Travel Tidbits

When I went to the post office in Tbilisi, Georgia, to mail packages home in April ’05, each of my bags was measured, and then a lady sewed muslin covers for each one. These were then stitched up and sealed with hot wax. It was expensive, but my packages were waiting for me when I got home. — SAMANTHA SARTAIN, Colorado Spring, CO

If you are prone to having your luggage lost, pack half of your things in your spouse’s luggage, and he or she can do the same. That way, neither of you will be without clothing if a suitcase is lost. — CLAUDIA REED, Las Vegas, NV

On a December nature walk through Chile’s Tirimbina Rainforest, we saw a variety of trees and flora native to the region, but because of the steady rainfall few birds or other fauna could be easily seen. The trail led above the canopy on a long suspension bridge that spanned the river to a small island. There we saw a group of rare white tent bats, each about the size of a small marshmallow, that slept through the day under some broad leaves near the rainforest floor. Despite our ponchos, our shoes and trousers were soaked after the walk. — MASAO MATSUMOTO, Arlington, VA