Travelers' Intercom

The red, blue and white stickpins mark places particular travelers have been or lived. Photos by Chuck Adams

I do not know of anyone who travels who does not want to share their stories about their experiences. My wife and I have created a simple and effective display that shows our travels and prompts questions from visitors.

We purchased a world map, mounted it on a half-inch-thick foam board that accepts the pins easily, then framed it with readily available finished molding and hung it by the stairway in our house. The map is the kind readily available from National Geographic or other...

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My first World Expo exposure was Expo 67 in Montreal, Québec, but I became an inveterate fan after attending HemisFair ’68 in San Antonio, Texas, and Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan.

Held every two to three years, world’s fairs started in London with the 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, followed by the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris.

I have attended World Expos in five countries, from Italy to Japan, and am always excited to find...

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Female western lowland gorilla with baby — Republic of the Congo. Photos by Günther Eichhorn

I arrived in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo, on July 4, 2019, after nearly two days in airplanes and airports. A few hours later, I was one of six passengers in a small turboprop airplane headed to the airstrip at Mboko Camp, one of three safari camps near Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Mboko, Lango and Ngaga.

From the airstrip, I was taken to Ngaga Camp, a drive of about three or four hours, depending on what you encounter along the way.

Through Go2Africa (...

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Everyone has their own travel preferences. I travel alone and prefer to mingle with the locals, not setting myself apart. I don’t want to stay in a 5-star hotel and be treated like royalty. I’d rather have people think I work in a hotel than that I’m a guest.

Going to an all-inclusive resort is not my thing because it’s too tiring to resist the temptations of all the “free” food (though, since I actually did pay for the food, it’s not exactly...

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The Dolomites in northern Italy. Photos by Liz Fischer

On a trip to Europe, July 29-Aug. 10, 2018, my husband, Bill, and I visited northern Italy. Following a stay at Lake Como (April ’21, pg. 14), we drove northeast to the Dolomites.

Our GPS (affectionately called Dora the Explorer) took us by way of the scenic route — through the mountains! There were beautiful views of the Alps, lots of motorcycles and bikes, hairpin turns one after the other and pristine glaciers. We crossed Passo dello Stelvio at 9,000 feet.

We...

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An insect vendor in Skun (Skuon), Cambodia

These food vendors at a market in Skun (Skuon), Cambodia, were selling insects. During the Pol Pot era, Cambodians were forced to eat whatever they could find, and insects were their main source of protein. They continue to consume them today. My wife, Julie, and I visited in January 2018. Photo by TOM CASSEN, Charlotte, NC

 

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This sign sits atop Mount Alamos. Left to right: Tom and Lynn Meadows and friends Vince and Susan.

When people think of Mexico, most are thinking of the small coastal towns along Baja and on the mainland where cruise ships stop, but, in the northwest, there is another part of Mexico that is well worth visiting.

In the state of Sonora, in the foothills of the Western Sierra Madre, is the town of Álamos. Dating back to the 17th century, Álamos was founded by Spanish colonists. They were followed by mining barons and then imperialists and revolutionaries. With a current population of...

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Hippo water ferry — St. Lucia. Photo by Mary Taylor

At last count, I’ve been to 53 countries in my travels, on cruises and land tours. Arriving at sunrise in Europe is not my passion anymore, though, so in February 2020 I took a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean with family aboard the Koningsdam.*

Booking through Vacations To Go with agent Mark Otton (Houston, TX; 800/338-4962, ext. 7356), I paid $2,830 plus $522 in insurance.

My stateroom, on Deck 1, was large and comfortable and had a spacious window. The only deck without...

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