33 - Sunday, April 29, 1990 - North Shore News Travel tips may help to save time, money look and you can almost read the IF I'M going to have to put up with April showers I'd far sooner be doing it somewhere else! Instead, I’m going through a huge stack of mail, trying to sort out the good stuff from the garbage. As usual, there’s a whole lot more of the latter. For example, if any of you want a really hot deal on a hotel in Hong Kong for $400 per person, per night ail the particulars are in my round file. Now, let’s took at some of the good stuff. eae The more I travel, the more | search for non-stop flights. Who needs 45 minutes parked on the travel wise Barbara McCreadie runway in some intermediate stop- over while passengers and baggage get shuffled around? Besides, it may well be MY bag- gage that's being of f-loaded. If you’re going to Portland, - check AirBC’s new non-stop daily out of Vaticouver. This is probably of greater interest to business trav- eliers than to tourists — don’t most of us drive to Portland? ent lf you haven't been to Yugoslavia you've misscd one of the loveliest destinations in Europe. | was there for just a cou- ple of days and would return tomorrow, given half a chance. Albania (just next door) is something else. Not many people have gotten inside those closed doors! I haven't the foggiest no- tion of what to expect other than some of the shady stuff I’ve picked up in spy thrillers. Point: Since the walls in the NORTH SHORE VENTURE TRAVEL ARE YOU TIRED OF HAWAII? WORRIED ABOUT MEXICO? - LOOKING FOR A NEW, UNSPOILED _ AND WORRY-FREE VACATION SPOT? IT’S BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS! ‘7 nights from CAD $790°° PRICE INCLUDES— Return air from Seattle 7 Nights accommodation at the British Colonial Beach Resort on the beach in Nassau $100 Bar Credit, airport transfers. 110 East 14th St. (at Lonsdale) North Vancouver Eastern Bloc countries are tumbl- ing down, Albania has gingerly opened the doors to tourists. Canadian Travel Abroad Ltd. is running 10-day tours into Albania and Yugoslavia and the price looks OK to me — $1,869 (and up) per person, double, including KLM return out of Toronto and everything else — transfers, first- class hotels (i'd be a bit skeptical about the Albanian translation of that), air-conditioned bus, all meals, all tours, all taxes and all service charges. 1 have no personal experience with this tour company so please don’t take this as a guarantee. However, [’m impressed by the price and it would be a package I'd track down if I wanted something unusual to do this summer. Caution: Do not attempt to book this direct through the Toronto office of C.T.A. -— go through a local travel agent. That way you're covered by the B.C. Travel Insurance Fund. waa I've never been to Texas but | am in the midst of reading Texas by James Mitchener (Save-On had the book on sale for $8.88!). Now, I'd like to go and have a look at some of the places I’ve been reading about. Point: If you're in the same position, here's a toll-free number to call for information about the state: [-800-MEET*TEX (633- 8839). I tested the number. It works and they arc happy to send out packages of information which take about 24% weeks to arrive. if you can afford a vacation You can afford a cruise vacation For more delails call 985-7447 (SHIP) 1823 Capilano Rd. [986-1377 | tak More about toll-free numbers. This one should interest anyone planning a golfing holiday throughout B.C. and who wants guaranteed tee-off times and in- formation for a number of courses around B.C. The newsletter men- tions that the service is new (1989) and rapidly expanding to include courses in the Pacific Northwest. There is no extra charge for the service — only the regular green fees. Try: 1-800-663-4732 (T-Times Central Booking Service). a New Zealand is offering some attractive prices between now and Aug. 31. Remember, this is their off-season and apt to be a bit chil- ly. Prices start from $1,089 in- cluding airfare and accommoda- tion for a weck. There’s quite a variety of op- tions including car rentals and motor homes, extended stay packages and stop-overs in Hawaii. Travel is mostly by Air | AWESOME COLORING | New Zealand; however, there is one special featuring Quantas. Check these prices out with your travel agent or call (toll-free, again) 1-800-456-4496. If I were considering this vaca- tion a stop-over in Hawait on the return trip would be a priority, if only to warm up. wee New York City is a lot of things — beautiful/ugly, dangerous/safe, expensive/cheap — but one of the most exciting cities in the world. | simply love the place. Don’t believe that New Yorkers are nasty and unfriendly, either. That doesn’t mean that you'll make instant friends with your first cab driver — I’ve found them a surly group, but they probably have every right to be (consider the recent murders and resulting strike action by drivers). What I’ve found a lot of fun in New York is the sheer astonish- ment on the faces of people when you, a visitor, act friendly. It starts with a wary, stray cat thoughts crossing the mind — “‘crazy?”’, ‘*mugger?"’, “cop?” — but, when they realize you’re just some rube Canadian it's like turn- ing on a tap. They seem so used to going through a day silently that once they get started talking they can’t quit. Accommodation in Manhattan, at a decent hotel, can be pricey. The Roosevelt Hotel has a good reputation and is central. Check out their weekend bed-and- breakfast package for $80 single, $90 double (kids under 12, free). Like anything else, it pays to comparison-shop. But use these prices as a starting point and if you can do better, great! They, too, have a toll-free number 1-800- 223-1870. Two other things to remember when booking hotels: ® Check any coupon books you may have (or canvass your friends!) @ If you have a business card, try flashing it and asking for the cor- porate rate. ¢ CONTEST WINNERS f AAMLYLY! eoS feo “a RCo) (7_\ COWABUNGA DUDES! What a great response from a lot of creative kids! Five winners from each age group were randomly selected. Congratulations to all winners of double movie passes to TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and posters compliments of Cineplex Odeon, and, combo dinner plus TURTLE RAD BADGE from Burger King. AGE 3-4: Jordan Elizabeth Hogg, Jamie Gordon, Owen Frap- pier, Kyle McLaws, Ryan Anderson AGE 5-6: Jenny Brun, Ellice Lee, Evan Romanchuk, Mario Sabogal, Alana Banks AGE 7-8: Grant Belich, Sean Doran, Chad Cousins, Jimmy Ghuman, Craig Mullen AGE 9-10: Holly Conway, Mark McElligott, Nicole Boyd, Stephen Pegg, Anil Rawal | AGE 11-12: Mike D. Low, Andre Ver, Ann-Marie Norris, Troy Neale, Danielle Wallace | E> CINEPLEX Opton Park & Tiliord THEATEES Norlh Vancouver THANKS FOR ENTERING OUR CONTEST! we 1394 Moone Dine = * North Vancouver north shore 1199 Ladle Ve meres NOTH Vancouver te