I read the item “Myanmar eVisas” about applying for the visas online at http://evisa.moip.gov.mm (Jan. ’15, pg. 4). 

Using a different website, I applied for an online visa in early October 2014, with plans to visit Myanmar Nov. 11-14. I followed the instructions given on the website, included a photo and gave my credit card info to pay the $50 fee.

I was informed that I would receive an approval letter within five business days. When I didn’t receive the letter, I sent an...

On March 15, 2015, I had just competed back-to-back group tours and was continuing traveling on my own, scheduled for a 5-day adventure at Angel Falls. (I fly a lot in premium class, and putting many trips together saves airfare.)

At the international airport in Lima, Peru, I was preparing to board an Avianca flight to Bogotá, Colombia, and on to Caracas, Venezuela, when two men at Avianca’s check-in counter told me that Venezuela had become restrictive on visas and recommended that I...

You would think that a town with history stretching back 5,000 years, one which was once a Roman military spa town and which was Charlemagne’s capital during the eighth century, would be a well-known tourist destination. This is true for Europeans, but, with the exception of my fellow history buffs, Aachen remains virtually unknown to Americans. 

During our November 2014 visit, the town was packed with tourists from all over the world, but relatively few were Americans. I’m equally...