Four years of minimal rain has prompted the government of Cyprus on the southern, Greek-supported part of the divided island to contract with Greece to send tanker ships of drinking water. The ships dock near Limassol and pump the water through an undersea pipeline to the island.

Even with two tankers daily, the region will have only half the normal water supply, which is at its lowest level since 1908. Travelers should be aware of possible water cuts and conservation measures at...

The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, will be celebrated in 2009. A number of museums commemorate the event: GDR Museum, Wall Museum, Allied Museum, German National History Museum, Stasi Museum, Plattenbau Museum. For info on biking or walking tours along the wall’s former route, visit www.visitberlin.de.

For travel until March 31, 2009, Great Southern Railway (422 King William St., Adelaide, S.A. 5000, Australia; phone reservations 13 21 47, www.gsr.com.au) has an Oz Tracks Pass for AU$690 (near $663) that allows users 14 city-to-city trips in six months of travel on the Ghan, Indian Pacific and Overland rail routes, which cover Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin, Melbourne and other stops.