We asked you each to name, in English, the 25 core words and phrases that are the most helpful or important to know how to say in the local language before arriving at a new travel destination (outside of North America and the Caribbean). We also wanted you to share any special foreign words or phrases that are important or helpful to know in a particular country, explaining how to pronounce them.

We compiled the lists submitted, and shown immediately below, in order of frequency, is...

My wife, Barbara, and I traveled from Sacramento, California, to Quito for two weeks in January ’06. Our trip in the Ecuadorean highlands started with a 4-hour flight to Houston followed by a 5-hour flight to Quito, landing at midnight. Flights in and out of Quito are scheduled early and late because of its elevation at 9,000 feet.

We stepped outside the terminal and hired a taxi to our hotel for $5. Ecuador conveniently uses the U.S. dollar.

We stayed the first six nights in...

Just prior to our leaving for a trip in France in late June ’06, ITN carried two items about the difficulty Americans were encountering in France and the U.K. when using credit cards (May ’06, pg. 20 & July ’06, pg. 15). The problem was attributed to new cards in use there that require entering a PIN number.

I called Visa, and they confirmed hearing of the problem and advised that we be sure we knew our PIN numbers. During our 15-day trip, we and our friends charged many meals and...