Rundown for the week of February 27, 1999
Australia's Northern Territory
On the far side of the globe, Australia is a truly remote and exotic
land... 55 million years of isolation from other continents allowed unique
animals like the duck-billed platypus and koala bear to evolve and
flourish.... it's first major city began life as a British penal colony...
and it's indigenous people: the Aborigines are one of the world's oldest
civilisations. A few weeks ago, the Savvy Traveler's Martin Stott took us
to Australia's island state of Tasmania. Today, he's exploring the
country's northern Territory.
Q&A I: Room Service Stories
Rudy talks to listeners about experiences they've had with room service.
Mark HertsgaardInterview
In 1991 journalist Mark Hertsgaard set off on a trip around the world. Six
years later, he returned to the States with some startling observations
about the health of the environment. What he saw in places like China,
Africa, Brazil, and even the U.S. might surprise you. Mark talks about the
price we're paying for progress in his latest book, Earth Odyssey.
San Xavier Mission
From California to Texas, a visit to a Spanish colonial mission is a
popular way to see living history. San Xavier on the outskirts of Tucson,
Arizona stands out among the Missions. It's not only a great American art
treasure but it's alive with a staggering diversity of people who call this
place their own. Hal Cannon and Teresa Jordan of the Open Road recently
visited San Xavier to see why it attracts so many people.
Deal of the Week
Americans and now Europeans have become accustomed to the rise of discount
airlines, but in Asia, cheap fares are still relatively rare. Which makes
this week's deal especially attractive. Now you can purchase $90 coupons
good on several Asian carriers that will allow you to zip around the
continent for less cash than ever. As an added bonus, airfares to Asia
itself have never been lower.
It's called the ASEAN Air Pass. ASEAN stands for the Association of South
East Asia Nations. You have to buy three passes at a time, so this deal is
useful if you want to visit more than one or two Asian cities. To qualify
for this deal, you have to have buy your tickets to Asia on one of the
participating airlines, like Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines or Thai
Airways. Then, any of those airlines can sell you the Air Pass. With the
Air Pass you can fly between Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila, and you'll
only pay 90 bucks each time. Since the distances between Asian cities can
be considerable, that's a VERY cheap fare. Check out the ASEAN Air Pass by
calling an Asian airline.
Q&A II: General Questions
Rudy takes listeners' general questions about travel. He mentions:
Around Salt Lake City
- Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Just southeast (10 minutes) of SLC. Call
the ranger at 435-755-3620.
- Uinta National Forest is south, on the way to Provo. Includes the
wonderful, scenic "Alpine Loop" drive. Call the supervisor at 801-377-5780.
- Timpangos Cave National Monument is also located southeast of SLC. If you
visit, dress warmly; temperatures in the cave are 45 degrees year-round.
Call 801-756-5238 for more information.
Cheap Tours to Venice
- Avoid going in the summer when prices skyrocket. Go either before June,
or after the first of September.
- Alitalia has an all-inclusive vacation to Venice, the Venetian Escapade.
Packages include round-trip airfare to Venice, six nights in a hotel with
daily breakfast, airport transfers, and some touring. Departing from San
Francisco, package prices start at $1419. Call Alitalia Tour to book,
800-237-0517.
- Another option is to go on a trip that focuses on cooking in Italy. There
are many, many to choose from, based on your specific needs. Go to Shaw Guides and click on "Cooking
Schools-Recreational," then type in "Venice" and a list of possibilities
will pop up.
Fly-Fishing in Scotland
- To start off your search, call the Scottish Tourist Board at
+44-131-332-2433 or visit their website. They can tell you about
lodges and B&Bs around Edinburgh that offer fly-fishing.
- You might also try fishing websites like www.fishing-scotland.co.uk,
which gives info on the best fly-fishing sites in the country.
- One guide you might call up is Lesley Crawford at the Caithness Trout
Partnership, +44-1847-811470.
Packing Tips Postcard
Are you one of those people who's never sure what to take with you when you
travel? At the carousel do your bags bulge more than all the others? Coming
up we hear from Mary Lou Weissman, a traveler who, just like you, has a
hard time deciding what to take and what to leave behind.
Next Week on The Savvy Traveler
Please join us again next week as we brave the cold to learn how
technicians know there's too much ice on your plane.
Clip: "No high tech tool. Sometimes he puts his mouth close to the metal
and blows the snow."
Bundle up, and come watch the ice men at work.... We'll have a language
lesson... but we're learning to talk to foreign animals...???
Clip: "Kotoro says the Japanese cicada insect goes 'meen meen meen'. And
Minwoo says the Korean mouse goes: "chick chick." Kate from Australia has
this imitation of a Kookaburra bird
noise."
For tapes of the show
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.
The Savvy Traveler Newsletter
The Savvy Traveler newsletter is now available. For more information,
call toll-free, 888-SAV-TRAV (888-728-8728), extension 3, or e-mail mail@savvytraveler.org.
