Thursday, August 16, 2007

The roosters wake you. You emerge from your room to find your host mother, who greets you with a smile, a plate of fruit, and a sing-songy "¡Buen' dia, mi hija! ¿Como almanece?" ("Good morning, my child! How do you rise?"). The best way to learn to speak Spanish is to go abroad and study. And you'll find fantastic deals on language-immersion classes in Nicaragua. read more

• Real Deals: Volunteer in Nicaragua, $850
• Tales of a Luggage-Less Traveler in Central America

Sleeping in strange hotel rooms can be scary or unsettling for small children. Buy your child a pillowcase with his favorite character—such as Scooby Doo—and use it at home. Then take it with you when you travel, and your child will be more at ease in a hotel room. (This strategy also works when you're visiting grandparents.) —Heather Crow, Rio Rancho, N.M. read more

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Here are two stories about how the electronic boards in airport terminals, which announce flight arrivals and departures, can sometimes be misleading. And we explain why the best solution is to sign up to receive free instant alerts on a cell phone or PDA about delays, cancellations, or other involuntary changes. These alerts are offered by Orbitz and many airlines… read post

• A Pilot Talks About Flight Delays
  One Southwest pilot blogs about his side of the story…
• Winter Round Trips to London, from $317
  British Airways is having a fare sale until Friday, August 17, at midnight (ET)…

A cycling tour of Dutch landscapes full of tulips, canals and windmills, with seven nights' accommodations, all meals, and taxes, from $830.
why it's a deal

• Easier Than You Thought: Cycling Trips
• Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands
• Europe, Day 4: Amsterdam to Utrecht

Six nights in Quito and the Amazon rain forest, plus meals, local air transportation, and guided tours, from $1,250. why it's a deal

• Dream Trips: The Galápagos Islands
• Top Shops in Montevideo, Uruguay
• What $100 Buys in Cartagena, Colombia

Explore Western Canada's waterfalls, glaciers, and rugged mountains on this seven-night train-and-bus sightseeing tour from Vancouver to Calgary, from $1,820. why it's a deal

• Vancouver's Best Vintage Boutiques
• Road Trip: From Vancouver to Calgary
• 10 Canadian National Parks

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