TRAVEL WATCH: MARCH 13, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 10

Hot Tip

	ALSO IN TIME
	Who You Gonna Call When Disaster Strikes? You may face graver dangers than spilling noodles on your lap. Where should you turn? Detour A rarely used consonant is suddenly one of most popular letters of the Roman alphabet in Bangkok: Q Hot Tip The sandy capital of the United Arab Emirates hosts its annual shopping extravaganza

FILM FEST Hong Kong's Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival--the only one of its kind in Asia--returns on March 8. The festival offers a variety of films, ranging from big-budget features such as Bill Condon's Gods and Monsters, starring Ian McKellan and Brendan Fraser, to smaller Asian works like Filipino director Mel Chionglo's Burlesk King. The festival runs until March 31. Call (852) 2582-0288 for information.

SHOP OVER DUBAI, the sandy capital of the United Arab Emirates and a popular stopover on flights between Asia and Europe, hosts its annual shopping extravaganza in March. And it's not just about deep discounts at duty-free stores. To lure global commuters off the aircraft and into the city, the government and local businesses have created an entertaining package of children's events, fashion shows, nightly fireworks, concerts and film festivals. The biggest event of the spending pageant is the Dubai World Cup--the world's richest horse race, with a $12 million purse--which takes place on March 25.