Travel

HONOLULU — As our plane circled, making its final descent into the Honolulu airport, the woman in the seat next to me asked, "Which of the outer islands are you going on to?"

Our "Take the Herald-Leader on Vacation" feature has been a little absent the past few months. In the meantime, our mailbox has filled with great photos of readers visiting places all over the world.

EDINBURGH, Scotland — History tells us that Queen Victoria became so enamored of the beauty of Scotland while traveling across the country by train that she decided she must have a castle here. Hence, Balmoral was added to the list of royal residences. Sadly, I wasn't in the market for a Scottish castle, but I was about to follow in Victoria's footsteps by taking a rail journey through the country. Since I would be traveling aboard the elegant Royal Scotsman, it was a safe bet that I would enjoy the same standard of service and luxury that Victoria did.

NEW YORK — Feeling bad that you can't afford a vacation? The travel books Don't Go There! and I Should Have Stayed Home might make you feel better. For $15 or so, you'll get a laugh out of vacation horrors that you'll be happy to miss.

Mickey Mouse just got a lot closer to Owensboro.