On our cruise around South America, we sailed on two oceans and cruised in grand fjords flanked by snow-covered mountains. We encountered penguins, petrels, cormorants and condors plus porpoises, sea lions and whales. Icebergs, large and small, passed by. We visited some of the continent’s most cosmopolitan cities and some of its smaller towns. This was our adventure aboard the Marco Polo of Orient Lines (800/333-7300) in March ’03.

Great visual events of our tour included the Straits...

In early October ’05, I learned that North Korea, otherwise known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, had begun allowing Americans to obtain tourist visas. As North Korea had long been closed to Westerners, I jumped on the opportunity and signed up for a tour, Oct. 7-15, with Universal Travel System (Box 7050, Santa Monica, CA 90406; 800/255-4338 or www.uts-travel.com).

Along with a buddy, I made my way to Beijing, China, where, after a 3-day process, we received our visas...

In 2004 when we decided to take a Russian riverboat cruise in September ’05 with Linwood Rotary (from the state of Washington), we noticed a letter from ITN reader Helene Eckstein (Nov. ’04, pg. 82). She mentioned a terrific guide in St. Petersburg and really sang her praises. We contacted Sveta Motovilovets (phone [812] 275-34 77 or e-mail svetasad@hotmail.com) and are now also on the list of people who sing her praises.

Sveta picked up my husband and me up at the St. Petersburg...