The subject of credit card fees? It’s definitely highly charged

The “Credit Card Fee Game” [May 20, Money Matters, by Catharine Hamm) made me think of two peeves of mine, one longstanding and one brand new:

— I go to Mexico several times a year. Even though Citigroup owns Banamex, I still get charged a hefty fee for getting pesos at a Banamex ATM using my Citibank ATM card. Grrr.

— My United Airlines MileagePlus Explorer Visa card has a hefty annual fee, but at least the 10,000 bonus miles I get for spending at least $25,000 per year almost completely pays for the annual fee.

However, the card company recently notified me that the 10,000 bonus miles benefit will be disappearing. Grrr.

Even though I fly United frequently and use this card as my main one, I hate fees, and I may not keep it after this year.

Rodney Hoffman

Montecito Heights

A Real quick arrival

In re: “Before You Drive Off...” [May 20, On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm], I received my California Real ID in four days.

I took my test and new photo at the Department of Motor Vehicles at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, and the license arrived in Saturday’s 5 p.m. mail. This was at the beginning of April.

M.A. Steinberger

Tujunga

French strikes

I recently returned from Europe, where our trip was almost scuttled due to a rail strike in France. Fortunately, we found out in time to book a flight to our next destination.

This is the fifth time in 12 years that a French work stoppage has affected our travels — two involving trains and three Air France. We are not alone, if you listen to other travelers.

French labor laws and unions, or the lack thereof, expose the traveler to unpredictable changes that do not plague the remainder of the Western world. This appears to be a well-kept secret, but it is real.

Fortunately, we have seen enough of France (which we like); future travels will be elsewhere. The travel world should expose this problem.

Michael Miller

Los Angeles

SloCal in San Diego County

I enjoyed Blake Snow’s article “A SloCal Road Trip Gives You a Geographic, Climatological Super Sampler” (online, May 20), but felt the need to clarify one point. Snow writes, “Unlike both Northern and Southern California, SloCal provides access to four of California’s most iconic geographies: coastline, mountain, valley and desert.”

Southern California provides incredible opportunities to experience these four geographies. In San Diego County alone, you could visit the shores of La Jolla, the picturesque wine country of San Pasqual Valley, towering Palomar Mountain with its conifers, winter snowfall and a world-famous observatory, and wrap up your day among the cactus and spring wildflowers in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Catherine Jain

Carlsbad

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