Travelers' Intercom

I admit it. I am an overpacker. I used to read stories of how to pack light, but within a few paragraphs I would begin skimming the contents — looking not for helpful hints on how to slim my stack but for new items I might need to add.

I do not limit myself to logic or season. Even if I am flying to Switzerland in January, I take at least one summer dress. The sun seems to follow me and there is nothing more uncomfortable than roasting in a sweater on a hot day. I always take a swimsuit, too, because a Jacuzzi might display itself anywhere.

My feet do not like wearing the...

I had a window of opportunity to take off work and go to Turkey, a country in which I had substantial interest. I began looking for companies that provided tours there, being mindful that I did not have much time to plan and would be alone.

In part because of the convenient timing, I settled on the 11-day/10-night “Highlights of Turkey” offered Sept. 30-Oct. 10, ’04, by Aegean Tours, Inc. The price with the single supplement was $1,390. After speaking with the owner several times, I sent my money. Thereafter, I dealt with his assistant. The assistant was often not at the work number...

Holland America Line’s ms Maasdam does an annual summer round trip from Boston to Rotterdam: “Voyage of the Vikings.” While it is possible to take only half the cruise, most passengers go for the full 35 nights. My wife and I took the 2005 cruise, July 16-Aug. 20, at a cost of approximately $8,000 per person for an outside cabin.

We chose this cruise because it did not involve long flights and it allowed us to escape most of a Washington, D.C., summer. It also had an interesting itinerary, including two stops in Greenland, three in Iceland, the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands...