September 2018

Near the Austrian border in Switzerland, a World War II-era Junker JU-52 plane carrying Swiss and Austrian tourists from Locarno across the Alps to Zürich crashed into a mountain on Aug. 5, killing all 20 people on board.

The cause of the crash was not known as of press time. Witnesses report that the plane crashed nose first. The plane's operating company, JU-Air, has ceased all of its flights until further notice. The plane did not have a black box, which will hamper investigations into the cause of the crash.

On its way to Mexico City, an Aeroméxico flight carrying 99 passengers and four crew crashed soon after takeoff from Durango, north-central Mexico, on July 31. Everyone survived the crash, with only two serious injuries reported.

According to authorities, a heavy gust of wind buffeted the plane, causing one of its wings to hit the ground. Many passengers were able to exit the plane immediately after the crash, with some waving down cars on the neighboring highway for assistance.

On Aug. 1 in Peru, locals protesting tourism forced a tourist train to stop on its way from Cuzco to Machu Picchu, causing a subsequent train arriving at the scene more than an hour later, operated by a different company, to rear-end the first train, injuring 15 people. The train companies provided transportation away from the scene for passengers.

The countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea, in Northeast Africa, had technically been at war since a 1998-2000 border conflict. On July 9 of this year, a "peace and friendship" agreement was signed by the countries, allowing border crossings for the first time since 1998. On July 18, an Ethiopian Airlines flight landed in Eritrea, the first flight between the two countries since 1998.

The US Department of State posts up-to-date travel advisories on every country and many territories, ranking each 1 (Exercise normal precautions), 2 (Exercise increased caution), 3 (Reconsider travel) or 4 (Do not travel). Note: A country's regions are also ranked, and may have different rankings than the country as a whole. Visit travel.state.gov and click on "Travel Advisories" at the top of the page.

This month's winner is MARY JENKINS of Santa Rosa, California:

5-day, 4-night culinary tour in FRANCE. Departs May 29, June 26, Sept. 11 & Oct. 2, 2019. Highlights: In Beaune, Maison Champy wine boutique/Citroën 2CV through Côte de Nuits/e-bike through Côte de Beaune vineyards/hands-on cooking experience in private home. From $4,395. Single supp., $700. Butterfield & Robinson (70 Bond St., 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, M5B 1X3, Canada; 866/551-9090, www.butterfield.com).

11-day, 10-night Arctic journey on Murman Railroad, June 1-11, 2019. Highlights: Night tour of Moscow, RUSSIA/in St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum, Neva River boat/in Pushkin, Catherine Palace/private train to Petrozavodsk/Kizhi Island/Solovetsky Islands/in Murmansk, Soviet submarine K-21 museum/in Kirkenes, NORWAY, mountain hike/Oslo. $3,960-$9,140 (per cabin type) ppdo. Single supp., $500-$4,990. Great Dane Journeys (Milton, NY; 855/702-4986, cell 917/282-2305, www.greatdanejourneys.com).

14 days, 12 nights. Through May 2019. Highlights: In Delhi, Red Fort, Khari Baoli spice bazaar, Raj Ghat memorial, Humayun's Tomb/in Agra, Taj Mahal, marble market/from Jaipur, 4x4 ride to Amber Fort/Ladli vocational center for homeless children/fly to Kathmandu, Nepal, for Durbar Square, "Monkey Temple"/Bhaktapur/Patan. From LAX or SFO, $1,799-$2,249 (JFK, $100 more), or, land only, $1,399-$1,599 ppdo (per dates). Single supp., from $599. World Spree (Bellevue, WA; 866/652-5656, www.worldspree.com).

"NAWAM PERAHERA FESTIVAL" — 13 days, 12 nights in SRI LANKA, Feb. 18-March 2, 2019. Group limit, 10. Highlights: In Colombo, Sea Street, Kelaniya Temple, Nawam Perahera pageant/Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala/Dambulla cave temple/Sigiriya/Kandy artisans/Aukana/gardens at Peradeniya/Nuwara Eliya/safari in Yala (or Ruhunu) Nat'l Park, home to leopards, elephants/Dutch city of Galle. From $2,695 ppdo. Single supp., $755. Ceylon Express International (Huntington Beach, CA; 800/423-9566, www.ceylonexpress.com).