Destination of the month: Kandy, Sri Lanka. Kandy is a famous tourist town in the central hills of Sri Lanka. It’s located on a beautiful lake and is known for its lush rainforest and Buddhist temples. August is a good time to visit the area as it’s when the famous Esala Perahera festival takes place.
Israel has apparently switched up its visa rules in respects to visitors also wishing to travel to the West Bank, under control of the Palestinian Authority. While before one visa applied to both regions, meaning a person travelling to Israel could also travel into the West Bank and then back to Israel.
Now it seems Israel is effectively refusing to issue visas to any visitor who intends to visit the Palestinian Authority. Although the policy is being implemented sparingly, it can still abruptly ruin a person’s travel plans.
The Palestinian Authority has protested the measures saying it unfairly restricts commerce in the West Bank. The US State Department has also issued a statement criticizing the new visa policies.
Name: Kathryn
Question: I will be taking a train trip from Vancouver, BC to Toronto in last Sept/early Oct, 2009. I will spend a day in Toronto and then would like to see Buffalo and the Falls. Can you provide info on transportation from Toronto to Buffalo, as well as from Buffalo to the Falls and back. I will be renting a car in Buffalo and driving to Lake Placid, but I don’t know if it is advisable to rent the car and drive to the Falls or to use public transportation and wait to rent the car when I am about to leave Buffalo. Any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
The People’s Republic of China has been in the news a lot lately for their perceived over-reactions to swine flu and their quarantining of visitors. Having just come from China I thought I would share exactly what it is they’re doing.
All international flights arriving in the country are being screened on the tarmac by health professionals who are taking each passenger’s temperature.
At the border crossings they’re having visitors fill out health declaration forms and if a person has been to a country that China considers at risk, that person then has their temperature taken.
If a person is found to have a fever they’ll be sent to a doctor where if it’s determined they have symptoms of swine flu, they’ll be quarantined in a rural hotel for seven days. There’s no way around this quarantine, even if you would like to just turn around and leave the country.
In neighbouring Hong Kong health officials are screening temperatures of all visitors to the country at every air, sea, and land port.
Name: Janette
Question: My husband and I (both Australian seniors 68 and 72 yrs) will be arriving in Frankfurt by Qantas and need to take the train to the main rail centre of Frankfurt where the Eurostar and main ICE trains leave as we will find a hotel there for travel in the next days. We are getting Euros in Australia so we have money to use in Frankfurt - would you please advise the one-way cost of rail travel from International Airport Frankfurt to the Rail Centre area Frankfurt. Thank you very much for your help.
Name: David
Question: I am going on an Oceana Cruise which leaves Buenos Aires in late February, 2010. I want to visit Iguazu Falls before my cruise sets sail but do not want to take the tour that Oceana offers because it is too long and costs too much. Do you offer an alternative?
Name: Moira
Question: Hi! I’m flying to Manchester England June 3 and want to go from the airport to the Lake District, Keswick. I’m having difficulty finding local buses and local train lines. I think a train from the airport and then a bus would work. The one website that seemed helpful has no information past May. Do you have any website suggestions? I’d be able to get the train after 12:30 PM. Thank you!
Name: Aliza
Question: Can one just walk in to the camp and tour on one’s own? I have just a few hours before I have to board my plane again. We have a few hour layover in Prague on June 3.
Destination of the month: Ohrid, Macedonia. While admittedly off the beaten path, Ohrid is a beautiful lakeside town in the Republic of Macedonia. Not known to too many tourists, here you can still find old world charm at bargain bin prices. If you’re a person who enjoys going to places not many others have, this could be your destination.
Name: Cecilia
Question: Hi, I am Cecilia from China. Could you tell me the entrance price of Banff National Park? We have four people to visit there in the coming October. Thanks!
