Travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za
HUNT FOR COVER
My husband and I want to travel for a week next year, to Lithuania. My medical aid coverage is very good, except for my husband’s pre-existing cardiac condition, which is limited to R350 000. Taking into account the exchange rate, this is minimal. He is 70 years old. Do you know of any company that would adequately cover him, even at a loaded premium to cover the risk?
We have had similar enquiries before as the two main suppliers of travel insurance have similar exclusions. For those over 69, they exclude vascular, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions.
Call your medical aid supplier as they should be able, at extra cost, to cover you for these (and other conditions) while you are abroad.
For example, clients of Discovery are covered for between R5-million and R10-million, depending on the type of policy they have. This cover is for up to 90 days for a single journey.
My wife and our daughters, aged 11 and 21, will be spending two weeks in Turkey on a Trafalgar Tour in December. The accommodation, inclusive of breakfast and 10 dinners, is included in the package price.
and souvenirs. You should be fine if you budget on around à20 to à30 per day. You could take the cash in euros or US dollars, but while you can also pay for purchases with a credit card, it is expensive to draw cash with it.
Be sure to set some of your budget aside to purchase the delectable Turkish delight in the market, it is heavenly.
My family (two adults and two children) are spending four nights each in Kuala Lumpur and then Singapore over the December/ January holiday season. We are planning to visit sights such as Sunway Lagoon in Kuala Lumpur and Sentosa Island, Universal Studios and Legoland in Singapore. Is it better to visit these sights through escorted tours or by booking online, which I assume will be cheaper? Is it also worth doing the city tours in each city? What other sights would you recommend?
The best way to see Singapore is on the Hop-on Hop-off bus, which takes in all the city-state’s main attractions and gives you the flexibility of spending as long as you like at the various attractions.
You could also get around easily using the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) underground network, which is excellent and really cool in the heat of the tropics.
The municipal buses are also very efficient and cheap, so get an EZ-Link card for the buses and MRT. The cards are sold at the MRT station ticket offices and at some shops and make getting around really simple.
Attractions depend on what your family likes: it’s hyper-touristy on Sentosa and a bit more authentic in Little India, China Town and Arab Street. Shopping in Orchard Road is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with every brand on the planet represented. Eating is everywhere, and the best value is from the food courts, where as many as 120 countries are represented. They are cheerful, bustling and full of local people, so you know the food will be good.
There are numerous museums and art galleries, mainly in beautifully restored colonial buildings and old convents. And, of course, don’t miss Raffles Hotel and its Long Bar for a Singapore Sling.
Kuala Lumpur is completely different, more sedate and less manicured. KL also has an excellent Hop-on Hop-off bus service with more than 20 stops, including the Petronas Towers and the KL Tower.
Chinatown is loads of fun and full of cheap places to eat and the street markets are bull of bargains.
Even the old railway station is worth a look as it is a lovely old building.
Because both KL and Singapore are near the equator they are always balmy, but keep a collapsible umbrella handy as, even outside of monsoon season, the occasional shower occurs.
Both cities are enormously tourist friendly so there’s no need to book tours in advance.
Changi International and KLIA are two of the world’s best airports. KLIA Ekspres is the best way to get to the city, as is the MRT from Changi. Avoid taxis as they are pricey and it would be hard to fit in a family of four with luggage.