I took the “Pearls of the Baltic Sea” trip with Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 877/426-8056, www.elderhostel.org), sailing on the Minerva II out of Dover, England, July 13, 2006, and returning there on the 30th. We were among 70 Elderhostel travelers on a Swan Hellenic (Commack, NY; 877/800-7926, www.swanhellenic.com) cruise, and the rest of the 600 passengers on board were middle-aged British.

No bingo, no napkin-folding classes and no gambling of any kind but superior lectures (!), a...

For our trip to Normandy, France, in May-June ’04, we wanted to have one base for our 5-night/6-day stay plus a guide who would provide transportation and be familiar with the area. Martin Reeve’s Normandy Safaris (57 Raley Rd., Locks Heath, Southampton S031 6PB, England; phone 01489-576081 or visit www.normandysafaris.co.uk) provided a perfect match for our requirements.

Martin Reeve proved to be well informed and an excellent driver. He takes no more than six adults in a very...

My husband and I have taken several trips around the world. On our most recent such trip, in 2005, dubbed “Around the World in 80 Days” (actually 83), we shopped in Hong Kong’s wet market, had an elephant massage in Thailand (my husband’s back massaged by an elephant’s foot), visited the National Museum of Bahrain and soaked in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon.

You can, too. It’s easier and less expensive than you may think. But long-term, independent, international travel requires some special...