October 2008

There are many types of travelers. Some, like me, are planners.

During a short stay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in March ’07, my travel partner, Frank, and I took a private tour to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre. The reserve cares for homeless elephants and relocates elephants from areas where crops, people or the beasts themselves are at risk.

While in Bangkok preparing to head for Singapore, I found the tour on the Internet offered by Endemic Guides (No. 40, Jalan 8/20, Section 8, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia; phone +6 03 55123012, www.endemicguides.com), which specializes in travel to nature destinations.

by Frank & Judy Pease, Ottawa, KS

Having been on many ocean cruises, here are some thoughts following a cruise-tour my wife, Helen, and I took with Viking River Cruises (Woodland Hills, CA; 800/304-9616). On the “Grand European Tour,” we traveled from Amsterdam to Budapest, June 10-24, 2007.

In the Pantanal area of Brazil, the abundance and diversity of the vegetation and wildlife are spectacular. Our trip, Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 2007, was timed to take advantage of the dry season (June to November).

My husband, Al, and I had our trip arranged by Open Door Tour Operator (Rua Alan Kardec, 87, Galeria Maria Auxiliadora, Sala 4, CEP 79008-330, Campo Grande - MS, Brazil; phone +55 67 3321 8303, fax 3384 6763, www.opendoortur.com.br). All transactions were handled by e-mail, with questions answered in a quick, professional manner.

Here are notes from our 17-day “Egypt and the Eternal Nile” tour, Feb. 22-March 9, 2008, from Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA). The cost from New York was $8,210 for two.

What set our 19-day Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765, www.odysseys-unlimited.com) tour of China apart from similar itineraries of other companies was our tour’s director, Ms. Wang Ping.

From our first evening in Beijing to our final trip to the Shanghai airport via the maglev, Ping was with us. She was charming, conscientious, extremely well organized, funny, caring and patient. Ping leads several Odysseys tours a year in China, including Tibet.

My husband, Steve, and I took a 2-week safari through Kenya and Tanzania, March 27-April 15, 2008, with Masai Travel, Inc. (800/587-1644, www.masaitravel.com), which advertises in ITN from time to time.

I cannot say enough about the trip, including the accommodations (each of the Serena lodges was unique), the food and the itinerary, not to mention the guides and the extent they went to to enable us to get up close and personal with the animals.

My husband, Ed, and I took a wonderful 25-day tour to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan with Baraka Journeys (South Pasadena, CA; 626/570-1700, www.barakajourneys.com), April 13-May 7, 2008.

The cost was $5,980 each plus international airfare. This included everything, even drinks, all tips and a Lonely Planet guidebook as well as a hotel room and dinner in Frankfurt on the way over.

We felt safe at all times. People were very friendly. We were asked a couple of times why no Americans visited anymore.

The ms Tolstoy was our home for a wonderful 2-week adventure in Russia with Amadeus Waterways (Chatsworth, CA; 800/626-0126, www.amadeuswaterways.com).