The Post's Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of ... the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions -- but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who've been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain's chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.

We know you have a choice in online travel forums, and speaking for the entire Flight Crew, we want to thank you for flying with us.

You may also browse an archive of previous live travel discussions. For daily dispatches, check out Travel Log, the Travel section's new blog.

The transcript follows.

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Gary Lee: Travel section Gary Lee at the helm here.

With Spring almost in our laps, many of the travel section staffers have fanned out to Japan, London and other corners of the world. But the stalwarts are still on hand and at the ready with answers to your every -- or almost every -- travel question.

On board today we have KC Summers, the section editor, and staff writers Carol Sottili, Cindy Loose, Steve Hendrix, and moi. Feel free to ask any travel-related question you have. In addition to posing questions, we hope you will add your viewpoint or tips whenever you feel like jumping in.

The relatively new requirement that travelers flying to the Caribbean have passports have turned our attention to the passports in general. I would love to hear your favorite passport story. Has your passport been lost or stolen? Have you recently acquired a passport? If so, where have you gone or plan to go? Have you encountered major blocks applying for one? Among those who don't have one, if you had one what's the first place you go? And for those frequent travelers, what's the most unusual stamp you received while on the road.

The most original and succinct passport story gets a wonderful wall calendar with breathtaking scenes from around Italy.

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St. Paul, Minn.: A friend and I are thinking of a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia but we're concerned -- we don't speak Russian and the information I've gotten about applying for a visa sounds daunting. Would you recommend going to St. Petersburg without being on a tour? Is the city easy to navigate? Any tips? Thanks!

Gary Lee: I know St. Petersburg pretty well, having studied there and visited lots of times as a reporter when I was based in Moscow. By all means go: it will be one of the richest travel experiences of your life.

Getting a visa is a hassle but not an insurmountable one. You also can navigate the city well enough without Russian. You can do all this without booking a tour, but you will get a lot more out of it if you hire a guide on the ground at least to show the major sites when you first arrive. To get to the palaces around the city there are full- and half-day bus trips, and they are pretty well done. One big help would be to take a very detailed guidebook with you. Another is to learn a few basic Russian phrases before you go.

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Orlando, Fla.: I understand there is a cruise with the Chippendales this year. Do you know who to contact? I think it would be a great ladies' cruise.

Cindy Loose: What I've heard is that Norwegian Cruise's Norwegian Sun has a show sometimes that's a take-off on the Chippendales, only it's the Ship n' Males Review. Don't know how far in advance they book the entertainment and whether they'd guarantee that particular show on a particular sailing, but calling them would be the place to start.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Flight Crew -- I wanted to go plan a trip this summer to Europe with my girlfriend in July or August, but airfare is prohibitively expensive ($900-plus each roundtrip for most of the dates I'm looking at). Can you recommend any place abroad where I might be able to get a deal during those busy summer travel months, or am I basically stuck in North America (not that there aren't a thousand things to do here, just wanted something a little more exotic)? Thank you!

Carol Sottili: The cheapest city most often is London, but there are occasional sales to Reykjavik, Iceland, on Icelandair and to Dublin/Shannon, Ireland, on Aer Lingus from either New York or Boston. I'd suggest signing up to receive emailed deals at such sites as www.smartertravel.com, www.travelzoo.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.kayak.com and www.orbitz.com. And sign up with the various airlines -- they sometimes offer their own Web-only deals. Let me add that $900-plus for summer travel is the norm.

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Washington, DC: It was interesting reading yesterday's CoGo item about the editing of the movie, "The Queen" -- I recently flew Northwest Airlines from Japan and that was one of the movies shown on the never-ending flight. Because I had seen it at the theater, I tuned in and out of it. At one point I heard a Helen Mirren's line, "thank God," get edited to "thank bleep." I was kind of surprised as we were flying from Japan.

washingtonpost.com: 'd Save 'The Queen' (Post, March 4)

Cindy Loose: Hi, and thanks for the thumbs on the CoGo. I would presume that all airlines carrying mostly English-speaking flyers all get their movies from the same U.S. distributors. I guess the distributor of that picture hasn't yet gotten back all it's copies with God edited out.

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Washington: Hi Flight Crew! In your opinions, what are the can't miss sites in Ireland? My husband and I plan to go for a week in June and drive around and stay in bed-and-breakfasts. Thanks for your advice!

KC Summers: Hi Washington. You've got a great trip ahead of you -- Ireland's one of my favorite travel destinations ever. I really, really like the west coast, so that's where I'd concentrate my driving. (And by the way, even though it's a small country and distances may look short on the map, be sure to allow lots of time for winding, narrow byways, sheep in the roads and "loose chippings" (errant rocks that can slice a rental car tire just like that).

It's all great, but some of my favorite spots in Ireland are the Dingle Peninsula (great crafts, pubs, best crashing wave scenery in the world), Galway (fantastic music scene), the Burren (amazing lunar landscape) and Connemara in the north. I loved a little town up there called Clifden. But really, anywhere in the west is just grand (except that the Ring of Kerry is pretty overrun with tour buses).

Anyone else have Ireland recommendations for Washington?

