Travelers' Intercom
Unwind at Japan’s onsens
I have visited Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, for 21 straight years. (That streak ended this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) Based on my experience, the main selling points of Japan, as I see them, are… • No tipping. Again, NO tipping.
Regional JR Passes
I have not found the full Japan Rail Pass to be cost effective for my trips, as I travel slowly. Instead of the main pass, good on Japan Rail trains for the whole country, I’d like to mention that rail passes are also available just for sections of the JR network.
Travel books
Hop aboard the fabled Orient Express train. Pedal the route of the famous Tour de France bicycle race. Explore the colorful canals and history-rich streets of Venice.
The ‘magic’ of postcards
I truly enjoyed Rick Steves’ recollections of staying in touch via postcards while traveling on a budget in the 1970s (June ’20, pg. 32).
Recommended driver in Morocco
I have been traveling for decades. I’ve gone with small groups rarely and at times with a few special friends, learning to spread our wings and do what we wanted on a journey.
Visiting Melbourne, Sydney and more
My husband, Josip, and I headed to Australia in late January 2020. This was my fourth visit and Josip’s first.
Report rental problems to booking site first
I reserved an apartment in Antwerp, Belgium, for July 2019 through the short-term-rentals website Vrbo.com. The apartment I booked was owned and operated by Smartflats, a Belgian “aparthotels” company.
Benefits of a Japan Rail Pass
On almost all of the 6-week, twice-yearly trips to Japan that my husband, Clyde, and I have been making for the last eight years, and on annual visits beginning in November 1999, we have found the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass) to be a no-brainer money saver.
Regent cruise curtailed
To celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, my wife, Anne, and I signed up for the “2020 World Cruise – Navigate the World,” Jan. 5-May 17, with Regent Seven Seas Cruises (844/473-4968, www.rssc.com).