Private Tour

Having traveled to more than 100 countries, my wife, Jane, and I were looking for an exotic, off-the-beaten-track destination. We found it in Guyana and Suriname, traveling there March 14-23, 2014, with Wilderness Explorers (141 4th St., Georgetown, Guyana; phone +592 227 7698 or, in the US, 202/630-7698, wilderness-explorers.com).

In arranging our private tour, we dealt mainly with Joetha and Amarylis, who answered our emails promptly and helped us prepare well for the trip.

The family that travels together, stays together. Such is the motto of the Dantoin family. Each summer, Mom and the four kids attempt a different international expedition. 

Before arriving in London, my adult son and I visited Rome, Oct. 24-29, 2014. We stayed at Hotel Fori Imperiali Cavalieri (Via Frangipane, 34, 00184 Rome, Italy; phone +39 06 679 6426, www.hotelforiimperialicavalieri.com) and were very satisfied. The staff was great, especially Paulo (I think that’s how he spells his name). He was a sweetheart.

(2nd of 3 parts on Brazil)

Despite increased access to our ever-shrinking planet, Brazil, the world’s fifth-most-populous country (about 200 million), remains an enigma to even the most seasoned international travelers.

Living in Seattle, Washington, can get you under the weather, and this was particularly true for me in March 2014, one of our rainiest months ever. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I booked my husband, Ken, and myself on a trip to Belize! 

As part of a 5-week trip to Malta and Italy in May-June 2014, my husband, Leroy, and I hired a guide in Venice for one day. 

We had enjoyed the better-known sites on previous trips and wanted to see areas less frequented by tourists. Friends recommended Rosemary (Ziggy) Vanett (ziggyit2@hotmail.com), an American who has lived in and guided guests in Venice for many years. She was unavailable the day we needed her, but she recommended a colleague by the name of Jennifer Barrington (phone 0039 349 8391211 or email jenba020@yahoo.it). 

Planning for a Black Sea cruise, Sept. 22-Oct. 2, 2014,  my wife, Barbara, and I weren’t interested in tours arranged by the ship, as the number of people in each group would preclude any individual attention. After speaking to a number of people, we learned about ToursByLocals.com (1112 W. Pender St., Ste. 500, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2S1, Canada; 866/844-6783, www.toursbylocals.com).

I have long been an admirer of James Tufenkian via articles published in design magazines. He has partially restored Armenia’s rug industry and is now building hotels in his homeland. In September ’13, my daughter, Amanda, and I vacationed in Armenia.

For trips to South America, I have used Marnella Tours (Raleigh, NC; 866/993-0033 or 919/782-1664, www.marnellatours.com) four times.

I’ve found everyone at Marnella Tours to be polite and responsive to my needs. The company knows South America so well that I’ve never been disappointed in their choices of ground operators.