Book It on the Spot--and Save! Part III: A Galapagos Cruise

Legend says that the demigod Maui loved to fish. One sunny day his fishing line caught, and when he pulled, each of the Hawaiian Islands broke the surface of the sea. As if that weren't enough, he stood on the edge of Haleakala, Maui's monster volcano, and snared the sun. With this feat came the promise that Hawaii would receive more daylight hours to fish. All that daylight makes for great road trips, too. From the sky, Maui looks like two islands. One end is dominated by the West Maui Mountains, the other by 10,023-foot Haleakala. The two ranges meet at a sea-level isthmus. Most visitors plant themselves at one of the beach resorts near Lahaina, but they're missing out. There are funky old villages with coffee shops, bakeries, and restaurants; cool-weather "upcountry" homes and rain forests on Haleakala's slopes; and lush shores in the northwest and northeast that few tourists ever see. Day 1: Kahului to Kuau "Hey, brah," I say to a weathered Hawaiian construction worker, "we're looking for Jaws, the big-wave surf spot." My wife, Nancy, and I are in our rental car, waiting while a crew fills potholes on Maui's Kahekili Highway in Waihee. This is the first day of a four-day trip, and we're determined to explore places we've never been despite dozens of visits to the island. Jaws was made famous in the opening credits of the latest James Bond film. The worker leans into the window. "Bruddah, you long way from Jaws," he says, pointing across distant Kahului Bay. "It's ovah there." A surfer of four decades, I'm certain from the pictures I've seen that it's near Waihee. "I don't know where your Jaws is," the man says, grinning, "but mine is that way." A fruitless search for Jaws eats up a couple of hours after our 8 a.m. arrival. (Turns out I should've followed the construction worker's directions instead of acting like a know-it-all.) We're heading to Paia, but I miss a turn and end up at the 76-year-old Iao Theater. With its multiple arches, red-tile roof, and faded pink-stucco facade with turquoise trim, it definitely has some Spanish-southern California influences. The Iao has undergone numerous changes in the island's recent history, from a kung fu movie palace to hippie foreign-film haven to the current home for a local theater group, though there are no productions during our visit. Across the street is the Open Market, where Nancy buys a softball-size mango, a papaya, and an extra-sweet pineapple. Built around a now-defunct sugar mill, Paia was the original territorial capital of Hawaii. In the '30s, the town was bustling with hospitals, schools, and movie theaters for plantation workers. Today it's mostly boutiques, restaurants, and specialty coffee shops on Hana Highway and Baldwin Avenu, like Anthony's Coffee Company and Mana Natural Foods. Our priority is breakfast, and we spot Charley's Restaurant near the town's only stoplight. We opt for the Seafood Benny -- really, eggs Benedict with fresh fish and ono (meaning "the best" in Hawaiian) rice. Like at many restaurants on Maui, the portions here are so large that Nancy and I split the meal. At the next table, country-music legend and part-time Maui resident Willie Nelson is eating a pancake that's as wide as a hubcap. A mile south of town at the craftsman-style Kuau Inn, our upstairs bedroom comes with a view of the dark-green West Maui Mountains and a peek of turquoise Kahului Bay, where we later spot a few humpback whales breaching a half mile offshore. Nancy and I make the five-minute walk to Kuau Cove, where we discover no other people and a few tide pools large enough to swim and snorkel in when the tide's high. After some mango slices, we nap under a coconut palm. Back at the inn we rinse off in the screened outdoor shower, let the trade winds dry us, then drive back to Paia, which is humming with locals and tourists. The Grass Shack overflows with kitschy Hawaiiana, and I can't resist buying a wiggling dashboard hula doll. We've been told by inn owner Lisa Starr that Jacques Northshore Restaurant & Bar -- look for the big, vertical mahimahi out front -- has the best margaritas in town. My sunburn is stinging, so I tell myself a frosty drink will dull the pain. The concoction comes in a glass so tall that Nancy and I share it at our outdoor table while watching the passing parade. As night falls, the restaurants glow like Christmas trees -- Paia is in a permanently festive mood -- with red, blue, orange, white, and green lights. We explore, finding the '50s-era diner Moana Bakery & Café, where a jazz trio is playing, there's no cover charge, and the dessert special is an especially tempting mango crème brûlée. We order one, but after the first bite I'm addicted and have to have my own. Enough with the sharing. Day 2: Kuau to Halea-kala I've never windsurfed, but I figure Maui, a mecca for the sport, is the place to try it. I book a two-and-a-half-hour lesson from Hawaiian Island Surf & Sport, but there's no wind so they offer a mini surfing safari as an alternative. I meet the guide and three others, all beginners, at Kahului's Kanaha Beach, adjacent to Kanaha Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, once a royal fishpond and now home to the rare Hawaiian stilt and Hawaiian coot. The surf is feeble and barely breaks 200 yards offshore, but at least the paddling is invigorating. Afterward, Nancy and I cruise along through several sleepy upcountry communities, including Pukalani, where we'll sleep tonight. The windward landscape is a deep shade of green from frequent rain, with