Calling All Readers

Nancy Tan of Fresno, California, wrote, “I would be very interested in reading comparisons of airlines’ frequent-flyer-mileage programs from travelers who are members of more than one airline’s loyalty program.”If you are or recently have been a member of more than one airline’s or airline alliance’s frequent-flyer program, which ones are they and which program do you prefer? And for what reasons. What are some specific differences between the programs?...

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Nicely made bed with pillow from Airbnb experience

Karen Wells of Traverse City, Michigan, wrote about an apartment that she and her husband rented in Sydney, Australia, through Airbnb.com, saying, “What a nice experience! We shared a young professional’s apartment but had our own bedroom and bath…. And we paid only a little over $100 per night! So it turned out great for us, but we have talked to others who used Airbnb in various countries and encountered funky bathrooms, cleanliness issues, unexpected steps, etc. We...

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Mileage program comparisonsNancy Tan of Fresno, California, wrote, “I would be very interested in reading comparisons of airlines’ frequent-flyer-mileage programs from travelers who are members of more than one airline’s loyalty program.”If you are or recently have been a member of more than one airline’s or airline alliance’s frequent-flyer program, which ones are they and which program do you prefer? And for what reasons. What are some specific...

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What you should know about using Airbnb

Karen Wells of Traverse City, Michigan, wrote about an apartment that she and her husband rented in Sydney, Australia, through Airbnb.com, saying, “What a nice experience! We shared a young professional’s apartment but had our own bedroom and bath…. And we paid only a little over $100 per night! So it turned out great for us, but we have talked to others who used Airbnb in various countries and encountered funky bathrooms, cleanliness issues, unexpected steps, etc. We...

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Calling All Readers

Narrow-gauge and offbeat railways

Jack and Elizabeth Kaufman of Lake Quivira, Kansas, wrote, “We would be interested in travelers’ suggestions for scenic or unusual railroad trips.

“We have ridden the well-known Darjeeling Himalayan Railway ‘toy train’ in India, a short but enjoyable trip. Another short trip is Norway’s Flåm Railway, pegged to tourists, with spectacular views of fjords. We also have taken the...

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We asked subscribers to each tell us about a time when they submitted a claim — medical or nonmedical — to a travel insurance company and expected reimbursement but had their claim denied. Our aim was to make travelers aware of what they might be surprised to find they are NOT covered for, in certain situations, under travel insurance policies.

Noting that we would not be printing the names of any travel insurance companies (we just wanted general accounts), we asked...

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Mark Varnau of Indianapolis, Indiana, wrote (April ’16, pg. 47), “What do others do with their old trip negatives and unused pictures? Are any groups interested in having them? Or should my wife and I just grit our teeth and toss them?” 

Several subscribers wrote to Mark and gave permission for ITN to share their advice. In addition to one letter sent in response to another subscriber’s related advice, the following are excerpts of what they wrote.

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We asked subscribers to each tell us about a time when they submitted a claim — medical or nonmedical — to a travel insurance company and expected reimbursement but had their claim denied. Our aim was to make travelers aware of what they might be surprised to find they are NOT covered for, in certain situations, under travel insurance policies.

Noting that we would not be printing the names of any travel insurance companies (we just wanted general accounts), we asked...

CONTINUE READING »