ASK feBT

Wondering about your travel options? Seeking answers to specific issues? Simply ASK feBUSINESS TRAVELLER for a plausible solution... Address your queries to editor@businesstravellerindia.com or write in to The Editor, feBusiness Traveller

1) I am planning a visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which somehow was not covered in your ‘Savouring Arunachal’ item in the July 3, 2002 issue of the magazine (my sincere apologies for the severe delay - I found the issue lying somewhere in a stack of old magazines!) I’d be indeed grateful if you could please give me information on what to visit in Tawang along with the monastery, a little idea of the town’s layout, and what to have an eye out for (I especially like monasteries, mountains, wildlife- filled forests and vibrant markets). I expect to be visiting when the colourful Lossar Festival begins in February or March - so do you have any tips - like what the temperature is around at that time of year, or what to see in the festival? Also, is the monastery open to the public?

Abhishek Pandit,

By email

Tawang is famous for its 400 years old Buddhist Monastery locally called Gompa. It is the fountainhead of spiritual life of the followers of the Gellupa sect of the Mahayana school of Buddhism. The Tawang Monastery is associated with the famous Torgva festival, which is held in the eleventh Monpa month called the Dawa Chukchipah (i.e. December - January as per the Buddhist). There is an 8 metre high gilded statue of Lord Buddha here. A must visit is the craft centre which produces very fine woollen carpets of colourful designs and masks.

The nearest airport is Tezpur, which is 345 km from Tawang and the nearest railhead is Bhalukpong at 280 kms. Government buses and taxis ply regularly from Bomdilla to Tawang, which is 180 km and takes 10 hrs.

The best season to visit is April to October. The Lossar festival is in February/March. As this time of the year is winter in Arunachal Pradesh we would recommend heavy woollen clothing as the temperature varies between 3 degrees to 12 degrees centigrade.

2) I, along with my wife would like to visit Singapore for three days (nights)from Kolkata. What will be the total cost (break up) if we stay in a standard hotel. Will it be cheaper, if we use a travel agency?

Biswajyoti Biswas, Jamshedpur

The total package cost for a three night stay at Singapore would depend on the selection of airline and the hotel. A standard package through a travel agent will cost you approximately Rs 18,700 plus US$ 125. This cost will cover the air ticket, visa, ticket taxes, three-star hotel accommodation with breakfast, airport transfers and a half day city tour.

3) I am a frequent traveller. Since the last one year, I have been facing a small problem, particularly after 9/11. I use two cameras - Ektachrome and Kodak Gold; one for slide and one for print. Now at every airport in the US and many other countries, they have put powerful X-ray machines at the airport which are not film-safe. During my last travel to the Central American countries, from Panama to Belize, I went to and fro via USA, with flights changed at Paris, NY, Houston and seven airports of the Central American countries. After reaching back to India, I processed all my films for slides and prints, but they are badly damaged due to X-ray. Please tell me how to protect my camera films.

Kiran Oza, Bhavnagar, kiranoza@hotmail.com

Film Shield XPF is a new generation of travel gear that guards unprocessed slide, print and motion picture film against x-ray damage emitted from high dosage CTX-5000 series security scanners recently installed at airports worldwide. You will have to select from a series of Film shields available in the market according to your needs. Though many airports are going in for film damage free x-ray machines but in the US because of high security alerts, they use very strong X-ray machines.