The TRAVELERS JOURNAL: Episodes
Many folks confuse the Caribbean island of Dominica with the Dominican Republic, but more adventurous travelers are discovering the differences. FMI - www.dominica.dm
Getting to know residents of places you visit can create warm feelings and happy memories. Here are several programs that can help. FMI - http://joomla.servas.org/ or www.friendshipforce.org
To find English radio when overseas, you can tune into the stations of the Armed Forces Radio Network. FMI - http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/
Even in this interconnected age, short wave radios can be a great way to find out what's happening in distant places. FMI - www.shortwaveradioreceivers.com
The vice-president and Nobel Prize winner will always remember his climb of this storied peak in Washington State. FMI -www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm
Most of the year, this empty expanse east of San Diego is a most muted palette. Spring rains transform this crown of thorns into a carpet of blossoms. FMI - www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638
The first little piglet would have done better against the big bad wolf''s breathy blasts if he had he attended one of these weeklong workshops on how to make a house out of straw. FMI - www.caneloproject.com
The best way to make reservations at many foreign hotels and restaurants is to contact them directly. Hereâ??s how.
Here's a way adventurous travelers can get up close and personal with the Rocky Mountains in wintertime: riding a snowmobile. FMI - www.sledtherockies.com/idaho
Over a century ago, a San Francisco water baron build a baronial mansion. Today, you're welcome to drop in for a visit whenever you're in the area. FMI - www.filoli.org
Backcountry ski huts across North America can provide a wintry access to some very unpeopled parcels of paradise. Here's where to find them. FMI - www.outdoors.org, www.huts.org, www.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges
At 11:15 this Saturday morning in a small Wisconsin town, a sampling of the world's top cross-country skiers will set off on a 52 km-race through the woods. FMI - www.birkie.com
After more than a century of hard winters and autocratic rule, Krakow, Poland is regaining some of its former glory. FMI - www.krakow.pl
Sometimes when something about a particular location truly speaks to you, it may also demand a sacrifice in return.
This low-lying archipelago of some 40 lightly inhabited islands just off the tip of the Bahamas is a dream come true for romantics who would like a paradise to themselves. FMI - www.turksandcaicostourism.com/
When it comes to evaluating unsolicited travel offers received by mail, phone, fax, e-mail, or the Internet, the best advice is still, "Buyer beware!" FMI - www.800helpfla.com/sotbus.html
Herodotus, a Greek scholar who lived five centuries before Christ, wrote the first history of the Western civilization. He may also be the father of the travel guide.
Steeped in the elegance of pure simplicity, these uniquely Japanese inns require travelers to leave their Western expectations at the door, along with their shoes.
When you come to Washington, DC, you're still welcome at the White House. There's no charge to get in, but the lines can be very long and the tickets go quickly. FMI - www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events
Somewhere over the rainbow, there is a stretch of sand, perfectly suited to your particular style and interests. We offer a few suggestions.