steep, rutted lava cliffs overshadowing the coast. Though the main crop, pineapple, still dominates, the old canneries no longer process it. Many have been converted into shops and businesses. At Haiku Cannery, we eat at Colleen's Cannery Pizza & Sub, then drive deeper into the greenbelt where cattle, horses, and deer mix in pasture and rain forest. We're forced to drive slowly because of the narrow, winding road, but that gives us more time to enjoy several rainbows along the way. While the tree fern protects us from sprinkling rain, Nancy questions the next morning's predawn drive to Haleakala's summit for the sunrise. I'm insistent on making my first trip up top, so instead she suggests that we start the 38-mile meandering drive in the early evening and catch the sunset. We detour to the paniolo ("cowboy") town of Makawao, visiting Hui No`eau, the island's first art collective, dating to 1934. By the time we get to Komoda Bakery -- where locals wait for the doors to open at 7 a.m. -- all their famed cream puffs and malasadas (lightly fried dough filled with vanilla, coffee, chocolate, or passion fruit cream) are gone. Another bummer: Our drab unit at Pukalani Studios costs us $100, plus an additional $75 cleaning fee for staying only one night! It's 4 p.m. when we begin the drive up Haleakala, passing green pastures, views of sunny west-side beaches 30 miles away, floral gardens, and unattended flower stands, where customers are trusted to leave $1 in a rusty coffee can. At the 6,500-foot level we emerge from dense cloud cover to a view of indigo skies and the black-lava summit. Except for two others, we're alone at the crater a few minutes later, where we watch shadows engulf the moon-like landscape. At the actual summit, the giant yellow orb transforms into shades of orange and red before disappearing behind gray clouds. We open a bottle of Maui pineapple wine to share with our new summit buddies. Day 3: Pukalani to Lahaina The morning is clear and crisp on our way to Tedeschi Vineyards, and there are about 10 cars and trucks outside Grandma's Coffee House in upcountry Keokea. Grandma began roasting and blending Maui organic coffee here in 1918; the original roaster can be seen through a viewing window. We step into the cottage-like dining room and owner Al Franco immediately greets us with a hello, though he seems to know everyone else by name. After Grandma's we stop to watch a pueo (Hawaiian owl) gliding over a green pasture searching for a morning meal. With the windows down, I smell night-blooming jasmine. A short while later we're in Tedeschi Vineyards' tasting room, where the centerpiece is an 18-foot-long bar cut from the trunk of a single mango tree. The room was built in 1874, created specifically for the visit of Hawaii's reigning monarch, David Kalakaua, and Queen Kapiolani. There's no direct road to Lahaina from here, so we backtrack through Kahului to get to the former whaling village turned tourist haven. With its bright-pink facade and sky-blue trim, pool, and tropical garden, the Old Lahaina House is hard to miss. It gets hot in Lahaina on the dry, leeward side of the island, and I'm happy our mountain-facing room has a ceiling fan, air-conditioning, and a nice cross-breeze. Nancy and I head to the neighborhood beach, where small sailboats are moored in shallow water. Two men are trying to launch a large catamaran and I help, declining their invitation for a sail but asking if I can borrow their one-person kayak. A receding tide sucks the craft through a narrow channel in the reef and I paddle north, close to bustling Front Street and its oceanfront restaurants. The water is sparklingly clear and I spot yellow tang, a humuhumu nukunuku a`puaa trigger fish, and gaudy-colored moorish idols. We walk to Lahaina for dinner at Cafe O'Lei, getting an ocean-view table on the deck just in time to see the sunset between Molokai and Lanai. We then explore the town's curio shops. While Nancy hits the galleries, I amuse myself in tourist stores, looking at T-shirts with the names of fictional yacht clubs and coconuts with painted scenes that people mail out as oversize postcards. Day 4: Lahaina to Kahului Our Lahaina fix filled, we head north to Maui's rarely visited shoreline beyond resort-heavy Kaanapali and Kapalua. First stop is Honolua Bay, a marine reserve and one of the world's finest surfing spots. Next up is picturesque Honokohau Bay, a half-mile-long beach with a few sand pockets for swimming. Our only companions for the next two hours of tide pooling, walking, and swimming are three surfers. Near Mile Marker 16 is the Bellstone, a large volcanic rock on the side of the road. If you hit it just right it sounds like a bell because of the chemical composition of the lava. I do, and it does. The road suddenly narrows and we hug the sandstone cliff inches from the few ascending cars. What's really distracting is the sight of the Hawaiian village of Kahakuloa -- around 100 total residents -- bordered by a deep-blue bay and 636-foot Kahakuloa Head. We never knew the village existed and feel like we've been thrown back in time. We park at Panini Pua Kea fruit stand, run by lifelong resident Randy Boteilho, who offers us brown-sugar-coated coconut pieces and dried mango. There are no accommodations here per se, but Randy allows campers to pitch a tent on his lawn for $30 a night. Back at Waihee, where our trip started a few days ago, I spot some newly patched potholes and remember my unsuccessful search for Jaws. It's refreshing to know that there are still special places to discover in paradise.

