| Affordable Travel Club
6556 Snug Harbor Lane, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 |
Phone &
Fax: (253) 858-2172
E-mail: atc@affordabletravelclub.net |
| Inside
this issue:
Member Travel Hints On the Road Articles Recipes Member Comments |
 We keep adding new countries - recent additions: Japan and Argentina - bringing our total to 30 countries. Keep an eye on that "Other Affordable Lodging" chapter for reasonable lodging. We just added a home in Budapest. This chapter has been dedicated to mostly overseas where we have limited membership, but we have now included rentals in the United States in this chapter also. |
We would like to welcome all the new members to the Affordable Travel Club and thank all of you who continue to support the Club by your renewals. Thank you also for the many referrals that you sent us during the year and those marvelous "Survey Use Forms" and "On the Road" articles telling of your experiences. Keep them coming! We love to read them. |
MEMBER'S
TRAVEL HINTS
| Mary Helen Moore
found that when an ATC member is not available there can still be affordable
lodging. She e-mailed recently: "Tonight I am at the Econolodge
in Reno. Got a great price! They offer 30% discount for those
over 50 if you call ahead to their 800 number. My rate is only $26
here and $28 at LAX airport! Call 800-553-2666. Roadway Inn
does the same - 800-228-2000. Other news to pass on: The Italian
lodging system, similar to the French "gites" is on the Internet: www.agriturist.it
To find out more about the French gites go to www.gites-in-france.co.uk
The Schmid's write: "We thought that a reminder for adequate travel insurance when going overseas would be helpful to the members. Here is a brief outline of our experience. We (seasoned travelers) flew to Europe this summer, with a great vacation planned. Unfortunately, on the second day of our stay, I injured my back and we could not continue with our travel. In addition to our return tickets from the U.S. to London, we had separate tickets for flights from London to Zurich. The London-Zurich round-trip ticket cost $260. Since we could not return to London on the appointed time and these tickets were non-refundable, we lost the return ticket. We were able to connect with our scheduled flight from London to the U.S., but we had to purchase another ticket from Zurich to London - the cost for this one way ticket was $649 per person. We did have additional health insurance (Medicare does not pay for overseas illness and injuries), and we did take out travel interruption insurance, but will have to wait and see how much we can recover from these additional expenses. We urge travelers to check out their resources in case of emergencies. *Editor's note: If you will remember in the August Newsletter, we had an article from a member about insurance to help get you home in a medical emergency. For new member's benefit, we will repeat it again without the member's story of the $80,000 in costs to get someone home who did not have insurance. "Have you heard of T.E.N. (Traveler's Emergency Network)? The intent of this insurance is to help you get home in an emergency--domestic and overseas. It covers you if you are more than 100 miles from home. It is not a life insurance so there is no qualification requirement. If you are interested in this kind of coverage, call 1-800-275-4836. A member writes about rail travel in Canada: "The CanRail Pass gives you 12 days of unlimited travel in economy class during a 30 day period. The card is valid anywhere VIAS goes from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The cost varies by season. Low season (October 16-May 31) cost is Can$390 ($260 US$) or senior Can$355 ($237 US$). High season is Can$616 ($545 US$). You can add extra days' travel at additional cost. Find all information about Canada rail travel at www.viarail.ca or call 1-800-561-9181 There is also a North America
Rail Pass that includes Amtrak for the United States and Via Rail for Canada.
It includes unlimited travel for 30 days. The cost of this pass is
US$450 (off peak) and US$645 (peak). Call Amtrak 1-800-872-7245 or
www.amtrak.com
for details.
|
The Marvin's
write: "In June we returned from two weeks abroad, one week in a villa
near Todi in Umbria, Italy, and the other week in Fontaine-Francaise in
Burgundy, France. Both very affordable stays. Umbria, just
south of Tuscany, is deservedly called "the green heart of Italy".
It is only beginning to be discovered by tour buses, unlike Tuscany, which
is already overrun by them. Our villa, "Marchesa", was situated on
a hillside with views of castle ruins, valleys, and hills covered with
olive groves and vineyards. We shared the cost of the villa and a
rental car with another ATC couple. The stone farmhouse, with a pool
and lovely gardens, had 5 bedrooms, 4 ensuite baths, and maid, who came
every morning, bringing fresh eggs from her chickens. All for $840
(US$) for the week! Before June and after September the rates are
much cheaper. Invite more people and save even more. In the
off season, the weather is not as hot and steamy as in the summer and there
are fewer tourists. Last year we had 3 couples and 2 cars, which
we found ideal. This allows different groups to explore areas more
to their liking; especially, if the ladies want to shop, while the men
sample the local vino. To rent a house in Umbira or Tuscany, check
out www.summerleases.com
In Burgundy, we stayed at the Le Vieux Moulin, a charming B&B hosted by a wonderful French couple, Mr. & Mrs. Berger. Located about 30 minutes from Dijon, Le Vieux Moulin was the old stone water mill for the chateau across the street. There are a total of 6 rooms, 3 of them located in the mill and 2 large rooms in a quaint stone cottage in the garden. The last room is self-contained in its own small cottage. All rooms have ensuite baths. The price is affordable, about $39 (US$) for 2 people, and includes a typical French breakfast of toasted bread, homemade jams, cheeses, plus fresh coffee served in traditional large bowls. For an additional price of about $12 per person you can enjoy ker aperitifs and a lovely, communal dinner (with endless jugs of wine) prepared by and shared with the hosts. These were our most memorable meals and times of our sojourn in France. The Bergers speak a few words of English, but there are usually other guests around the table to translate. Le Vieux Moulin is truly enchanted. The sound of the mill's waterfall melts away all cares and you find yourself moving to the rhythm of the French countryside. www.bonadresse.com/Bourgogne John and Suzanne learn from experience! "John and I spent the last 7 weeks