greeter Network, connects local residents with visitors for a casual exploration of the city. The program is currently offered in Mons and Namur as well. 

The Greeter guide service is provided free of charge by volunteers who are passionate about their city. Fill out the online request form, including your interests and contact details, at least two weeks in advance of a visit, and you will be put in contact with your selected Greeter via email to work out the arrangements.

June 2010 issue

Hong Kong airport rest

For those with long layovers at the Hong Kong International Airport, the 1,171-room Regal Airport Hotel (9 Cheong Tat Road, HKIA, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, China; phone [852] 2286 8888) has a flexible “Day Use Package.”

HK$880 (near US$113) for a stay of 10 consecutive hours between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. includes use of heated pools, a 15-minute head or shoulder massage at the spa and free Internet access at the business center. HK$1,380 (US$177) includes a larger room and in-room Internet access. Add 10% service charge and taxes.

May 2014 issue

Conquest of Istanbul depicted

A panoramic, site-specific painting depicting the siege of Istanbul by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II can be found in the museum Panorama 1453 (Topkapı Cultural Park, Istanbul, Turkey; phone 0212 415 14 53, www.panoramikmuze.com [in Turkish only]).

Including images of 10,000 individuals, the painting covers the entire interior of a dome 131 feet in diameter and depicts the siege as it might have appeared on May 29, 1453, from the museum’s location. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Museum entry costs TRY10 (near $4.50).

February 2010 issue

Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad (New York, NY; 888/839-3535) offers two-week learning vacations in 24 countries. There are projects in conservation, archaeology, language classes, coaching children’s sports, medical aid and care giving. While most volunteers are between 18 and 25 years old, projects are open to those 16 through 75.

The cost of the two-week projects runs $2,195-$2,895 and covers accommodation; food; travel and medical insurance, and support from the staff at home and abroad. It does not include airfare. Example — “Inca Projects & Archaeology in Peru” at $2,495. Volunteer...

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