Vienna Balls
In Vienna, the winter ball season is just getting underway, and every year thousands of people travel to that Austrian city just to watch the waltz being performed, as it has been, with grace and style, for over 150 years. But The Savvy Traveler's Martin Stott wanted more. So he headed off from London prepared to do whatever it took to get on the dance floor himself.
Q&A I -- What To Do If I'm Stuck In Your Airport
Rudy talks with callers about things to do when stranded in their local airports.
Travel Health
Half a billion people cross national borders every year and more of them than ever before are heading for exotic destinations. Put these two facts together and you've got big potential health problems. In fact, a whole new medical field has sprung up to track this new threat -- it's called emporiatrics -- travel medicine. Judith Ritter visited a travel clinic in Montreal and prepared this report on health and international travel.
The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta says that one of the best things an international traveler can do is to get a vaccination against Hepatitis A. This most common preventable disease is spread by food and water -- two things hard to avoid when you travel. But 11 out of 12 U.S. travelers fail to protect themselves before they go overseas. And only 1 in 5 check with a doctor at all.
Centers for disease control travel medicine page: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.shtml
Shoreland's travel medicine page: http://www.tripprep.com/general/general.shtml
Health Canada, Travel Information for the travellers: http://www.hwc.ca/hpb/lcdc/osh/pub_e.shtml
Jenkins Interview
Peter Jenkins is one of America's most popular travel writers. While most of us only daydream of taking months, even years to indulge our wanderlust and see more of the world, Jenkins does it. He's shared the stories of his many years of travel in several best sellers including "Walk Across America," "The Walk West" and "Across China." His newest book is "Along The Edge of America," the story of a two year odyssey on the waters of the Gulf Coast. I asked him what it was about the Gulf Coast that drew him to explore that part of our country.
"Along the Edge of America," a journal of his two year boat trip along America's gulf coast, published by Mariner books, a division of Houghton Mifflin, $12.00 in paperback
He has also published a book of photographs taken on the trip: "The Untamed Coast," Rutledge Hill Press, $29.95
Jenkins has a website -- http://www.peterjenkins.com
Deal of the Week
It's not often the Deal of the Week desk has so many steals that it's tough to pick just one. But holiday air travel bargains abound this week -- so many that I've just got to tell you about three of them.
Pan Am now flies five times daily between New York and Boston. Travel between now and January 4th, and you could get a round trip fare of $98, a savings of 300 compared to the established Delta and Usairways shuttles.
TWA is putting sunny Palm Springs, California, on sale. Round trip fare from DC, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Pittsburgh is only 298. It's even less from St. Louis and Kansas City.
And speaking of Kansas City, Vanguard Airlines, which is based there, is going nuts, offering half off a companion ticket. Buy a 7 or 14-day advance- purchase ticket and take a friend for half the price. Fly between Atlanta and Denver, and that works out to $103 per person, round trip. Chicago and Dallas, the same. You get the idea. Now get the tickets.
Holiday travel for less -- that's my Deal of the Week.
Q&A II -- Rudy answers callers' questions
To get tickets for London's West End Theatre District can call Edwards and Edwards 800-223-6108 or Ticket Master 800-775-2525.
Cheap cruises can be found through: The Cruise Line 800-777-0707; National Discount Cruise Company 800-788-8108.
Tourist Board of Wales: http://www.tourism.wales.gov.uk
British Tourist Authority: 800-462-2748
Smoker Postcard
The last few years have seen a number of triumphs for anti-smoking advocates. The first smoking bans took effect on airplanes, then airports, then restaurants and now even bars. For most people it's a relief to be in a smoke-free environment, and it's a lot more healthy. But consider for a moment the smoker. A review of just what it takes to be able to smoke at an airport in this postcard from Mark Glass, an attorney who lives and smokes in St. Louis.
Next Week on The Savvy Traveler
I just can't wait to see what The Savvy Traveler staff has in store for my Christmas stocking. I'm hoping for travel gifts that might just work for the wanderer in your life. We hear what it's like to spend Christmas in the English countryside and we ride along on the trip of a lifetime,
"As our plane flew over the ice caps past some of the world's most awesome peaks they seemed to whisper 'you must be joking'."
The challenge of a bike ride along the world's highest road. That plus where you'd like to be when we welcome the year 2000 in next week's edition of The Savvy Traveler. If you want your very own copy of The Savvy Traveler, order an audio cassette. It's easy. Just call 303-823-8000. The price is $15. As Rudy says, it's a steal.
