THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9409160092
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TRAVEL-WISE
SOURCE: STEPHEN HARRIMAN
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
AS YOU read this, I will be in the air again on another leg of a travel adventure that will cover probably close to 8,000 air miles on three different airlines, domestic and foreign - one of them USAir, by choice. At least one of the legs will be on a Boeing 737-300.
Yes, the recent airline crash is troubling. I don't know exactly why that is. I do not worry about having an automobile accident every time I hear of multiple accidents in Hampton Roads every morning and evening on radio traffic reports.
Fact is, flying is safer than riding a bicycle - by a wide margin. It's nearly twice as safe as being a beekeeper.
Here are some odds on death from the latest issue of Travel Weekly, a trade publication for travel agents:
Death by: Your odds: Cardiovascular disease 1 in 2 Smoking (by age 35) 1 in 600 Car trip, coast to coast 1 in 14,000 Bicycle accident 1 in 88,000 Tornado 1 in 450,000 Train, coast to coast 1 in 1 million Lightning 1 in 1.9 million Bee sting 1 in 5.5 million Airline crash 1 in 10 million I cannot personally vouch for the accuracy of these figures. I do not know, for instance, exactly who keeps track of how many people are stung by how many bees.
But each time I board an aircraft, these odds are comforting. LEAF PEEPER HOTLINES
Fall foliage season begins in early September for northern climes and sweeps steadily south through October. Factors such as exposure to sun, soil conditions, elevation and especially the weather determine when trees will reach their peak autumnal colors - usually by early to mid-October in New England, a week or two later in Virginia.
Already in service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fall Color Hotline provides updates and viewing routes all over the country: (800) 354-4595. For tips on vantage points in other areas and peak viewing days:
Connecticut: (203) 566-5348
Delaware: (800) 441-8846
Maine: (800) 533-9595
Maryland: (800) 532-8371
Massachusetts: (800) 632-8038
New Hampshire: (800) 258-3608
New York: (800) 225-5697
Rhode Island: (800) 556-2484
Vermont: (802) 828-3239
Virginia: (804) 786-4484
Shenandoah National Park (703) 999-2266 (Oct. 1.) FOLIAGE BY ESCORT
The Chesapeake Bay-Eastern Shore and the Shenandoah Valley are two of the focal points of fall foliage travel offered through October by Domenico Tours. A four-day trip, for example, for $359 per person, double occupancy, takes passengers cruising on Chesapeake Bay to Tangier Island, touring Annapolis' Historic District and the Naval Academy, and dancing and dining aboard the ``Spirit of Baltimore.'' Price includes all-you-can-eat rib, fried chicken and steamed crab dinners and accommodations. The Shenandoah Valley package, at $189 per person, is a three-day tour of the Blue Ridge Mountains, local museums and a stop at the Woodrow Wilson House in Staunton. Call your travel agent or (800) 554-TOUR. IF MONEY WERE NO OBJECT
Where would you go? In a survey of 1,200 frequent travelers conducted by the Visa/PLUS International ATM Network, Sydney, Australia - site of the 2000 Summer Olympics - was chosen ``the best city in the world to visit if time or money were no object.'' Rounding out the top five: London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong. MEMO: Travel-wise is compiled from wire-service reports, news releases, trade
journals, books, magazines and the deepest recesses of the writer's
mind. Send comments and questions to Travel-wise, The
Virginian-Pilot/The Ledger-Star, P.O. Box 449, Norfolk, Va. 23501-0449. by CNB