My husband, Fred, and I, along with 13 others and two leaders, in June ’05 participated in a 16-day bicycle tour of the lakes region of Italy sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (www.uwsp.edu/hphd/bikehike).

Many colleges and universities offer adventure travel programs as part of their community services. Although such tours are organized assuming that everyone is near the college, for this trip there were no restrictions other than adequate physical fitness to...

Heron Island Resort (write GPO Box 478, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia, fax +61 2 9299 2477, e-mail bookings@voyages.com.au or visit www.heronisland.com) is wonderful and right on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, about 40 miles from the shore of Queensland.

It is rather expensive to get there; during our visit several years ago, the 2-hour catamaran ride was US$72 per person each way and the helicopter much more, with the lowest-priced private accommodations costing US$157 per person...

In the main shopping and tourist area of Bratislava, a fun restaurant with great regional Slovakian dishes is Staroslovenska Krema (Michalska ul. 14-16, Bratislava, Slovakia; visit www staroslovenskakcrma.sk). From a billboard outside, proceed downstairs into a large, multivaulted dining area with long tables in medieval décor.

I got a huge helping of best-ever, melt-in-the-mouth Wiener schnitzel with fresh veggies, and my wife had delicious “Princess” chicken with peaches. We also...