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St. Eustatius: Good afternoon. I just wanted to say thanks for the all the island information in the Travel section today -- I've been to several of the islands and you sum up all the important details very well. I traveled to St. Eustatius a couple of years ago for a dive trip. It is an amazing island with a lot of history, Although there isn't a lot to do on the island if you don't dive. The hike into the volcano is great, and I recommend not starting it at noon! Thanks again!

washingtonpost.com: Critters? Cuisine? Casinos? Pick Your Perfect Isle (Post, March 4)

Cindy Loose: Thank you: St. Eustatius is one of the islands I haven't visited, but after researching it and St. Lucia, those were the two I've missed that I'd now most like to see.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Flight Crew! Thanks for always giving such awesome advice. My husband and I are just beginning to plan a trip to Chile. We will have about 6 or 7 days, exclusive of traveling to/from. It seems like there is so much to see and do in Chile -- do you have suggestions on what the best itinerary is for seeing as much as we can on our trip? Thanks!

Gary Lee: It all depends on what you like best: wine tours, nature, desert, or what. I would suggest a day or so in Santiago that includes a tour of the wineries and a side trip to Isla Negra, the site of a great museum devoted to Pablo Neruda.

Then I would head to the Atacama desert -- San Pedro is a perfect place to base yourself. A number of agencies offer excellent tours around the desert. After that there are various directions you can go. Anyone else have Chile tips?

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Burke, Va.: What's the cheapest way to get to Rome, Italy? How do I find out which is the cheapest European city to fly to from Washington/BWI/Philly/New York? Am flexible on method but not dates -- July 6-20. Thanks.

Carol Sottili: Euroflyusa.com has some good deals out of JFK to Rome and several other cities in Italy. As I said in an earlier posting, London usually is the cheapest city, but if you have to then get to Rome the cost of getting to a different airport and then buying even a cheap airfare to your final destination can add up. Sign up at the various sites I outlined in earlier posting to get deals e-mailed to you. I just don't see that it's going to be cheap to get to Europe this summer.

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Washington: I love the visa pasted into my passport upon entry into South Africa -- it's for "Seasonal and Mine Workers, and Tourists."

Gary Lee: Thanks for that cute story. It might win you a prize?

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Darien, Conn.: I'm still angry over those passengers abandoned out west. Do you recommend not deplaning when forced to land in another city? I have flown as a business traveler for more than twenty years; one specific airline (one of the big three) never has offered me satisfactory service -- they always have disappointed me. Responses to customer service always have been form letters with no satisfaction offered. I do fly other airlines when I can, but if you want to fly to certain cities (Atlanta, Denver or Dallas), a single airline owns most of the gates at those airports and stifles competition. How do I let the major airline know I really am peeved at their service?

washingtonpost.com: 'Abandoned' in Cheyenne (USA Today, Feb. 20)

Steve Hendrix: No doubt that the level of generalized anger at the airlines is getting higher by the week. As traffic has rebounded following 9/11 many of the old complaints have to. The best way to tweak them may be to lend your support to the renewed call for a "passengers bill of rights." There's legislation in the hopper now that would mandate all sorts of better behavior when flights are grossly delayed (from simple information to hefty refunds). The airlines dodged this bullet a few years ago by solemnly pledging to do better.

The effort this time is being led out of California. Here is the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights' Web site.

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Anonymous: Hi! I'm flying to Anchorage at the end of April for a two-week vacation. I'll take the train to Fairbanks, then take a 16-hour bus trip from Anchorage to White Horse, Yukon, then on to Skagway, Alaska, where I'll take the ferry to Bellingham, Wash., and fly home from Seattle. Will the Northern Lights be visible from Fairbanks at this time of year? Any suggestions and dos or don'ts? I'd appreciate hearing from any others who have taken any of these trips.

Cindy Loose: I'm not positive but end of April might be getting a little late in the year Northern Lights. I notice, for example, that a tour company up that way does aurora borealis tours from Nov. 1-April 15. I think there is still a chance outside those dates, as long as you aren't going so late it's daylight all the time. I'm thinking the tour company simply might go when the chances are the best. I know that in winter in Finland, chances are you'll see them if you stay four nights. I stayed three and it was too cloudy.

There is a place that does a forecast, with all kinds of technical info on conditions that I don't understand, but I do understand the bottom line: the chances on a given night, for a forecast done a few nights in advance. You'll find that at this Web site, and you might e-mail them and ask about your prospects at the end of April.

As to dos and don'ts that time of year -- who out there has been and can help?

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Washington: We're taking a short honeymoon this fall after our wedding -- planning to stay in a bed-and-breakfast in Savannah, Ga. Any tips for booking a honeymoon like this?

Steve Hendrix: Congratulations Washington! Fall is a beautiful time in Savannah (still pretty hot through September). Even if it's not hot enough to swim in the ocean, but sure to head out to Tybee Island just to enjoy the marsh (and the Breakfast Club). Same with Bonaventure Cemetery -- lovely in the autumn. And don't fail to tell everyone you're on your honeymoon. Savannahians love to put on the dog for events like that.

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Columbia, Md.: How do you feel about all-inclusives? I feel like some sort of traveler-wuss to consider it, but the idea of not leaving the hotel and doing nothing for 3-4 days seems appealing right now. Warmth, food, and that's about it.

KC Summers: Hi Columbia. You know, there are all kinds of reasons to travel, and needing to veg out is one of them. I used to be a snob about all-inclusives until I stayed in one in Cancun for a story and thought, hmm, this ain't so bad. In fact, as I swam up to the bar for my third margarita of the day, I became a downright convert. Everything in its place, so don't feel guilty -- as long as you don't make it a habit. To assuage your conscience, you could alternate all-inclusives with latrine-building trips to Haiti or something.

