March 2005

True Blue Featured Trips

Experience the works of William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw on the Alumni Association’s “Stratford and Shaw Festivals” trip. We’re offering this trip to these legendary theater festivals in Canada after a six-year hiatus. You’ll enjoy four productions, indulge in wonderful meals and explore beautiful Canadian settings. Join University professor Malcolm Tulip for in-depth discussions prior to the performances for a complete theater experience. For details, including dates and prices, on this trip and the rest of our itineraries, visit True Blue Travel online.

Travel Industry News

Airline passengers will have to leave their cigarette lighters at home beginning Thursday, April 14. The Transportation Security Administration has banned lighters in checked or carry-on luggage on all flights, citing security threats as the reason for the new rule. Passengers carrying lighters will be forced to surrender them at airport security checkpoints; safety matches will still be allowed for now.

Be prepared to pay a higher fee the next time you apply for a passport. Beginning this month, all American passport applicants will be charged an additional $12 fee. The surcharge will fund security enhancements to the US passport and issuance processes, including a redesign of the passport and an inclusion of a biometric identifier. To apply for or renew your passport, check out the Alumni Association’s visa and passport services.

Hints and Tips

Planning a vacation or business trip? Check out PlanetRider.com, a compendium of the best travel sites on the Internet. Recommended by everyone from Expedia Travels Magazine to the Wall Street Journal to BBC Online, the PlanetRider travel directory profiles and ranks thousands of travel sites on the Web. PlanetRider.com is easy to navigate, reliable and information packed—you won’t have to sift through confusing Web pages anymore!

Products and Gadgets

To keep your valuables safe while traveling, forget the fanny pack. Instead, check out the men’s and women’s Zip It Sox, ingenious socks that keep your feet warm and hide your cash, credit cards and ID. Zip It Sox have a concealed zippered pocket on one sock, perfect for stashing small valuables. Better yet, they are 80 percent cotton, have double-cushioned heels and soles and non-ravel tops. Check them out at Magellan’s.

Armchair Traveler

If you haven’t ever considered a vacation to South America, now is the time to start. Michigan alum Renee del Gaudio, ’95, has written “Moon Handbooks Peru,” a unique guide to seeing this magnificent country. The guide covers the wondrous Inca and Spanish architecture in the highland capital of Cusco, the white sand beaches of northern Peru, lost cities in the northern cloud forest and more. Beautiful photographs and illustrations complement this perfect companion to an unforgettable trip. Find the book at Amazon.com.

True Blue Traveler Comments

“Terrific program throughout! I especially enjoyed the wonderful performances—Russia circus and ballet. Lunches ashore were also exceptional. Shipboard activities and staff likewise.” --Elizabeth Dulany, ’53, a traveler on the “Journey of the Czars” trip

Enjoy the Alumni Association’s “Journey of the Czars” trip cruising from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the exclusively chartered 242-passenger Novikov Priboy. While the dramatic transformation from communism to capitalism has created challenges for Russia, it has produced an exuberantly receptive atmosphere for world-travelers. Join University of Michigan professor Enoch Brater as he delves into the dramatic world of Russian theater. For details, including dates and prices, on this trip and others, visit our Web site.