Travel LEISURE 27
“Not many folks have heard of Kamchatka,
and most who have know it from the
game Risk,” said Carl Fincke in The
Washington Post. That seems fitting,
given that the peninsula in the Russian
Far East is best known for two dangers:
the world’s highest concentrations of
both brown bears and volcanoes—with
29 of those volcanoes active—and all
packed into an area that’s just two-thirds
the size of California. When the Covid-
19 pandemic passes, you can consider
a trip like the one I made last August,
when I visited the region to observe
brown bears prepping for hiberna-
tion and to hike volcanoes before they
became blanketed in ice. This is very remote
territory. Even the peninsula’s largest city,
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is ringed by
volcanoes and can’t be reached by road. I
flew in just before joining a group to heli-
copter out toward the tip of the peninsula.Our 120-mile journey begins with a pit
stop to soak in hot springs, followed by aThis week’s dream: Bears and volcanoes in the Russian Far East
Se
rge
y^ P
on
om
are
v/T
he
Ne
w^
Yor
k^ T
ime
s/R
edu
x,^ A
P,^ G
ett
y
Getting the flavor of...
Travel and the coronavirus: What to know
The Covid-19 virus has
now spread to at least
150 countries, many of
which are closing their
borders. Travel rules
continue to change, and
disruptions are multiply-
ing. Up-to-date travel
information is avail-
able at the Centers for
Disease Control website
(cdc.gov). On March 15,
the U.S. State Department issued a global
Level 3 health advisory, which means trav-
elers should “reconsider” plans to travel
anywhere abroad. (A Level 4 advisory
would mean “Do not travel.”) American
citizens and their families can still fly into
or from the U.S., but that could change,
and they risk being quarantined.Should I travel?
Probably not—especially if your trip is
non essential, if you’re older than 65, or
if you have an immunocompromising
condition such as asthma, diabetes, or
heart disease. Don’t fly if you’re sick with
cold or flu symptoms, because you may
be quarantined, and remember that you
will be putting others at risk by traveling if
you have the virus but are asymptomatic.
The CDC is urging travelers to avoid cruise
ships; viruses thrive in such close quarters.
If you do travel, avoid large gatherings and
try to keep a 6-foot distance from others.
On an airliner, the air on board is thor-second landing at Ksudach Volcano, where
the caldera is more than a mile across and
contains two brilliant lakes. Soon we are
walking along its rim, peering over the
cliffs—“no paths, no ropes, nothing to
stop you from going anywhere—including
over the edge.” Then we are off again for
our ultimate destination, Kurilskoye Lake,
where the lodge we’ll stay in is surroundedby an electric fence to keep the bears
out. Three armed rangers greet us and
explain the safety rules. “Suddenly,
over to the right—a bear, not 20 feet
from us. A wonderful blend of fear
and excitement hits us.”We will see many more. From a view-
ing tower near the lake, we see dozens
right away, many charging into the
water for salmon at the first sight of
a fin. “It’s mesmerizing,” and “for
three hours we watch this classic life-
or-death struggle—salmon relentlessly
trying to reach their destination, bears
battling to snag precious protein to
get through the brutal winter.” As the bears
compete for fish, we begin silently rooting—
“never for the fish, always for the bears”—
usually backing the moms that are hunting
for their cubs. The bears pay us no mind,
but the guards watch us as we end a glori-
ous day with a swim in the 40-degree water.
A 10-day tour with Discovery Russia
( discovery russia.com) starts at $4,967.If there’s such a thing as Las Vegas the way
it used to be, you’ll find it 90 minutes to
the south, in Laughlin, said Rob Kachelreiss
in Thrillist.com. The unincorporated town
was created out of nothing just 55 years
ago, when founder Don Laughlin decided
to buy a tiny motel right on the Colorado
River at the southern tip of the state that’s
bordered by Arizona and California. Today
there are nine casinos in town, linked by
water taxis and all catering to return cus-
tomers who like it that little has changed
in a quarter-century. “It’s Middle America,
it’s Old West,” and it’s a place where a
visitor can gamble, have dinner, and see a
show without breaking the bank. Dining
options include Bumbleberry Flats, where
every booth has two self-serve beer taps,
and Losers’ Lounge, decorated with photos
of Tonya Harding, O.J. Simpson, et al. Don
Laughlin? He’s still around, too, living in the
penthouse of one of the riverfront casinos.Laughlin, Nev.
Brown bears hunt for salmon at Kurilskoye Lake.oughly filtered. But wash
your hands frequently,
disinfect your armrests
and tray table, and avoid
touching your face.Will I get a refund?
Most major airlines are
temporarily waiving
rescheduling fees for
passengers traveling
to regions affected by
the virus, including in the U.S. JetBlue is
even waiving cancellation fees for flights
through April 30. Many cruise lines are
offering full refunds or credits toward future
trips. Some hotel chains, including Marriott,
Hilton, and IHG, are waiving cancellation
and rebooking fees. Airbnb is being lenient,
too, offering full refunds for bookings made
on or before March 11 for travel between
March 13 and April 13. Most waivers
involve tight time frames, so act promptly if
you want to secure a refund.What about travel insurance?
Few trip-protection policies will reimburse
you if you back out of a trip just because
of worries about the Covid-19. You might
consider a “cancel for any reason” policy,
though, which costs more and pays out
less than basic insurance. Compare poli-
cies and rates at SquareMouth.com and
TravelInsurance.com. Sources: NYTimes.com and WSJ.comNew York’s quiet JFK Airport A mini Vegas on the Colorado River