What follows are a collection of items I've discovered during my travels of the world. Some are general. Some are specific. Some are just completely random. As you read the following information, take in what you wish. After learning them, all of the items listed have made my travels much more enjoyable.

Most hotels outside of North America consider washcloths a "personal item" like a toothbrush and are rarely supplied. If you can, pack a few in your suitcase which can be discarded along the way.

The best meal I've ever had in my entire life was at Ristorante La Terrazza in Siracusa, Sicily (Via Picherali 10, tel. (0931) 468-009). The food is absolutely amazing (try anything with fish) and the view is spectacular, as tables on the terrace overlook the harbor.

Delerium Cafe
The best bar I've ever stumbled upon is in Brussels, Belgium. I'm not even sure where the Delerium Cafe is located, but perhaps that's part of why I love it so much. They have 2,500 beers available for consumption, with a certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records behind the bar to prove it. Some maps have the street it is located on and some don't (Impasse de la Fidelite, 4A -- easily missed on a side street of Restaurant Row).

The second best bar I've ever been to is Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon (48 Webster Street, Jack London Square, Oakland, California, United States). As you enter the door, be sure to step down as the floor drops from an early 20th century earthquake. On the ceiling are loads of business cards from travelers who, upon seeing the floor, offered their services and left a card. The cards were stapled to the ceiling for safe-keeping, although management never got around to calling the repairmen. Or fixing the floor, for that matter.

Seems everyone has a web-based e-mail account nowadays (Yahoo, GMail or Hotmail account). I've scanned my passport and e-mailed it to my web-based account for safe-keeping. If I'm ever out of the country and lose my identification, I have a color copy available for the authorities to pull the appropriate information off of. (Also handy to forward e-mails containing hotel reservations, confirmation numbers and other important trip information to.)