Senior Editor Jason Cochran just got off his Qantas flight to Down Under, where it's late fall. For the next three weeks he'll be criscrossing the giant, legendary land of Australia, seeing places that many Americans would love to see. And you can follow him! From spectacular Great Ocean Road outside of Melbourne to the Tolkeinesque karri forests around isolated Perth in the extreme west, from unique Aussie tucker to that famous animal life, he'll uncover the tricks, tips, and secrets of an unforgettable trip to Australia. He'll also bring you the sights and sounds of some of the country's coolest (and oddest) tourist attractions. No matter where the road takes him, you'll be able to share in his journey on your own computer. In a one-of-a-kind experiment in live travel reporting, Jason's traveling by car with a cameraman who's recording his movements. Every few days, he'll upload two or three short one- to two-minute entry from his live video diary. See the Twelve Apostles in the Great Southern Ocean! Experience Perth, the most distant city from America's East Coast! And get a load of the weird roadkill Down Under! Just bookmark this page and you can follow him throughout his trip--as it's unfolding. Australia is a dream destination for millions of people. But you don't have be content with what you see on your screen. Use what you learn to plan your own dream trip to Australia. It's something you'll only find right here on Budget Travel.

There are a lot of unknowns for the visitor to France this summer: Will the Euro keep going up? Will it be boiling hot? Do the French really hate Americans? One thing is for sure--centuries worth of cultural, architectural, and gustatory pleasures will be yours for the asking. The painful exchange rate may make you think twice about a serious shopping spree or a suite at the Ritz, but it certainly won't stop you from basking in the glory of the streets of Paris or gazing at fields of lavender of Provence. If you poke around, you might find that discovering a good neighborhood Mom-and-Pop café is actually a lot more fun than agonizing over the prices at Taillevent. The tourism slump has spawned endless airline promotions, and with a little research you can still find reasonably-priced accommodations. Chances are, you won't melt in your hotel room--the shock of last year's heat wave has provoked a huge investment in air-conditioning. As for Franco-American relations, don't believe the hype. Politics aside, most French people have no gripe with your average American. As long as you don't add Coca-cola to your glass of Bordeaux, or start singing Yankee Doodle Dandy during mass at Notre Dame, you should be fine. So come on over. Margie answered your questions Tuesday, June 22, at noon EST. Read the transcript below. Margie Rynn has been living in France since 2000 and is currently based in Avignon. In addition to her contributions to Budget Travel (including this month's "Secret Hotels of Provence"), she has also written for Time Out New York, The Amicus Journal, Flair, and Yoga Journal. Co-author of the 2002 edition of Frommer's Paris from $80 a Day, her eclectic resume also includes editing publications for the United Nations Environmental Program and acting in a Broadway show. Margie Rynn: Hellow there and greetings from Avignon. I'm here to answer your questions._______________________ Atlanta, Georgia: Is the anti-American attitude I've heard about in Paris still pervasive?; When I transited through Paris (Charles DeGaulle) in 2002, I got the distinct impression that I was more than merely an inconvenience, that I wasn't wanted there. Margie Rynn: Don't worry, pretty much everyone feels like that at Charles de Gaulle. Remember, even French people want to tear their hair out when they come up against anything or anyone official. I think anti-Americanism has died down considerably-a-- the beginning of the war in Iraq it was palpable, but now most people blame politics on the politicians and not on the people. Also, the weak dollar is hitting the tourist industry very hard over here and those in the biz really miss their American clients. Paris will always seem snotty to outsiders (it even seems that way to French people who don't live there) but I've found that a lot of it has to do with a certain French formalism...if you use a lot of Bonjour/s'il vous plait/merci and behave respectfully, they usually calm down and may even smile a bit. _______________________ Houston, Texas: I will be in the Avignon area this fall. Can you recommend any affordable flea/antique markets in the area?; How can I find about any auctions going on while I'm there and what's the best/cheapest way to get smaller stuff home?; Can you recommend any container services?;Thanks,Judie Metz Margie Rynn: Saturday morning there is a great flea market in the Monfavet area just outside the city walls, but get there early (like 7:30 or 8:00) to get the good stuff. Contact the Avignon tourist office for specifics: avignon.fr/. Also, there are periodic antiques/flea market events in Avignon - the tourist office should know if one is happening while you're here. The nearby town of Ile sur la Sorge has an antiques market every weekend-it w--nds all the way through the town. The town itself is worth a visit if you like wandering around little streets-the --own is laced with canals and cute little bridges. As for getting stuff home, you could try La Poste, the French postal service-it m--ght not be as expensive as you think (.laposte.fr/). I'm sorry to say I don't know of any container services...I've had a bit of trouble that way myself..._______________________ Morristown, NJ: How can I look stylish (but be comfortable) traveling in France this summer?; Margie Rynn: Well, I'm no style maven, but