CR Explore the worid from a ship ak GO WE: WEST ONE OF the best ways for unseasoned travellers to take a UISES OFFER SAFETY, COMFORT first-time look at far away places is from the shelter of a cruise ship. The ship brings you into exotic Ports and gives you the option of taking a guided tour or wandering around on your own. Often you can do both, dependiag on the time in port. We tend to limit our thinking when planning a cruise, choosing North American destinations — Mexico, the Caribbean and Alaska being our first choices. A few of us get really brave and head for Scandinavia or the Med. 1 received the latest newsletter from the Cruise Lines Interna- tional Association that sketches -some Of the more exotic destina- tions for late 1969 and spring of 1990, and if some of these don’t spark your imagination you'd bet- ter book yo your condo on Maui. Now, I must caution you about a few of these. For example, Costa . Lines is offering a 103-day cruise on the Danze around the Far East (also available in segments). Any- one who could spend 103 days on a cruise. chip likely has scrambled eggt where his brains belong... . ._ I spent. 14 days on the Danae’s sister ship, the Daphne, and lost nearly 10 pounds. “The food was simply awful. The stuff that came out of the kitchen would have made a chef weep. For some reason, the captain singledl me out fo inquire about the food. — it might have had some- thing: to: do .with my.” gaunt and 7 hungry look. =»: 1] gave him about 20° minutes of ty best “‘professional’’ advice and he was not a happy camper when ‘hhe'feft my cabin. And no, he was - Bot there for any other reason! “Another caution, Cunard is ‘scheduled to run. two special Expect the BEST! Parts for. Jeep, AMC, Renault, Auto Par-All Makes, Crrysier, Auto Par Tires, Auto Par Reman Parts cruises up the Yangtze River in the spring of 1390. I'd expect they may have chang- ed their corporate minds about these excursions. If not, and you decide you'd like to take a close look at mayhem, the army surplus probably stocks bullet-proof vests. Helmets look mighty silly, but perhaps might be disguised with oversized sun hats. I'd also monitor the sociai scene in Argentina quite closely before I stepped ashore in Buenos Aires. travelwise Barbara McCreadie Ihuwever, cruises down the east side of South America are a wonderful experience. Several linez’ are doing this, in- cluding Costa, Seabourn and Sun Line and maybe more. On this route, Costa is the ‘‘old pro’” — I’m not familiar with the others. The Costa cruise is generally booked about equally by Argen- tines and Brazilians with a few others, like me, thrown in. The ‘‘A’s’’ and ‘‘B’s”’ get along about as well as the Greeks and the. . Turks so the canny Italians seat them on opposite sides: of the din- ingroom. . As for the rest of us, if they like your looks you get seated with the Brazilians. I came off that cruise with equal numbers of friends from both sides, but could never get ther to le. The best part of travelling with a crowd like this’is that you learn so . much. My Brazilian friends guided me to off-beat spots in Brazil and the Argentines took over when we turned south. ..Many of the Scuth American cruises are focusing on the Ama- zon, as far eas Maraus (highly Front End Bras Bikini Tops Soft Tops Parts Dept. Open Mon.-F71. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. VANCOUVER JEEP EAGLE BERS] ooarzianocw recommended — I haven’t done it but I take the word of an old friend, a Costa employee who has been there about 20 times). Another destination, often combined with the Amazon, is Devil’s Island, eight miles off the coast of French Guyana — if you’ve read “Papillon” or seen the movie, this is the ‘‘resort.”” One cruise that caught my eye — check out the winter cruise sched- ule on Oceanic, seven days around Micronesia, Saipan and Guam. Another is Pearl Cruises’ 19-day packages, departing from Singapore and visiting the Spice Islands, the Java Sea Islands and Malaysia. This includes a two-day stop-over in Bali. Nice break. Mediterranean cruises are often (usually!) split into two segments: the western (Spain, Morocco, Ita- ly) and the eastern (Greece, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Egypt and Israe)). Both are excellent. You need no more than seven days to cruise the west, but don’t settle for any less than 14 days in the east, and make sure you visit all five countries. Also, check the schedule carefully! If your ship plans to deposit you in Israel on a Friday or Saturday change your plans. Unless they’re smack in the middle of a war they roll up the streets. In Isxael, try to get some free — time in Jerusalem and sample some food of your choosing — the ban- quet-style meals on the tours are just like you'd get in Calgary. On western Med cruises, expect balmy nights. In the east, par- ticularly in Egypt, you'll need a warm jacket after sundown, even in July. Warm coats are also-imperative in the southern parts of South America, even in mid-summer (anuary). For all exotic ports, provide yourself with closed-toe walking shoes with low heels and impact soles. For beaches, rubber thongs are a must. Bring along a good supply of mosquito repellent. Even in the south of Spain, after the rain, swarms of biting critters are out to get you. Egypt is dreadful after sundown. The South Sea Islands weren’t too bad when I was there, but I'd guess that any place in the Far East might leave you chewed. trom 149% tom 19° tom DOO” 1577 Main St. 669-5337 As for Colombia, Venezuela and their neighbors — they've got flies that need air-traffic controllers. Shop for your repelient at spor- ting goods stores catering to fish- ermen and hunters. Port cities are usually free of malaria. If you intend to venture inland, check with the health department and take your medi- cine like a good kid. If you’re going to Egypt, pack a flashlight. Many of the wonderful antiquities such as the tombs and the Cairo Museum are poorly lit. ene A cruise is a wonderful way to get an overview of any area of the world. After that, you'll know what specific places you’d like to return to and spend an entire vaca- tion. ' Too bad I didn’t cruise into Colombia before I signed us up for two miserable weeks there! OFFERING MOTORHOME . 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