Some ATMs are better than others...

When you're on the road, avoid freestanding ATMs, if it is possible. Machines that are associated with a bank or building have proven to be more secure and less vulnerable to identity theft. Don't take chances if you don't need to.

Kathleen Ameche lives in Chicago. She is the featured travel expert on CBS 2 Chicago as well as the author of The Woman Road Warrior, An Expert's Guide to Domestic and International Business Travel.
Website: www.womanroadwarrior.com.

Garden Tours in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada...

Yes, Victoria, Canada is famous for its Butchart Gardens’ however, if you know where to find them, there are plenty more “wow!” gardens year round to stroll and admire in this city. Following her retirement as a college instructor ten years ago, Joan Looy turned her passion for gardens into a business. Victorian Garden Tours, introducing little known public and private properties from her wide-ranging portfolio to visitors from around the world. From quirky to elegant, from traditional plantings to utterly contemporary, from geometrically regimented to seemingly chaotic riots of color, Joan has the keys to some of the best in the region. She gladly shares garden designer insights you would never notice if she didn’t point them out and matches personal interests if you reveal them in advance.

Alison Gardner is a Canadian travel journalist and editor of Travel with a Challenge.
Website: www.travelwithachallenge.com.

An intimate folk art museum in Lima...

If you visit Lima you'll certainly want to visit Barranco, the bohemian area of town. On the Av. Pedro de Osma (the main road of Barranco, with the tramway in it) at nr. 116 there a very small museum, on the right hand-side. It is called 'Museo de Arte Populare Ayacuchana' (Ayacucho’s Popular Art Museum) and people often miss going in because the gate is always closed. Actually the museum is open! You just need to keep ringing the bell until the girl in charge hears you and opens the door on a very nice, cozy and interesting museum on the popular folk art of this Peruvian town. Website of the museum: http://www.mugapa.com/ (in Spanish)

Claudia Landini reports from Lima, Peru. She is the co-founder of www.expatclic.com, an expat website for women.

Bathe in Seaweed on the West Coast of Ireland...

If you find yourself on the west coast of Ireland please do yourself a favour and indulge in a seaweed bath in seaside Enniscrone, county Sligo. Kilcullen's Bathhouse, established in 1912, is a charming Edwardian building complete with porcelain baths, brass taps and a comfortable quality that adds to an overall quaint ambience worthy of any relaxation-holiday. The baths might seem a little daunting at first – why would anyone in their right mind want to bathe in slimy pods and gangly brown and green tentacles? But once you get over the initial shock, believe me, nothing beats a seaweed bath. The seaweed has a high concentration of iodine, famous for its therapeutic qualities and is believed to help rheumatism and arthritis. The body steamer (it is exactly what it sounds like) also adds a bit of adventure adding up to an incredibly relaxing, silky and luxurious experience.
P.S. Also: don't miss the exquisite seafood chowder at the local pub in Enniscrone.

Sonya Poller is a freelance writer in Halifax, Nova Scotia who is bound for the shores of Japan.

She loves museums...

Euromuse.net is a one-stop resource that allows travellers to check on major museum exhibits across Europe on any given day. What does your little heart desire? Painting, photography, archeology, sculpture or graphic art? Simply key in your interest and the dates you plan to be abroad. Within seconds a listing of potential goodies are yours to enjoy. Wow! Website: http://www.euromuse.net

Evelyn Hannon is the creator and editor of Journeywoman.com

Chocolat in Milan, Italy...

If you're lucky enough to get tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, you might like to round off a perfect day, with a visit to a gorgeous café', called Chocolat. As the name implies, they excel in all things chocolate. From the huge, sensual mounds of luscious ice cream in myriad yummy flavours (that taste as good as they look, believe me!) through the cookies and cakes to the slabs of chocolate at the bar, everything is tempting. Should you want to linger, there are a few tables with leather pouffes both upstairs and down. Chocolat is at Via Boccaccio 9 (tel +39 02 4810 0597), and is open from 7.30am to 1am daily.

Roberta Kedzierski has lived in Milan for over 10 years and is originally from Britain. She writes for a number of US and UK publications on a variety of subjects. Roberta's work includes milanostyle.com, the "Thinking Allowed" column in the monthly HelloMilano magazine (www.hellomilano.it), as well as having her own page on www.InItaly.com.

Bonus #2! Family Breaks in Britain...

Published by Time Out Guides, 'Family Breaks in Britain' covers the length and breadth of the country. From the excitement of a city weekend, with child-friendly restaurants and museums, to the glories of the great outdoors. Accommodation options include luxury hotels and well-appointed campsites. Plus beaches, theme parks, castles, zoos, riding stables and festivals. Listed websites include:
National Rail Enquiries: www.nationalrail.co.uk
The Train Line: www.thetrainline.com
The BBC Weather Centre: www.bbc.co.uk/weather
Traditional Toys in London: www.traditionaltoy.com
Alnwick Castle (featured as 'Hogwarts' in the first 2 Harry Potter movies): www.alnwickcastle.com
Edinburgh Zoo: www.edinburghzoo.org.uk