When I read Rick Steves’ article on packing light (June ’08, pg. 82), I recalled a trip from about 10 years ago.

My husband and I were flying to Paris, where we had had an apartment for many years. A young couple in the seats ahead of us on the plane were enthusiastically celebrating their 10th anniversary by going to Paris, and Europe, for the first time. They had rented a studio apartment not far from us, so I asked if they would like a brief walking tour of that historic section of...

At Tembe National Elephant Park (www.tembe.co.za) on a November visit to South Africa, the high wooden blind near the water hole provided the opportunity for us to watch an amazing collection of animals slaking their thirst: wary giraffes with their awkwardly splayed legs, regal waterbucks with white “toilet seat” markings on their rears, herds of shaggy nyala, ugly warthogs. . . . All deferred to the massive, elderly elephants when they lumbered up to drink, splash and rinse,...

After 27 years, in March ’08 my wife and I went back to Egypt; we went on the Grand Circle Travel trip “Ancient Egypt & the Nile River.” BIG difference 27 years later!

In 1981 there were very few tourists; we had the country to ourselves. Not this time. Everywhere we went we faced hordes of people, mostly Europeans (from Spain, France and Italy), Brits and Japanese. While Egypt is not real expensive, the euro, yen and pound go a lot further than the dollar.

Every...