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Near L.A.: Love the chats, which I started reading when we lived in Maryland. I plan to accompany my husband on a business trip to Santorini, Greece, the last week of June. We'd like to stay a couple of nights in Athens either before or after the conference. Do you have any suggestions for a hotel that would cost 125 euros per night or less? If that's too low a figure, then what is typical, and in what part of Athens should we look? Thank you for your help.

Gary Lee: The Royal Olympic, which is well-located and a decent place is offering rooms at around US $150 at the moment. The rate will likely rise a bit in June but the earlier you book the better deal you're likely to get.

Anyone else have Athens hotel tips?

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Washington: My husband and I are attending a party the in Newport News in two weeks. We've decided to leave the baby here and stay overnight for a little alone time. Any ideas for a hotel or bed-and-breakfast? We don't need a lot of spa/golf/pool amenities because we'll be busy during the day, but a romantic getaway would be nice. Suggestions?

Gary Lee: None of us know Newport News well enough to make a good suggestion? Does anyone have a tip?

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Washington: This might not be within your domain, but can any of you recommend a good restaurant near Dulles (or inside but pre-security)? My husband has a late-evening flight on Sunday, and we'd like to go out to dinner before I drop him off.

Gary Lee: We are stumped on this one as well. Anyone know a decent eatery in the Dulles area?

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Desperate for a survivable vacation, Va.: My husband and I have a 5 year old and a 1.5 year old and we desperately need a vacation that will entertain the kids, allow us to unwind, get us all home without killing each other (figuratively speaking, of course). Necessary elements: Cheap, pedestrian friendly location (i.e. no rental cars required), small-kid friendly activities (i.e. playground/play area nearby), relaxing for the adults (i.e. adult beverages to enjoy while, say, the kids are busy playing or having a snack), warm place, with a pool -- did I mention inexpensive (about $1,400 air plus hotel)?

A trip to Puerto Rico a few years ago was great-- had all the above elements -- but prices are triple what they were three years ago and no longer affordable. Also, any local places to go where parents can enjoy dinner/drinks while their kids can be equally entertained? (Imagine Tysons Indoor Playground with a restaurant/bar attached.) Thanks for any advice.

Cindy Loose: I'm thinking you have a two-step process: one, find a place that's warm that's not too expensive to get to. From here, and assuming you're thinking soon, I'm thinking Florida, although I'd also check to see if I could find good airfares to the southwestern U.S.

Once you've identified a general area I'd check for resorts with kid's clubs. A lot of them have those-I remember doing an article on in Fort Lauderdale, Lago Mar, although that was about seven years ago so you'd want to check it, and I remember some of the chains also had kids clubs so parents could get some time away.

Anyone else have specific ideas?

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Alexandria, Va.: We're headed to Vegas in about two weeks -- found a good deal at Bellagio and grabbed it. Is this still a good place to stay?

KC Summers: I love the Bellagio. I'm a real Vegas skeptic, and I thought it was one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed at -- huge, classy room with lots of neat features (electric drapes!), fab marble bathroom larger than my living room at home, beautiful lobby and topiary gardens, those kitschy dancing fountains, cool bars, an on-site world-class museum ... boy was that a fun weekend.

Anyone disagree?

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Washington: My wife and I are planning a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii but can't decide between the Fairmont and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. Any suggestions or other options?

Steve Hendrix: We don't know them first-hand, Washington. Can anyone report on these, or other good places on the Kohala Coast?

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Virginia: Unlike a lot of Flight Crew readers, I travel rarely. I am a middle-aged widow on a very lean budget. I want to go to the Miami area in late April for a family wedding. I am open to going into either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. When should I act on making a reservation? I have been holding off because I hope to begin a new job by then; right now, I don't know whether I can take a day or so extra on either end. Jet Blue has some great fares to Ft. Lauderdale but I don't know how long to wait -- I pretty much am a novice when it comes to booking a trip. Help!

Carol Sottili: You probably can hold off for a few weeks, but not until the last minute because you need to be there on a specific day/time. Fort Lauderdale is almost always much cheaper than Miami because so many airlines fly there from here, including several discount carriers -- Southwest and Airtran from BWI; Spirit from Reagan National; and JetBlue from Dulles. If you're going for the weekend, you usually can save money by flying early Saturday morning instead of Friday (although I wouldn't chance this if the wedding is on Saturday -- if your flight were cancelled, you might miss the wedding). You can get an overview on fares by going to www.kayak.com or www.sidestep.com. I prefer booking directly with the airlines rather than through a third-party site because if there is a problem, no finger-pointing can go on.

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Warrenton, Va.: Not really a question just wanted to say that I enjoyed the Caribbean special yesterday. Though none of the named best beaches were on St. Thomas, I would vote for Orient Beach, which reminds of the perfect Corona commercial, plus the "European Swimwear" and lack there of is nice.

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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"Europe" for less than $900...: Arlington, Va., should check out flights to Montreal ... a way to flex your passport without a $900 price tag.

Carol Sottili: Good idea.

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Anonymous: Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City in late August -- uncomfortably hot?

