On this edition of Weekend Travel Update, give me some space.
The complaining over those teeny tiny airline seats.
Find out which airlines rate the best and the worst in the comfort category.
And the one member of your family who probably hates to travel.
Can you keep your dream of a perfect vacation from becoming your pet's nightmare?
Plus, how did Whoopi Goldberg become godmother to a new cruise ship?
That's all coming up next on Weekend Travel Update.
Hello everyone, welcome to Weekend Travel Update.
I'm Kim Casey.
And I'm Jim Finnerty.
You've just saved your hard earned money.
It's time for that summer vacation.
But you get on the plane and it feels like a cattle call.
If you've ever been shoehorned into your seat, there is something you can do to keep it from
happening again.
Now Consumer Reports has just released a survey that shows half of you think that seating
on airlines is in sad shape.
For the airlines, it's simple economics.
More seats, more passengers, and more profit.
For you, it's simply uncomfortable.
Have you ever had this experience, ready to relax and then end up with the person in front
of you on your lap?
First class seats have gotten smaller and closer over the last couple decades.
There are more of them in the same amount of space.
Most airlines are now packing people in.
Being one who's definitely afraid to fly, when you have a very cramped quarter and you
feel real claustrophobic, it adds greatly to the anxiety.
First class or business class is the way to go.
Coach, as you can see, pretty cramped.
The problem is, most people can't afford first class or business.
So what do you do?
Bill Perkins is the editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter.
His group has gone seat to seat with a measuring tape.
He says only three airlines in the US are trying to give you more room.
Now if these people prosper, then maybe some of the crown corporate heads among some of
these bigger airlines are going to wake up one day and say, hey, you know, maybe we better
do something about these cattle cars we're flying around.
Here are the chosen three.
None of the big guys is on the list.
Midwest Express, which flies out of most major cities, is rated number one.
Every seat is equal to first class, and none of those dreaded middle seats.
Alaska Airlines gives you one to two inches more leg room than most of the others.
It flies up and down the West Coast.
And MGM Grand is the last of the three with roomier seats.
It flies between New York and Los Angeles.
We're told not to be fooled by Delta Airlines' latest billboards that accuse the other guys
of raising people like cattle.
Delta and Hawaiian Air measure in as the worst cramped seat offenders.
Now if comfort is your thing and you can't find a flight on the roomier three, then you
have to decide to see if you can find the best of the rest.
And usually, the Boeing 767 tends to be more comfortable than competitive airplanes.
It only has one middle seat in each row, and the seats are wider than on most of the competitive
planes.
Well, Perkins tells me it's not tough to do all of that.
Your travel agent can easily find out what kind of plane is going where.
Jim?
Now we know what to look for.
Well, it's summertime in the Bahamas, and that means it's probably raining.
That's great news for anyone who likes good food, good music, and a 35 percent drop in
the prices from the midwinter rain.
Summer in the Bahamas is the off season, and it's definitely a bargain, but a bargain that
most people haven't heard about.
So every year, the Bahamians throw a two-month-long party to attract visitors during the off
season.
Now, through the end of July, the annual Goombay Festival is filling the streets with tourists
and locals.
Now, this is where you'll find authentic Goombay music, a kind of Bahamian reggae.
This is also the place to sample some of the best cooking in the Bahamas, and while everyone
else is dancing in the streets, you just may find you have the beat all to yourself.
You know, millions of Americans will hit the road this Fourth of July weekend, but not
every member of the family may be looking forward to the trip.
Vacation should be a time to share good fun and adventure, but that holiday for you may
really be a nightmare for your pet.
More than 120 million Americans own a dog, a cat, or some other kind of pet, and while
pets share so much love with us, experts say it's not necessarily loving on our part to
share a vacation with them.
If it's an older dog or a very young dog, it's probably not a good idea.
Richard Avanzino is the president of San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
He says that taking a pet on vacation involves a lot more than just loading up Fido's food
dish.
Is your animal healthy?
How old is he?
Will he be exposed to health threats in another part of the country that don't exist where
you live?
And while all of these are important, also keep in mind the temperament of your animal.
How well does he travel?
A lot of people don't bring cats because cats like constant routine.
They don't like to have their environment disturbed.
That's not to say that some animals don't enjoy life on the road, especially when that
recreational vehicle is almost like bringing your home along.
But even flying with your pet is becoming more and more common.
Some two million animals were transported by air last year alone.
Before you go on vacation, it's good to do a little homework, and that makes good sense
regardless of whether you're traveling with the family dog, the family cat, or even the
family rat.
