20 Tips

1. If you visit a foreign country where you don't speak the local language, pick up a book of your hotel's matches or one of their business cards; they usually have the hotel's name and address printed on them. Then when you're out sightseeing and want to return to your hotel, show the matchbook or card to the cab driver if he doesn't speak English. -Verne F. Noyes, Silver Spring, MD

2. Instead of shelling out big bucks for brand-new guidebooks, buy new but slightly older editions at significant discounts from www.hamiltonbook.com. The majority of information will still be useful-maps, history, descriptions of major tourist sites-though I wouldn't rely on the books for phone numbers and current prices. The total postage per online order is $3.50, plus 95¢ per book, and there is no sales tax unless you live in Connecticut; they'll ship only to ...