I'll do my best! I don't know if you are a man or a woman, but in general, a well-fitting pair of jeans will do, as long as you put it together with some hip accoutrements. For women, the tighter the better. If you can handle it, the big rage here is low cut hip-hugger jeans with very tight t-shirts and low heeled sandles. You can get around the shoe issue by wearing some version of hip running shoes. I think the main thing to keep in mind is to think comfortable, but not sloppy. Shorts are pretty much out except in natural areas. _______________________ Redmond, Wa: How easy is it to rent a car and drive from Paris to Normandy when you don't have very good command of the French language?; We are considering doing this next February and wonder how realistic it is when we don't speak the language very well. Margie Rynn: Don't let language keep you from taking your trip! More and more French people are speaking English these days...sure you can count on people speaking English in small villages, but it's amazing how far smiles and sign language can get you...as for renting the car, you'll get the best deals if you book your car from the States, so language shouldn't be a problem. Check the internet - BT ass0ciate editor Reid Bramblett has a hugely informative site that handles the subject at beyondhotels.net. It would also be a good idea to try to find a good listing/translation of French/European road signs. They are almost all symbols, not words, but if you are not familiar with them you might find yourself scratching your head...your car rental agency should have some tips._______________________ St Louis, MO: My daughter is studying in France this fall leaving in September. My wife and I plan on visiting her when she gets her feet on the ground. When would you suggest is the best time to go and how can we fly the most economical?; Margie Rynn: You didn't specify where exactly your daughter is studying, but in general, I'd say early Fall and lateish Spring are good bets...try to work your dates around the beginning of the high season - this should cut your airline fare drastically. Comparison shopping on the Internet usually yields great deals if you book more than a month in advance. Try Travelocity, Orbitz and Cheap Tickets for starters. Also try the Air France site-they hav-- lots of promotions to and from the US these days...The north of France tends to be pretty rainy any time of year, but in the south Fall and Spring bring beautiful weather and it's great to be here to enjoy it before the crowds roll in!_______________________ Austin Texas: Does Giverny truly "shut down" the first of November?; Could we just drive around the town, and walk the town and gardens to get an overview. I understand the museums might be closed. Are Restaurants and hotels open, or it better to stay in Vernon?; Margie Rynn: It really shuts down. You won't be able to get into the gardens--not only--that, the flowers won't be in bloom. If it's a short trip from Paris you are looking for, I'd try for a non-weather/season related site like Versailles or Chartres-or ventur-- further afield towards Normandy or the Valley of the Loire._______________________ Cleveland, Minnesota: Bonjour, I'm going to Paris end of October beginning of Nov and want to stop in London. Do you recommend stopping there first and then taking tunnel or a flight to Paris?; I'm a budget traveler but want to see and experience everything I can. Margie Rynn: Flights from the US to London tend to be cheaper than those to the continent-I'd fly to--London and then try to catch one of those new cheap airlines to get to Paris. Ryanair and Easyjet have some ridiculously cheap fares from London to Paris, but you need to book at least a month in advance to get the really low prices. Check their sites at http://www.ryanair.com/ aww.easyjet.com/.____________ Warrenville, IL: My friend and I would like to stay in Provence. Of the cities you mention in the July/August issue of your magazine regarding the charming hotels of Provence - which city would be the best based city for taking day trips by railway and/or buses. Margie Rynn: The best rail/bus connections are in Nimes, Arles, and Aix en Provence. Avignon is also very well connected to Paris with the TGV buzzing you there in 2 hours 40 minutes (so you could stay in at L'Atelier in Villeneuve). Nimes is a little less central to the Provence hotspots._______________________ Medford, Oregon: We are coming over to see the finish of the Tour de France. We are staying in Paris, but do not have a car. In your opinion, is it "safe" to ride the trains or should we plan on getting a car when we get there?;Thanks, S. Fox Margie Rynn: Yes it is safe to ride the trains and don't even think about renting a car in Paris-you'll spend --ou're whole trip stuck in traffic! The Paris metro might get a little dicey if you are travelling late at night to the suburbs, but otherwise it's fine-just use comm--n sense and try not to look too much like a tourist._______________________ Jackson, MS: I am interested in honeymooning in France..How does the general population treat minorities, specifically african-americans?; Margie Rynn: As far as I can tell, african americans (or africans for that matter) are treated pretty decently here. There are many mixed race couples here in Avignon and nobody bats an eyelash. There is a large African community in Paris (check out the 20th arrondisement) and they seem not to suffer too much from racism. The French seem to save their rancor for the North African arabs. Of course, if you are out in the sticks, you are bound to get some stares...actually, there is an African American community in Paris - if you have the time, contact Patricia Laplante Collins and ask about her soirees: