Periodically, I am asked by some of you for my "best" trip, meal, experience, drive, train ride, or hotel. So, without making the list too big, here is a snapshot of the best. And best probably means favorite! Best Hotel Rasa Sayang in Penang, Malaysia Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach, CA Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, Scotland The Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand The Datai, Langkawi, Malaysia Best Train Ride The Trans Siberian Railway, Russia Anywhere on the Shinkansen in Japan The California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco The Sunset Limited from LA to Nawlins for the Super Bowl The Coast Starlight from Seattle to San Francisco ... read more

There are several answers to this question. One might be that it is more fun. I can walk around, without that damn seatbelt light coming on. And I can see out of BOTH sides of the train. Mealtime is at an actual table with waiters, something even a premium seat in First or Business Class of an airplane cannot match. The quality of the food is somewhere between coach class and first, however. Two, it is much more relaxing. I can nap whenever I want, with nobody to bother me. I can stretch out on two seats, with several pillows and blankets if needed. I can open or close the shades, adjust the airflow and light, and it is much quieter than an airplane. Three, the people I meet on the train seem much more willing ... read more

As of today, January 2, 2018, forty of our fifty states are under a severe weather warning. Here are a few cold places I have visited: Vladivostok is in url=https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2016%2F07%2F24%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Fvladivostok-china-haishenwai-tourists.html%3F_r%3D0&data=02%7C01%7C%7C84fb850128614f95ce0508d552b76efe%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636505870162792546&sdata=TYuCIis%2BRLA1Y4tjfvT83VcEHrmuLqXMk2%2BIh1PfkeI%3D&reserved=0Russia’s Far East, near the country’s border with China. Average January temperatures reach url=https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yr.no%2Fplace%2FRussia%2FPrimorsky%2FVladivostok%2Fstatistics.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C84fb850128614f95ce0508d552b76efe%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636505870162792546&sdata=nHn5zPoPE... read more

Everyone knows our typical New Year's celebration and ritual. We go out, to dinner or a party, have a few glasses of champagne, and wish each other a Happy New Year as the ball drops at Times Square in NYC. But what about the rest of the world (thanks to Fodor's)? But first, a question: Which country celebrates the New Year first? Answer below** In Spain, they celebrate the Twelve Grapes of Luck. Eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the year for good luck and prosperity. But you must eat one grape at each strike of midnight!. The tradition goes back to 1909, and I would not be averse to washing it down with a glass of bubbly. Wear colorful undies in Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, or anywhere in Latin America. Tradition says red brings ... read more

Most of us are so fortunate, either already retired (like us), or working in a good job. But have you ever stopped to think about people in poor countries? Take a look at these: The average income in the world is about $10,300 per year, per person. But can you believe there are many countries where the per capita income is less? Let's see if I have visited any of them (two only). Tanzania has a per capita income of only $900. But it does have domestic and political stability. My visit there was primarily focused on two safaris, one in the Ngorongoro Crater, and the other on the Serengeti. At Ngoro, we stayed in a better than average safari resort, and on the Serengeti, in luxury tent cabins. Though gold is their top export, they ... read more