Re: the people watching a film they recently had seen and noting any missing words. I have been really bored on flights, but never that bored. I did, however, enjoy the option of being able to choose older films (e.g., "The Birds," "Dr. Zhivago") on recent flights on JAL and KAL.

Gary Lee: Puerto Vallarta might be, but Mexico City will not be. Because it's in the mountains, the temperature in Mexico City never gets that hot. In fact, it doesn't fluctuate all that wildly.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Flight Crew -- as longtime residents of Puerto Rico, my wife and I really loved your Caribbean section this weekend. Next month we are taking an extra-long weekend to Amsterdam to celebrate our anniversary. My question is: we are only have an 90-minute layover in Frankfort -- based on your experience, will we have enough time to clear passport control? Thanks!

Gary Lee: Frankfort is a big and complicated airport. I have made connections there with less time but it means that you have no time to lollygag along the way. Also, if you arrive late, please tell the airline staff on the ground. Maybe they can alert the connecting flight that you're on the way.

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Reston, Va.: For the chatter last week asking about the Aerolineas Argentina Airpass -- generally it's not worth it, as Aerolineas Argentina rates are a lot higher than LAN. Check LAN.com, as they have frequent sales and are more relatively punctual than Aerolineas. Just be warned that it's not uncommon for flights to be delayed for no apparent reason -- it just seems to happen more with Aerolineas than LAN. (This was my experience at least.) I know I would rather ride a bus for 20-plus hours and see the country than deal with Aerolineas Argentina again.

Gary Lee: Thanks for sharing your experience.

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Arlington, Va.: I guess this isn't exactly a "travel" question, but it's definitely an issue that the airlines in particular have to deal with. Because the U.S. is changing to DST this weekend, are other places (e.g. Canada) following our lead? For example I am going to Toronto in a couple of weeks. Will 11:00 here be 11:00 there? I would imagine this is a bit of headache for flight schedules.

Cindy Loose: Actually I think it's a great travel question, and I have a brand new answer for you. Used to be there was some variation, but this year for the first time Canada is adopting the "North American Standard," for "summer times," which means the clocks will be set forward and the 2nd Sunday in March and stay that way until the first Sunday in November.

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Anderson, Ind.: Will a solo woman tourist have any problems visiting Istanbul, Turkey?

Steve Hendrix: I'm not a solo woman tourist, but I was in Istanbul recently. My impression is that you won't have significantly more hassles there than in other major capitals. Every visitor to Istanbul puts up with a fair amount of pestering from rug touts (they're not menacing, though, and usually pretty friendly and interesting -- not nearly as obnoxious as Marrakech, say). So if you're unnerved by that kind of attention, you might not enjoy walking around. But I saw plenty of female tourists in the Grand Bazaar managing just fine.

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Falls Church, VA: How nonrefunable are nonrefunable tickets? I have a booked flight on American to Managua, Nicaragua for March 27 that I may have to cancel because of work reasons. Thanks.

Carol Sottili: Nonrefundable means nonrefundable, but you will most likely be able to pay a change fee and use the ticket to go somewhere else on another date. The fee is going to rather steep for an international ticket -- $150 to $200 -- but it's better than losing your investment altogether. Just make sure you notify American that you won't be using that ticket before the date of travel. If you don't, it becomes worthless.

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Washington: I'm thinking of taking a "volunteer vacation" to build a school in Mexico but am worried about my total lack of Spanish language competency. Any ideas for good language classes in the D.C. area? Just basics for travel would be enough. Thanks!

Gary Lee: The USDA for years has offered classes in various languages. Friends have praised their Spanish program. Anyone else have tips for learning Spanish in the D.C. area?

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Crystal City, Va.: I found a really cool hotel in Athens off the Plaka. Athens is casual and you can just pop into a hotel and get some bargain rooms, unless you need complete U.S. standards, i.e. air conditioning and color TV.

Gary Lee: I would recommend booking a place, especially in June when the best places book out. What's the place near Plaka where you booked?

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re: Dulles Dinner: For the person looking for dinner before a flight from Dulles, just get off the Toll Road in Reston and eat at one of the places at Reston Town Center -- there are several good restaurants there. RTC is only a mile or two off the Toll Road and it is within 10 minutes or so of Dulles.

Gary Lee: Hey, much thanks for that tip.

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Newport News...: is pretty ugly (trust me, I'm from two towns over) and not what anyone would think of as romantic. I'd recommend staying in Williamsburg -- about a half-hour's drive, but with some really lovely old hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

Gary Lee: Hey, thanks for your honesty. How do others weigh in?

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Dulles Area: The Old Dominion Brewery isn't far from the airport...

Gary Lee: Nice tip. Thanks.

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Falls Church, Va.: Posting early before a meeting. My husband and I (late 20s) have gotten our passports (finally!). We'd like to go to Europe in the fall and were hoping the Crew would have some trip suggestions for first-timers heading overseas. We'd like to spend either a long weekend or a week. Thank you!

KC Summers: Congrats on the passports! And the upcoming trip. Europe is so expensive right now, but there are ways to cut costs -- check out our upcoming special issue on April 1. As for first-timer tips, first and foremost I'd say to make an effort to learn a few words of the language of whatever country you're visiting (this could even apply to Britain, ha ha). You'll find that if you greet a Paris shopkeeper with a "bonjour, Madame" it will make a world of difference in how you're treated.

Other advice:

* Take good walking shoes! Break them in at home.

