Self-Guided Tour

My husband, Mike, and I began our May 17-June 2, 2015, trip to Europe with a visit to Warsaw, Poland, a city we had long wanted to visit because of its history in World War II and the Communist aftermath. 

Using the Internet and Rick Steves’ guidebook “Snapshot – Kraków, Warsaw and Gdansk” (2015, Avalon Travel Publishing — $13.99), we planned our 3-night stay at Mamaison Hotel Le Regina Warsaw (Koscielna 12, 00-218 Warsaw, Poland; phone +48 22 531 60 00, www.mamaison.com/warsaw-leregina-hotel.html), emailing the hotel.

The trip to Portugal that my wife, Yuki, and I took in August 2014 might not have been as exotic as some of our past vacations, but we met some really nice folks and ate some interesting food.

As part of a March 2014 South American adventure, which included several days in Santiago, Chile, and a cruise from the city of Valparaíso to Los Angeles, my wife, Judy, and I spent six nights on Easter Island (called Rapa Nui by its residents and Isla de Pascua by Chileans). 

An assist to travel clothing is my cheap clothing dryer. You’ll need an over-the-door clothes hanger holder that will take about four hangers; three or four plastic clothes hangers; a plastic garment bag, and a hair dryer (sometimes supplied by the hotel/B&B).

• Wash the clothing in a sink and rinse it well.

• Place the damp clothing in a towel, then roll up the towel and twist it to soak up the moisture. (A cotton towel works best.)