“TRAVEL Shore News ~- 29 tn on ta te AT ems of information found in pounds of paper { RECEIVE stacks of mail, mostly from companies try- ing to sell me something. Barbara _ MicCreadie _TRAVELWISE Governments’ mail pounds of glossy. brochures, encouraging me to visit — and then tell all of you how wonderful their city (pro- vince, state, country, cruise, hotel, etc.) is. ‘I feel downright guilty when | fling the majority of the stuff in the trash. The postage wasted is just awful. Unfortunately, it: does little good ‘to discourage the worst of- “fenders. There’s one.outfit in New York that posts me up to 10 indi- _ vidual letters a week, pushing resort properties in the Eastern U.S. Help! : But I do try to read most of it and every now and again I get _some gems worth ‘passing on. Here are a few I’ve collected in the last few weeks: .: An intensive shopping survey, “conducted by The Economist In- telligence Unit Worldwide Con- sulting’, Group, ‘put together ‘14 items {}most often purchased by tourists. I found it interesting — not that I’m apt to be looking for “most of these items. | Here -is the ~ best/worst price — summary for major ‘cities worldwide: | : ‘ Worst - Sydney © _,. Tokyo .-> Paris Toronto | Paris - New York Singapore New York Celine Handbag-1 ‘ Celine Handbag-2 Samsonite Luggage Bally Dress Shoes CD Player“ Tape Recorder :. Cellular Telephone Panasonic Video Camera ’ Singapore Tokyo .. Auto Focus Camera Hong Kong Tokyo . Spectacle Frames Taipei Tokyo Gold Necklace ‘Hong Kong Tokyo ~Rolex Watch - Hong Kong Paris . Chanel Perfume Sydney Tokyo “ Ralph Lauren Shirt New York Paris Bangkok Tokyo Paris ° Tokyo Bangkok Hong Kong and New York City ‘emerged as the two most price- Aslide show jf presentation with your host Andy Fraser Tues., Feb. 16 ? 7:30 p.m. Lonsdale Quay ; Hotel ‘Door prizes & light refreshments § Tickets at Westview Travelink | ; $3.00 at the door $5.00 2S\ the Fraser Connaction (the untour tour co.) New. York: competitive cities with three items each for which they have the lowest price. In May's price survey, Hong Kong emerged with four lowest- priced items, including the three items above in addition to the video camera. Paris, Singapore and Sydney all follow with two best-buy rank- ings. At the other end of the spec- tcum, Tokyo ranks as the most expensive city by this analysis with eight highest-priced items. SEATTLE: Two ‘'gems’’ — The Houseboat Hotel on Lake Union” — one Juxury houseboat, sleeps four, fully equipped kitchen, in- cludes Ranger sailing canoe, free airport pickup, Lake Union cruise.’ Price: US$89/night, US$165/weekend package. (206) 323-5323. This is one we’re going to try real soon. The second concerns a chain I’ve heard nothing but good things about --- Embassy Suites (Seattle North-Lynnwood). They have set aside five ‘executive women's suites’? which are equip- ped with all the amenities that a woman business traveller might appreciate — stuff like an iron and ironing board, proper skirt hangers and hair-styling aids. (206) 775-2500. Back to the Embassy Suites. These have been highly recom- mended to me by both sophisticated ‘‘We hxe nothing but the best’’ travellers and fami- lies with kids! That certainly says a lot. Also, Seattle is again offering their ‘‘Super saver package’ from now until the end of March. Look for half-price hotel packages in a number of good hotels and if you book in any of them you'll get discount packages for ballet, theatre, museums, restaurants and shopping. Toll-free: 1-800-736- 0246. DOUBLETREE INNS — Throughout the U.S.A.: Free hotel accommodation for travellers who have to travel for medical reasons. To qualify you must be screen- ed by the medical facility involved but it’s certainly worth knowing about should someone close to you be hospitalized in the states. Or, if you may require some medical procedure down south, look into it (50 locations). If a Florida vacation is on your itinerary, please take careful note of the warnings issued by various vom Cdn. $3800 to 53500 ppidbl. 14 nights : March 15 to Oct. 31/93 Inclusive of: . + Airfare trom Vancouver via Lufthansa Alrlines ' Alrfare Athens - Crete - Rhodes - Athens Ali ground transfers, guldes for local tours. ATHENS, 4 nights first class hotel. Breakfast dally, half- _ day city tour/Acropolis, full-day Argolls tour CRETE - 5 nights first class Beach Hotel, Breakfast & Dinner dally, hatf-day Knossos tour. RHODES - § nights first class Beach Hotel, Breakfast & Dinner daily, half-day Lindos tour. New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Tahiti or Australia. . Enjoy two extra free nights in either New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Tahiti or Australia when you purchase a ticket between February Ist and March 15, '93, for air travel to New Zealand or Australia February through April, 1993. Certain conditions apply. — For more information call Air New Zealand or your South Pacific travel experts below. @ air new zealana the pride of the pacific 1-800-663-5494 agencies about the Canger present there. Canadians aren’t. as welcome as we'd like to believe and recent murders and assaults against Ca- nadian (and other) tourists bear this out. There have been some nasty propaganda outbreaks, featuring porkers waving the maple leaf and caustic comments about poor tip- ping (‘‘What’s the difference be- tween a Canadian and a canoe? A canoe tips.’’). Despite the fact that Canadians spend $1 billion a year in the state, the welcome may be hazardous to your health. Personally, I try to avoid desti- nations where | may be unwelcome — including Granville St. When we travel, I like to pack my caution but leave real fear at home where | can deal with it in familiar surroundings. See Book page 30 Both lodges located in Whistler Village proper. Ski in, ski out, near both lifts. . RESERVATIONS: Blackcomb Lodge 669-0560 1-800-777-814- LEE NT oePCaPET London Glasgow Manchester Belfast Amsterdam Frankfurt Paris Mountainside Lodge - 681-6710 ~~ ff 1-800-777-8135 Ab Lath ee et _ from Vancouver via a 5Y oe D9 oo DIY. rac TA9 con ‘no BAY con 100 VB cox woe BDF Book vour Houpars at Crus Z Teaver © Accumutate Ctus Z Points _-~ Your S1artinG Points ror Your Houipays ZELLERS lynn Valley Centre North Vancouver 980-6161 ZELLERS Champlain Mall Vancouver 430-6446 ZELLERS Brentwood Mall Burnaby 298-4141 ZELLERS Driftwood Mall Courtenay 338-9100 “with 150,000 Cup Z Points. without Points add $50 Some testictions apply. prices quotes do nol include departure tores, oF travel insurances Subject to avonatulity at time Of DOokiINg «He Pecrat tome A Muro