On a tour of Peru in September ’08, the itinerary had us spending two nights in Cusco at the Samay Hotel (Av. San Martin 206, Cusco, Peru), then one night in Machu Picchu, then two more nights in Cusco. Although the accommodations at the Samay were good, we never got a decent night’s sleep due to noise from street traffic, trains and barking dogs as well as slamming doors, both staff and guests talking, etc. Earplugs helped only minimally.

Our room for our first stay at the Samay was...

From childhood, I was taught that Russia was my enemy and to fear it. My impression was that it was a mighty superpower of great warriors and conquerors. Now that I have had a chance to visit my “enemy’s” land and people and learn more about their history, culture and present-day conditions, my viewpoint has changed drastically.

I took a 16-day cruise-tour, “Imperial Russian Waterways & St. Petersburg,” from Vantage Deluxe World Travel (Boston, MA; 800/322-6677), Sept. 11-27, 2008...

Japan opens the island of Iwo Jima to visitors one day each year, usually in early March. During a tour with Military-Historical Tours (Alexandria, VA; 800/722-9501, www.miltours.com) in 2007, I took a truck to the cave where the Japanese hospital was located during WWII. The sides of the cave were lined with old shoes, an assortment of baskets, canteens, old gasoline drums and empty sake bottles.

About 20 yards into the cave there was a ladder leading up to a “spider hole” in the...