Your Questions Answered
What's the best way to Philippines and beyond?
Q I'm beginning to plan taking two adults and three kids (all under 12) to a family wedding in the Philippines. I would like to make it a once-in-a-lifetime trip by coming back via San Francisco, with possibly a third stop in between, on a Pacific island perhaps. We'll be travelling for at least three weeks in April next year. Can you advise on the best ticket options and on a possible interesting third destination? Andy D, Dublin
Round-the-world (RTW) tickets can range in price from €1,500 to €3,500, and cover 47,000-63,000km, with you paying on top of that for extra kilometres. As your first destination is in the Philippines, the Skyteam alliance - which includes KLM, Continental, China Airlines, Air France and Delta - is the best possibility.
A number of tour operators specialise in RTW tickets, and if you book with them you will be covered by their bond, so have a comeback in case of mishaps, such as delayed flights, along the way.
Austravel (01-6427009, www.austravel.ie) has a World Discovery ticket that will cover all the destinations you are planning on from €1,499. Utravel (01-6021900, www.utravel.ie) is the grown-up version of Usit, and has some very experienced staff who can advise you on what is available on the market.
I have two suggestions for your third destination. As you are going that far, why not see some of Australia? The Northern Territory has some spectacular places to visit and a tropical climate. The children could get a feel for the wild outdoors. Brisbane, on the east coast, is one of the "in" places in Australia and has a lot to offer families, with good accommodation and lots to do.
Otherwise, for a really laid-back sun, sand, sea and snorkelling holiday, Fiji is on your way to San Francisco. Here you can relax and enjoy the incredible blue seas.
Try to space your journey, with five to six days in each place to allow for recovery time and to enjoy it fully. Travel between destinations will take a day each time.
Q I read in Go a few weeks ago about visiting Israel. The writer mentioned that it is prudent to get your boarding pass stamped by the immigration officials rather than your passport, as you may have difficulties in the future when entering other Middle Eastern countries. This advice came too late for me, as I visited there in February and got my passport stamped. Will I have major hassle getting into Arab countries or would I even be stopped from visiting, as I have heard? Sheila, Clonsilla, Dublin 15
The simple answer is yes. You will have problems using a passport with an Israeli stamp in most Arab countries (but not all: Egypt will allow entry). If you are going to travel to an Arab country then you would be better off getting a new passport. The passport office in Ireland is understanding about this, and if you need two passports for business, it will allow you to carry both, one for Israel visits and the other for Arab countries. But you must have a letter from your company explaining this.
Q Autun, in the centre of France, has wonderful medieval sculptures in its cathedral. I would love to see them but would need more to occupy a week in September. Have you any idea how to get there, what else there is in the area - are there good bus trips? - and where to stay? Any information would be welcome. U O'Farrell
Augustodunum, as Autun was known in Roman times, was a vital stronghold in Roman Gaul and had the amphitheatres, aqueducts and six kilometres of ramparts to prove it.
Several important Roman constructions remain today as testimony to Autun's place in history, but the town is now much quieter. Porte St-André and Porte d'Arroux are the two remaining Roman gates of the four that once marked the entrances to Autun. The remains of the 15,000-capacity theatre are on Avenue du 2ème-Dragon on the east side of town.
Autun has not spread much farther than the medieval walls and original Roman fortifications, making it easy to wander around the town.
Dijon is the access airport for Burgundy but is not well served with flights. Probably the easiest access for you to Autun would be to go to Paris and take a train. You can take the TGV from Charles de Gaulle airport to Dijon in under two hours and then switch to the local service via Étang-sur-Arroux to Autun. It will cost about €50, or less if you are over 60 and show your passport when booking tickets.
The official tourism website is www.autun-tourisme.com, and www.burgundyeye.comis an excellent reference site for the region. Run by Irishman David Cogan and his French wife, Laurence, it is full of everything you could need for planning a trip to Burgundy, including day trips, vineyard tours, and great hotels and restaurants.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie