ITN asked readers how they go about selecting a cruise (Oct. ’04, pg. 4). When choosing a cruise, my wife and I start with the ports of call. If we haven’t been there as yet and desire to go, we book the cruise.

If it is on a ship line where we are past passengers, it is an added bonus.

If the cruise contains a port of call previously visited but at which we missed some of the excursions, we will add that as a bonus.

Dining is another category we consider. Great cuisine...

Two weeks before Christmas 2004, my husband and I decided to take a much-longed-for trip to the Middle East. Where to go for information? Our ITN magazine, of course. There we spotted a small ad regarding customized trips to the Middle East via Caravan Serai Tours (3806 Whitman Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103; phone 800/451-8097 or visit www.caravan-serai.com). After only three or four back-and-forth phone conversations, a very friendly and capable travel rep, Maha, put together a fabulous trip...

The small town of Nadadouro was our base in Portugal during a stay in 2001. Ninety kilometers north of Lisbon, this area is ideally located for exploration of central Portugal, including the towns of Óbidos, Fátima, Nazaré, Tomar, Peniche, Sintra and all points north as far as Porto, a 2-hour drive.

We rented a condo, Casa Paula (Quinta da Boa Vista, 30 Nadadouro, 2500 Caldas da Rainha, Portugal; phone 351-262-978260, mobile phone 919-187-283 or e-mail davidclark@mail.telepac.pt). It...