mailto:parissoirees@noos.fr;_______________________ Wellington, Florida: I will be traveling to France next month and then on to Switzerland. Where is it cheaper to buy a rail pass: here or in France?; Margie Rynn: You are better off buying a France pass in the States-but if you can'-- manage it, don't despair, there are deals to be had over here. Check http://www.sncf.fr/._________________ Louis, Missouri: I am a writer who is longing for a soujourn in Southern France to hole up and do some work. Any advice or resources as to how an American can set up a temporary life (say 6-12 months)?; Are there visa issues?; How did you arrange your situation?; Margie Rynn: Well, uh..there are, ahem, visa issues, which I ignored for the first six months or so...then I got married. (It was for love, really!) I probably will get in trouble for this, but in my experience, if you have the resources to find a place to whole up and you have an American passport, you should be fine for six months in the visa department. The thing is, they generally don't stamp American passports. So no one knows how you got here. On the other hand, working legally is out of the question without papers._______________________ St. Louis, Missouri: Hi Margie. I will be spending 3 weeks in Southern France in September. How important is it too have every hotel lined up and booked in advance?; I find that often, having an air-tight, pre-booked schedule kills the spontaneity of being able to stay on somewhere I like, or discovering a new gem I wouldn't have known about until I arrived. I like to keep it loose, but don't want to be shut out if this is a time and region where bookings are essential. Thanks. Margie Rynn: In September you will have missed most of the high season, so you should be OK for the most part winging it. You could try booking a couple of places that you really want to try, just to have something in place, and then keep things open otherwise. For most real budget hotels I've found that if you call a day ahead you can usually get something....just beware of festivals, which really book towns solid. But they should mostly be over by September._______________________ Seattle, Washington: I have heard from several travelers that Paris has a strong odor of urine in the Summer. Is this because of antiquated plumbing/sewage systems or is there a more nefarious reason?; Also two of my friends from Sweden refuse to be seated near French travellers on international flights asserting that the French bathe too infrequently?; Why is that?; Margie Rynn: I don't know where these folks were walking, but I've never noticed any pervasive unspeakable odors in Paris. As for the French, the mythic stinky Frenchman is pretty much history, although you are bound to come in contact with body odor if you hop on the Paris metro at rush hour._______________________ New York, NY: Hi, I am a student and have the summer off. I am interested in working and traveling at the same time. I would love to work in France and get the opportunity to get to know the culture from a more personal point; I have until September. Are there specific programs or websites that can give me information regarding travel and work?;Thank you very much. Margie Rynn: Aghghgh! I know there is a travel magazine for you, called ??? Abroad, and I can't remember the first word. Studying Abroad? Adventures Abroad? There are student programs that allow you to work - students have an easier time of it than other folks when it comes to working papers. Many American companies with offices in France use summer interns. Then there is always the famous wine-picking work in September when the harvest is in. I wish I could give you more specifics...but my time is running out and I want to answer more questions...try the web and see if you can find a very good book called "Living And Working in France."_______________________ Saint Louis MO: Need to find a hotel room in the Normandy region. Looks like it might be difficult even for B&B's......in July. ANy suggestions?; Margie Rynn: Did you try the Gites de France network for B&Bs? They have thousands of properties on their lists and they are very reliable. http://www.gites-de-france.com/._____________________ NY: I will be visiting France at the end of the summer and wanted to know just how important it is to be able to speak at least a little French. I've been told by some not to worry since everyone there speaks English...is this true?; Margie Rynn: Not everyone speaks English, but more and more do. The important thing is to make at least a little effort to speak some French. The French person concerned is bound to appreciate it and then immediately try to impress you with their English. People get cranky when Americans assume that everyone speaks English, true or not. Of course you shouldn't let language keep you from your travel dreams-just try to remember th--t language is culture and that French people are proud of their language._______________________ Brooklyn, NY: As a women, how are you treated differently in France vs. the US?;Margie Rynn: Interesting question. On the one hand, being on the far beyond 30 side, I was really happy to land in a country where you are still regarded as a real woman even if you are over 25. Men check women out all the time here, they tend to be fairly discreet - I've noticed much less heckling and rude sexual comments than in the US, actually, especially when you consider that French women dress very very sexy. It's kind of liberating to be able to wear a tight shirt without everyone giving you their opinion about it. On the other hand, it's a much more macho culture...when it comes to romance and marriage (not to mention politics and positions of power in companies), roles are much more traditionally defined. As far as travelling goes, I don't think being a woman should cramp your style here at all._______________________ Margie Rynn: Sheesh --that hour flew by. I'm sorry I didn't get to answer all your questions...there were so many interesting ones! Well, here's to wishing you many wonderful vacations and adventures--Bye