Your snake or lizard might enjoy that trip to the desert, but guinea pigs and rabbits
are a little harder to care for on the road.
Many people board their animals in a kennel, but Richard Avanzino says choosing the right
facility demands real care by the pet owner.
How does it smell?
What does it look like?
If you go in and you have an uneasy feeling about the whole experience, or you don't think
the people are really into taking care of the animals, really care about the animals,
it's probably a good idea to turn around and walk away.
And a piece of travel advice that bears repeating even for very short trips, never, never leave
your pet inside a closed vehicle.
Even on a fairly cool day, the temperature inside a car can jump to 120 degrees in less
than 20 minutes.
And that can be deadly.
Now, if you'd like to have more information about traveling with your pet, there are a
number of publications, newsletters, and books that outline lodging, health hints, and animal
laws in the U.S. and overseas.
Now, we'd be glad to send you a list of the sources if you'll just send us a self-addressed
stamped envelope.
That's the weekend travel update, 747 Front Street, San Francisco, California, 94111.
The total eclipse of the sun is nearly two weeks away now, but the two most popular locations
for viewing the eclipse are already sold out.
And the big island of Hawaii, resorts along the Kohala Coast are completely full.
In Baja, Mexico, even campgrounds are all booked up.
Anyone planning to drive to Baja must pass through checkpoints on the road, and only
those who can show they have a confirmed reservation will be allowed to drive on.
Now, the reason for this is travelers in cars could be stranded if service stations on the
Baja Peninsula run out of gas.
That's why we'd like to tell you that your best bet may be to tune in right here, because
next weekend on Weekend Travel Update, we plan to take you to Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas,
all for a taste of eclipse fever.
That's all next weekend.
We'll also tell you the best way to view the eclipse, no matter where you live in the U.S.
of A.
Well, coming up next, it's a feast for the eyes on the Riviera, where the treasures of
the art world can be seen outdoors, but only for a little while longer.
Plus, peeking into Disneyland's Lost and Found apartment, this is only slightly less
amazing than the park itself.
We'll have that story when we come back.
Over the past 30 years, more people have taken one brand of sleep aid more than any other
for a good night's sleep.
Salmonex.
Salmonex has the one ingredient doctors recommend most to help you fall asleep safely, without
worry.
Safe, simple, Salmonex.
When I say home by 11, I don't mean an hour later.
But, Daddy.
Another Maylocks moment.
It's a medical fact.
There's no faster therapy known for your stomach acid than Maylocks.
It's so strong.
If you take it now, it starts working now.
Honey, I just can't help worrying about my little girl.
Daddy, I am 16.
Yeah.
Extra straight Maylocks Plus.
It's a medical fact.
There's no faster therapy known.
Look for the coupon in Sunday's paper.
In a recent survey, we asked people what they wanted from a furniture store.
They said they wanted the assurance of quality.
We listened.
That's why Jerome's guarantees everything itself, from a lamp to a bedroom set.
They said they wanted to be sure they were getting the best price.
We listened.
That's why Jerome's offers you a double the difference price guarantee.
The survey also said that Jerome's was number one in San Diego.
We think we know why.
We listened.
You've seen other attorneys advertise they have several offices.
How can those attorneys give you personalized legal services?
Fact is, they can't.
Mark Silver offers you personalized legal services at reduced fees.
Why ask what now when you can be personally represented by San Diego's multi-million
dollar award winning personal injury attorney.
Don't settle for less with the insurance companies.
I'll get you the top dollar award possible.
Mark Silver and Associates, 231-1766.
For the first time since 1975, a U.S. airline has landed in Vietnam.
Now this event has historical importance and it could also open up a unique travel opportunity
for adventurous Americans.
The landing of this Northwest Airlines 747 this week at Thompson at Airport in Ho Chi
Minh City is the first step to opening up this potential travel route to more Americans.
Right now a government embargo prevents American businesses from dealing directly with Vietnam,
but that embargo is expected to end soon.
This flight was a mercy mission, full of Vietnamese refugees bound for the United States.
The Northwest officials and their Vietnamese counterparts are looking forward to flights
of American tourists in the near future.
This is exciting.
We've been working on this for about two years now and talking and writing contracts and
sending them back and forth and whatnot.
It's a really exciting time.
Northwest will fly another mercy mission into Vietnam next month.
Any visitor to Europe has probably seen the inside of a spectacular museum, but one country
on the Riviera leaves its artistic treasures out on the street for all to see.
