International Travel News

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June 2008 issue | Appears on page 16

The Clink

Wherever English is spoken, the word “clink” indicates a place of imprisonment or punishment, but few people know that it was a real prison.

The prison that gave its name to all others was owned by the Bishop of Winchester within his palace on the Bankside in London. From the 12th century, his prison was used for, amongst others, the prostitutes and customers who broke his rules of 1161 in his 22 licensed brothels lining the Bankside.

Later, during the 16th century, the Clink...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 26

Determining travel insurance reimbursement

Some situations take longer to conclude than others, as in this next letter. — Editor

My wife, Judy, and I went on a tour of Viet Nam with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), March 4-28, 2006. About 60 days prior to the trip, Judy’s doctor changed one of her medicines, but follow-up visits prior to the trip indicated no potential problem. While in Hanoi she had a reaction from her medicine that required immediate care, hospitalization and then return to the U.S.

Inadvertently, we...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 29

Pleased with travel insurance coverage

During our “Discover Thailand” tour (including pre-trip to Cambodia) with Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA: 800/221-0814, www.oattravel.com), Jan. 14-Feb. 2, 2008, I slipped and fractured my ankle within 24 hours of our arrival in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Our OAT program director, Savon, and the local operations coordinator, Chrek Rith, efficiently took care of my transfer to the Royal Angkor International Hospital in Siem Reap. I am pleased to report that the hospital facilities...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 30

Disappointed in their Alitalia experience

We flew on Alitalia flight No. 637 from Miami, Florida, to Milan, Italy, on Sept. 9, 2007.

The flight attendants were not good about cleaning the bathrooms. My wife did bring the dirty bathroom to their attention, but nothing was done.

The food was okay, but they never served any water during the flight. Overall, it was a bad experience

We figured the service could not be any worse on the return flight: No. 636 from Milan to Miami on Sept. 23. Were we wrong!

The...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 30

Air France ‘friendly’

We are fortunate to have an Air France flight available from Philadelphia to Paris. Taking advantage of the irresistible advance-purchase fares offered in May ’06, we flew Philadelphia-Bordeaux that November, from Philadelphia to Amsterdam that December and Philadelphia-Nice in March ’07. Our most recent Air France flight, to Paris, was in March ’08.

Air France’s Airbus is comfortable, clean and well equipped. The individual entertainment systems offer a variety of eye- and ear-...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 32

Defaults to U.S. carriers

We don’t fly a foreign carrier when a U.S. carrier has the route, even though we realize the U.S. carrier will not match the foreign airline in service. Why? Because our carriers need all the help they can get to stay alive; if not supported, more will go the way of Pan Am, TWA, etc.

We have found that Continental does provide comfortable seating and good service, having flown them many times on the Honolulu-Guam-Manila or -Hong Kong route and from Frankfurt to Newark or Dulles as...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 32

Highs and lows on Belfast trip

We flew on Continental in coach from Newark, New Jersey, to Belfast, Northern Ireland, departing at 9:30 p.m. on March 27, 2008.

Worst cabin crew ever. Not a smile or kind word. In the middle of the night I went to the galley and requested a small amount of Coke. Three attendants looked at me with daggers in their eyes. Finally, one got me the glass of cola, with not a word spoken. The lights were on in the cabin until three hours into the flight, so it was hard to sleep.

Our...

June 2008 issue | Appears on page 33

Galápagos procedure changes

When Karen Scott and I went on our annual catch-and-release striped marlin sports fishing trip to the Galápagos, Feb. 26-29, 2008, we found some changes in procedures that we think ITN readers will want to know about.

At the Guayaquil, Ecuador, airport, before you get your boarding pass you need to get into line to get a Galápagos travel card. The line is slow. They take your passport, then type your name, passport number, date of birth, date of entry into the Galápagos Islands and...