AUGUST Q&A: WITH ANDREW RISCH
In the August issue, Andrew talked about some of his recent travel destinations, including China — his favorite. Andrew’s choir was chosen to perform at a ceremony for the Beijing Olympics, and while in China he enjoyed visiting Hong Kong, the Forbidden City and other notable landmarks. He asked: What is your all-time favorite destination? If you’ve visited China, what was the highlight of your trip?

In response to Andrew Risch, I had an unusual visit to Shanghai in May. This was my fourth visit to this wonderful city, but it was different this time.
On May 14 a football game was played in Shanghai as part of the Australian Football League, the first game played for competition points outside of Australia and New Zealand. Aussie Rules football seems even more mysterious to the Chinese than it is to Americans.
My team, Port Adelaide, played the Gold Coast Suns. The match was part of an Aussie promotion — trade and tourism between the two countries is becoming increasingly important. More than 5,000 Port Adelaide fans made the journey, many of them for the first time. The match was played before 10,000 spectators at the historic Jiangwan Stadium, built in 1935 for the Pan Asian games.
Security was heavy, with 1,000 police and security officers. That’s one for every 10 spectators — obviously the authorities mixed up Aussie Rules football with British soccer! It was a fun weekend for us Port Adelaide fans, especially as we won by 10 goals.
A highlight for me was waiting for the subway to the stadium with more than 100 fans. A woman asked me if I knew what stop to get off. When I replied yes, she said to her friends, “Follow him!” Once off the train, I had the fun of leading 100 fans to the stadium!
TONY NOBLE, Globility Board member

My friends and I did a China trip last year, and we still talk about it all the time. We tried to do some different things, and one of the highlights for us was Yangshuo. The town was a bit crowded, but it’s known for its limestone mountains, more amazing than you see in pictures. We took a boat ride in the evening along the Li River, and it was just gorgeous. Friendly people, too, and most of the signs and menus were in English, an appreciated surprise.
TRACEY GOOD, via email

Very impressive Andrew got to sing at the Olympics! I’m in China for work often, and I tend to take it for granted. As crowded as some areas can be, there’s a reason they’re crowded. The Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Forbidden City are all pretty amazing. I’m overdue for another visit to some of them. Great article on Jinjiang, by the way — really interesting to learn how many things are manufactured there. I would love to see an article on Jiangsu. It’s a beautiful part of China that doesn’t get a lot of coverage.
ANTHONY KIM, via email

TASTE FOR ADVENTURE
I noticed Kimberly Krol was in the Cotswolds recently — that’s great! My husband had a business trip in London recently, and my son and I went along and spent a long weekend in the Cotswolds. It was beautiful. We rented a car, golfed at Cotswold Golf Breaks and walked around Chedworth, an incredibly pretty village. I wanted to get to Stratford-upon-Avon (English major in college) and Bath, but my son was less interested, and both places were more than an hour away. The highlight for me was Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe. I’m an Anglophile, so when I found out one of King Henry VIII’s wives was buried there I had to go. The castle was built in the 15th century and includes gorgeous gardens to walk through. I took no less than 500 pictures. I love London, but I think England’s real charm is spread out in its countryside. I’m so glad Kim had the opportunity to get out there. I’m already planning my next trip.
LISA MADDY, via email

THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
As a fellow wine lover, I really enjoyed Kristy Alpert’s article in the August issue, and the entire issue for that matter! Keep the wine articles coming. I’ve spent time in wine regions in Italy, France and Napa, but my recent favorite was England, believe it or not. My wife and I spent some time in Kent this summer, visiting Chapel Down and Biddenden — both recommended by a bartender in London, where we spent the first part of our England trip. We loved Chapel Down’s Union Red 2015 and the Bacchus Reserve 2015. Everything at Biddenden was good, especially the sparkling wines. The vineyard owners and operators are proud of the reputation they’re building at a place not commonly known for wine, and it shows in the quality. Highly recommended!
JOE RAEBURN, via email

AVOID THE CROWDS
Your article about destinations where you can avoid the crowds came at a funny time, right after I complained to my kids about getting frustrated lately traveling certain places because of over-tourism. I can absolutely agree with Wales — one of my favorite places to visit. I’d also add Naxos, Greece, to the list. My wife and I celebrated our 30-year anniversary there. It had everything you’d want in a Greek vacation (great wine, food and beaches) without thousands of tourists. We stayed at the Galaxy Hotel, which I’d also recommend. It only has 50-something rooms, so it was nice and quiet and right next to a great beach.
MICHAEL KIMPTON, via email

ECLIPSE 2017
I saw you posted a couple of articles on your website about the solar eclipse — such an amazing experience! My family and I live in Columbia, S.C., and while I expected crowds, I never imagined the congestion. My eldest son was supposed to move in to his dorm at the University of South Carolina, but the date got moved because the school thought it would be too chaotic. From what I heard, local hotel prices skyrocketed in the area, and traffic was a mess. We hung out at home for the day to be safe and watched from our backyard, but a few friends told us it was a gridlock.
PAM MINDY, Columbia, S.C.

Q&A WITH FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER, PUBLISHER AND CEO
As we launch whereverfamily.com, I am increasingly concerned about parents holding toddlers and infants during flights versus buying separate seats for children. I think this is a dangerous practice, as there is no safe way to hold a child during sudden and severe turbulence. The money saved on a ticket should not be at the expense of children’s safety.

What are your thoughts on holding toddlers and infants on flights? Have you personally experienced or witnessed a situation where a child was in danger on a flight because the child did not have his or her own seat?

Email us: letters@globaltravelerusa.com