* Don't stand around on street corners looking at maps with cameras dangling around your neck -- you'll be branded as a tourist and an easy mark for pickpockets. Study maps, etc, in your hotel room before going out.

* Consider wearing a money belt to keep your passport, airline tickets, money, etc. in, but don't get it out in public -- just use it to stash your stuff, and keep daily money in your pocket.

* Take the same precautions you'd take in any city. Don't wear flashy jewelry. Be aware of your surroundings. In crowded places like subways, trains, public square etc., be conscious of where your purse/wallet is and don't be distracted by mobs of street kids milling around, etc.

Other tips for Falls Church?

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Washington: Hey Flight Crew and Chatters! Does anyone have restaurant recommendations for a nice Thursday dinner in Houston? I'll be there on business travel. I like all kinds of cuisine but I don't eat red meat (unlike most coworkers). I'd love to be able to get a nice cocktail or glass of wine. Thanks!

Gary Lee: Stumped again! We could recommend several places in Dallas but that's way across the world. Anybody have a restaurant tip for Houston?

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Washington: Is Myrtle Beach, S.C., at the end of August a really bad idea? I noticed that hotel prices in Myrtle actually go down as the summer moves along -- just the opposite of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia beaches. ... Makes me think that August and South Carolina don't make a good combo. Black flies or something?

Carol Sottili: Is it biker week? Maybe hurricane threat? Actually, prices in North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia also tend to go down the last week in August because lots of the schools go back in session then. I've been to Myrtle in late August/early September and weather was hot but not unbearable.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I'd like to go to Canada this summer -- preferably Halifax or Montreal/Quebec City -- and the tickets are really expensive. Do prices ever go down for summer travel to Canada? It doesn't seem to make much sense that they're so high when they're also so close to us!

Cindy Loose: Halifax is a far distance for Silver Spring, but I might be able to help you out for Montreal or Quebec City if you're willing to rent a car, i.e. avoid all those international taxes and such and fly into a U.S. border city. Last summer I flew into Burlington, Vermont, quite cheaply and drove to Quebec City -- it's a beautiful drive.

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November travel: Would you travel to the Caribbean in November? Specifically, St. John?

Gary Lee: Short answer: sure. St. John's is wonderfully tranquil. November usually is late enough in the season that the threat of hurricanes is lower than earlier in the fall.

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Boston: My parents, two kids and I are planning a trip to an all-inclusive resort. We are thinking of Beaches Negril or Beaches Turks and Caicos. Any recommendations?

Carol Sottili: Beaches offers a better-than-average all-inclusive product. For a family, I'd go to Turks & Caicos. Jamaica is easier to get to, but Negril is at least a two-hour ride from the airport in Montego Bay.

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My Passport: My passport has great stamps from both Turkey and Morocco -- but my favorite part about it is that my picture was taken an hour before a Jimmy Buffett concert, so I am wearing a bikini under a tank top! It usually gets a comment when I return to the U.S. -- those customs guys love the Buffett story!

Gary Lee: Hey, funny story. That photo could win you a prize!

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Arlington, Va.: We are two young women in our mid-20s, hoping to spend a long weekend or so "on vacation" somewhere. We're not a couple, not really into the bar scene but love good food and drink. Any recommendations for a city or getaway near the D.C. area for us two "too young to be jaded" attorneys?

KC Summers: Unfortunately our resident twentysomething is off gallivanting around today, but here are a couple of ideas:

* The Eastern Shore. It's just 2.5 hours away and you can have a blast in towns like St. Michaels or Chestertown. There are some fabulous restaurants in St. Michaels (I loved 208 Talbot and the restaurant at the Inn at Perry Cabin), a cool gallery scene, etc., and of course the setting is gorgeous.

* Richmond. Very hot bar scene, great Southern city with interesting architecture, lots of young professionals gadding about. We'll post a link to our recent Escapes on the city's bar scene.

* Charlottesville. College towns are always fun and this one's especially wonderful with great restaurants, wineries, antiquing, horses, etc.

Hope this helps. Let us know where you end up going.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: How does one find out the inoculations needed for travel to China (Beijing and Shanghai) in April? I have tried the CDC and State Department Web sites, but it is very confusing. Thank you.

Cindy Loose: The CDC is the place to start but the easiest thing to do is go to a clinic that specializes in knowing, and administering, what's needed. I seem to remember that there was some one-stop Web site for finding them but I can't put my finger on it now. At the risk of giving free advertisements I've gone in the past to Farragut Medical and Travel Care in D.C. Anyone out there know of others?

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Bethesda, Md.: Hi, I actually posed this question earlier today, but now I am concerned that it didn't make it. Does anyone know anything about camping in Puerto Rico? After your article this weekend, we are planning to go over spring break. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Gary Lee: We know lots of hotels on the island but are less familiar with the camping scene. Anyone who has camped out in PR and can offer suggestions or advice?

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Boston: Re: All-Inclusives. Did my first in mid-January in Puerto Vallarta. My three friends and I all came down with AIRW (All-Inclusive Resort Withdrawal) upon arrival back in the States. We're already trying to figure out doing one somewhere in Europe. No need to feel guilty -- just make plans to get out and about, if that is a possibility. We had a grand time taking the buses into the downtown as well as a little town north of PV, and then we'd return to our resort and chill out for the rest of the night.

