Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
• To sleep, avoid the last row of any sec-
tion or the row in front of an emer-
gency exit, as these seats are the least
likely to recline. Avoid seats near highly
trafficked toilet areas. Avoid seats in
the back of many jets—these can be
narrower than those in the rest of
coach. You also may want to reserve a
window seat so you can rest your
head and avoid being bumped in the
aisle.
• Get up, walk around, and stretch
every 60 to 90 minutes to keep your
blood flowing.
• Drink water before, during, and after
your flight to combat the lack of
humidity in airplane cabins. Avoid
alcohol, which will dehydrate you.
• If you're flying with kids, don't forget
to carry on toys, books, pacifiers, and
chewing gum to help them relieve ear
pressure buildup during ascent and
descent.
11 Packages for the Independent Traveler
Package tours are simply a way to buy the
airfare, accommodations, and other ele-
ments of your trip (such as car rentals,
airport transfers, and sometimes even
activities) at the same time and often at
discounted prices.
One good source of package deals is the
airlines themselves. Most major airlines
offer air/land packages, including
Ameri-
can Airlines Vacations
(
&
800/321-2121;
www.aavacations.com),
Delta Vacations
(
&
800/221-6666; www.deltavacations.
com),
Continental Airlines Vacations
(
&
800/301-3800; www.covacations.com),
and
United Vacations
(
&
888/854-3899;
www.unitedvacations.com). Several big
online travel agencies
—Expedia, Trave-
locity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.
com—also do a brisk business in packages.
Travel packages are also listed in the
travel section of your local Sunday news-
paper. Or check ads in the national travel
magazines such as
Arthur Frommer's Bud-
get Travel Magazine, Travel + Leisure,
National Geographic Traveler,
and
Condé
Nast Traveler.
12 Escorted General-Interest Tours
Escorted tours are structured group tours,
with a group leader. The price usually
includes everything from airfare to hotels,
meals, tours, admission costs, and local
transportation.
Despite the fact that escorted tours
require big deposits and predetermine
hotels, restaurants, and itineraries, many
people derive security and peace of mind
from the structure they offer. Escorted
tours—whether they're navigated by bus,
motorcoach, train, or boat—let travelers
sit back and enjoy the trip without having
to drive or worry about details. They take
you to the maximum number of sights in
the minimum amount of time with the
least amount of hassle. They're particu-
larly convenient for people with limited
mobility and they can be a great way to
make new friends.
On the downside, you'll have little
opportunity for serendipitous interac-
tions with locals. The tours can be jam-
packed with activities, leaving little room
for individual sightseeing, whim, or
adventure—plus they often focus on the
heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on
many a lesser-known gem.
•
Abercrombie & Kent Private Jour-
neys
(
&
800/554-7016;
www.
abercrombiekent.com) is U.S.-based
and internationally recognized as a
luxury travel company. A&K started
as an African safari specialist in 1962
and now offers escorted and inde-
pendent trips to more than 100
