In Munich, Germany, the BMW Museum (Am Olympiapark 2; phone +49 [0] 180 2 118822, www.bmw-museum.com) reopened on June 19 after four years of redesign and construction. Located next to BMW World, it is closed Mondays. €12 ($19) adult.
In Malmö, Sweden, the Malmö Card gives more than 800 discounts on attractions, shopping, dining and guided tours as well as free admission to the Malmöhus Castle and other sites. Free parking, bus transport and more are included.
Good for one adult and two children under 16, each card is available in one, 2- and 3-day increments and can be bought at tourist offices, hotels and camping sites. The cost for a 24-hour card is SEK130 (approx. $21); for 48 hours, SEK160 ($26), and 72 hours, SEK190 ($31). Visit www.malmo.se.
In Kyoto, Japan, the 80-member Good Samaritan Club (www.geocities.jp/kyoto_samaritan) provides free day tours in English. Comprised of college students studying international communication, the club was established in 1961.
To book a tour, e-mail samaritan-reservation@h.vodafone.ne.jp or call 090 6684 0167 from noon to 1 p.m. or 5 to 6 p.m., Japan time.
Include in your message your name, the gender, nationality and age of each participant, the name and phone number of your hotel and any special requests.
On a 2-day/one-night “low-intensity” bike tour in Thailand, ride in Khao Yai Park (with a short jungle trek) and through Asoke Valley to two wineries for tastings. Day two, bike to a restaurant, then back to the resort for a swim before the 2-hour drive back to Bangkok.
Departs every Saturday. 6,750 baht (near $209); single supplement, 900 baht ($27). Spice Roads (14/1-B Soi Promsi 2, Sukhumvit 39, Klongtan Nua, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand 10110; phone 66 02 712 5305, fax 5306, www.spiceroads.com).
There are many low-cost campgrounds in Belize.
The Boat Yard (San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize; phone 011 501 226 3245 or 501 600 2262, http://ambergriscaye.com/camping) is a private campground that is a 10-minute walk from downtown San Pedro. Camping on a private beach costs $7.50 including tent rental, $5 without.
European Boating Holidays (86 Averyville Lane, Lake Placid, NY, 12946; 866/606-5278, www.europeanboatingholidays.co.uk or call a travel agent) offers self-drive boating vacations in the waterways of France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy and Poland. No experience necessary — training is provided. All boats have fully equipped kitchens and entertainment systems.
In Australia, the Oz Tracks Pass allows six months of travel on the trains The Ghan, Indian Pacific and The Overland. Costing AU$690 (near US$606), the pass can be used to explore cities such as Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin and Melbourne.
Contact Great Southern Railway (Ground Floor, 422 King William St., Adelaide, S.A., Australia; phone 13 21 47, www.oztrackspass.com.au).
In Zambia, the visa requirements no longer will be waived for tourists traveling with a tour group, and visa costs have increased.
The multiple-entry (3-year) visa is the only one offered to U.S. tourists, and it costs $135. U.K. travelers pay £75 for a single- or £240 for a double/multiple-entry visa (each valid three months). All other nationals pay $50 for a single-, $80 for a double- or $160 a multiple-entry visa (three months each).
Purchase your Heathrow Express ticket online at www.heathrowexpress.com, print it out at home (or at the hotel) or have the bar code sent to your mobile phone, then board the train straightaway; you do not have to stop at the desk or at the ticket machine. The bar code will be scanned on board.
The online fare for a one-way Express-class trip is £14.50. The train leaves every 15 minutes for the 15- to 20-minute ride from Paddington station to London Heathrow Airport.
To reduce the overall delays at security gates, the Transportation Security Administration (www.tsa.gov) has started a system of Diamond Self-Select security screening lanes at select U.S. airports.
Travelers decide if they are “Expert” travelers (need minimal screening or assistance), “Casual” travelers (know the procedures but have multiple items needing screening) or “Family/Special Assistance” (need more time or help).
The new lanes are marked with signage similar to ski resorts: black diamond for expert, blue for experienced and green for beginners.