Travelers' Intercom
AAnytime awards costlier than MileSAAver
As every frequent flyer knows, trips can be hard to book using your miles because the few seats on each flight that can be purchased with miles sell out quickly. Savvy frequent flyers book on the first date that the flight they want becomes available, which, in general practice, is 330 days before the flight.
Allow time to transit Paris’ CDG
My partner and I departed the Rome airport (FCO) for Seattle (SEA), with a one-hour layover at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) along the way, on Sept. 25, 2015.
Hotel New Otani in Tokyo
I spent four nights in Tokyo in July 2015 on my annual world trip. After collecting my checked bag from the carousel at Narita International Airport, I walked into the lobby, where there are signs for different types of transportation. I wanted the Friendly Bus (yes, that’s its name).
‘Caspian Odyssey’ train tour
The South Caucasus and Central Asia are not common tourist destinations, even though the area has been traversed by many conquerors and is along the old Silk Road.
Amanjiwo on Java
It was way back in 1999 when my wife, son and I stayed in central Java, Indonesia, at the resort Amanjiwo (https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanjiwo), the best Aman property we have ever visited and one of the best splurges for the money that we’ve ever experienced (room rates now run $847-$3,872). 
Cuba cruise report
In my letter “Heading to Cuba by Cruise Ship” (Sept. ’15, pg. 12), I discussed the plans my wife, Patti, and I made for a cruise to Cuba in January 2016.
John’s Yellow Cab in Athens
There were four of us who wanted to take several taxi trips in Athens, Greece, over three days in mid-October 2015 before heading to our ship to embark on a cruise. The taxi service we hired was John’s Yellow Cab (phone +30 694 447 5706, www.athens-taxi.net).
Praise for City Maps 2 Go
After reading about an Apple app called OffMaps² in a subscriber’s article (“A Self-Drive Tour of Croatia Plus A Cruise Along the Dalmatian Coast,” Aug. ’15, pg.
Cemeteries Worth a Visit - Simian cemetery, Ghana
The most memorable cemetery I have visited is not for humans but for monkeys. It is located within the confines of the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, near the city of Techiman in central Ghana.
Felt safe in Egypt, Jordan
My wife, Nancy, and I took the “Egypt & the Nile Tour with Jordan Extension,” Jan.12-29, 2016, with Go Ahead Tours (Cambridge, MA; 800/597-0350, www.goaheadtours.com).
Best use for travel photos?
My wife, Ann, and I have traveled to more than 100 countries. For the first 90 of those countries we took pictures with film, keeping records of where we were, the number of each roll of film, the date, etc.
Currencies in Cuba
My wife, Bonnie, and I returned from a trip to Cuba in January 2016. If you are an American planning to visit, take US dollars with you, and the communist government there wants them to be new, clean and pristine.
Expo, hotel and museum in Milan
The theme of 2015’s world’s fair and exposition, Expo Milano 2015, held May 1-Oct. 31 in northern Italy, was “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” (Dec. ’14, pg. 14).
London plus the Seine with Tauck
The following are impressions of the 14-day tour “Cruising the Seine plus Versailles, Paris & London – Southbound” that my wife, Kathy, and I took with Tauck (Norwalk, CT; 800/468-2825, www.tauck.com), July 11-24, 2015.
Day tours from Melbourne & Tauranga
My wife and I took two day tours worth recommending. • While in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 10, 2015, prior to a cruise on the Golden Princess, we (along with four friends) took a 7-hour trip to the Healesville Sanctuary (www.zoo.org.au/healesville) in the Yarra Valley.
Integration at Western Wall
At the Western (or Wailing) Wall in Jerusalem, men and women soon will be allowed to worship together in a designated space. In addition, at the wall, women will be allowed to lead prayers and wear religious clothing traditionally meant for men.
St. Petersburg with Dancing Bear
For two days of sightseeing in St. Petersburg, Russia, in September 2015 before I started a cruise to Moscow, I used Dancing Bear Tours (Prospekt Kosmonavtov 15A-6H, St. Petersburg, Russia 196211; phone +7 812 379 26 33, https://dancing-bear-tours.com), which advertises in ITN’s Mart.
Penguins in Vietnam
The 20-day tour of Vietnam that my wife, Barbara, and I took in May 2015 with Vietnam Royal Tourism (HH3 Bldg., Level 5, Me Tri Road, Tu Liem, Hanoi, Vietnam; phone +84 4 2242 5892, www.vietnamroyaltourism.com) was our second visit to that country. Our first was in 2012, also with Vietnam Royal Tourism.
Guide in Cape Town
My husband and I visited Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2015. Since we had only 3½ days in this beautiful city, our time was at a premium, so we hired Emmy Levin (phone +27 082 810 6386 or email emmylevin@mweb.co.za), a licensed tour guide, to show us the highlights for two full days.