KC Summers: Yeah, it's great if you can break away at least for part of the time. In Cancun, it's super-easy to get around on city buses (basically there's just one straight road) so you can shop and bar-hop in the real world. Of course, on some islands it's not so smart to wander around on your own.

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Elkton, Md.: Tell Desperate for a Survivable Vacation about the Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water park Resort -- Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania

Cindy Loose: Well if you like Great Wolf Lodge -- a water park with other kid activities like rooms filled with balls and such -- there are lots of them, including in Virginia.

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Boston: I went to Istanbul as a solo female traveler and had no real problems. I did have men follow me and try to start conversations more there than in other places I've been. I bought a scarf to cover my hair for when I entered mosques, and I started wearing it when I was in less touristy areas. With it on, I still was recognizably not Turkish based on clothing style and walk, but no one followed me.

Steve Hendrix: Thanks for a much more pertinent report.

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Alaska trip and passports: Hi. The two week Alaska vacationer is going to be spending a lot of their time in trains, buses and ferries. The distances between Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast Alaska are really large -- you might want to look closely at a map with a scale bar, and think about how much traveling you want to do and how much hiking, etc., you want to do. As for passport stories, the most interesting stamp mine has is a Malaysian visa. In bold, capital letters it announces that trafficking illegal drugs carries the death penalty. Having just heard stories of bag handlers slipping drugs into suitcases for transport in Indonesia, this freaked out me and my trip mates a little...

Cindy Loose: Thanks for that heads up -- it is a big state, and transit isn't always very direct.

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washingtonpost.com: Going Out in ... Richmond (Post, March 29, 2006)

KC Summers: Here you go, for the twentysomethings looking for a fun weekend destination. Thanks, Chris.

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Re: single woman in Istanbul: My husband and I went together a year ago this May. Although we traveled together to some sites, we often split up when I wanted to go shopping. A couple of pointers: Don't pick up anything unless you're really interested. Smile and refuse if you're not interested; don't let any babble deter you from walking away (I got an "I thought American ladies were nicer" and a "you're a tease"). The vast majority of merchants were friendly, restaurant owners even more so. I had a wonderful time and hope she does too.

Steve Hendrix: And thanks to you too.

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Washington: The Canada-bound can get a United Express flight to Burlington, Vt., for less than $200 roundtrip. From there, rent a car -- they are about 90 minutes from Montreal.

Cindy Loose: Thanks. And it's not all that much further to Quebec City, which I must admit is my favorite city of the two, and one of my favorite cities in all of North America.

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Vegas Bellagio good rates?: What is a good rate in Vegas? Every time I check they seem to be well into the hundreds per night, especially the Bellagio. Is there a "best Vegas rates" site?

Gary Lee: It depends on the season of course but $125 usually can get you a pretty decent room there. Vegas is a city where lots of great hotel deals pop up in the last minute. I would check out the options at Quikbook or book directly with a hotel (where you always can cancel or change in the last minute), then a week or so before you go check again to see who is offering good last minute hotel rates.

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Houston Restaurant: I recently was there for work and there are steak restaurants on every corner. But we found a place called Pappadeaux that had Cajun style food, including a lot of seafood, and it was great.

Gary Lee: Hey, much thanks for the tip.

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Fun getaway: Enthusiastically recommend Charlottesville, especially if they like to shop. Surprisingly good shopping there. Also, consider a trip to Hershey, Pa.

KC Summers: For twentysomethings looking for a bar scene? Hmm, I love Hershey but not sure it works in this category....

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San Bruno, Calif.: Would you recommend Sydney for winter travel (i.e. June, July, August) or do you think it worth the price to go in high season?

Cindy Loose: My first choice would be to avoid the high summer rates by going in the shoulder season (i.e. spring or fall) but if those seasons aren't an option, I'd go to Australia any time. It depends in part, though, on what activities you want to do. If you weren't thinking of swimming or otherwise doing get wet activities, you should have a swell time.

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College Park, Md.: For the Fall's Church twentysomethings: I think the question may have been destination suggestions. My wife and I have been to more than 20 European cities -- in our opinion there is no better place than Paris! I can't think of a better introduction to Europe. And spend the entire long weekend/week there in Paris -- they won't regret it.

KC Summers: Ah, sorry if I misunderstood. Yes, you can't go wrong choosing Paris for your first European city. Absolutely agree.

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San Francisco: I am going to Malaysia/Borneo in May. Has anyone ever been? Do you have any advice on things to see or avoid?

Gary Lee: Haven't been to Borneo but have been to Malaysia. The must-see cities there in my view are Malaka and Penang. The former has an exotic mix of colonial cultures, the latter has an interesting "overseas Chinese" scene.

You could pretty much skip KL or just spend a day or two there.

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Passport story: In the mid-90s, I went to university in Canada. My passport expired while I was there. Because it contained my visa, I had it renewed at the U.S. consulate and not by mail, but this meant that it wasn't scannable. I did a lot of traveling on that passport and every time I came back to the U.S. I had to explain why it wasn't scannable and it was suggested that I get a new one. A few years before it actually expired, I gave up and renewed it. I don't travel as much now, and I miss all the stamps in that passport.

Gary Lee: Thanks for the story. Whenever I look at the stamps in my passport, lots of memories come flooding back.

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Pittsburgh: Will be traveling to Montreal in May for three days to attend a conference. While my days will be pretty busy, I am a confessed foodie, so would appreciate any recommendations for dining out in the evenings. Will have limited funds, but would like to eat out somewhere nice at least one night.

