Salon Wanderlust | This week in travel

[Salon Wanderlust: Travel with a passion]

T A B L E_T A L K
Is it safe for women to travel alone? Swap success and horror stories in the Wanderlust area of Table Talk

R E C E N T L Y
Body talk
By Dawn MacKeen
Sometimes what our gestures say is not what we mean. International business traveler Roger Axtell has learned that the hard way
(11/19/98)
On the road with the Smokejumpers: Part Three
By The King Teen
Sold out in San Diego, boffo in Bakersfield -- the band's odyssey ends on an up note
(11/18/98)
Orchid ice cream
By Eric Hansen
An aficionado journeys to Turkey to discover the birthplace of this aphrodisiac treat
(11/17/98)
Another Africa
By Chinua Achebe
Beyond the stereotypes and clichés, a photographer and writer journey into the heart of the continent
(11/15/98)
This week in travel
Hostages at Club Med, strikes in Italy, a Paris renaissance, Mideast warnings and more news from the travel world
(11/13/98)

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- - - - - - + this week_.I N_.T R A V E L
Wanderlust's selective guide to travel-related news. Wanderlust image

- - - - - - + From the Irish Times
Tucked away in the South Pacific, the "Dominion of Melchizedek" was supposedly a land of opportunity. Representatives of the "country," including its "chief justice," "public works minister" and "minister of the navy and coast guard," allegedly baited hundreds of Bangladeshis and Chinese into paying cash for "high-paying" jobs in the Dominion of Melchizedek, a place that exists only on the plains of their imaginations. The three supposed high-ranking government officials were arrested in the Philippines.
- - - - - - + From the U.S Department of State
In an attempt to stymie one of the fastest growing areas of international crime -- identity fraud -- the State Department has issued a new U.S. passport with digitized imaging. Instead of a standard photo, the new passport will have a computer-generated image of the bearer, with a hologram-like image coating both the digital photo and the personal data to make it more difficult to alter. Out of the 6 million passports issued in 1997, an estimated 15,000 were reported stolen, many of which were used to commit crimes. The new passports will be issued across the country by the end of next year, but the old ones will still be honored.
- - - - - - + From the Korea Herald
Seven hundred eighty tourists from South Korea made history Thursday as they cruised across the North Korean border, becoming the first to do so since Korea's division. Although this was the first of seven cruises scheduled for this month to communist North Korea, the trips are confined to Mount Kumgang, where the passengers disembark and explore for several days before they return home again.
- - - - - - + From ABC News
To boost its West Coast service, American Airlines will buy Reno Air, a low-fare regional carrier, for $124 million in cash early next year. Although the two airlines had already shared a marketing relationship -- allowing Reno Air passengers to acquire frequent-flier miles on American -- the acquisition is aimed at strengthening American's presence in the West and helping tighten its partnership with airlines in the Pacific, such as Cathay Pacific and Quantas.
- - - - - - + From MSNBC
American Airlines and Delta followed United's lead Tuesday and announced that they will be placing a cap on travel agent commissions. Under the new scale, travel agents can only get an 8 percent commission for an international ticket, to a maximum of $100. A spokesman for the American Society of Travel Agents says they'll have no choice but to charge consumers service fees to make up for the loss.
- - - - - - + From CNN
About 10,000 people chanted refrains like "Americans are murderers" and "down with imperialism" in Athens Tuesday as they marked the 25th anniversary of a student uprising. They walked to the U.S. embassy from Athens Polytechnic University, where at least 23 people were killed and hundreds wounded in 1973 when the military, allegedly endorsed by the United States, took over the campus. Although at least 100 people were arrested, this year's demonstration was peaceful.
- - - - - - + From the Times (London)
In India, government officials discussed the possibility of closing the Taj Mahal, the historic 17th century mausoleum, in order to "slow its decline." At the very least, they proposed limiting the number of visitors, but decay from the wear and tear of more than 10 million annual sightseers and pollution may force officials to the more drastic preservation measure.
- - - - - - + From SFGate
Five hundred employees and visitors to Yosemite National Park in California had to be evacuated Monday after a rock slide came tumbling down a 3,000-foot cliff into a campground. Although there were no injuries, the slide came dangerously close to hitting several cabins.
SALON | Nov. 20, 1998