From now through September, the tiny principality of Monaco hosts one of the largest free art
exhibits in the world.
The parks and sidewalks of Monte Carlo are the gallery for this biannual sculpture exhibit.
Now all the pieces are for sale, but Monaco's Prince Rainier gets first pick.
Prices range from several thousand dollars to over four million, all for works just sitting
around out in the open.
It could only happen in Monaco, which has a very effective police force and also one
of the lowest crime rates in Europe.
Here in the U.S., this year is a special one for Mickey and his pals in Florida.
October marks Disney World's 20th anniversary.
More than 300 million people have gone to Disney World looking for a good time.
Many of those people spend at least part of the time looking for something they lost.
Ricky Stevenson has the story.
Memories.
That's what millions of visitors bring home from vacations at Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Florida every year.
Memories ranging from action and adventure to fantasies fulfilled.
But while they go home loaded with memories, along with a few souvenirs, this is what they
leave behind.
Welcome to the lost and found at Disney World, where every year 75,000 items found on the
sprawling amusement park grounds are taken.
On a normal day we have maybe about 15 to 20 cameras of type 35 millimeters, 110s, Polaroids.
Once in a while we'll get a video camera turned in with somebody left on a bench.
Maybe 20 to 30 shirts, sweaters, some type of miscellaneous clothing turned in per day.
Everything to the test your keyboard that they need to play in the park, to some unfortunate
person that lost their teeth.
Items are tagged and stored away in the hopes that the owner will call right, or better
yet come in looking for their missing possessions.
Did you fill out a report?
No.
I thought we needed to do stuff that does come in, we can get it back to you.
Information from these little yellow cards are entered into the lost and found computer.
They'll be logged in so that we can check the reports continuously when a guest calls
from home to see if their item is turned in.
I'd say about half the people we get their items back to them.
If they'll take the time to file a report with our lost and found, then we can get their
item to them, drop it in the mail and they'll get it back to them.
You may wonder what happens to the thousands of items that are never claimed.
Well, the folks at Disney World donate them to charity.
In Orlando, Florida, I'm Ricky Stevenson.
You could say everything your heart desires comes to you in Disney World.
Recently a $10,000 bracelet was lost, found and then returned to its rightful owner in
great shape.
Unbelievable, and it's tough to enjoy that cotton candy when you don't have your teeth.
Must have lost it on a roller coaster.
Coming up next, high adventure in America's most magnificent mountains.
In this corner of Colorado, you're always on the up and up.
And tripping the night fantastic in one of the world's great cities.
All of that and more when weekend travel updates continue.
When you have a corn, the bigger it gets, the smaller your shoe feels.
And that can be extremely painful.
Fortunately, Dr. Scholl's corn removers relieve painful corns fast.
Clinically proven, safe and effective.
First, they cushion the pain.
Then they dissolve the corn within five applications or less, guaranteed.
So buy Dr. Scholl's corn removers and get back into things.
I need those sales figures right away.
Dad, don't forget my soccer game.
I'm calling about the PTA meeting.
Only flight tomorrow is at 6.
I can't make it.
What's my car?
No way.
Maybe next time.
Maybe next weekend.
The Hilton bounce back vacation from just $65 a night all week long.
Isn't it time?
For reservations, call your travel consultant or 1-800-633-7000.
Bagels, I'm an expert.
People I'll never understand.
I tell them a delicious Lenders bagel has more complex carbohydrates than a lot of cereals
people call healthy.
20% more.
Well, who wouldn't take a toasty, chewy Lenders bagel over what's in a cereal bowl?
But some people still think, oh, healthy.
Look, if you still think good stuff has to come in a bowl, here you go.
Lenders bagels.
Who knew they were this good?
Mighty Dog presents Buster.
Bound for Bound, he uses up more energy than most dogs twice his size.
That's why we make Mighty Dog with the perfect balance of nutrients.
It does big things for little dogs.
The great American picnic game begins when you find a new clear plastic squeeze bottle
of Heinz ketchup.
Look through the back of the bottle to see if you've won and simply send in the winning
label.
Over 2 million will win.
It could be you.
Welcome back to Weekend Travel Update.
On our national calendar this week, a look at Fourth of July celebrations all across
the country.
Our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., will celebrate Independence Day with a world class
display of fireworks over the mall and also a reading of the Declaration of Independence
at the National Archives.
And along the East River in New York City, Pyro technicians will be setting off what
may be the oldest continual fireworks display in the country.
