Southwest USA in Canadian dollars

Q: We would like to fly to California and then take a driving holiday – perhaps with a motorhome – between San Francisco and San Diego, and maybe take in Palm Springs. Is there a way to pre-book hotels, car rentals and sightseeing tours here in Canadian dollars, without the structure of a package holiday?

A:Yes, Signature Vacations recently linked up with the Air Canada network of flights into the southwest USA and that includes daily year-round access to several cities in California. You can fly into San Francisco, rent a motorhome (or car), enjoy complete flexibility with your ground travel, return the vehicle to a Los Angeles depot, and fly home from there. Or, you can base yourselves in one or two locations, at any number of participating hotels, and take in a full array of sightseeing tours – all prepaid here in Canadian dollars before you go. Signature Vacations and Air Canada have set up a similar year-round program for Canadian travellers in Arizona and Colorado as well.

Laptop protection

Q: What is the best way to travel with a laptop or palmtop? How does one prepare for potential damage by security checks and X-ray machines?

A:Since baggage-handling can get rough behind the scenes, it is best to carry your laptop or palmtop on board as hand luggage. At security checks, protect your electronic equipment from both the X-ray machine for carry-on luggage, and from the metal detector that you walk through. Ask to have your computer hand-inspected. Airport inspectors around the world do this every day. You will be asked to remove the equipment from its carrying case and turn it on. Do that, and hand it to the agent before walking through the metal detector – which could be far more damaging than the X-ray machine. Metal detectors can completely erase a hard drive. If your laptop has a carrying case, you will be asked to put it through the X-ray machine. If the case contains floppy disks, it's a good idea to remove them for hand-inspection, too.

Top-calibre resorts include children

Q: For our upcoming wedding anniversary, we wish to return to Sandals in Negril, Jamaica. Are Sandals resorts still for couples only? We now have two children and we would like to take them with us.

A:Yes, Sandals resorts are still for couples only, but the company also owns Beaches resorts. Beaches were designed to provide the same top-calibre service and amenities as Sandals. Beaches, however, welcome singles, couples, families, honeymooners and second-honeymooners – and you're in luck. A Beaches resort is now located in Negril, too. As second-honeymooners, you can repeat some of your most memorable times at Sandals while your children are fully supervised with kids-only activities at Beaches. Beaches resorts are also located in Turks & Caicos, Cuba, Nassau, and one will open up soon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

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