GREAT FALLS
SWITZERLAND
Engelberg
March
17 to 25, 2006
Excursion to
Trip Leader –
Marvin Jordan
ITINERARY
You will travel on Delta and
United from
GENERAL FLIGHT INFORMATION WITHOUT DEVIATIONS
5DQ531 Departing from Great Falls & returning on 3/28: BURGMAIER, KELSY THERESA /.DIMKE, SCOTT ALLEN / FISHER, JACK RICHARD/.FISHER, ANITA CAROL /.JORDAN, SUSAN LEA / .LARSON, COLETTE L /.MANZER, KATHRYN WELLS / MANZER, KELLY DEA / MCCORD, MICHAEL PATRICK / .MCCRACKEN, /SUSAN BROOKS / MYHR, JERRY BOYD / MYHR, LORRAINE LEE / NOMMENSEN, JOE / NOMMENSEN, PAMELA ANN / NOMMENSEN, RYAN / NOMMENSEN, BONNIE MAE / NOMMENSEN II, ROBERT NORMAN / RAMSEY, JULIE LYNN / SUPER, JAMES ANTHONY / WEBB, AUSTIN ROBERT / WEBB, JESSI ELLEN / WITHERITE, DIANNE MARIE /
DAIR2B Departing from
QKCXOH Departing from
Helena & returning on 3/28: JORDAN/MARVIN REMBERT / BLOTKAMP, JOHN
JOSEPH / CARTER, DIANE J / FOLEY, CRAIG / HALL, KEELY KAY / KEELER III, ARTHUR
COLLIN /.KLEMENCIC, JUDY LARAE / KOHLER, DEBORAH / KOHLER, ROY NELSON / MATYE,
CHARLENE GRACE / NEBEL, CLYDE LAPRAY /
PETERSON, ANN COLETTE / PETERSON, RONALD MARLIN / RAMSEY JR, WILLIAM DEAN /
REARDEN, JAMES LARRY / REARDEN, PATRICIA JO / SCHUKEI, JOHN ROBERT / SOLDANO,
JAMES STEPHEN / TRIPP, THOMAS WAYNE /
3L065V DYE, NATHAN DAVID / MCCLEAN NIEMEYER, JOEANN B / MOSHER, RICHARD
EVERETT
DL410
DL066
DL520
DL388
DL3880
DL1565
DL3880
DL3996
** UNITED (STILL
WAITING ON COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR UNITED)
UA440
UA936
UA903
UA6761
***We are waiting for s schedule update on the United flights
Kalispell Delta: RUWHXX MCCREA,
THOMAS/MCCREA, CARLENE (EXTENDING TO
DL410
DL066
DL 520
DL3956
Kalispell Delta: 286ANC
DL410
DL066
DL495 LOS ANGELES TO
DL3956
* OPERATED BY Air
DL410
DL066
DL 520
DL3996
DL410
DL066
DL1450
DL3888
DL410
DL066
DL1565
DL4465
DL410
DL066
DL520
Helena Delta: D3WFCZ PATERA, EDWARD JO Only
DL410
DL066
DL1450
DL3880
SALT
DL066
DL563
UA936
UA903
If you are not with the group I strongly suggest that you
verify the flight times before departing for the airport and that you plan to
check-in at least 2 hours prior to flight time. In fact, we believe that everyone should be
at the airport on Friday FOR THE FLIGHTS by
ON the interim flights on the way
to
You will be met by a representative
of LTI or the coach company Hess outside the customs area at the airport
terminal in
Name of coach company: Hess¶
The bus ride to Engelberg should take no longer than 3 1/2 hours including baggage pickup and loading. Again, this is tentative and subject to Murphy’s law. In other words, something can go wrong even with the best laid plans.
On the way to Engelberg, the bus will stop for a bathroom break.
Airplane Information
No frequent flyer upgrades are
permitted, but frequent flyer miles will be granted. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
frequent flyer miles are credited properly to your account. Take the time to make sure this happens
before departure. It is next to
impossible to get credited miles after you have returned from the trip. Do it at the time of check in!
Please don’t call Snowtours or me
for seat assignments. We have no control
over this regardless of what others or the airline would suggest. Both United and Delta, nor any airline for
that matter, do not normally give seat assignments over the phone on chartered
or group flights. But, they have been
known to do so in many instances. It
is your responsibility to call and make the request. You can also request special meals if you
don’t eat meat and or have special dietary restrictions. Keep in mind, on Delta and United, unlike
Swiss or Lufthansa, there is no open bar.
Purchase miniatures before you go.
It is very important that everyone
have a valid passport and that it be in the same name as your ticket.