They don't ski the powder. Of all the cultural peculiarities that North American skiers and snowboarders discover in the Alps, that one leaves them the most dumbfounded. In Colorado and Vermont and British Columbia, diehards have been known to stand in lift lines before daybreak if it means fresh tracks. But in Europe, the overwhelming majority prefer the fluffiness squeezed out of the snow to make for easy cruising runs. Carving turns in powder, while fun, is an awful lot of work, and anything coming close to the W-word is a no-no for Europeans on holiday. That just means more freshies for you and me. Everything else that goes along with the Alpine village experience in Europe makes absolute sense. Instead of day trips or long weekends, people primarily come for weeks at a time so that it's actually possible to relax. They use intricate train and bus links in lieu of cars, reserving the compact village centers for peaceful walking. And then there's that indefinable charm--the snow-topped chalets, narrow alleys, cozy après-ski pubs, and sheltering mountain surroundings are so irresistible that resorts around the world have been imitating them for decades. We're spotlighting three of these storybook ski villages, in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Each is authentic to its roots, more affordable than people imagine, and perfect in its own way. Wengen, Switzerland: An Alpine Classic Switzerland is known for its idyllic ski villages, with traditional wooden chalets nestled amid craggy peaks jutting up into a baby-blue sky. Wengen (Ven-ghen) stands out because of its location in the middle of three interconnected ski areas, each of which would be considered well above average on its own in North America. Wengen is a pedestrians-only village--no diesel fumes, no cars revving their engines, no parking lots the size of football fields--so people find it that much easier to decompress here. And decompress they do: The ski holiday in Switzerland focuses as much on the idea of "holiday" as it does on "ski," and savoring a two-hour midday meal or hoisting a mug of frothy beer on a sundeck is more important than logging lots of mileage up and down the mountain. Instead of cars, Wengen relies on an elaborate, efficient system of trains, gondolas, cable cars, chairlifts, and T-bars that could only be the work of Swiss engineers. Visitors drive or take the train to the town of Lauterbrunnen. From there, a cog railway carts them past old timber farm sheds and over the crest of a cliff to Wengen. Across the Lauterbrunnen valley from Wengen is its smaller mirror image, Mürren, which is similarly car-free and situated on top of a dramatic bluff. On the Wengen side, a cable car in town shoots up to the top of a peak, and skiers can cruise down 4,000 vertical feet on the other side to find themselves in yet another quintessential ski hub, Grindelwald. The three villages form the heart of the Jungfrau region, smack in the center of Switzerland, just south of Interlaken and about three hours from Zürich. To access the Jungfrau's terrain--or any of the snowy landscape's restaurants, bars, cafés, and toboggan runs--all you have to do is roll out of your hotel and walk (or ski) to the nearest train stop. A ski pass covers all transportation within the Jungfrau region, and the trail maps come printed with train schedules. There's hardly a bad room in town, but since most ski hotels in Switzerland include breakfast and dinner in their rates, it's essential to factor in the quality of the kitchen. (If you don't want dinner, most hotels will take it off the bill, but only if you tell them ahead of time.) At the Hotel Hirschen in Wengen, the delicious pastas, tangy soups, and weekly fondue parties more than make up for the smallish guest rooms. Ski trails lead right to the hotel door, and most west-facing rooms come with terraces and views of the town, the mountains, and the valley. The village center is just a few minutes away on foot, quicker if you're on skis. Each morning, skiers and boarders face a mountain range's worth of options: hopping into the Männlichenbahn cable car for wide-open groomers leading down to Grindelwald; boarding the train and heading up above Mürren to the Schilthorn, a 9,748-foot peak known for its revolving restaurant, steep slopes, and the fact that the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service was filmed there; or taking the train in the opposite direction, up to the sunny Kleine Scheidegg area, where people toss back schnapps inside a giant tepee or soak up sun on the decks, gathering the nerve to try the Lauberhorn, a famous downhill course where a World Cup race takes place every January. Instead of the X Games style of aggression so common at North American ski resorts, the Jungfrau is filled with people making one effortless turn after the next with nothing to prove. They meander along, breathing the crisp air and reveling in the international atmosphere--the ski instructor may be Austrian, the waiter Dutch, the guy at the rental shop Canadian. Trying to ski more than one area per day is foolish. There's too much ground to cover, especially with the long, relaxing lunch break so popular in the Alps. It's rare to ski more than 10 minutes in the Jungfrau without spotting a lodge or hotel serving decent, affordable food, and a great view is all but guaranteed. For example, the Schilthornhütte, on a sunny perch near Mürren's