Rundown for the week of February 6, 1999
Vanishing Singapore
Sitting just one degree north of the equator, a short trip from
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, lies the tiny and very prosperous
city state of Singapore. But along the route to economic success,
small neighborhoods were bulldozed, English became the main language
of instruction and many traditions of the three main cultures,
Chinese, Indian and Malay, disappeared. But if you look carefully you
can find traces of the original Singapore slipped into the crevices
between the skyscrapers. The Savvy Traveler's Judith Ritter sought out
the chaotic...the slightly unsanitized Singapore... and found it in
vibrant Malaysian, Indian and Chinese neighborhoods that stand out as
low colorful strips agains the backdrop of soaring office towers and
hotels.
Q&A I: Cheapskate Tips
Rudy talks to listeners about ways they've saved money while
traveling.
Rick Ridgeway Interview
Rick is one of the world's foremost mountaineers. In 1978 he became
the first American to reach the summit of K2 in Nepal without the aid
of bottled oxygen. His latest adventure, a safari across Africa, may
seem tame by comparison until you consider how he did it. Rick walked
side-by-side with lions, elephants and buffalo across the African
wilderness. With a guide, Rick began by climbing Kilimanjaro, then
headed down the East face across the Savo region of Kenya to the
Indian Ocean. The walk took about 30 days. I asked Rick to describe
some of what he saw along the way.
The Open Road: Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Each year, during the last week of January, Elko fills up with
tourists and cowboys. They come from all over the world to ground
themselves in the old ways of the West at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
The Open Road's Hal Cannon is the father of this event and this year,
he and his wife Teresa Jordan, take us on an insider's tour.
Deal of the Week
American in Paris could take on a new meaning this coming Valentine's
Day. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: There's nothing more
romantic than surprising a lover with a travel adventure. And this
month, American Airlines is putting one of the world's most romantic
places in the world on sale: where else but Paris!
Fly out of cities along the East Coast--from Miami up to Boston--and
you'll pay only $219 round trip per person. Heck, I've had bad
Valentine dinners that cost more than that. Leaving from the midwest?
Only 239 round trip from cities like Chicago and Minneapolis. Even
if you're on the West Coast, a ticket is only 299 from, say San Diego
or LA. Now, you have to fly over on a Wednesday or a Thursday and
return on a Monday or Tuesday before March the second. You can't stay
longer than a week, and you have to book your reservations on
American's web site by next Friday, the 12th. Click on aa.com, and say "Bonjour" to Paris!
North Dakota Interview
Usually around this time in the show Rudy answers listener's travel
questions, but this week he thought he'd ask some questions so that we
could find out a little more about North Dakota and why it's worth
visiting. We talked to the state's governor, Governor Edward
Schafer about things to do in North Dakota.
Governor Schafer recommends:
- International Peace Garden on the North Dakota-Manitoba border
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park, near Medora
- Medora Musical, nightly in the park's Burning Hills Amphitheatre from
mid-June through Labor Day
- Rough Riders Gallery, in Bismarck
- World's Largest Buffalo, a three-story, 60-ton concrete structure overlooking
I-94 in Jamestown
- National Buffalo Museum, also in Jamestown 701-252-8648
- And don't forget the state is gearing up for the 2004 bicentennial celebration of Lewis and Clark.
More North Dakota information:
- Visit the website for tourism
information or call 800-HELLO-ND.
- North Dakota Heritage Center 701-328-2666
- Scandinavian Heritage Center 701-852-9161
- Lewis and Clark Trail Museum 701-828-3595
- Lewis and Clark State Park 701-859-3071
Icelandic Air: Last Flight to Luxembourg
Baby boomers who came of age in the `60s and `70s have fond memories
of Icelandic Airlines. It was the original low-cost carrier to
Europe, except it only flew into the tiny country of Luxembourg, after
a middle-of-the-night stop in Iceland. Today, the airline still
stops in Iceland en route to the continent. But now it serves six
cities in the U.S. and nine cities in Europe. Last month, it closed
down its Luxembourg route, marking the end of an era. The Savvy
Traveler's Richard Basch was aboard the last flight out of the grand
duchy.
Next Week on The Savvy Traveler
We'll find out just how an airline chooses its films. And according to
the airline powers-that-be, it has nothing to do with cold, hard cash.
"It's strickly an entertainment decision. There's not the profit
incentive here."
Yeah...whatever. Well, we'll let them convince us next week. And you
may have dreamed of the wineries of France and Napa Valley, but how
about South Africa? Next week we explore that country's vineyards, and
even learn how to make a toast like a local.
"(Clink of glasses) Gesundheit. To your health. Do you say gesundheit
when you sneeze? Yes, absolutely. Does that lead to any confusion
between drinking and sneezing?"
And as the wine gets us into the Valentine's Day spirit, we'll tell
stories of unexpected trysts on the road. All that and more so please
come along for the ride in next week's edition of 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.
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call toll-free, 888-SAV-TRAV (888-728-8728), extension 3, or e-mail mail@savvytraveler.org.