We strongly suggest that everyone
makes a copy of their passport. Keep one
in their luggage and give one to a loved one at home. If you lose your passport, this will
facilitate in getting a new one. Again,
this is each persons responsibility. If they lose their passport, they will
spend several days in
Airline baggage requirements
are strict. Adhere to the following
guidelines: one suitcase, a boot bag,
and a ski bag. If you do not take a ski
bag, you cannot substitute a suitcase.
The suitcase allowed cannot weight more than 23 kilos or 50 pounds. Otherwise you
will pay extra money. And you cannot
average the weight of luggage across all bags.
NO EXCEPTIONS> Don’t even try
to argue.
Hotel
accommodations/Engelberg
You are staying at the hotel Ramada Treff.. The hotel is one of the better 4 star hotels in Engelberg. As you know, it is located in the heart of the city, within blocks of shopping, and close to clubs, bars, and restaurants.
The hotel has an elevator, restaurant, breakfast room, bar, sauna, steam bath, solarium, massage and ski bus service. The rooms have shower/WC, phone, TV, hair dryer and internet access. The meals include breakfast buffet, and four course dinner with choice of main dish.
Hotel Ramada Treff
Ramada-Treff Hotel
Dorfstrasse 33
CH 6391 Engelberg
Tel. +41 (0)41
Fax. +41 (0)41
Breakfast and dinner will be taken every day at the hotel. The hotel will apprise you of their specific times for dinning. The dinner is a 4 course dinner and you will have choice of main dish. Great wine list.
The rooms are superior rooms with breathtaking mountain views.
On Saturday night, March 18 at 18:00 hours, there will be a meeting or get together at the Hotel with the local representative of the tourist board. This person will go over the weeks activities, ski lift passes, etc. and address any and all questions. The person conducting the orientation, which I have been told has been in touch with you, is Maria Ferretti. Maria.ferretti@engelberg.ch
She is a British Girl so she speaks proper English, not that
Lift
Tickets, Ski Evacuation Insurance
- Discounted lift tickets will be offered for advanced purchase. Details and prices to follow.
- Ski Evacuation insurance is inexpensive and should be purchased so you do not have to pay to be removed from the mountain if something happens. This can be purchased in country.
- The closest ski bus stop is in front of the hotel. The local tourism officials will give you current information about when ski buses depart for the lifts. The ride to the lifts will only be minutes
- Price per guide per day: CHF 600 (Max per group 8 person) This works out to about 59 dollars a person. If the expert skiers really want to have an experience of a lifetime, I would recommend that they take the guides the whole week. Please find below a comment form Dan Maricich who was here with a group last year. http://www.morningstarskitours.com/index.htm
EXCURSIONS DURING WEEK
It is highly recommended they be organized and booked in advance.
Passengers Departing Saturday
to
It is each persons responsibility to ensure that they are
ready for the bus. This includes
checking out the night before, paying all outstanding bills, and returning your
key the next morning. The bus will not
depart until all debts are paid and keys are returned. Please be punctual! We will keep you informed of any change in
departure plans due to bad weather. You
should DO this also.
The earliest air departure is
955am. BUT YOUR TRAIN DEPARTS AT 718AM
FROM THE
I would strongly suggest you have any early departure, like at 330am, but the bus company will coordinate that given driving time and weather conditions. An early departure helps provide time for you to cope with Murphy’s law, and the bitching and complaining from folks if you miss the train. GOD help you if you miss the train. And Marv old boy, I am not going to debate again this early departure.
TRAIN INFORMATION .
You depart at 7:18 and arrive in
Train: LYRIA 9284
Class: 2nd class
Coach: 005 non smoking: Seat 41, 42, 46, 45, 48, 47, 43,, 44, 52, 51, 55, 56, 58, 57, 53, 54, 62, 61, 65, 66, 68, 67, 63, 64 (24 adults)
Coach: 007 non smoking: Seat 43, 44, 52, 51, 55, 56, 58, 57, 53, 54, 62, 61, 65, 66, 68, 67, 63, 64 (18 adults)
Coach: 006 non smoking: Seat 11, 12, 16, 18, 17, 13, 14, 25, 27, 28, 24, 23, 31, 32, 36, 35, 37, 38, 34, 33, 41, 42, 44
Seat reservations were made simultaneously and seats are adjoining or as close as possible. Seat numbers do not necessarily follow numerically.
Booking number: 9975532
I don’t need to tell you this could be a “Cluster Fuck” for several reasons. The train only stops for a little while. You will have to form a daisy chain or chow line to get all luggage on board. On each end of train there are storage areas. But they are not big enough for folks to put all luggage there. Some luggage will have to go in overhead bins and by seats.
You have 3 train cars, so divide up people accordingly. You have assigned seats because it is a long ride, and I am sure folks will sleep. They can go to bar car or restaurant car or smoking car as they see fit.
Check with conductor and make sure there are no change of trains.
Good Luck, and Keep a SMILE J you will love train travel.