Stellifluh lift station, has picnic tables near slopes that drop off so abruptly it feels like the top of the world. Plates of bratwurst, macaroni and cheese, and hot apple strudel are only $6 to $12 per. When the light begins to fade, skiers snowplow back through outposts of hotels and outdoor bars, right into the heart of Wengen. They prop their skis on a rack outside Chili's bar, settle in at one of the big wooden tables, and discuss the epic day they just had. After dinner at the hotel, the strongest--or just the most stubborn--convince their legs that they're able to take them back to town for more fun. Perhaps dancing to hip-hop with the young locals at the dungeon-like Kegelbahn? Maybe karaoke in French at the Club Med? Fact File: Wengen LodgingHotel Hirschen 011-41/33-855-1544, hirschen-wengen.ch, from $109 for two, or full weeklong package from $731 per person FoodSchilthornhutte Murren 011-41/ 33-855-5053, bratwurst plate $6.70 Chili's 011-41/33-855-5020 InformationWengen Tourist Office 011-41/33-855-1414, wengen-muerren.ch, lift pass at Wengen-Grindelwald $45, five-day pass $205 Saalbach, Austria: The Winter Carnival "We haff no&moral?" That's how, in uncertain English, a longtime local explained the no-inhibitions party scene in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, neighboring villages in a snowy valley between Innsbruck and Salzburg. "Other places, zay haff what zay call ski sizzon," he said. "We haff Carnival all winter long." By 2:30 every day, a lack of "moral" is on display underneath tents at Bauer's Schi Alm and other après-ski bars, where hordes who bailed on the slopes early curl their soggy gloves around mugs of beer and coffees laced with sweet liqueurs. Soon enough, a tipsy German in his 40s is up on a slippery table dancing in his ski boots. People who live here don't seem annoyed by the shenanigans; they embrace the raucous atmosphere and often join in. A well-known rumor has it that a prominent elected official, a married man, was caught with his pants down in a pub with a young girl a couple of seasons back. He was reelected soon after--with more votes than he received the first time. The two villages are made for carousing until your body says uncle, with the likes of Goasstall, a crazy bar decorated with goat-headed mannequins, and discos that draw crowds well after midnight. Even with all the wacky happenings in town, an evening at the mountain lodge Spielberghaus will probably be the most memorable part of the trip, so reserve early. The adventure begins with a 15-minute ride in a snowcat up to the converted farmhouse. The ride isn't particularly windy or cold, but you'll want to wear boots, snow pants, a hat, gloves, and goggles for what comes later. Inside, it's all wooden walls and ceilings. Here and there are old skis, stuffed moose heads, paintings of Tyrolean life, and rosy-cheeked people laughing and telling stories. A host, who more than likely speaks a half-dozen languages, sits groups on benches at big tables. You may have to share a table with strangers, but that's part of the fun. The goal, apparently, is to eat and drink as much as possible. Order the pork ribs, and out comes a heaping pan with enough to feed three. Waiters carry special trays on their shoulders for beer--basically a two-by-four with round grooves for a dozen glasses. Inevitably, some group will start singing songs from their homeland, be it Russia, Sweden, or Germany, and will then challenge other tables to do the same. Everyone sways to the anthems, drinks in hand. Dancing in the crowded aisles or right at the table usually follows. (People of all ages enjoy the Spielberghaus, but go early if you're with kids; things get nuttier by the hour.) After dinner, folks head to the adjoining bar for a game of nageln, or nailing. Four or five players stand around a slab of tree trunk trying to pound in nails using the chisel end of an old-fashioned hammer. Each person gets a swing, then passes the hammer along. First one to flatten his nail into the wood wins. At night's end, everyone puts on their snow gear and barrels down the snowcat track in red plastic sleds. The ride is a 30-to-45-minute mix of laid-back cruising and exciting, mountain-hugging turns, interrupted by the occasional snowball fight. Oh yeah, Saalbach-Hinterglemm offers skiing too--really good skiing, if you can stop partying long enough to try it out. The entire area, which includes slopes on both sides of the Saalbach-Hinterglemm valley as well as several other mountain faces and wide-open bowls, is aptly called the Ski Circus. If it's not the greatest show on earth, it's close. There are 55 lifts in total, and like Switzerland's Jungfrau region, it's best to stick to one area per day. Even if it hasn't snowed in a while, you'll probably still be able to carve fresh tracks off of the Sportbahn 2000 lift (most people avoid the powder, remember). For lunch, stop in at the nearby Die Alte Schmiede, a rustic homestead-turned-restaurant with gorgeous mountain views and enough old farm equipment for it to qualify as a museum. Free buses work the lone valley road, so it's not necessary to pay extra for lodging in town. Right next to a bus stop, and just a 10-minute walk from Saalbach--the more charming of the two villages--is Landhaus Burgi. This classic chalet, which was redone a year ago and is efficiently run by Hans and Burgi Obwaller, has simple wooden fixtures and sleek bathrooms. When choosing between Burgi's traditional B&B accommodations and its one fully equipped apartment (no meals included), keep in mind that many people in Saalbach find it difficult to rise early enough for breakfast. Every bed at the Burgi comes with a cushy down comforter, and the back rooms have decks that hang over the gurgling