Eight attractions have been added to the list of sites covered by the Great British Heritage Pass, which grants admission to hundreds of historic sites across the United Kingdom.
The additions are the Wellington Arch in London's Hyde Park Corner; Pembroke Castle in South Wales; Birdoswald, a fort along Hadrian's Wall; Ripley Castle in Yorkshire; Elcho Castle in Perthshire, Scotland; Argyll's Lodging, a Renaissance mansion in Scotland; Doune Castle, which figured in a Monty Python movie, in Perthshire; and Cairnpapple Hill, a neolithic site near Bathgate, Scotland.
The heritage pass is available for seven days ($54), 15 days ($75), or one month ($102). The promoters say that visits to just five of the attractions, which include castles, houses and gardens, cover the cost of the seven-day pass over what individual admissions would cost.
The pass can be purchased from travel agents; through British Rail at 877-677-1066; or from visitor centers in the United Kingdom. A free brochure is available from the British Tourist Authority: 800-462-2748; www. britishtravel.com / greatbritpass .htm.
Earn points toward free airline tickets
Airline-owned Internet travel seller www.orbitz.com is offering a credit card that earns points redeemable for airline tickets.
The MasterCard, issued by Juniper Bank, awards two points for every dollar cardholders charge on Orbitz and one point for every dollar spent elsewhere. It takes 20,000 points to earn a round-trip domestic coach ticket worth up to $400.
The points are not redeemable for other products Orbitz sells, such as international travel, packages, car rentals and hotel stays. Customers can learn more about the program and sign up on the Orbitz Web site.
Bargains in the Big Apple
New York City's Summer Restaurant Week will take place tomorrow through Friday, with more than 160 top restaurants offering three-course lunch menus for $20.02, a fraction of their usual cost. For more information about Restaurant Week, as well as other information about attractions and lodging in New York City, log on to www.nycvisit.com.
-- From wire reports
YOUR OWN FOOD IS BETTER, ANYWAY
After Sept. 11, many airlines stopped serving meals on flights under four hours to reverse $9 billion in losses for 2001. In-flight meals cost the industry $3.4 billion per year. As food options shrink on shorter national flights, experts recommend the following for passengers:
* Bring your own water. Drink eight ounces of water for every hour in flight to stay hydrated.
* Pack a light picnic. A sandwich, brownie and a piece of fruit are easy to carry and offer plenty of carbohydrates to keep you stoked until your next meal.
* Pasta salad travels well; add steamed or sauteed vegetables.
* Home-packed meals are healthier -- and cheaper -- than fast-food airport offerings.
* If you need silverware, pack plastic to pass the security check.
* Fast if you can, and drink water or fruit juice. Fasting reduces jet lag, particularly if you're changing time zones.