What not to say

This item appears on page 54 of the July 2011 issue.

Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the United States.) There are no restrictions on length. The ITN staff will choose each month’s winner, who will receive a free one-year subscription to ITN. Entries not chosen cannot be acknowledged.

This month’s winner is CYNTHIA S. THOMPSON of Hanover, NH:

What not to say to a traveler — Before I left on a cruise aboard the Aegean Odyssey with Voyages to Antiquity, my friend Ann and I met for lunch. As we hugged each other upon parting, she wished me a good journey by saying, “I hope your trip goes swimmingly!”