ARRIVAL IN
You will be met by a representative of a company called GSI Paris. They are affordable, personable, and I like them. They will be handling all bus transfers, from train station to Hotel, and then Hotels to Charles deGaulle airport. They are even doing some of the personnel transfers for you.
GSI – Group Service International
Hotel Magellan, in city center
17 – 19, rue Jean-Baptiste Dumas
75017
Metro – Pereire
Phone: (33) 01 45 72 44 51
FAX: (33) 01 40 68 90 36
Email:paris@hotelmagellan.com
A few steps from the Palais de Congres and Arc de Triomphe, an unforeseen garden in the very hear of the 17th arrondissement. Breakfast served in bright garden and terrace.
Traveling time from the train station to your hotel is less than an hour.
Breakfast each day at the hotel is included. The hotel is located near the center of all
things good and shopping, and close to the center of
The hotel is in a safe neighborhood. It is safe to walk, and subway stations are located next to the hotel. The front desk is very cordial, and will go to great lengths to help you. They are very personable.
Marv’s Helpful Hint. Make sure that everyone picks up a pack of matches from the hotel. It has the address and phone number of the hotel on the matches. This will greatly help those individuals who will get lost and forget how to get back to the hotel, or forget the name of the hotel.
There are some great restaurants in the area of the hotel. Good food and inexpensive.
Get the front desk to go over the city map about
The unit of currency is the Euro. This is a change from the Swiss Franc in
Helpful Hint. Remember what I said about the calc. If you see something that costs 458 Swiss Francs, divide the by dollar value, 1.27 and you arrive at the US dollar equivalent. By encouraging this your folks on the trip are just going to think you are really neat, organized, and strategic. But then they already know that about you. For the euro, they have to multiply by 1.21.
Be aware, a lot of US Banks are now charging a fee for converting us dollars into euros, even on purchases of goods and services.
Make sure everyone pays bills night before, and returns keys. It is about 1 and ½ hour from hotel to airport. Be aware of departure times, and arrange transfers accordingly
City
Bus Tour: Not confirmed to-date.
Health
Insurance
If interested have everyone visit www.snowtour.com
And scroll down to where they see insurance. They have the option of purchasing just trip interruption or cancellation or comprehensive which includes medical.
*Medical expenses $10000.00 Trip Cancellation/interruption: up to $20,000.00
*Emergency transportation $10,000.00 Trip interruption up to $1000.00
*Travel accident $25,000.00 Baggage $500.00
Blue Cross Blue Shield www.fepblue.org
For anyone not insured by a fee for service plan such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, and in particular, an HMO, please check with your carrier for insurance coverage and requirements in case of accident or illness. This should be a must.
Medical evacuation insurance to get transported off the mountain in case of injury can be purchased at the lift ticket office.
Travel Tips
Other
TRAVEL PLANNING Information
Snow Conditions: Ski
club of
Ski Central www.skicentral.com
www.ifrc.org After catastrophes have faded from the headlines, look to the Red Cross site for updates on disease outbreaks, mass refugee movements, etc.
www.countrywatch.com Carries detailed info on 191 countries.
www.travelsafetytips.com Tips listed here are exhaustive, and include pointers on packing the right items among other issues.
www.cdc.gov/travel
Weather www.weather.com 4 day forecasts
Http://travel.state.gov
The British government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk/travel) also publishes comprehensive briefings that often provide additional, more up to date information. For unofficial advice, the Lonely Planet Web site www.lonelyplanet.com includes a lively discussion forum.
www.bbc.co.uk This site offers world wide breaking news stories
http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html Visa and foreign entry requirements
http://travel.state.gov.travel_wrings.html Safety and political information
What to do if You lose
Your Purse or Credit Cards
Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SSN. The numbers are:
Equifax –
Experian
(Formerly TRW
Trans
Concerns About Travel
Please do not dress to stand out.
Do not wear green gold slacks, your college sweatshirt, religious
symbols, particularly Jewish ones, or an American flag or recognizable
logo. Do not be loud or boisterous. If you see trouble, do not rubberneck. Get as far away as possible. Above all, do not wear white tennis
shoes. Therefore, what I am trying to
tell you, look like the locals.
Europeans wear clothes and shoes that are black and or gray.
SUGGESTED CARRY ON ITEMS
Book, magazine, walkman
Contact lens rewetting drops
Medication and or anything you need in the first 24 hours
Bottle water and snacks
Change in clothes
Passport, drivers license, and tickets !
Online Travel Tips
Visit Rick Steves Sight for information regarding Packing, safety, money matters, health, sleeping and eating, and a variety of other things.
Currency
The new European Union (Euro) made its debut on
ATMS are everywhere, and this is where you will get best exchange rate
Keep in mind the cultural differences between
The Club is here to promote skiing
in
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at meanmarv@mt.net