	T A B L E_T A L K Is it safe for women to travel alone? Swap success and horror stories in the Wanderlust area of Table Talk R E C E N T L Y Body talk By Dawn MacKeen Sometimes what our gestures say is not what we mean. International business traveler Roger Axtell has learned that the hard way (11/19/98) On the road with the Smokejumpers: Part Three By The King Teen Sold out in San Diego, boffo in Bakersfield -- the band's odyssey ends on an up note (11/18/98) Orchid ice cream By Eric Hansen An aficionado journeys to Turkey to discover the birthplace of this aphrodisiac treat (11/17/98) Another Africa By Chinua Achebe Beyond the stereotypes and clichés, a photographer and writer journey into the heart of the continent (11/15/98) This week in travel Hostages at Club Med, strikes in Italy, a Paris renaissance, Mideast warnings and more news from the travel world (11/13/98) Browse the Wanderlust Feature archives Wanderlust's Official Travel Book Partner S A L O N E M P O R I U M FREE! 12-ounce bag of Salon Blend with a purchase of $30 or more. While supplies last.		- - - - - - + this week_.I N_.T R A V E L Wanderlust's selective guide to travel-related news. - - - - - - + From the Irish Times Tucked away in the South Pacific, the "Dominion of Melchizedek" was supposedly a land of opportunity. Representatives of the "country," including its "chief justice," "public works minister" and "minister of the navy and coast guard," allegedly baited hundreds of Bangladeshis and Chinese into paying cash for "high-paying" jobs in the Dominion of Melchizedek, a place that exists only on the plains of their imaginations. The three supposed high-ranking government officials were arrested in the Philippines. - - - - - - + From the U.S Department of State In an attempt to stymie one of the fastest growing areas of international crime -- identity fraud -- the State Department has issued a new U.S. passport with digitized imaging. Instead of a standard photo, the new passport will have a computer-generated image of the bearer, with a hologram-like image coating both the digital photo and the personal data to make it more difficult to alter. Out of the 6 million passports issued in 1997, an estimated 15,000 were reported stolen, many of which were used to commit crimes. The new passports will be issued across the country by the end of next year, but the old ones will still be honored. - - - - - - + From the Korea Herald Seven hundred eighty tourists from South Korea made history Thursday as they cruised across the North Korean border, becoming the first to do so since Korea's division. Although this was the first of seven cruises scheduled for this month to communist North Korea, the trips are confined to Mount Kumgang, where the passengers disembark and explore for several days before they return home again. - - - - - - + From ABC News To boost its West Coast service, American Airlines will buy Reno Air, a low-fare regional carrier, for $124 million in cash early next year. Although the two airlines had already shared a marketing relationship -- allowing Reno Air passengers to acquire frequent-flier miles on American -- the acquisition is aimed at strengthening American's presence in the West and helping tighten its partnership with airlines in the Pacific, such as Cathay Pacific and Quantas. - - - - - - + From MSNBC American Airlines and Delta followed United's lead Tuesday and announced that they will be placing a cap on travel agent commissions. Under the new scale, travel agents can only get an 8 percent commission for an international ticket, to a maximum of $100. A spokesman for the American Society of Travel Agents says they'll have no choice but to charge consumers service fees to make up for the loss. - - - - - - + From CNN About 10,000 people chanted refrains like "Americans are murderers" and "down with imperialism" in Athens Tuesday as they marked the 25th anniversary of a student uprising. They walked to the U.S. embassy from Athens Polytechnic University, where at least 23 people were killed and hundreds wounded in 1973 when the military, allegedly endorsed by the United States, took over the campus. Although at least 100 people were arrested, this year's demonstration was peaceful. - - - - - - + From the Times (London) In India, government officials discussed the possibility of closing the Taj Mahal, the historic 17th century mausoleum, in order to "slow its decline." At the very least, they proposed limiting the number of visitors, but decay from the wear and tear of more than 10 million annual sightseers and pollution may force officials to the more drastic preservation measure. - - - - - - + From SFGate Five hundred employees and visitors to Yosemite National Park in California had to be evacuated Monday after a rock slide came tumbling down a 3,000-foot cliff into a campground. Although there were no injuries, the slide came dangerously close to hitting several cabins. SALON \| Nov. 20, 1998