On July 3rd, 2.5 million people will turn up for Chicago's fireworks at Grant Park,
and President Bush plans to spend Independence Day in downtown Musfield, Missouri, where
festivities have gone on every year since 1880.
And in the islands, it's Music Under the Stars at the Kanepawe Beach Resort in Maui.
The Maui Symphony will conduct tapiotic music to the beat of those fireworks in the sky.
Lots going on.
Well, after the fireworks, what's there to do for excitement?
We found one small town where it's a festival all summer long.
Bluegrass, jazz, and film, all that, and the Rocky Mountains, too.
Mike Sanford takes us on this week's USA Getaway to Telluride, Colorado.
It's been called the biggest outdoor gym in the world, and it's quite clear to see why.
He's talking about Telluride, a small town of 1,500 people in southwestern Colorado.
For the visitor, Telluride offers everything, from mountain biking to rock climbing,
set amidst some of Colorado's most spectacular scenery.
Located about 330 miles southwest of Denver, Telluride's a bumpy hour-long flight by commuter plane
or eight hours by car up over the Rockies.
Telluride, like a lot of places in southwest Colorado, is a former mining town,
surrounded by mountains once filled with gold, silver, and a mineral called tellurium
that gave the town its name.
Telluride's sleepy main street has been designated a National Historic District,
and it looks very much like it did a century ago, when miners walked these streets,
and Butch Cassidy staged his first bank robbery back in 1889.
But maybe the best way to get a feel for the historic Wild West is to get out of town and head for the hills.
This is cowboy country, as you'll find at the local writing stable.
Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep pretty good? Did you sleep pretty good, too? Want some coffee?
That's where a cowboy named Rowdy will get you up and on your way to a morning on horseback.
And that's only one way to see the sights around here.
You can travel on a mountain bike or a whitewater raft.
And just outside of town, you can walk to the tallest waterfall in Colorado, Bridalville Falls.
Telluride is ideal for anyone who loves the outdoors, and it's a vacation that won't put too big a dent in your wallet.
Lodging ranges from one-bedroom condos that average $70 a night to quaint bed and breakfast priced from $40 to $70,
and dormitory-style lodging, where a bed with bath down the hall, is under $25 per person.
Best of all, they throw in the scenery for free.
In Telluride, Colorado, I'm Mike Sanford.
Beautiful, and while we talk cash, summer rates in Telluride are lower than ski season rates,
but the best bargains may be just after Labor Day. That's when you can get to see all the fall colors as well.
Well, if the great American outdoors is at your style, how about some nightlife south of the border?
Mexico City is usually just a connecting point to many of Mexico's well-known vacation spots,
but reporter Paul Ryan says you're missing something if you don't spend a night on the town in the largest city in the world.
Mexico City, on an average weekday, traffic-choke boulevards, hairy businessmen, cellular telephones, lunch meetings,
much like any other cosmopolitan capital city in the world.
But at night, residents let their hair down in unmistakable Mexican style.
The people in Mexico, I think, know how to have more fun than any other people in the whole world, and you have fun with them.
Traditionalists might start out the night at a mariachi bar like Tanampa. People pay the musicians to sing favorite tunes.
The dinner hour starts late in Mexico, around 9 o'clock, at trendy theme restaurants like Tecama Charlie.
Tasty Mexican cuisine is only part of the draw. Hegged on by energetic waiters, every table becomes a fiesta.
It doesn't take much to figure out that with dinner starting at 9 or 10, the late-night scene in Mexico City is truly late.
But if you're not looking to get back to the hotel and in bed by 12 o'clock, then that's perfect,
because midnight is just about the time that another side of Mexico City comes alive.
Discotheques are still the hot spots at night in Mexico City. They're part fashion show, part dance contest,
with enthusiastic participants keeping these glitzy palaces jumping till dawn.
And there are variations on the disco theme. At El Duende, the music suddenly stops, and flamenco bursts forth,
with all the fervent passion of the Spanish art form.
New additions to the nightlife scene in Mexico City are clubs like Rock Stock or Rocku Tijuan,
which feature live music with Mexican rock bands. These places are definitely for the young at heart,
and the side of Mexico not many tourists ever see.
And a word of advice, if you plan to party the night away, then you should indulge in another Mexican custom
that will help you keep pace with the locals, the afternoon siesta.
For Weekend Travel Update, I'm Paul Ryan.
Sounds like a good idea, a little siesta before and after the night on the town.
It's a nice contrast from the beach.
Yes, indeed. Well, coming up next, it's one thing to have a celebrity christen a new luxury cruise ship,
but Whoopi Goldberg has become this ship's godmother.
