July 2008

by Edward Lifset, Oceanside, CA

You don’t have to be in Cairo very long to realize that the traffic is horrendously congested.

An alternative to taking the expensive flight from Aswan, Egypt, to Abu Simbel is going by minivan with a driver and guide.

Should you happen to be anticipating spending a few days in Kuala Lumpur, we can recommend the services of Alwaha Tours (No. 1, Jalan Cempaka SD12/4D, Bandar Sri Damansara 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; phone +6012 309 8388, fax 03 6275 7689, www.alwahatours.com) for sightseeing within the city and the surrounding areas.

My husband, Don, and I found them on the Internet, an English-speaking woman named Azorah answered all of our e-mailed questions promptly, and we used their services on our visit to the city, Feb. 28-March 1, 2008.

In Tbilisi, Georgia, in February ’08 I had the best personal guide I have ever had: Anna Uturgauri (Str. R. Eristavi 9, Apt. 1, Tbilisi, 0179 Georgia; e-mail annau@caucasus.net).

My sister, Judy, and I agreed that July ’07 was the right time for us to tour the land of our paternal grandparents: Norway.

Four of us were scheduled to depart Sydney, Australia, March 9, 2008, on a month-long cruise. However, on Jan. 9 one member of our party suddenly died.

My husband, Steven, and I took the 10-day “Life in Japan” tour, May 13-22, 2007, with General Tours. The cost was $6,328 for both of us, including one extra day in Tokyo, another in Kyoto and the optional tour to Nikko. We purchased airfare separately.

Experienced river cruise travelers, we took the 12-day Ukraine trip “Footsteps of the Cossacks” on the Viking Lavrinenkov with Viking River Cruises, Sept. 24-Oct. 6, 2007.

The cost was about $2,900 without airfare, and we also had several discounts given at different times. Most shore excursions were included, the exceptions being concerts, wine tasting, etc.

by Glenna Lybrand, Mount Ida, Arkansas