This letter is to inform ITN readers of the utmost necessity of taking out travel insurance before any trip, especially with regard to interruption of a tour and, of course, reimbursement of medical expenses.

My husband, Robert, always used to fight me before our trips about the cost of this insurance, but I always won out, and it certainly paid off during one miserable episode in our travels.

We were on a delightful trip with Viking River Cruises (Woodland Hills, CA; phone 877...

We had heard in the U.S. about the severe heat wave and drought that was affecting all of Europe during the summer of ’03, causing rivers to be dangerously low, so we wondered how Uniworld (Encino, CA; phone 800/257-2264), with whom we were scheduled to travel down Italy’s Po River, would handle this problem. Looking back, I think they succeeded to the best of their ability.

We were scheduled to travel from Milan to Venice, June 18-26. On arrival in Milan, we were met at the airport...

If you enjoy discovering new places, here is a very special treat.

Approximately 420 miles east of Sydney, Australia, is Lord Howe Island. It was discovered in 1788 and named after the English First Lord of the Admiralty. It is a remnant of a large shield volcano that erupted from the sea about seven million years ago and is now estimated to be one-fortieth of its original size. The island measures seven miles by one mile, with most of the population living in the northern part....