Wolf Treks Active Travel in 2009

Wolf Treks offers three active travel programs in its lineup of 2009 trips. In late April (April 24 to May 2), enjoy the beauty of Holland and Belgium by cycling the countryside during the day and enjoying the luxury and intimacy of a 24-passenger barge in the evenings. Get a close-up experience of the Flemish countryside in the spring while enjoying the camaraderie of a small-group. This is an exclusive NC State departure with only 22 spaces available offers a $300 discount for early booking and payment. If you had rather explore the countryside on your own two feet, then join Wolf Treks for a Walk of the Emerald Isle, May 2 to 11. Stroll along Killarney National Park, the majestic cliffs of Moher, the secluded harbors of Dingle Peninsula and the cultivated gardens of Garnish Island. You are sure to see hundreds of postcard images during this walking adventure. In the fall, explore Tuscany on foot, Sept. 22 to Oct. 1. Walk the streets of Florence, the countryside of Chianti, the medieval fortress of San Gimignano, the fertile fields of Cortona and the hills of Montepulciano. Both walking tours will be limited to 30 participants. NC State is partnering with Wake Forest University for both trips. Book early. Questions? Call Kathy Hart at 800-627-2586. Or send e-mail to alumni_travel@ncsu.edu. You can book any Wolf Treks trip over the phone with a credit card.

More Airfare Bargain Tips

Travelers often can get a better deal with a vacation package instead of purchasing air and hotel separately. Airlines and hotels are often more willing to provide deeper discounts when airfares are packaged together. That way, their competitors can't determine how much they are reducing rates. Orbitz estimates that you can save as much as $228 by booking a five-night package instead of purchasing the components separately. Also, look for flights at alternative airports. Depending on the distance from your home or destination, check pricing at smaller regional airports. For example, it can be cheaper to fly to Midway Airport (outside Chicago) than O'Hare. Or consider adjusting your travel dates by a day or two. Travelocity, Zuji.com and other sites offer flexible date searches that show the lowest airfare for your route as long as four months in advance. To evaluate prices, Kayak.com offers a trend chart that shows whether prices for a particular flight have been going up or down. Farecompare.com displays the lowest published fare over the next 11 monthsto more than 200,000 destinations. Another site, Farecast.com, predicts whether prices will go up or down in the next week. Finally, if you see a good deal on an airfare, don't hesitate. Buy it now. Even another 30 minutes of checking other Web sites for a better deal can cost you.

Airline Coupons

Like clothing chains and catalog companies that offer discounts to employees, repeat customers and those who sign on to their electronic newsletters, airlines quietly offer coupon codes to travelers who sign up for their weekly e-newsletters and frequent flier programs. The downside to this strategy will be that your inbox will be overwhelming. But Airfarewatchdog.com monitors such coupon specials and posts them on its Web site. Savings can be as much as 20 percent. Airfarewatchdog.com is the only airfare alert and comparison site that includes fares on all airlines, including Southwest.

Health Insurance Abroad

Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the United States can cost more than $10,000. U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the country. Likewise, Medicare and Medicaid do not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs in foreign countries. Before going abroad, learn what medical services your health insurance will cover overseas. If your health insurance policy provides coverage outside the United States, REMEMBER to carry both your insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form. Although some health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few pay for your medical evacuation back to the United States.

I strongly recommend that travelers purchase travel insurance, which is designed to cover medical expenses and evacuation as well as offer reimbursement for trip cancellation, interruption, delay and baggage loss/delay. The Alumni Association recommends USI Travel Insurance Services, a leader in the in the alumni travel industry. They offer three levels of benefits designed to meet your budget and needs. In the five years that I have run our Wolf Treks Travel Program, I have never had an alum have any problems in filing claims with Travel Insurances Services.

To facilitate identification in case of an accident, complete the information page on the inside of your passport providing the name, address and telephone number of someone to be contacted in an emergency.

A traveler going abroad with any pre-existing medical problems should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Travelers should check with the foreign embassy of the country they are visiting to make sure any required medications are not considered to be illegal narcotics.

First 2009 Brochures Available

Early 2009: The Wolf Treks office has brochures available for Tahiti, India, South Africa and Chile/Argentina. Australia/New Zealand is in production and will be in the office in the new few weeks. We have extended the discount deadline for India to Aug. 15. Also, please note that our North India travel program is an exclusive NC State departure with only 24 travelers. I do have a gentlemen who is seeking a roommate for the Tahiti trip. Please call 800-627-2586 or 919-515-0508 if you would like to be a roomate. To get a brochure in the mail for any of these destinations, send an e-mail to alumni_travel@ncsu.edu.

Upcoming travel: We have 12 Wolf Treks travelers leaving for Alaska in just a few days. I can't wait to see the photos from this cruise. In early August, we have 16 headed for the Swiss Alps. Erin Cleghorn, one of our associate executive directors, will be hosting this trip. For fall, our China trip is full, and Randy Ham, another associate executive director, will he hosting our 24 Wolf Trekkers as they travel from Beijing to Shanghai. Our Italy departure has space for only a single traveler. Our Italy departure is shared with Michigan State University, who is providing the host, a retired professor.