During the summer of 2018, I discovered the TIMESHIFTER app, which creates plans to lessen jet lag based on your sleep pattern, chronotype and flight itinerary. TIMESHIFTER is a science-based circadian algorithm app developed with a Harvard Medical School professor who works with astronauts and Formula 1 drivers.

I decided to download it and give it a try.

My November trip to Myanmar for the hot-air balloon festival would be perfect to test the app. After selecting the...

In January 2019, my husband and I booked a Baltic Sea cruise for August on Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess. At the time of booking, we purchased travel insurance from Travelex (www.travelexinsurance.com). Because we had purchased this insurance within two weeks of booking our cruise, the policy waived preexisting conditions.

We were so fortunate to have had this policy in place because two days prior to our departure, my husband had a medical emergency requiring hospitalization...

My wife, Paula, and I took the “Village Italy in 14 Days Tour” from Rick Steves (Edmonds, WA; 425/771-8303, www.ricksteves.com) in May-June 2019. Counting a repeat-traveler discount and a payment-by-check discount, we paid $4,200 per person, not including airfare.

The tour emphasized food and wines, with an extensive cooking class and many wine tastings included in the price. We visited Siena and Assisi as well as smaller, out-of-the-way places in central Italy. We had a...