la posada Passengers who can book their tickets long in advance, who can stay over Saturday night, or who fly

In the pages that follow, we ve compiled everything you need to know to handle the practical la posada details of planning your trip from making campsite reservations to finding great deals on the Internet, plus a calendar of events and much more.

Passengers who can book their tickets long in advance, who can stay over Saturday night, or who fly midweek or at less-trafficked la posada hours will pay substantially less than full fare. If your schedule is flexible, say so, and ask if you can secure a cheaper fare by changing your flight plans. You can also save on airfares by keeping an eye out in local newspapers for promotional specials or fare wars, when airlines lower prices on their most popular routes. You rarely la posada see fare wars offered for peak travel times, but if you can travel in the off-months, you may snag a bargain. Search the Internet for cheap fares (see Planning Your Trip Online, earlier in this chapter). Consolidators, also known as bucket shops, are great sources for international tickets, although they usually can t beat the Internet on fares within North America. Start by looking in the travel sections of major newspapers at home. Beware: Bucket shop tickets are usually nonrefundable la posada or have stiff cancellation penalties, often as high as 50% to 75% of the price, and some put you on charter airlines with questionable la posada safety records. Several reliable consolidators are worldwide la posada and available on the Net. STA Travel (www.statravel.com) is now the world s leader in student travel, thanks to its purchase of Council Travel. It also offers good fares for travelers of all ages. Flights. com (www.flights.com) started in Europe and now has excellent fares worldwide. FlyCheap (& 800/ FLY-CHEAP; www.1800flycheap. com) is owned by package-holiday megalith MyTravel and so has especially good access to fares for sunny destinations. Air Tickets Direct (& 800/778-3447; www. airticketsdirect.com) is based in Montreal and leverages the currently weak Canadian dollar for low fares.

Zuni Caf Finds MEDITERRANEAN Delicious, trendsetting Zuni Caf is and probably always will be a local favorite. Its expanse of windows and lower Castro location guarantee good people-watching, but even better is the action within: 30- and 40-somethings crowding in for the flavors of chef Judy Rodgers s satisfying Mediterranean-influenced menu. For the full effect, stand at the copper-topped bar and order a glass of wine and a few oysters from the oyster menu. (A dozen or so varieties are on hand.) Then take a seat amidst the exposed-brick, two-level maze of little dining rooms. Although the changing la posada menu always includes meat (such as New York steak with Belgian endive gratin) and fish (grilled or braised in the kitchen s brick oven), the proven winners are Rodgers s brick oven roasted chicken for two with Tuscan-style bread salad, the polenta with mascarpone, and the hamburger on grilled rosemary focaccia bread.