Q and A
LEAD:  Turkey
Turkey
Question: My wife and I are interested in taking an archeological tour of Turkey, visiting: Istanbul, Troy, Assos, Pergamum, Sardis, Ephesus, Labranda, Priene, Didyma, Lycia and Pamukkale. Which agency should we contact? - M. E. B., Houston
Answer: A 21-day tour of western Turkey that goes to most of the places named is scheduled by Archeological Tours (30 East 42d Street, New York, N.Y. 10017; 212-986-3054) on Sept. 22. (Archeological Tours is also doing a similar trip, leaving this week.) Omitted are Assos, near Troy, and Labranda, a mountain site that can be reached only by Jeep. After the flight to Ankara, the tour goes to the Hittite center at Bogazkoy, through Cappadocia and to Didyma, Ephesus, Troy and other Greek cities of Asia Minor before heading for Istanbul, where the last four days, with more touring, are spent. The return flight is from Istanbul. The tour will be led by Mattanyah Zohar, an archeologist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem who grew up in Turkey and speaks both English and Turkish fluently. The price of $2,260 (plus about $1,000 for round-trip air fare from New York) includes hotels, almost all meals, all sightseeing, including museums, tour bus and tipping.
The company, which has 22 archeological tours to various parts of the world this year, is doing a 21-day tour of eastern Turkey, departing June 12, and also led by Mr. Zohar. The company points out that tourist facilities in eastern Turkey are not well developed, that this is a strenuous trip and that only travelers willing to accept some discomforts should consider going.
A 16-day program, starting and ending in Istanbul, that includes all the sites mentioned, except Labranda, is available with Pacha Tours, 20 East 49th Street, New York, N.Y. 10017; 212-355-5141 or, out of state, 800-722-4288. There is a tour every month through October, and local guides are provided. But there will be two tours, in June and September, led by Kermit Goell, an expert who has worked on excavations at ancient Turkish sites. Mr. Goell is the brother of the late archeologist, Theresa M. Goell. The land price, with three meals a day included, is $1,990 a person, double occupancy. Round-trip fare from New York to Istanbul is $939 to $1,049.
Pacha, a branch of a Turkish company, will also arrange an independent tour tailored to individual needs. Transportation is by car with either a driver-guide or a driver and guide, and a flight from Istanbul to Smyrna can also be included.  Rafting in Idaho
Question: Can you list the outfitters that have rafting vacations on the Salmon River in Idaho? -G. T. B., Mineola, L.I.
Answer: There are probably two dozen river runners, or outfitters, who operate three- to six-day trips on the Salmon. Travelers can get details of these outfitters and many others in Idaho by writing for a free copy of Idaho Outdoor Experiences, a 144-page directory. It is published by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, Post Office Box 95, Boise, Idaho 83701. The directory lists not only raft outfits but also those doing jet boating, canoeing, kayaking, trail riding, fishing and other activities. Some offer packages that link river trips with riding and staying on guest ranches and various other combinations.  Driving Abroad
Question: Do you know of any book or pamphlet that lists driving requirements and laws in Western Europe? - T. D., Anaheim, Calif.
Answer: Perhaps the most helpful book is the 'A.A.A. Europe Travel Guide' ($8.95), which is among the American Automobile Association publications that is available to nonmembers; not all of them are. The 590-page guide is not limited to information for drivers but combines practical details on a country-by-country basis with driving regulations and tips about gasoline, parking and car rentals. It also gives guidance on major tunnels and passes, and it includes Eastern as well as Western Europe. The book is sold by local auto clubs affiliated with the A.A.A. and at some bookstores, including the Complete Traveller Bookstore in New York (212-685-9007).
A booklet called the European International Road Sign System, which shows the 150 or so international road signs, in color, with explanations of what they mean, can be had by sending $2 to the International Road Federation, 525 School Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024. The federation encourages the construction of good roads. The booklet is also available at A.A.A. clubs, though it is usually issued only to members, who get it free.
Bookstores specializing in travel say they know of no book devoted entirely to advice on driving in Europe, but 'Travel Key Europe' has 25 pages on the subject. Along with hints on such topics as telephones, laundry and value added tax refunds, this book has a driving section that includes the international road signs (in black and white) and information on the rules of the road, speed limits, avoiding speed traps, and seat-belt and parking regulations. The 1988 edition ($10.95) is coming out this month, and the Traveller's Bookstore in New York (212-664-0995) is among shops that will sell it. 'Travel Key Europe,' which is published by Travel Keys (Post Office Box 160691, Sacramento, Calif. 95816; 916-452-5200), covers 33 countries in both Western and Eastern Europe.
It also includes notes on buying and renting used vans, which the author, Peter Manston, says constitute a busy market among some visitors to Europe, particularly Australians, but also a sprinkling of Americans, who want a sleep-aboard vehicle.  Polish Pass
Question: Is there such a thing as a pass for traveling around Poland by train? - J. H. K., Chicago
Answer: Yes, there is a Polrail tourist pass allowing unlimited travel by train. An 8-day pass costs $72 for first-class, $48 in second; a 15-day pass is $84 in first; $56, second. The pass can be purchased at the Orbis Polish Travel Bureau (500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10110; 212-391-0844) or, with American dollars, in Poland. Orbis is a Polish-American tour company.