A SAD TALE OF WOE

Buy that package, but with care

Before 1 carry on
Arizona, I’m going to take
time to tell you a sad story. I
hope that by telling you this
tale of woe, some of you may
save yourselves a big loss,
both in time and money. Get
out your kleenex.

The lady who called me
sounded mid-thirties and
told me her name was “Miss
Blank.”” She had = just
returned from a famous
holiday resort in Mexico,
one that caters to the 25-35
age group. This set-up was
recommended to her by a
travel agent who told her
that it was unsafe for a single

woman to go to Puerta
Vallerta on her own.
Possibly true.

The lady, an avid student
of Spanish and of Mexican
culture, packed up her tape
recorder (hopefully to
record Mexican folksongs),
her binoculars and other

tourist gear, and = sallied
forth.
When she arrived, she

found that the resort had
been overbooked. Although
she had requested single

accommodation, she was
teamed-up with another
single woman. Un-
fortunately, the two were
not compatible. To make
matters worse, no. alter-

native could be found as the
place was so crowded some
staff members had to give up
their beds and sleep in hall-
ways.

travel-
wise

by Barbara
McCreadie

Mealtimes were night-
marish. Three hour waits in
stifling heat were the norm.

The other vacationers
were party orientated and
the resort aimed to please.

They provided plenty of
“fun-in-the-sun” but because
of the crowd, anything else
was “24-hour waitlisted” and
often was unavailable. Alas
for her dreams of ex-
periencing Mexican culture.
Anyone for volleyball?

She felt out of place,
lonely and_ entirely
miserable. By the end of the
first week, she'd have given
her eyeteeth to go home but
was locked-in to a schedule.

At home again, three
thousand dollars and one
holiday poorer, Miss Blank
called me to report.

What could I say? Tell her

that she was a dope for
buying. the package in the
first place? Of course she
was, and Im sure she
realized that. There are
different strokes for  dif-
ferent folks and a little

research would have pointed
out that this particular place
was not for a serious student
of Mexican culture.

Could I teil her that the
travel agent who soid her the
package needed his head
candled? A good agent relies
on repeat business. He
surely doesn't get it by
sending a group of tee-
totalers on a booze cruise or
a pastor to a nudist camp.

I mistrust any resort or
tour that concentrates on a

Cop sues over ‘curse’

SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) -
San Francisco police officer
George LaBrash is hoping
the courts give the same
credence to the Egyptian
curse of the dead as he does.

Superior Court judge
Richard P. Figone said
Tuesday he would = rule
within 60-days on LaBrash’'s
claim for $18,400 as
disability. His lawsuit claims
the spirit of Tutankhamun,
the Egyptian boy king who
lived 3,300 years ago, hexed
him while he guarded the
famed King Tut exhibit
when it was in San Francisco
in 1979.

LaBrash said it was his job
to watch over the most
precious piece exhibited,
King Tut’s gold burial mask,
one of the world’s greatest
archeological finds. He said
he suffered a stroke while
standing guard

He blames the stroke on a
curse which, according (to
ancient Egyptian beliefs,
afflicts those who disturb the
dead.

“Egyptians beheved in a
curse, pronounced by Osins.
god of the dead, on all who
should disturb the dead,”
Michael Hebel, LaBrash's
attorney and a fellow police
officer wrote in a 15-page
bnef

“LaBrash suffered a stroke
after having positioned
himself, as his employment
required, directly in front of
the golden mask .... which
for 3,300 years covered the
head and shoulders of the
mummified remains of the
god-king Tutankhuman.
Was he another victim of the
curse?”

1126 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver

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Hebel’s brief reviews cups
theories formulated from the
deaths of a dozen people
who have discovered or
displayed the tomb’s riches
since 1923.

“It is a quite controversial
argument, but I would not
have filed it unless I thought
there was some credibility to
it,” he said.

987-5244

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certain age group or em-
phasizes “swinging.
Frankly, I get bored to death
with my own age group and
have a lot more fun when a
group includes 20’s to 80's.
That doesn't mean that I like
other people’s undisciplined
kids!

Where should a traveller
go to find groups more com-
patible in life style?

1. To the universities -
alumni associations, cetitres
for continuing education,
certain faculties, all sponsor
tours of many parts of the
world for the student of any
age.

2. Clubs and = activity
groups. Want to go on a
bridge cruise? Check with a
bridge club. Keen on scuba
diving? Find a_ club,
especially one with a regular
publication.

3. Publications. Want a
natural history trek or a tour
of the nude beaches of
Europe? Trudge down to the
library and start looking.

4. Want to find a
congenial companion to
travel with? Get in touch
with the nearest travel club -
two that come to mind are:

Great Expeditions
Magazine (regular monthly
meetings in centres all over
the world - write Box 46499,
Station G, Vancouver, V6R
4G7

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Cll - Sunday News, January 17, 1982

and:
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Travellers Net-

Above all: DO YOUR
HOMEWORK BEFORE
YOU LAY DOWN YOUR
CASH. And what do you do
if you find yourself in an

intolerable situation?

If you can possibly afford
it GET OUT. I think that if
Yd been in Miss Blank's
position, I'd have lit-out for
Mexico City on my own,
returning just in time to grab
the flight back.

Failing al] else, make the
best of the worst. You might
find that you like volleyball!

Way To Go!

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986-1377

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