Life with Laptop: Rules for Traveling with Your Computer
This is how far we've come: Twenty years ago, my first "portable" computer weighed 35 pounds, never fit under the seat in front of me, had a monochrome screen the size of an index card, couldn't operate on battery power and had no hard drive or modem. more>

Riding the Rails with Amtrak's Quarter-Off Sale
Amtrak has just updated their rolling, perpetual sale, so if you've ever wanted to be ridden out of town on a rail, now would be a good time. The spring edition of Amtrak's online sale offers 25% off most of the railroad's fares, including trains in the chronically overpriced Northeast Corridor. more>

A Potpourri of Bargains in Connecticut's Litchfield Hills: B&Bs, Winter Sports & Bird Watching
Think snowy scenes reminiscent of Currier & Ives prints, or think Norman Rockwell--wait, make that Thomas Kinkade--and you'll know what the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut look like in frightful-weather-outside winter. But you can't guess from the pictures alone what kind of variety there is to be had in the fun department: outdoor play, indoor romance and restful spells away from your usual hurley-burley. And for as little as $99 a night for a double room (champagne and breakfast for two, to boot). more>

Money-Saving Malta: Air, a Week's Hotel, Morning Meals and More Out of Three U.S Cities, Plus You Can Affordably Add On a Multitude of Other European Cities All for Under $100 a Day
The Mediterranean archipelago-nation of Malta is barely a blip on most travelers' radar and for no good reason. It's temperate and mostly dry year-round. It offers some of the best diving and snorkeling in the region, not to mention clean sandy beaches. Its unique blend of European and African cultures provides you a steady stream of taste sensations, architectural styles and historical wanderings to more than fill any sojourner's agenda. And it's entirely affordable. more>

Visiting San Francisco with Kids
Dragica W.-- "Travelling to San Francisco (from Canada, our home) this week, with 13 year old boy. Any helpful hints on what to do and were to eat. Any comments on the Grosvenor Hotel. Love Jewish deli's, and French Restaurants, any recomendations?" more>

Hints on the Alaska Toursaver Coupon Booklet
Larry McDonald-- "Just a quick comment on the toursaver. I am buying the coupon booklet, but many of the coupons of the excursion coupons I cannot use because of the rather severe retrictions. These restrictions cannot be found out until you buy the booklet and read the back of the coupons. I will save about $250. However, there is more than that I can't use because of the retrictions." more>

Get Your Kicks... on Route 66
Dave Tanner-- "If you are trying to get to the end of the trip as quickly as possible then by all means stay on I-40. But if you want to enjoy some of the best of America I recommend taking as much of the old Route 66 as your time schedule permits. The first time I drove to California in 1963 all that was there was Route 66. It is true in some towns you got slowed down but what great people we met and what great sights we saw, all missed by zooming by on the interstate. It saddens me sometimes to go through the old areas and see towns such as Baghdad, CA completely gone. Remember the movie Baghdad Cafe? There really was such a place, killed by the Interstate taking the business away. When you drive through now all that is there is a few old foundations. Don't always be in such a hurry that you miss out on some of lifes greatest pleasures, the discovery of the unknown around the next bend. Enjoy Route 66." more>

Madrid to Barcelona to Paris Transportation
Vicki S.-- "I'm hoping to plan a trip to Spain and France (within the next few weeks!) and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get around. I'd like to fly into Madrid, then go to Barcelona, and then get up to Paris, where I'll fly out. I'm trying to get an idea of travel times and best mode of transportation between these cities (I'll have about 9 days total for the trip). Any thoughts would be appreciated!" more>

Stonehenge Special Access
Ray-- "So far as I know, Astral Travel is the only tour operator that [can give you access to Stone Henge at dusk]. Apparently the owner of Astral Travel is good friends with the Heritage Trust that manages Stonehenge and has permission to guide a certain number of trips that include the Inner Circle of stones. (This had to be closed off to the general public because of wear and tear on the grounds.) A portion of the fee goes to the trust to help maintain Stonehenge. On their special tour (which we took last April), you will get to visit the Inner Circle about 6 p.m. after the site is closed to regular visitors. Your guide will give you a short talk about the site, and you can then wander about for a while. We stayed slightly more than an hour, until dark. Despite a wind-driven rain, it was well worth it. You also get to visit two other sites in the general vicinity, including the Stone Circle at Avebury. Unfortunately, this tour did not include a side trip to Salisbury Cathedral." more>

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