Rundown for the week of January 09, 1999
Bronte Home
Do you ever think about tracing the footsteps of your favorite
author...Hemingway's Cuba, Willa Cather's South, Theroux's Walden? It
can be a real thrill to see the locations they've written about...and
the places that molded the authors themselves. Judie Fein followed a
girlhood dream by taking a journey to Haworth, England to explore the
home and pay tribute to some old friends...the Bronte sisters.
Q & A I: Millennium Destinations
Rudy talks to listeners about where they want to be when the year 2000
rolls around.
Robert Young Pelton Interview
Robert Young Pelton is no ordinary traveler. He lives for adventure
going through remote and exotic areas most of us would never consider.
He's endured an attack by killer bees in Africa, been aboard a plane
that crashed in Borneo, and survived the occasional trip to war zones.
Robert shares these exploits and others in his book called The
World's Most Dangerous Places. Having lived to tell his tales, I
thought who better than Robert to offer hints for keeping ourselves
and our possessions intact.
World Monument Fund
Remember the devastating earthquake that struck the Italian town of
Assisi in the fall of 1997? The damage it did to the region's historic
buildings reminded us of the vulnerability of some of our greatest
architectural treasures. Among the organizations that rushed to
Assisi's aid was the World Monuments Fund, an international
conservation group that helps to preserve sites of cultural
significance worldwide. Each year World Monuments compiles a list of
the 100 most endangered sites. The Savvy Traveler's Tom Verde had
occasion to visit one or two, and takes us along on his journey.
Deal of the Week: Hotel Deals Abound
Never in the history of Air France have fares to Paris been so
low. Prices start at $248 round trip from the Northeast for
mid-week travel if you book by January 23. Another 50 bucks
gets you lots of OTHER European destinations. From Chicago,
Cincinnati, Houston and Miami, the fare is $298; from LA and San
Francisco, $348 and $398.
Or say, "G'day" to Australia or New Zealand. You have till the
end of the month to purchase a round trip between LA and Sydney
for only $747; Auckland is six-seventy-two. Or how does
Ireland sound? ATA, also know as American Trans Air, will fly
you there and back for as little as $245 from New York, slightly
more from 16 other cities. But wait, there's more. Book before
January 25th with ATA or a travel agent and you'll get a coupon
good for $200 off future ATA travel within the U.S. That's like
getting Ireland for 40 bucks round-trip!
Q & A II -- General Questions
Rudy takes listeners' general questions about travel. He mentions:
Hummingbird Watching
- The best place in North America to see hummingbirds is Sonora,
Mexico.
- High Lonesome Ecotours of Sierra Vista, Arizona offers birdwatching
tours in March for seven nights ($1450) and April for twelve nights
($2300). Call 520-458-9446.
- Hummingbirds you might see: white-eared, brylline and
violet-crowned. You might also see the bare-throated tiger-heron and
blue-rumped parrotlet.
- For more information on birdwatching tours, call the Nature
Conservancy at 703-841-5300. Or visit their Web site, www.tnc.org.
- Some other related organizations: American Bird Conservancy,
202-467-8348; National Audubon Society, 212-979-3000; and the
Wilderness Society, 202-833-2300.
Mountain Biking from Cabin to Cabin
- RoadsLessTraveled.com
has a tour caled "Colorado Hut to Hut Biker" where you tour around
Colorado's back country and overnight in French Alpine-style chalets.
Costs $1050 per person for six days and five nights. Call
800-488-8483.
- Backroads.com operates a trip
through Colorado's San Juan mountains. Accomodations involve a mix of
charming lodges and luxurious resort hotels. The trip price is $1798
for seven days and six nights. Call 800-GO-ACTIVE.
- Check out AmericasBestOnline.com for an extensive list of bike tour operators.
Hawaii Alternatives: Catalina Island
- Located twenty-two miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina
Island is worlds apart from La-La Land.
- A ferry boat can take you from Long Beach or other departure points
along the coast to Avalon and Two Harbors. Call Catalina Cruises for
schedules, 800-CATALINA, or visit www.catalina.com.
- Hamilton Cove Vacation Rentals has different sized villas just
outside the town of Avalon, starting at $250 per night. Call
310-510-0190 or visit www.hamiltoncove.com
Postcard: Traveling with a Bass
A postcard from Russ Thibeault, whose carry-on luggage was so big, he
had to buy it an entire airline seat! A string bass, you see, is as
fragile as a violin and as bulky as an NFL linebacker. Not the kind of
thing you can entrust to the airline baggage gorillas. The hazards of
carting a string bass cross-country.
Next Week on The Savvy Traveler...
Some folks travel with their instruments, others need to find a public
radio station wherever they go. I think all travelers have a secret
passion they carry along from place to place. Next week, The Open
Road's Teresa Jordan shares hers.
"The bad thing about singing in public is that it is a
public place. When you slaughter an old favorite, people notice."
A traveler sings her way around the world. We'll hear the places your
passions have led you, and we take an historical journey as we
hear one man's adventure following the old Underground Railroad used
by slaves on their way to freedom. That and more so please come along
for the ride in next week's journey with The Savvy Traveler.
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.
