Hidden Afghan art on worldwide tour

In 2003, Afghanistan's National Museum sat empty with no roof or windows. A year later, 228 Afghan artifacts were recovered from a vault under the presidential palace in Kabul.

And today, those artifacts are part of a traveling exhibit on display at Washington's National Gallery of Art through Sept. 7. Then the exhibit moves to San Francisco's Asian Art Museum from Oct. 24 to Jan. 25, then on to Houston and New York.

The artifacts, dating from 2,200 B.C. to 200 A.D., include gold bowls, bronze and stone sculptures, and painted glassware. They were found inside two sealed storerooms in the palace, where workers at Kabul's National Museum hid them from the Taliban, said curator Fredrik Hiebert.

— Bloomberg News

Big Island for a steal

Budget travel and Hawaii don't often land in the same sentence, which is why this hot deal from Pleasant Holidays is a can't miss.

For $789 per person, you get two round-trip flights on United out of San Francisco International, five nights at Uncle Billy's Hilo Bay Hotel on Banyan Drive and an economy rental car. The rental car is free if you book before July 31 for travel between Sept. 7 and Dec. 15.

Note: Uncle Billy's Hilo Bay Hotel is a two-star property, not a Hawaiian resort, but it is located on the ocean in a garden setting.

For more information,

— Ann Tatko-Peterson

Gouged at pump? Not with Hertz

Hertz has reduced the refueling fee for customers who don't choose the prepay option and then return the car rental without filling the tank.

Hertz will charge the market price for gas in the area, plus a $6.99 processing fee. The company also will discount the market price of gas by 15 cents per gallon for those who choose to prepay for a full tank. That's a big savings when you consider most rental companies are charging $7.99 per gallon for refills.

This new Hertz policy is in effect at all corporate locations and at participating licensee locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. Travelers should confirm the refueling rate when picking up the car to be sure the new policy applies to their rental.

— Dallas Morning News

Staycation special

Trying to find day trip ideas that make the most of the Bay Area ferry docks? Check out "25 Fun Ferry Outings."

Excursions include touring the USS Potomac and Lightship Relief near the Oakland ferry dock at Jack London Square; ride a cable car from the San Francisco Ferry Building to the Cable Car Museum and then Fisherman's Wharf to catch the ferry back; or tour and taste Rosenblum wines and Hangar One Vodka near the Alameda ferry dock.

The downloadable 10-page guide is available at www.eastbayferry.com/25funferryoutings/.

— Ann Tatko-Peterson

National Parks more accessible to disabled

The National Park Service has launched a Web site for visitors with disabilities and other special needs to help them find accessible trails, programs and activities at national parks. The Web site is www.nps.gov/pub.—aff/access/index.htm.

— Associated Press

More than just Holy Ground

Sacred places aren't just about Native American locations, New Age sanctuaries or even religious spots. "Sacred Places North America: 108 Destinations" (Consortium of Collective Consciousness, $19.95) includes prayer wheels, ancient stone tablets, holy summits, prehistoric mounds, UFO landing strips, lost cities and the like found throughout Canada and the United States. The expanded second edition features 39 maps and 16 pages of color photography, with places arranged geographically.

The book details the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Walden Pond in Massachusetts, Graceland in Tennessee and the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. in Georgia.

— Chicago Tribune

Local talks and events

n "Extraordinary Adventures for the Seasoned Traveler: Hiking, Rafting, Sea Kayaking & More" — 7 p.m. July 22, REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. A slide show and discussion with author and psychologist Don Mankin. 510-527-4140.