by Randy Keck (First of three parts, jump to part 1, part 2, part 3)

Since I had done some advance research, it is a fact that I had expected a lot from my initial exposure to Shanghai on my first visit to China, in November 2005. It is also a fact that my expectations were exceeded on numerous fronts.

My 15-day journey, as a guest of Value World Tours, began with three days in Shanghai, the huge (population 13 million), booming, progressive shining star of China’s...

The tragic death of popular cruiser, explorer and businessman Stephen Glyn Thomas in a hiking accident in Antarctica has fueled debate about the future of cruising and tourism in that region.

Stephen Thomas, 51, of Cambridge, England, was a successful businessman and multimillionaire who had launched three major information technology firms, including Geneva Technology, which he sold to a U.S. company for £500 million. Thomas had long had a dream of sailing to the high latitudes of...

ITN reader Donna Judd asked for tips on getting good shots in Antarctica and Alaska. In this column I’ll discuss Antarctica, as most visitors go there in the Austral summer, November to March, and many of the techniques apply to both destinations.

I recommend some preparatory reading. Photo books can be expensive, but many are available at your local library. Look up “Antarctica: Beyond the Southern Ocean” by Colin Monteath and “Wild Ice: Antarctic journeys” by photographers Monteath...