Plus, the beach where you'll find the most amazing sandcastles in the world that's coming up on Weekend Travel Update.
At universities like this, clinical studies prove there's a way to lose weight safely and effectively
without caffeine or caffeine nervousness. It's Dexatrim.
Dexatrim helps you control your appetite so you can lose weight without feeling hungry.
And no other weight loss product has more published medical studies to show that it works.
In fact, studies prove that four out of five people lost weight with Dexatrim. Now that's powerful proof.
Dexatrim, medically proven to help you lose weight.
When the stranger brought that bull's eye, a showdown was a brewing.
There was times when hunts and masterpieces all thrived throughout New England.
But as the sweet smoke rose from the grill, the stranger showed his best.
Knowing one folk tried that big bull's case, that bull's eye'd stand the test.
And throughout the land, every woman and man marveled at the feast.
In showdown after showdown, bull's eye can't be beat.
The big bull's case, the bull's eye can't be beat.
This 92-pound woman has the same strength as this 250-pound professional cleaner.
Because now the same cleaning power that the pros use to clean just about everything is available to me.
Introducing Professional Strength Windex.
Naturally, it cleans and shines glass, but look how it cleans countertops.
Greasy stoves without leaving streaks like all-purpose cleaners can.
New Professional Strength Windex.
Professional clean, windex shine, all in one.
Why do they call Mark Silver San Diego's multi-million-dollar award-winning personal injury attorney?
Fact. Mark Silver won a cash settlement for over $2.2 million for a client injured in a motorcycle accident.
Fact. Mark Silver won a $1.4 million medical malpractice settlement.
Fact. Mark Silver won a $1.1 million settlement for an injured pedestrian.
Fact. Mark Silver won a $1.5 million cash settlement for a client injured in a bicycle accident.
Why do they call Mark Silver San Diego's multi-million-dollar award-winning personal injury attorney?
Because he is. Mark Silver and Associates, 231-1766.
In Los Angeles, Oscar award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg has become a godmother.
This is some big baby.
With a fancier fit for a queen, Royal Caribbean cruise line has named Whoopi godmother of the Viking Serenade.
In a maritime tradition dating back to King Henry V, Whoopi officially christened the new cruise ship.
But the godmother herself was anything but traditional.
They were going to carve me on the floor.
But my butt is so large.
And so the Viking Serenade has begun offering three and four day trips to Baja, Mexico.
And the funny actress who has entertained millions of people is now with them in spirit.
When you go to the beach this summer, don't forget the pails and the shovels for the kids.
You know, playing in the sand can be more than just child's play, however.
In fact, some people, believe it or not, make their living at it.
Come along with Mike Hegadis and meet a few world-class sand sculptors, the Flying Zambini Brothers.
These are the Flying Zambinis, loading up for a day at the beach.
Understand from the beginning that none of them is named Zambini and only a few are brothers.
After that, it really gets hard to tell who they are.
You shovel sand from one location to another. It's nothing really technical, all right.
And then use a lot of water. The more water you use, the better off you are.
So hey, let's sand sculpt.
Let's do it.
Now that the sand is all built up, guess what? Time to whittle it down.
Eventually, this will look like, or so they hope, Bart Simpson and Calvin and Hobbs riding a wave
with Garfield sitting on a surfboard nearby.
The amount of work this turns out to be explains why the Zambinis only do it a couple of times a year.
There it is. Quite a piece of work. A lot of time, muscle, and sand invested.
And yet, before you know it, either this or these will get to it.
Having some fun, huh? You can join the Zambinis for the 11th annual U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition this year.
It all happens July the 28th. That's in the city of Imperial Beach, California.
And Kim, I'm going to polish up my little shovel and get my bucket and get down there.
And maybe I can get part of that $5,000 prize just for playing in the sand.
Well, in fact, we're all heading to the beach this week because it's time to get ready for the spectacular solar eclipse
in two little pieces of paradise.
A whim of nature has made Hawaii and Mexico the best places to see the heavenly show.
We're going to show you how Hawaii is making the eclipse just part of a whole solar adventure for travelers
and on Mexico's Baja Peninsula, you'll see world-class cuisine and see how that and nightlife are competing
with the sun and the moon for attention.
And we'll show you how to see the eclipse as well.
It's all a special preview of the solar eclipse in paradise that's coming up next week.
For now, thanks for joining us. I'm Kim Pavey.
And I'm Jim Finnerty. We'll see you next week.
paths.