river. The rowdy atmosphere gets most of the attention in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, but the resort also attracts plenty of couples, families, and low-key groups. Ski instructors in Austria take pride in their reputation as the best in the world, and here they're particularly skilled and sensitive. For a break from the slopes and nightlife, each village has a few quaint, car-free blocks lined with bakeries, coffee shops, and souvenir stores. Restaurants such as Hotel Peter, where the staff wear traditional Tyrolean dress (milkmaid skirts, lederhosen), keep tasty classic Austrian barbecue recipes alive. The ultimate romantic outing is past the villages and lifts, at the far end of the valley: a horse-drawn-sleigh ride to the old farmhouse restaurant Lindlingalm (see the photo on this issue's Contents page). Fact File: Saalbach-Hinterglemm LodgingLandhaus Burgi 011-43/6541-6466, landhaus-burgi.com, from $38 per person with breakfast, apartment for four from $145 FoodBauer's Schi Alm Saalbach, 011-43/6541-6213Goasstall Reiterkogelweg 491, Hinterglemm, 011-43/6541-8705Die Alte Schmiede 011-43/6583-8246, alteschmiede-leogang.comHotel Peter Saalbach, 011-43/6541-6236 ActivitiesLindlingalm Hinterglemm, 011-43/6541-7190, lindlingalm.at, $13 for horse-drawn-sleigh rideSpielberghaus Spielbergweg 207, 011-43/6541-7253, spielberghaus.at, snowcat ride and sled $9 InformationSaalbach Tourism Glemmtaler Landstrasse 550, 011-43/6541-6800, saalbach.com, lift pass for one day from $32, for six days $151 Bormio, Italy: Old, Old World Charm It's not easy to reach Valtellina, a mountainous region just east of the lakes district in northern Italy. Half of the roads threading through the pointy peaks into the Valtellina are closed for the winter because of snow. The passes that remain open are of the winding, single-lane variety, and travel on them slows down even further in tunnels and narrow town centers along the way. On a map, the posh resort of St. Moritz lies right across the Swiss border from Bormio, the city at the heart of the region, but driving there takes at least a couple of hours. Milan Malpensa, the nearest airport served direct from the U.S., is about four hours by car, more like five with a combination of train and bus. The remote locale is a blessing. How else would so few people know about a medieval village that overflows with handsome churches, towers, archways, and cobblestone piazzas, all within a 10-minute walk of world-class skiing? Several of the palaces and public squares around the main drag of Via Roma date to before the 15th century. Yet just across a small footbridge are completely modern cable cars that shoot skiers up to wide-open slopes. Bormio boasts a hefty 5,860-foot vertical drop--longer than any resort in North America--but overall the resort is considered smallish in Europe. This is probably because Bormio's layout is tall and thin, served by 14 lifts, which is paltry compared with mammoth spreads in France, Switzerland, and Austria. Still, the mountain's long, thigh-burning trails are good enough for the globe's best: It'll host the Alpine World Championships in early 2005. Lifts top out at a lofty 9,882 feet, and there can be a foot of virgin powder at the peak even if it hasn't recently snowed in town. Together with the bigger resort of Livigno (33 lifts) and a few intermediate ski hills all within an hour of each other on a free ski bus, the terrain of Valtellina will keep any skier happy for a week. With the exceptions of Christmas and New Year's and the popular vacation period of mid-February to mid-March, crowds are rare in Bormio, both on the slopes and in town. Once you arrive, expenses will be minimal compared with most ski resorts. A daily lift pass starts at $32, less than half of what most U.S. mountains charge. Meublé Garnì della Contea, a B&B chalet on the slope-side edge of the old town, has sparkling rooms and a breakfast with gooey pastries and coffee with hot cream for under $40 a night per person. The food in Bormio is spectacular, and most restaurants seem unaware that it's standard procedure to gouge ski tourists. La Nuova Pastorella, a warm, family-run establishment right on Via Roma, charges $5 for brick-oven pizzas, as little as $6 for pastas, and $8 for liters of the sweet house red. When there's a race or festival in town, après-ski in Bormio can be as spirited as in Wengen or Saalbach. Most of the time, the day winds down with a quiet dinner and a stroll past 800-year-old chapels and the prominent Civic Tower clock. A rejuvenating retreat on a day off from the slopes is 10 minutes from town by car ($5 by taxi). The Romans knew about the area's thermal springs more than 2,000 years ago, and over the centuries the healing mineral waters have attracted visitors such as Leonardo da Vinci, Garibaldi, and Austria's Archduke Ferdinand. A day of soaking in the caverns, grottoes, and baths at the Bagni di Bormio Spa Resort--including a steaming open-air pool overlooking the valley and soaring mountains around Bormio--does wonders for stress, as well as for sore hamstrings and aching backs. Before you know it, you'll be raring to tackle the Stelvio, Bormio's steep, unforgiving downhill course that doesn't let up for more than two miles. Fact File: Bormio LodgingMeublé Garni della Contea Via Molini 8, 011-39/0342-901202, garnicontea.it, from $36 per person FoodLa Nuova Pastorella Via Roma 20, 011-39/0342-901253, pizzas from $5, pasta dishes from around $6 ActivitiesBagni di Bormio Spa Resort Strada dello Stelvio, 011-39/0342-910131, bagnidibormio.it, one day $36 per person InformationTourism Bormio Via Roma 131b, 011-39/0342-903300,valtellinaonline.com, pass at Bormio $32, five-day pass at four resorts in Valtellina from $150