April 2014

I recall having a memorable pedicure while in Vietnam a few years ago. I was on a private tour of Southeast Asia with four ladies, and we were staying at the Life Resort Hotel (now called Anantara Hôi An Resort, 1 Pham Hong Thai St., Hôi An Town, Quang Nam Province, 10000 Vietnam; phone +84 510 391 4555. Suites may start from $185, $203 or $350).

The hotel was a large property with park-like grounds and individual deluxe cottage suites. Our stay was comfortable in the extreme. 

While in Kathmandu, Nepal, in September ’13, I had a massage at the Club Nirvana spa in Hotel Yak & Yeti (GPO Box No. 1016, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal; phone +977 1 4248999. Rooms/suites, $240-$750 + tax). 

My hour-long shiatsu massage was a superb combination of therapeutic massage, stretching and gentle chiropractic movements. After two weeks with lots of stair climbing, it felt terrific. The cost was only $25. 

 As a single traveler, I read with great interest the article “Avoiding the Dreaded Single Supplement” in Lew Toulmin’s column “The Cruising World” (Jan. ’14, pg. 53). On the subject of single supplements, I’m always looking for any tips. Routinely, as in Mr. Toulmin’s article, these articles suggest matching up with someone of the same gender on a trip, whether a cruise or land tour. Really??

A picture I took of two young scarlet macaws appears in my article on Costa Rica (Dec. ’13, pg. 32). These birds had been raised and released by the ARA Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding the wild scarlet macaw population

“When on a cruise, reserve ahead the tours you feel you must take.” I know you have heard this before and so have we, but on a cruise my husband, David, and I took from Copenhagen, Denmark, up the coast of Norway (Oslo, Stavanger, Ålesund, Geiranger, Bergen and back to Copenhagen) in September ’12, we ignored this advice and missed out on a fjord cruise we had hoped to take. 

In Dorset, England, travelers may visit the thatched cottage where writer Thomas Hardy was born in 1840, as well as Max Gate, the Victorian home he designed and lived in for much of his life.

In 2014, the cottage and house are open March 12-Nov. 2. Cottage entry, £5.50 (near $9). Home entry, £6.50 ($11). Contact the National Trust (Higher Bockhampton, near Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8QJ, U.K.; phone +0844 800 1895).

by Marvin Herman; Delavan, WI

(Part one in a series)

Someone who travels a lot develops a preference for clothing that has certain properties, so we asked you to tell us about the apparel you pack and where you bought it. We wanted to know brand names, so shoppers can inquire about them in the mall or look them up online. And we asked you to give us the name of the store or company from which you purchased each item, including, if possible, its contact information (location, phone number or website). 

by Joyce Bruck; Ocean Ridge, FL

In her letter “Air Travel Tips”  (Jan. ’14, pg. 10), Ms. KT Porter could not have been more right about the value of being nice to airline agents.