Travel Tidbits

Online at www.airtreks.com, Airtreks (San Francisco, CA; 877/247-8735) will plot and plan your round-the-world trip for free, giving you the latest prices and best routes to take. — CLAUDIA REED, Las Vegas, NV

We liked Lviv, the capital of western Ukraine. Just over 50 miles from the Polish border, it has, like Poland, been overrun by foreigners for centuries. The effects of this are seen in its assortment of architectural styles. Before WWII, the population was about 50% Polish; today, almost all of the million or so residents are Ukrainian. I would like to return to this city. We stayed at the old Hotel George (1 Mickiewicz Square; phone 38 032-2-725952) — big room, high ceilings and strongly recommended. (In 2007, double rooms $44-$121.) — RALPH T. WELSH, Benicia, CA

There are few places in the world where the sheer vastness can evoke such awe as the Deception Pan in the middle of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. The incredible sunsets alone set this place apart. It sees few visitors any time of year, especially when we went, October, when it’s very hot. — ROBERT G. JUHRE, Kettle Falls, WA