KC Summers: Lucky you. We'll link to a recent piece we did on Montreal eateries. Among our writer's recommendations: Une Crepe, Cobalt, Via Roma and Bocca d'Oro.

Chime in, other Montreal experts....

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Passport Story: I am a frequent traveler for work and was returning from The Philippines when I realized I had lost my passport in the Detroit airport (forgotten to zip up my purse all the way, I believe). I was panicked because I had another international trip coming up and needed to get my passport ASAP. Luckily, Detroit had a lost-and-found department and they were able to overnight me the passport, which arrived the day before my next flight out!

Gary Lee: Hey, we love a story with a good ending. Glad it worked out!

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Oakton, Va.: Why not try El Manantial? It is one of Tom Sietsema's favorites and it is just off off Wiehle Road.

Gary Lee: On this one, we gladly yield to the food critic.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: Any tips for a first time traveler to Costa Rica? I am trying to plan a honeymoon in the Mal Pais area from September 16 through 26 of this year. I'm having trouble finding flights early enough to connect to a Sansa flight into Tambor. Any tips would be welcome.

Steve Hendrix: I've only been to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, Harrisburg. I can tell you that September can be pretty and stormy time of year on the Pacific Coast.

Does anyone know Mal Pais?

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Vero Beach, Fla.: Malaya and Borneo still have beautiful natural areas. The book to inspire dreams is Wild Malaysia, from MIT Press.

Gary Lee: We appreciate the tip. Think we'll check out that book ourselves.

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China Inoculations: I just went a year ago -- there's really nothing you must have. My doctor recommended a flu vaccine and the Hepatitis A series. The CDC Web site is helpful for what is recommended (up to you and your doc) versus what is required.

Cindy Loose: Thanks.

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CDG Sprint: We have to make a very tight connection at Paris's Charles De Gaulle airport next month. Any tips on getting from 2E to 2B in a hurry? Thanks.

Gary Lee: There's a bus that stops at all the gates. Hop on that!

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Arlington, Va.: The long weekend ladies might want to consider Philly. Great food, and now that it's been cleaned up it is a nice place to visit. Go see King Tut.

KC Summers: Yep, that's another good city option nearby. And we just happen to have written about the bar scene there! Link coming up.

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Desperate vacation clarification: Thanks for the Wolf Lodge idea -- problem is the 18-month-old. All day at an indoor pool would be great for all of us except her ... making it hard for everyone instead. ("But mom, I don't want to leave." ... "We have to go, your sister is turning into a prune and my arms are tired from carrying her in the water for the past four hours.") See the problem?

Cindy Loose: So, let's return to the idea of a resort that has a kids' club, or even vetted babysitters so you can get out for dinner alone at least once.

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Oxford, Md.: We're looking for a hotel near Naples for a day or two from which to explore Pompeii and Herculaneum before heading to the Amalfi coast. We'll have a rental car, but wish to avoid driving within the city, and would welcome any suggestions.

Gary Lee: Anyone have a great hotel tip near Naples?

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Re: Travel Clinics: There is a travel clinic in Rosslyn that I would recommend not going to, because of poor customer service. It's called Capital something. I took my dad there for the recommended immunizations. For one immunization, the travel clinic personnel recommended a pill form for fewer side effects, instead of a standard injection. My dad experienced harsh side effects. When we returned to ask for the injection instead, the travel clinic said that we'd have to pay again, or just continue taking the pill and hoping the side effects go away.

Cindy Loose: Thanks for the insight. I also think it's a good idea to have looked at CDC site before going, because even if you didn't quite understand it, if someone wants to give you something you don't need you might recognize that if you did a little homework.

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Pittsburgh: My passport has stamps for Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, and Lajes, Terceira -- both in the Azores!

Gary Lee: Cool. Much thanks for sharing.

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Reston, Va.: For camping in Puerto Rico, depends on how wild an experience they're looking for, but what about Culebra?

Gary Lee: Thanks for the suggestion.

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Maryland: Taking a trip to Paris in mid-May with 6-year-old daughter. We are all excited! We will be there for our wedding anniversary. Can you recommend a place for dinner that's appropriate for a special occasion and a child (who is well-behaved and a good eater!) Merci!

Gary Lee: Jules Verne, which is the middle of the Eiffel Tower, is a bit pricey but fun and has great food.

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Houston: Houston has these "Papa" restaurants all over the place. I happen to love Papasita's, which is Tex-Mex, and I also know there's a seafood Papa restaurant. I think there's a large number of them (maybe 12?) covering different cuisines. It also depends greatly on where the traveler's going to be -- Houston's a big place!

Gary Lee: Good tip, thanks.

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Baltimore, RE: Desperate for survivable vacation, Va.: Perhaps a cruise? Maybe you could snag a last-minute fare to save some money; with the children in your cabin they would travel for very little. Contact a cruise-only travel agent and see if they can help you find last-minute deal from a city you can drive to -- New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and others.

Gary Lee: Good idea. Thanks!

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Washington: Hello -- I'm hoping you could start me getting excited about a trip I'll be taking in August. I'm going to Croatia for a friend's wedding celebration. It is being held in Necujam (island of Solta). I was thinking of going to the area for about a week (can't take much more time then that) and traveling the cost of Croatia, and maybe Greece. I really don't know much about Croatia or where to go, or whether a non-Croatian-speaking American would be welcome/be able to make her way around without too much trouble. Any advice? Thank you!

