wt Sunday, January 13, 1991 - North Shore News - 17 TRAVEL Time means money for smart travellers LONDON — Timing in travel, as in fife. is everything, Take a trip to London for ex- ample. You can go in the summer, pay an arm and a leg for the air fare, then endure top rates for everything else, plus the crowds, when you get there. Travel between October and April, however. and it’s a dif- ferent story. A recent Air Canada flight to London was so quiet | was able to stretch out over a few seats and yet 2 good night's sleep. Over breakfast 1 asked another passenger why she was travelling. “The $598 fare,*’ she said. ‘‘t can’t believe it will ever be cheaper.”* How right. Since then discount seat availability, fuel surcharezs and rate adjustments have pushed the cheapest ticket over $700, but this is still a bargain compared with upcoming summer rates of $1,300-plus. On arrival at Heathrow my first stop was for a Travelcard, good for one to seven days’ tre.) on the Underground and bes. . ad particularly valuable as a -ae- saver, The next day, for example, [ was able to sail past a big crowd waiting for Tube tickets at Olym- pia. We were all there for the World Travel Market, where 37,000 industry people, including 2,000 press and a group of travel agents from B.C., had four days to get around 3,175 exhibits. It’s the biggest travel show in the world in the most entertaining city in the world, a vast showcase of tempting destinations, such as safaris in Zimbabwe, and, doing less well, the beach resorts of Jordan. The Irish were in form, telling the world that Dublin has been chosen as European City of Culture for 1991, the Americans were there in force hoping to cash in on the strong pound ($2.44 to the Canadian dollar — ouch!), while the Chinese were the talk of the place with their plans to de- velop the island of Hainan along the lines of the Spanish resort of Benidorm, which many Europeans say is sadly overbuilt. What doesn't need promoting is London, always a pleasure and forever coming up with something new. 1 caught the end of the Monet exhibition at the Royal Academy which had continual, two-hour line-ups for three months, while down at the Na- tional Portrait Gallery there is the superb Raj exhibition on the Brit- ish in India. [ stayed at the Waldorf in Aldwych, whose Palrn Court res- taurant is one of the most beautiful in London. One day 1} chatted to Joan Collins who was Book by Jan. 31, 1991 AND SAVE 2 tor 1 SOUTH PACIFIC | Q tor l POLYNESIA/HAWAI a 2 tor TRANS ATLANTIC Alaska trom 899. uss Caribbean trom 890. uss (both 7 days) 926-7245 (SAIL) / 2383 Manne Dr = West Vancouver David Wisha Riis there for tea; she was appearing in Private Lives at the theatre next door. London traffic has become ter- rible, which is all the more reason to walk and enjoy the sights. Each morning I strolled down from the Waldorf along the Strand towards Trafalgar Square, cutting down to the river and through the Em- bankment Gardens. Here is the enchanting statue (the Standard newspaper says it’s London’s most erotic statue) to composer Arthur Sullivan, and others to Faraday, who discovered electro-magnetism, Raikes, found- er of Sunday schools, and the Scottish poet Robert Burns. ! dined well on the Queen of Scots, a vintage train (parked at Olympia for the travel show) which does luxury tours of Scotland. and later rode British Rail’s express to Glasgow, which left Euston dead on time and ar- rived five minutes early for an elapsed time of well under five hours. I had the choice of a handsome dining car, nicely set with linen, silver and flowers, or a selection of hot dishes from the buffet. | chose the curry and it was a cracker. Euston station was impressively clean, well-organized and equip- ped with a good range of shops catering to travellers. Up in Glasgow they were celebrating the city’s new concert hall, an acoustic triumph and another signal that this is a city reborn. What’s more, from the moment you step in a taxi in Glasgow it’s apparent that it costs less to be here, which, as any Scot will tell you. is the best reason of all. In fact, it’s safe to say that you only have to leave London and prices come down with a bang. With a Travelcard or BritRail pass you can set up an inexpensive base Outside central London and be a visiting commuter. Avoid the rush hours, however. Timing and all that. Stay for 5 nights ..... Stay for 4 nights .. .. Stay for 3 nights ..... Stay for 2 nights Whistler’s Lake Placid Lodge JANUARY WHITE SALE + Fully Equipped Kitchens » Daily Housekeeping » Heated Outdoor Pool, Jacuzzi and Sauna + Contnuous Shuitle to Whistler Village + Sky in Ski Out to Whistler Mountain + Bright Spacious New Rooms, Each with Fireplace! + Children under 16 Stay Free THE LONGER YOU STAY THE MORE YOU SAVE Photo submitted MOVE OUT of London and you're travelling at half-price. This is John Knox's house on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. 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