HE travel OR BUDGET FOR ROMANTIC VENICE Travel is easy to save for FROM PAGE C12 couples are serenaded by a tenor with an accordian. Great if you're participating but not so great if they're do- ing it right under your win- dow and you're sharing a room with your mother. A word to the wise about Venetian hotels. Any that have a restaurant will try to push you to take demi- pensione, meaning breakfast and dinner. This will cost you perhaps $40 extra. For example, our hotel tried to sell us the package for $120 but I argued for a reduced sum of $80. Still expensive but who needs a five course dinner? We settled for a plate of pasta down the street at $8 for two. Another couple who got stuck for the full amount learned that they couldn't have lunch at the hotel instead of the dinner because lunches are reserv- ed for tour groups only. Since they were leaving mid- afternoon they ended up paying for a meal they never ate. The only way to see Venice is on foot so take good low-heel walking shoes. The shops are open mornings until about 1 p.m. and reopen from 4-8 in the evenings. Most hotels give full bank exchange on your money but check it out before you cash anything. Visa is widely accepted in shops but many hotels ac- cept NO credit cards. Don't count on either American Express or Master Card for wide acceptance. A walking tour of Venice isn't necessary — do it yourself with a guidebook and a map. Don't buy a tour to Murano to see the glass works You can get there yourself on the vaporetto for less than a dollar and see everything at your leasure Don't buy glass there though Its much more expensive than even the shops on the Piazza San Marco *“@e¢ @ DEAR BARBARA: My hus. band and I both work We have no children. For several years we've owned a time share condo in Hawai which we've used only once, bank ing Our (me to use for an cnx tended vacation carly next year Barbara, it's not a big condo two people are comfortable, three are crowded Now, my husband's mother has announced that she'll yoin us for two weeks and his sister and her hus band are talking about noother two weeks | don't Careers in Travel Wo can apen the door to the excting world of travel oe VORP DAY & EVENING (COURSES its TRAVEL COUNSELLING TORE SC ORTTNG SALES & MARRE TING COMPUTER TERMINAL TRAVEL TRAINING CENTRE Ste 2. 1683 Pembenon Avo North Vancouver 086 2221 dislike his relatives but I sure don’t want to spend that much time living with them. I don’t think my husband likes the idea very much but he is very family conscious and won't do a thing to upset them. i ] travel- wise by Barbara McCreadie Right now, i'm ready to scrap the whole idea. Can you think of any way I can save this vacation? ANSWER: Being ‘‘family’’ is sometimes considered a license to steal. What this group of moochers is trying to do is to have a holiday at your expense. I wonder if they realize what a strain they’re putting on relations. How are your relations with the sister? Or the brother-in-law? Can you take one of them aside and explain that the condo is so small that it could double as a broom closet? Could you infer that you and your husband may need this time alone to re- consider the divorce settlement? The trick is to make them want to stay at home. That is, if you want to maintain peaceful co-existence. If it were me, I’d announce ‘“‘No damn way”’ and leave it at that. : QUESTION: I ride my bicy- cle a lot and would like to do quite a bit of riding on my forthcoming trip to Europe. Would I be wise to ship my own bike over there or to rent one? I’m sure it would be cheaper to have my own bike and | prefer to ride it instead of arental. But, what do I do with it when I don’t need it? TISTHE SEASON TOBESHOPPING t Park Royal for the best in Christmas gift ideas. Where the Bay, Eaton’s, Woodward’s and over 170 favourite shops and services, including 50 one-of-a-kind, offer better quality and service, more variety and value. We've scheduled our holiday hours to suit yours. Effective Monday, November 14th MONDAY-WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY Open 9:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. THURSDAY & FRIDAY Open until 9 p.m. PARK ROYAL The Centre of Attention ANSWER: It will cost you nothing to fly your bicycle to Europe as long as you take only one other piece of bag- gage. If you’re taking the bike as the third piece, Air Canada will charge you $150 return to London and $172 return to Paris or Frankfurt. It’s highly unlikely that anyone who plans to bicycle will need more than one bag. ] can’t quote prices on bike rentals nor do I have any in- formation on availability but since cycling is so popular in Europe you should be able to find what you’re looking for if you decide to rent. If you take your own bike over, provide yourself with several locks and chains of the most advanced burglar- proof designs. Bike theft is almost a national pasttime in many cities. I’ve seen bikes chained to tree branches ten feet in the air by desperate owners. It isn’t unusual to see a traveller strolling around carrying one of his bike wheels. Be sure your in- surance will cover your bike and should it be stolen report the theft to the police and get some proof for the insurance company. Most European hotels have a ‘‘left luggage’’ room where C13 - Sunday, November 13, 1983 - North Shore News guests can store excess bag- gage for a few days. By plan- ning your itinerary around a few basic stops you should be able to use your bike only when you need it. Trains carry bikes regular- ly in the baggage cars. I'd chain the wheels securely before leaving the bike for shipping. with Esprit Vacations Children’s Hospital. Please write to us at- 4480 Oak Street Vancouver, B.C. 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OOH i) Aisi CHI TRAVEL 4 Vonmedaic Ave v84 O41 PA 222 929 STEERLES THAVEL hg va Vit SPEC LALIZ EDD TORS 1 Panorama [5 "ois woh to 200) t aplanad: ilia TIME cme t PRAVEL vid oa VENTA RE 10 whe © Lonsmdalr Ave 244 tRHAVEL Dao t4eh SH oat Your locally owacd NELLA Agent offer khaow ledgeabic, professional service at CompecUlive prices Please check with as on any holiday price you see advertised Wt MAY if ABLT TO MATCOM Pb: