Travelers' Intercom

In defense of the company Spirit of India, I must respond to the reader’s letter titled “Temporarily Left in the Desert” (Sept. ’09, pg. 28), about an experience on a tour in Mongolia.

With five other women (all of us ITN subscribers) in three SUVs, I enjoyed Spirit of India’s tour (modified itinerary) of the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in October-November ’08.

Confronted with several unforeseen, unavoidable events, our capable escort, Mr. Sanja Verman, further modified the itinerary on the ground to provide safe, fascinating, authentic alternative...

I took an amazing 2-week, September-October cruise through the islands east of Bali, Indonesia, to Asmat, West Papua. It was arranged by Phyllis Hischier of West Papua Artifacts (San Luis Obispo, CA; 805/549-8371, www.asmat-artifacts.net) in conjunction with the American Museum of Asmat Art (www.stthomas.edu/asmat) at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Our ship was the Indies Trader IV, which held about 20 passengers. It was very clean and comfortable. Good meals, snorkel and dive equipment, domestic airfare and all drinks were included in the cruise price of $7,...

Most visitors to Paris go with a list of recommended restaurants, but I thought ITN readers would like a list of wonderful wine bars, part of the true Parisian experience. I visited all of the wine bars listed below from January to September 2009, most several times.

Reporting on the prices is somewhat of a problem. For years, the tax on restaurant meals was 18.6% while the tax on fast food was just over 5%, which led to riots in the streets, literally, with chefs in white toques throwing eggs. Finally, very recently, the government reduced the tax at regular restaurants to the same...