in California and Hawaii in seach of the sun. We took the rain with us from Seattle to California, but we were successful in finding the sun in Hawaii. What did I learn from experience on this trip? I learned that charging phone calls to my home phone using my pin number was expensive! On my recent MCI bill, I had 10 calls totaling 35 minutes. A friend told me before I left to go to Costco/Price Club and buy a MCI prepaid phone card. I didn't do it, but I did yesterday. You get 240 minutes for $14.95 which equates to 6 cents a minute anywhere in the United States. Oh, I forgot to mention that my MCI bill for those 35 minutes was $33.08. With the prepaid phone card it would have cost me $2.10! You can use the phone card on any phone (even your host's) since you call a number on the card to access your account. You may call many countries in Europe for 12 cents a minute and then use the card while traveling in Europe. More time may be added to the card by using a credit card. Live and Learn! |
ON THE ROAD
| With Colin
&Valerie from Canada
In Australia, we were entertained by John and Bea. They made us feel so welcome. This may be a bed & breakfast club, but they made us a delicious dinner on the night we arrived. The next day they drove us to the beautiful Blue Mountain area and we had a lovely picnic lunch. That evening they introduced us to a Sports Club, where we had a very good dinner at a reasonable price. Sports Clubs and Returning Servicemen’s Clubs are great places in Australia and New Zealand for good reasonably priced meals. (Inquire at the local information centre). New Zealand was wonderful! John was most hospitable. He has a lovely home close to all the attractions. We were sorry we only stayed one night-–but we’ll be back. The day before we got to Christchurch, we phoned Ken and June. Although they had just had several visitors, they took us in for two nights. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay with them. June is a wonderful cook--her roast lamb was excellent. She is also a great gardener--the roses were beautiful. We had farmed in Canada for 11 years so we had a lot in common. Ken took us on a tour of the farm and Colin helped him repair and set up a pump. June and I chatted, just like women everywhere do! You know how sometimes you feel like you have known people for ages though you have just met? Well, that is how we felt about the hosts we met "Down Under." |
With Richard
and Barbara from Minnesota
After living abroad in Germany and Hong Kong for the past 28 years, we found ourselves back in our home country. A friend told us about the Affordable Travel Club and the wonderful homes and people they were with on their travels. This sounded interesting to us, as we were planning a trip from Florida to Minnesota. We joined the Club and began arranging our trip. In corresponding with the members, we found them enjoyable, accommodating and kind. Our first stop was with Fred and Bebe in Florida. It was an excellent starter. They were so accommodating and had a lovely house in a lovely area. They told us where we could get a good fish dinner and also what sights to see in the area. This was so helpful as we had only one day. The next visit was with Bill and Ede in South Carolina. It was another lovely home and hosts. Again we were given helpful tips. On it went. Being invited to have dinner with Dick and Polly in North Carolina, and getting a grand tour of their area. We had breakfast on the patio of Pat's house in Tennessee. Several places gave us tours. Breakfasts were always very good and conversation delightful. Many of the members were world travelers and we could share experiences. All were very interesting! They enjoyed hosting and went the extra mile because they wanted to. We are so happy to be members of the ATC. |
RECIPES
|
This casserole was enjoyed by a guest in a member's home in Coos Bay, Oregon. 2 cups seasoned croutons
Place croutons in greased 12x9x2 pan. Top with cheese and mushrooms. Brown sausage and onions, drain and spread over cheese. Beat eggs with 2 c. milk and seasonings; pour over sausage. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Mix soup with ½ c. milk and spread on top before you bake. Bake at 325°F for 60 minutes/ serves eight. |
This is a comforting dish
to serve when it's cold outside.
1½ pounds of potatoes,
peeled and thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 300° F. Place the potato slices in a bowl of cold water to remove the excess starch. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the garlic in half and rub the cut side around the inside of a wide, shallow dish. Butter the dish. Blend the cream and milk in a bowl. Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of potatoes. Dot a little butter over the potato layer, season with salt and pepper and then pour a little of the cream and milk mixture over the potatoes. Continue making layers until all the ingredients have been used up, ending with a layer of cream. Bake for about 1¼ hours. If the dish browns too quickly, cover with a lid or foil. The potatoes are ready when they are very soft and the top is golden brown. Serves 6. |
Comments
from our members
| As Guests:
Although the Garvies had
jobs to go to, they went out of their way to make the morning go smoothly
for all of us.
Can you believe that the
Reids took us in on New Year's Eve and then treated us to a potluck dinner
celebration with their church group. Very warm, outgoing individuals.
Verland and his friend Betty
are a lot of fun and his home is so nice—what a view! They made dinner
for us too. Great hospitality.
Marvelous hosts. Made
me feel very welcome. For an extra gratuity provided transportation
which I very much appreciated.
|
As Hosts:
The Walters do not live that
far away, but it was easier for them to spend two days exploring “Apple
Hill” by spending the night with us. They stayed with us even though
we could not provide them with a shower, as we were in the middle of remodeling
the bathroom. We enjoyed a great conversation over wine and appetizers.
It was a pleasure to have
the Egans to stay with us. Delightful people! I am organizing
a reciprocal visit!
The Wentzells were very nice
and considerate. They showed me photos of their home in Australia
and told me where to go while there—now I am interested!
We had lots of fun and interesting
talks. It was great to have Joyce and Bill as guests.
Have always had a great time with ATC people. We are heading to Australia and New Zealand next week and hope to stay with members there. Chileski, California David is well traveled, educated,
mannerly and delightful company. I would recommend him highly as
a guest.
|