Travelers' Intercom

Today we don’t hear much about cannibalism or headhunting in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but a few years back it was a reality. After WWII this land became a protectorate of the Australians, who, in an attempt to lessen feuds, placed field officers among the tribes and brought the various groups together to sing and dance in their indigenous dress. These meetings became competitive and thus replaced much of the warring.

Now these “wars” are called sing-sings, and to see one is to be present for one of the greatest events you could witness in a lifetime.

My wife, Rita, and I were...

My husband, Larry, and I booked a Costa Europa cruise in the Indian Ocean that was scheduled to go to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion, Seychelles and Kenya (for Mombasa), Jan. 17-31, 2009. We embarked and disembarked in Mauritius, and the price was $8,878 for the two of us in the Grand Suite.

After seeing the itinerary on the line’s website, we had our travel agent confirm the cruise and book it for us. Our agent spoke on the phone to Costa’s customer service and was told that all the ports of call listed would be visited. We had an e-mail dated Dec. 20 confirming a shore...

During our visit to Tel Aviv, Israel, Sept. 16-23, 2008, my husband, Jerry, and I ate at three wonderful restaurants that I want to share with ITN readers. Please note that reservations for these restaurants are definitely advised.

• The Old Port (Namal in Hebrew) at the northern edge of Tel Aviv has been revived after many years of disuse and now is teeming with shops and restaurants. Based on a trusted family member’s recommendation, we chose Gilly’s (Hangar 25 in Tel Aviv Old Port; phone 03 605 7777 or, from the US, 011 972 3605 7777) and it was a delight.

The tables...