Your questions answered
Q I am joining a two-week pilgrimage to Machu Picchu in the middle of October. The group is international and assembles in Lima. Could you recommend various options as to flights, and possibly some short stays en route going and returning? Also, I would appreciate some information as to dos and don'ts in Peru - inoculations and so on.
BG, Dublin
Iberia and KLM fly every day to Lima via Madrid and Amsterdam, both very nice cities for a short stay. Fares would be about €1,000.
Your other option would be to fly via the United States and there you could have a stopover in New York or Atlanta, as Continental and Delta both fly to Lima. You are better off to buy your ticket through a travel agent, as long-haul flights are often discounted. Some fares will not give you the option of having a stopover, so make sure to check in advance.
Some inoculations may be necessary for visits to Peru, depending on where exactly you will be going, and you should consult your own doctor or the Tropical Medical Bureau ( www.tmb.ie).
Q I am travelling to Montreal from Dublin via London Heathrow in September. It has been many years since I went in transit. I have a computer booking reference number. I'm not familiar with auto check-in, so can you help me with the following? Can I use manual check-in? Can I check in my bag to Montreal from Dublin, and myself also? Are there any hidden extras, such as fuel charges, on any leg of the trip, and how long should I allow for check-in and security before my departure at 1.40pm?
RN, Wexford
I will try to answer your questions in order. You can still check-in manually, that is, present yourself at the check-in desk. If your first flight from Dublin is with Aer Lingus you will find that they have staff around to help you check in at the kiosks. If you have a through ticket - all the details on the one booking number - then you can check in your bags from Dublin to Montreal. Once you have paid for your ticket there are no hidden extras. You should allow two hours for a comfortable check-in in Dublin, and if you are travelling with Air Canada from Heathrow, your Montreal flight is from terminal three. If flying with British Airways you will be flying out of terminal four. At Heathrow flights are subject to change of terminal, so recheck at Dublin airport when they give you the boarding card for your Montreal flight.
Q My husband and I are travelling for two weeks to Italy, flying in and out of Milan. We plan to travel to Ornavasso and Gravellona Toce for a couple of nights first, where I have some distant relatives. After this we are thinking of travelling towards Genoa. Are there any places en route, or in Genoa, you could recommend visiting, particularly some nice beach resort? I am four months pregnant so don't want to do a lot of travelling. We have not yet booked accommodation or hired a car.
OS, Dublin
The Italian Riviera will be lovely in September, when the vast hordes and the mad heat has receded, leaving lots of lovely places to explore.
Not far from Genoa, less than 30 minutes, is the small fishing town of Camogli and this would perhaps fit the bill for a quiet and relaxing place to stay. It has a small harbour and colourful houses and a good beach. You can hop on the train into Genoa to explore the city. As it is a small town there are not a huge amount of hotels, but rates in September are good.
On the opposite site of Genoa, towards France, is the town of Alassio. This is a bit bigger than Camogli and has a better choice of hotels. It is also close enough to France to make trips to Menton and Monte Carlo. And Ventimiglia, where there is a great market on Fridays, is only a short trip down the road.
Both towns are within 2½ hours or so of Milan. You can look at a selection of hotels in this area of Liguria on www.venere.com.
For car hire you can check the rates with www.arguscarhire.com, and also the major car rental firms such as Hertz and Avis, as they sometimes do special offers if you pay up front.What are the dos and don'ts when visiting Peru?
Send your questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie