were DY PRR RED TM GF a f WR ee OE mare re ore C4-Sunday News, February 24, 1980 A few fa This has been some week! Between sick kids, my annual visit to the dentist and a “nice” lot of nasty mail, my oven took the time to pack-in, as did my washing machine. Ordinarily, I can't be bothered with unsigned letters. I consider them cowardly and if the opinions expressed are of such low quality that the reader is ashamed to sign them, there isn't much need to get ex- cited. trayel- wise by Barbara McCreadie The following letter arrived on my desk today, unsigned. I am printing it for the chance to clear-up some popular misconceptions about how our family finances its travel. All emphasis contributed by “anonymous.” Dear Mrs. McCreadie: We take great exception to yoru article on Waikiki, “On the Beach With Towel to Towel Tourists.” If you “hate the place,” why spend so much money and stay there? Your children say “Miom, Never again. Yetch.” passport | photos hile you wait North Shore Darkroom 1527 Lonsdale 988-9813 Departure date May 31 Retum date June 22 umque photographs LCT tn eee Cittes visited will be HANGCHOW We think your children must be very spoiled to be taken on so many trips and have so much money spent on them, even though they have “take-out meals” which are not cheap! You must have a great deal of money to spend on meals, according to your articles. I assume as you write a travel article, you get a great many déductions, wherever you go. We people have to save for years to go on a trip, and enjoy small things. We don’t rent cars, we go by bus like all the common tourists. The anonymous reader goes on to say that by the time I read this letter, they will be in Honolulu “walking the streets and seeing the hotels and shops. Relaxing in our condo.” I hope they have a great time walking around Waikiki looking at hotels and shops! If that’s what turns them on, fine. They would also find that taking the bus is great when there are only two. By the time you pay bus fare for five, a car is cheaper! One round-trip ticket by bus from our condo in Maui to Lahaina is $2. Multiply by five and you have $10. That's exactly what a car cost us, per day. Naturally, we made more than one trip especially when hauling grocenes for five plus sightseeing. We did HAWAII $299 Air onty WAIKIKI $469 8 Days, 7 Nights, A& & Hote! WAIKIKI $579 15 Days, 14 Nights, At & Hote: LAS VEGAS $189 5 Days, 4 Nights, Air & Hote! RENO $239 8 Days, 7 Night, Aw & Hote! RENO $189 5 Days, 4 Nights, Air & Hote/ CENTA Tours 1666 Robson Street 10507 K. Geo. Hwy. Surrey 689-7117 Reg. Travel Agent No. 157-3 t# China Photo 1980 IN CONJUNCTION WITH @ aa capil oem colege With the permission of the government of the People s Republic of China. a photographic educational tour ot 24 persons has been allowed to wait China This will be the first ttme such a tour has been accepted into that country to examme and record the way of lite geography industry and beauty of its people This tip will combine the expedition with a photography course Betore departure students will be introduced to the fundamentals of photography they will be instructed in the methods of Photographing on assignment a photo essay As well tectures will include vanous aspects of Composition aesthetcs and editing Throughout the tour students wil meet with the instructor on 6 regular basis to review photographic problems and ex penences and to work on solving the challenges that are presented Aisa the instructor will attempt to work with each person individually during the tip and om this way atid each in developing ner/her own style and famous for West Lake parks pagodas and monastenes KWANGCHOW (CANTON) 4 city in the south with do milbon inhabitants and a mayor Cultural and trading centre PEKING Chinas Capital for 700 years famous tor the impenal Palace the Great Wall Ming Tombs and its potitcal and ¢ ultural influence SHANGHAI one ot the wortd 6 largest cites with a population of Vio milton people SIAN wats once the ancient dynastic « apital and largest cy inthe wond On return the tour will stay In Mong Kong tor two days prion te fying home to Vane ouver At adaters date participants will attend a yathenng of The class aod present thew edited mate nat Foe further witormaton: pte Creare y Bitstews YAS TH) t on at. be All travel arrangements made by Reeds Travel #202-325 Howe Street Vancouver. V6C 127 688-1646 669-0313 our walking far removed from “shops and hotels.” I cook a number of meals in condos BUT I've found that even barbequed ham- burgers for five cost a helluvalot more than you'd expect — especially when you have to provide sauce, vegetables, milk and, often, coals for the fire. As for my kids being spoiled, I suspect they are. Sure, they can find their way around an airport terminal from Buenos Aijres_ to Barcelona. But, they aren't taken in by those “shops and hotels” either. Some _ families spend thousands of dollars on skating lessons, music lessons, ski passes and camping gear. Great! Our family decided a long time ago that we'd rather spend OUR money on travel. It ts an opportunity to be together, doing something that we all enjoy. As for discounts — forget it! I've never had a discount on a meal, car or hotel for our family in my life! We pay the published air fare. I tried for a 10 per cent discount on a rental car in Honolulu, using my press card, and was Spring Break In Portugal $1199 Can Mar. 27 - Apr 10 Fully Escorted -4 nights in sbon -6 nights in an apartment in the Aigarve -3 nights in Estorit “including air tare ex Van- couver, Hotel, transfers. excursions and more For more information call P LAWSON TRAVEL the noedaymakers Park Royal - North Mall 922-4131 informed that only travel agents and airline personnel could qualify. As_ for restaurants, the only way | can be objective about any of them is to walk in, just like a “common” tourist. “Anonymous” went on to criticize our experience with the coconuts, saying: “The childred did not tell you what they bought.” Non- sense. Didn't I have the pleasure of paying for. and agricultural products have been screened and given a clean bill-of-health from the authorities. That is how milions of tourists bring home tulips and bulbs from Holland, with no problem at all. This is obviously not the case in Hawaii. Please note that our family voluntarily declared everything we purchased, including the coconuts. I'm sorry that my article Another reader exhibited a lot of charm when he tele- phoned the assistant editor of our paper and called him names unsuitable’ for reprinting in a family news- paper. He followed-up by clipping a column I'd written and writing over it in red ink. He suggested that I should be “locked up.” This travel agent had obviously had a few readers changing their bookings to on Waikiki “really annoyed” Waikiki! Would YOU really helping to carry the wret- ched things? anonymous. She'll be happy want someone _that hot- In most duty-free shops to know that her letter headed handling _ your around the world, any “really annoyed” me! arrangements? Me neither! TWO OUTSTANDING | Meelis LAUNDRY | VALUES INOW ar COLONY Super! Pius wnop and Compare! 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