This is the December 2009 issue

Boarding Pass

Boarding Pass
By David Tykol
Appears on Page 2
 

Features

Seven countries in two weeks on a tour-filled Black Sea cruise
Appears on Page 6
 
Sri Lanka — Surprising and a bit surreal
Appears on Page 24
 
Tips on volunteering overseas for the 50-plus crowd
Appears on Page 38
 
Colossal industrial reminders await visitors to Germany's Ruhrgebiet
Appears on Page 44
 
Tunisia — Kasbahs, medinas, Roman ruins and the Sahara Desert
Appears on Page 54
 

Travelers' Intercom

Geneva Transport Card
Appears on Page 16
 
Vicenza, Marostica & Bassano del Grappa
Appears on Page 20
 
Allow extra time at CDG
Appears on Page 20
 
Bill shock in Dubrovnik
Appears on Page 21
 
Christmas gratuities
Appears on Page 21
 
Uncomfortable in Moscow
Appears on Page 28
 
Lost money for unused part of rental
Appears on Page 28
 
Japan tour’s ‘extras’
Appears on Page 30
 
Adriatic ports a unique combo
Appears on Page 31
 
Royal rumble through Rajasthan
Appears on Page 33
 
Guide in Casablanca
Appears on Page 34
 
Guide in Armenia
Appears on Page 34
 
Galápagos Travel & Ecuador guide
Appears on Page 36
 
Bruges guest house
Appears on Page 36
 
In London and Kent
Appears on Page 36
 
Elephant walk
Appears on Page 37
 
Jerusalem as Jesus saw it
Appears on Page 49
 
Getting into Bethlehem and Palestine
Appears on Page 50
 
On flight arrangements
Appears on Page 50
 
Booking flights for a tour
Appears on Page 51
 
Bag-retriever tags
Appears on Page 52
 
Luggage tagging
Appears on Page 52
 
Rail fares lower in person
Appears on Page 52
 
Sarchi mini-carts
Appears on Page 53
 
Dazu Wheel of Life
Appears on Page 80
 

Calling All Readers!

Best walking shoes
Appears on Page 41
 

Columns

Boarding Pass
Boarding Pass

By David Tykol
Appears on Page 2
 
Jardin Etnobotanico, Oaxaca, Mexico
The Garden Path

By Yvonne Horn
Appears on Page 62
 
How I pack for Europe
Rick Steves' Europe

By Rick Steves
Appears on Page 65
 
Cartagena: Colombia’s colonial gem
Focus on Archaeology

By Julie Skurdenis
Appears on Page 67
 
From the mailbag
Departure Lounge

Appears on Page 85
 

Travel Briefs

Sydney Harbour Bridge
Carmelite Priory Museum
Catacombs closed
Free to do in Wales
Abraham’s Gate reopens
Steves iPhone apps
Eurail adds website
Currywurst museum
Lyon museums
Visit active volcano
‘Super Granny’
Elderhostel’s Exploritas
BoomerangIt
Textamundo
UAL’s ‘Premier Baggage’
Globetrotter SOS
Private jet time-share
Transport Museum
Transportation museum
Ticket to ride (the Beatles bus)
Beatles museum
Liverpool pop tour on MP3
Solve one like Sherlock
Wine bus from Santiago
Sydney Opera tours

Funniest Thing

Taking the temperature
Appears on Page 53
 

Where in the World? Correct Answers

Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand
Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand
Appears on Page 88
 

News Watch

Terrorist bombings
Guinea killings
Attacks in Belgrade
Avoid Lebanon
Tanzania (with Zanzibar)
Cuba and H1N1
Dengue fever, Nicaragua
Current warnings for December 2009

Tours

England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland
“La Cuisine Cachére De Provence”
“Southern France & Northern Italy”
“The Frankincense Trail & Socotra Island”
China
Mekong Cruise
New Zealand’s South Island
“Kunene Kaleidoscope”
“Weavers’ Trek & Machu Picchu”