January 2018

10 days, 9 nights in PERU. Departures June 4, July 30, Sept. 24 & Nov. 19, 2018. “Moderate” walking. Group, about 10. Highlights: From Lima, fly to Cusco/Sacred Valley/salt mines of Maras/train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu/return to Lima and fly to Iquitos/at Nauta, start Amazon cruise/Pacaya Samiria National Reserve/Clavero Lagoon. $7,795 ppdo. Single supp., $2,495. Internal air, $700 (may change). Natural Habitat Adventures (Boulder, CO; 800/543-8917, www.nathab.com).

56-day, 55-night tour by sea, air and rail, July 24-Sept. 18, 2018. Four back-to-back summer voyages plus short rail trips. Highlights: Embark ship in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia/through Newfoundland and Labrador for Gros Morne and Torngat national parks/in Nunavut territory, Baffin, Beechey and Devon islands, Prince Leopold Island bird sanctuary/in Northwest Passage, Victoria Island, Gibbs Fjord. From $55,000 ppdo. Ocean One Expeditions (38141 2nd Ave., Squamish, BC, CANADA; 604/390-4900, www.one oceanexpeditions.com).

13-day, 12-night rail tour aboard private Rovos Rail train (chartered by Lernidee Trains & Cruises), Aug. 22-Sept. 3, 2018. Highlights: In Zambezi National Park, ZIMBABWE, river cruise, Victoria Falls, board train/Hwange and Matobo national parks/in Bulawayo, natural-history and railroad museums/medieval city of Great Zimbabwe/in Maputo, MOZAMBIQUE, Casa do Ferro, Tunduru Botanical Gardens/Piggs Peak, SWAZILAND/in SOUTH AFRICA, Kapama Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Pretoria. Elephant-class, $5,995 ppdo or single, $8,995.

12-day, 11-night bus trip, Nov. 12-23, 2018. “Easy to moderate walking.” Highlights: From Tel Aviv, drive to birding sites along coast/Hula Nature Reserve, home to golden jackals, wild boars/Hula Agamon Park, home to cranes, eagles/Mount Hermon/Beit She’an Valley, home to black storks/Jerusalem Bird Observatory/Ein Gedi Reserve/Eilat Bird-Watching Park. $4,425 (12-15 people) or $4,675 (less than 12) ppdo. Single supp., $735. Sierra Club (Oakland, CA; 415/977-5522, www.sc.org/adventure-travel).

11-day, 10-night Aegean Sea gulet cruise in GREECE, May 11-21 & June 9-19, 2018. Highlights: Board at Santorini/Minoan Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri/on Ios, Homer’s tomb/Koufonisia/on Naxos, archaeological museum, temples of Dionysus and Demeter/on Delos, ancient Theatre Quarter, Sanctuary of Apollo/on Syros, Early Cycladic cemetery/Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion. $5,940 ppdo. Single supp., $3,995. Andante Travels (New York, NY; 888/331-3476, www.andantetravels.com).

7 days, 6 nights in ITALY, April 19-25 & Sept. 20-26, 2018. Led by historic-garden specialist. Highlights: Drive from Milan to Bellagio at Lake Como to visit 16th- to 18th-century villas/in Bisuschio, Villa Cicogna Mozzoni/Isola Bella island garden in Lake Maggiore/in Pallanza, Villa Taranto botanical gardens. £3,090 (near $4,145) ppdo; land only, £2,960 ($4,005). Single supp., £400 ($541). Martin Randall Travel (Washington, DC; 800/988-6168, www.martinrandall.com).

8-day, 7-night coach tour, Sept. 10-17, 2018. Group limit, 10. Highlights: Free day in Amsterdam/in Delft, Delft Blue Shop/in Giethoorn village, thatch-roofed houses, farm museum/in Bruges, BELGIUM, visit churches and shops, sample chocolates. $2,799-$2,999 per person, double occupancy (ppdo). Single supp., $599. Mike Ross Travel (Jackson, MI; 517/782-6847, www.mikerosstravel.com).

This month’s winner is PEGGY PARKER of Milwaukie, Oregon:

While standing in long lines at airport security and Customs for a very early flight from Guatemala, we noticed many locals carrying large takeout bags of fried chicken, to be eaten later on the plane.

As we boarded and were getting settled into our seats, we felt as if we had gone to a chicken franchise, due to the aroma in the plane.

Though it has long been stated that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon, this myth was debunked in 1969 by American astronaut Alan Bean, who reported that when his spacecraft was only a few thousand miles from Earth (the moon is about 230,000 miles distant), no trace of human building was visible. The Great Wall is not even visible from the International Space Station, orbiting 205 to 270 miles out, though the pyramids at Giza can be discerned.