Travelers' Intercom
Rome by golf cart with Gioia
My husband has some mobility issues, tiring easily, which means he cannot do a full day of walking and touring, so our visit to Rome on Oct. 25, 2015, was a challenge to plan, that is, until I discovered the possibility of touring Rome by golf cart.
‘Roots’ search in Poland, Germany
Reading Fred Kranz’s article “In Search of Family History in Poland and Belarus” (Feb. ’16, pg. 32) immediately brought me back to the independent trip my husband and I took to Poland and Germany in August 2002.
Black Sea to Rhine valley with Vantage
I took the “Grand European River Cruise – Black Sea to Rhine River Valley,” plus a pre-cruise option in Transylvania, with Vantage Deluxe World Travel (Boston, MA; 888/514-1845; www.vantagetravel.com). I flew from Miami, Florida, to Bucharest, Romania, on Oct.
London holiday transit disruptions
London is a popular destination during the Christmas holidays and deservedly so. My wife, Paula, and I flew out of Charlotte on Dec. 25, 2015, arriving at London’s Heathrow airport on Dec. 26, and we returned from London on Jan. 1, 2016.
Travel: ‘It’s about the people’
I enjoy reading ITN travelers’ stories and have noticed that they tend to provide the useful and practical details of itineraries, costs, pros/cons, etc. I find, however, that no matter how you travel, the most rewarding experience can be the people you meet and, in many cases, make friends with.
‘Still doing journals’
I grew up military, and my parents were very insistent that I keep a journal of all our travels. Since we had 21 moves in 13 years, I wrote a lot!
Airfarewatchdog
I swear by Airfarewatchdog (www.airfarewatchdog.com). It has brought up many a fare that I would not otherwise have known about.
Ins and outs of connecting flights
In the letter “Allow Time to Transit Paris’ CDG” (April ’16, pg. 15), a subscriber expressed surprise that, with only one hour between flights, he missed his connecting flight out of Charles de Gaulle Airport.
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.
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.