We are planning a trip to Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean in the first two weeks of December. As we have Air Miles we can fly with Virgin to Antigua or St Lucia for free.
Then we want to take a connecting boat or plane to the island, but so far we have been unable to find a way to get there. On the map the trip seems to be only between 75 and 100 miles. We do not mind a bit of island hopping, as it would save money and we'd end up seeing more.
We would like to rent a self-catering, two-bedroom flat or house to share with friends who are meeting us there. Have you any tips?
Denis Balent, London
St Barthélemy - also known as St Barts or St Barths - is the smallest of the islands in the French West Indies, just six miles long and two-and-a-half miles wide.
The route from Antigua offers a bit of island-hopping and is a fun way to see more of the Caribbean. The airfield on St Barts can only handle 20-seater aircraft so not many airlines fly here, and none from Antigua.
You will need to touch down in nearby St Martin, from where you can catch one of the twice-daily catamarans that make the 90-minute sea crossing. You can also fly this route, but if you have time, the boat is more fun.
LIAT (www.liat.com) flies from Antigua to St Martin for £95 return, bookable online. The ferry is run by Voyager (www.voyager-st-barths.com) and costs £37 return.
The island website (www.st-barths.com) has links to several apartment and villa rental companies.
After four arduous months of house renovation, my wife and I are to fly for a break to Sofia in Bulgaria, late next month.
After exploring the capital we will take the overnight train to the Black Sea coast town of Burgas.
We plan to head from there to explore some of the more remote coastal areas and spend a couple of days in Istanbul, if this is feasible.
Which is the best way to travel to Istanbul from Bulgaria? I have read that it is possible to catch a ferry from Burgas. We want to use this, but information on this route is difficult to find.
We are also considering going by rail or road. What is the bureaucracy like between these two nations, and are tourist visas just a border formality?
JP Leary, by email
Sadly, there are no ferries to or from anywhere on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, so you will have to take a bus, or go by rail if you don't mind doubling back to pick up the daily Bosphorus train from Bucharest to Istanbul.
The quickest, most direct way is to take one of four daily buses that run direct from Burgas to the Turkish capital. The journey takes between six and seven hours and costs around £13.
This may seem a long journey, but Istanbul is well worth the effort. A couple of days here is a great way to round off a quick tour of the region. Redecorating houses will seem a million miles away!
Turkish visas can be obtained at the border without problems, and you shouldn't have too many delays or problems crossing between the two countries.
My family and I are visiting relatives in Memphis, Tennessee, this summer. After spending a week there, we plan to travel for about 10 days, but the map doesn't seem to show much to do nearby. Any ideas? We have five children aged between four and 13, all needing constant amusement!
Perry Board, by email
Tennessee offers beautiful rural scenery and interesting towns and cities. Like nearby Arkansas and Kentucky, it's a little-known destination for British visitors to the US.
Once you have seen Graceland, the late Elvis Presley's home, the Civil Rights Museum and the Mud Island monorail, take a road trip east to explore the rest of Tennessee.
Four hours down interstate route 40 is the country music capital of the world, Nashville. Your kids will find the Country Music Hall of Fame hilarious, and it's a great place to stroll around, taking in the cowboy hats and Dolly Parton atmosphere.
The Farmers' Market is a colourful place for a browse and a filling, good value meal. A great way to round off a trip to this city is to take a cruise on the General Jackson, a restored showboat.
Go on to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a perfect destination for hiking, camping, rafting and spotting wildlife. Keeping an eye out for bears is enough to keep most kids gripped for days. There a lot of information on these and other family holiday ideas in Tennessee at www.tnvacation.com.
Letter of the week
I am travelling to Japan this summer and plan to hike up Mount Fuji.
I have heard that most people start half way up, at the 'fifth station'. I would like to start from the bottom and take a scenic, less crowded route. Have you any suggestions, please?
Philip Brennan, Poole
Japan's highest mountain at 3,775 metres (12,390ft), Fuji is its most perfect volcanic cone and a national symbol. It is climbed by around 300,000 people a year. Most of them do start at the fifth station and ascend the mountain in the early hours.
It is possible to start from lower stations, but if you're taking the traditional Yoshida track to the top of Fuji-san you'll meet the crowds, anyway. Worse, if you arrive by public transport you will be dropped at the fifth station, and then have to descend.
To experience the mountain without the crowds, it is best to avoid the dawn rush and do your hiking some time in the afternoon. Allow between four and five hours for the walk.
Even if you end up descending at dusk you'll still be able to use the sand slide path - a fun variant of the Gotemba track, which leads back down to the bus stop to the town of Gotemba - and be at the fifth station in around two hours.
Make sure you're ready for cold, wet and windy weather at the summit, no matter how hot it is at the foot of the mountain. Prepare as if you're going hill walking in the UK.
When you arrive in Japan pick up a copy of the free 'Climbing Mount Fuji brochure', available from tourist offices. There's more on visiting Japan at www.seejapan.co.uk.
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