QUESTION: I would like to travel to Alaska but am highly allergic to insect bites, particularly those from mosquitoes. Is one month better than the other there for mosquitoes?
ANSWER: To see Alaska in its most bug-free state and still take advantage of its warmer weather you should make your travel plans for late August and early September. But in any case make use of liberal amounts of insect repellent (you can even buy hats impregnated with the stuff).The spring and early summer, from May into early June, are the times to avoid. Even those charged with promoting the state's wide array of natural attractions concede that its reputation for large and ferocious bugs is founded, if only partly, on a grain of truth.
QUESTION: I will be visiting London in the last half of May. Are Torvill and Dean, the ice dancing team, performing there at that time?
ANSWER: Not quite, but close. If you were willing to make the 60-minute train trip north to Birmingham you could catch their inimitable performance in the show "Face the Music" at the National Indoor Arena, from May 24 to 31 (continuing to June 5). Until May 22 they will be a little farther afield, in Sheffield at the Sheffield Arena, just over two hours by train from London.
After Birmingham they will be in London, at the Wembley Arena, from June 7 to 22. Tickets for all sites are $15 to $37.50, calculated at $1.50 to the pound.
For the Birmingham performances call (44 21) 200 2222; for Sheffield call (44 742) 565656 or (44 71) 497 9977; for London (44 81) 900 1234.
QUESTION: I am planning a visit to Hungary in November, spending five to six days in Budapest and five to six days driving to varius parts of the country. There are constant reports of auto theft and assault in eastern Europe. Is it generally safe to drive around?
ANSWER: Pretty well the same rules apply in eastern Europe as they do in western Europe, and many other parts of the world, too: exercise caution in situations where you are likely to be at your most vulnerable.
In the case of driving this means locking the doors and windows when you are at the wheel, parking at night in a brightly lighted area and not stopping for hitchhikers. It also means you should avoid looking conspicuous, wearing flashy jewelry and renting a flashy car.
In Hungary this means renting an ordinary-looking Japanese model, not a Volvo or Mercedes-Benz, both hot items in eastern Europe. A steering-wheel lock wouldn't hurt, either.
Hungary is one of the countries in eastern Europe where you should have the least trouble, according to Jane Perlez, head of The Times's bureau in Warsaw, who frequently travels to other parts of the region. Auto robberies do happen in Hungary but they are more likely to happen in the eastern parts of Poland and Ukraine, she says.
Train travel is more dangerous, according to Ms. Perlez, with many reports of passengers being robbed by gangs preying on sleepers and long-distance day trains. Her advice is to avoid any but the fast intercity trains that travel between such cities as Vienna and Budapest and Cracow and Warsaw.