I visited the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra, Jordan, in October ’07. A daytime visit is a long and hot walk but definitely worth the effort. For me, however, the highlight was the lesser-known night trip to the Siq and Treasury.

Starting at the Petra Visitors Center, you walk down the road through the kilometer-long Siq (a narrow gap between rock faces) to the famous Treasury. The entire route is lit only with lanterns on the ground (actually paper bags each with a candle...

I rented a car in Australia, Oct. 17-29, 2007, where I had a minor accident. The car was parked legally and I wasn’t in it when it was sideswiped.

I had paid US$864 for the car rental, which was from Europcar at the Sydney airport.

I filed a claim with Diners Club, invoking the insurance benefits that come with that credit card. However, my claim was denied even though I had declined the rental company’s collision-damage waiver and done everything else I knew I needed to do to...

In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, we visited the Giant’s Causeway. Ancient volcanic activity created this ruggedly dramatic coastline, which has been sculpted by wind and water. Huge columnar structures of black basalt appear to be stepping stones fit for a giant. Many of the hexagonal stones rise almost 40 feet, while others disappear into the ocean.

Fancifully, several of the stone formations sport names that describe their appearance, such as the Organ, the Giant’s Boot and Camel...