KC Summers: Croatia is a wonderful, beautiful country with very friendly, welcoming people. You'll love it. It's very easy to get around, but take a phrasebook for when you go outside Dubrovnik or Zagreb (both of which you should make time for). Ferries are the best way to get up and down the coast, although it's easy to rent a car and drive, too (it's a beautiful drive). Definitely go visit some islands such as Korcula or Hvar.

A tip, through: Don't try to go to Greece too! It's just too much to attempt in one week.

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Reston, Va.: For the person asking about Ireland, I enjoyed Dublin (you can't not go into at least one pub), but my favorite memories are the live music in Galway (everywhere), and hiking in the Aran Islands, especially around Innis Mor all the way to Dun Aengus, a ring fort on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Magnificent, and made all the walking around rocky terrain worth it once my friends and I reached the top.

KC Summers: Absolutely -- they can't miss Dublin, but I just didn't want them to dismiss the west. That sounds like a great hike.

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for Russia traveler: First time I went to Petersburg, I didn't know Russian at all. I was advised to learn the Cyrillic alphabet, which did indeed come as very good advice. It's a quite phonetic language, so you can sound out words. They've added Latin letters to many signs, and just about every restaurant on or near Nevsky Prospekt will have an English language menu, but a few basic words and phrases for directions and food came will come in handy.

Gary Lee: Spacibo. Good tips.

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Montreal restaurants: Au Pied de Cochon for authentic Quebecois fare like poutine and deer. Brunoise for delicious and chic haute cuisine at very reasonable prices. Toque! is supposed to be amazing but out of our price range.

KC Summers: Merci for the tips.

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Annoyed passport holder: I have a passport that doesn't expire until 2013. I got married last year and changed my name. Friends and co-workers told me that it would be fairly simple to deal with updating my passport -- just get a thing that goes in the back noting the name change. Well, apparently it's not so simple. Even though I still have six years left on my passport, I have to pony up the $80 or whatever it is now and get a whole new one with my new last name. I'm not happy, and I keep putting it off because I think it's ridiculous.

Gary Lee: Thanks for sharing the good story.

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Europe newbies: Whatever you do, don't wear shorts. Everyone can tell the Americans by their shorts.

KC Summers: I second that!!

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Gary Lee: Hey, fellow travelers, much thanks for your questions. I appreciate the passport stories, too. I like the one from the clickster is pictured in her passport wearing a bikini. You are today's prize winner. Please e-mail me your address to leeg@washpost.com and I will make sure you get the calendar.

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Travel clinic: I've been a number of times to Traveler's Medical something-or-other near GW -- I think the address is 2021 K Street. Incredibly knowledgeable nurses and good customer service.

Gary Lee: Thanks for the tip.

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Passport Story: When I was a young teen, my parents took my younger sister and I abroad. My sister and I got a joint passport, which was permitted in those days, with one picture of the two of us. Three years later, I went off to a summer program in Japan and, before going, my mother, sister and I had to go down to the New York passport office -- which had lines that seemed to have been designed by Kafka -- to redo the passport. After finally reaching a clerk, he stamped "Amend the passport to delete the Child Amy (my sister) right on the front, and then took a heavy black pen and put a large X through my sister's face. My mother reacted as if he had given my sister the evil eye, and I don't think my sister ever forgave me. Worse, I went all through Japan trying to explain to anyone who saw it why there was a large X through the face of my sister.

Gary Lee: Hey, nice tale.

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Athens hotels: Any hotel located in Plaka will be well-situated and may have a fabulous sunset view of the Acropolis from their top floor. There should be a variety of hotels at affordable prices online or in Lonely Planet -- that's how we found ours. Last time I stayed in Plaka, we had a good, clean, no-frills room for $50/night, but that was 1999.

Gary Lee: Thanks for the thought.

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Philadelphia: My first passport has no stamps in it -- when I went to Denmark as a teenager, they didn't stamp it on the way in, and when my host family took me to Germany for a day, the German immigration officials were all in a back room playing cards (we took a ferry over). My host-sister's grandfather knocked on the window until he got their attention -- he thought I should have at least one stamp from my summer! -- and one finally shouted back that they'd stamp it on our return to Denmark. Only, when we returned, there was no one around at all...

Gary Lee: We appreciate the story, thanks.

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Arlington, Va.: For the first time travelers: One thing I like to do is travel to places that have good public transit (subways, trams, trains, etc.) so I always check out their Web site before I leave to learn about fares, stations, routes, etc. That way you can save some time and look like you know what you are doing when you get there. Also, take some time before your trip to learn a bit about the history, customs and culture of the place you're visiting. It will help you understand the place and people better. There's a huge amount of tourist info out there on the Web -- just about every town and village in Europe has a tourism Web site with all sorts of good stuff, including discount information. Use these resources. You often can write to them in advance and they will send free maps and brochures.

Gary Lee: Good thoughts, thanks.

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Re: Annoyed passport holder: It's weird that you have to get a new one. I got married a year and a half ago and just got a stamp with the new name. I kind of wanted a new one, because my passport story involves a marking indicating that I have to pay a substantial fine if I return to a certain country...

Gary Lee: Thanks for sharing the story.

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