Sara Keller in San Diego

Sara Keller of Portland traveled to San Diego, 925 miles from Portland, with her mother, grandmother, aunt and friends to visit her brother and sister-in-law.

They visited the traveling statue on the waterfront that honors the men and women of the military.

It was designed by sculptor J. Seward Johnson as a replica of the famous photo of a sailor kissing a nurse in New York's Times Square at the end of World War II.

The statue, from a photo in Life magazine by Alfred Eisenstaedt, is 25 feet tall and in color, and dominated G Street Mole Park.

Lenor Balme and Zambian students

Lenor Balme of Klamath Falls traveled to Zambia with six members of World Wings International, a group of former Pan Am flight attendants who travel the world to raise money for local charities.

While in Livingstone, 9,750 miles from Portland, she stayed a few minutes walk from Victoria Falls, nicknamed the Smoke That Thunders. It was an incredible sight, with spray shooting up 1,300 feet, drenching everyone around in minutes.

Ellen Alexander in front of Windsor Castle.

Ellen Alexander of Portland traveled to Windsor Castle, 4,900 miles from Portland, for her first trip abroad, with her sister-in-law Elsie Clausen of North Plains.

The tour began in southern England, took in Norway, then ended in Paris.

Dick Carroll of Vancouver.

The mode of travel is much more casual than on a cruise ship. Ferry passengers take along tents and sleeping bags for sleeping on the deck, or they can rent small cabins with bunks.

Nancy Autio

Marvin and Nancy Autio of Astoria took a walking trip in Tuscany, the rural heart of Italy. They ventured to the hilltop town of Montalcino, 5,700 miles from Portland, for a spectacular view of the countryside. They started with two days in Siena, then walked from village to village on paths and dirt roads. The spring weather was wonderful, with lots of blooming wildflowers and cypress trees dotting the hillsides.

Jan and Dick Conklin

Dick and Jan Conklin of Portland traveled to Tokyo, 4,850 miles from Portland, to attend the wedding of their son to a Japanese woman in a Shinto temple.

After seeing the highlights of Tokyo, they rode the bullet train to Kyoto, the country's historic capital and home to 2,000 temples and shrines, plus dozens of museums and gardens.

Nathanael Franks (left) and Swiss friend Nathan Schmid.

Nathanael Franks, 16, a Sam Barlow High School student from Damascus, traveled to Zermatt, Switzerland, 5,400 miles from Portland, while living in Germany on an exchange program that offers a full-year, expenses-paid scholarship to 250 American high schoolers.

He lives with his host family near Essen, Germany, while taking 11th-grade courses in biology, chemistry, physics, Italian, German literature, religion, physical education, mathematics, music, geography and history.

Rachel Anderson

Rachel Anderson of Gresham traveled to Guatemala and Mexico on a trip highlighting pre-classical and classical Mayan and other ruins.

The Pyramid of the Sun outside Mexico City, 2,200 miles from Portland, is more than 200 feet high.

Martin (left) and Thomas Bland in the Valley of the Giants, southwest Australia.

Thomas Bland and his son Martin of Portland spent a month in Australia, traveling first to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where they saw the country's interesting plants and animals.

Then they flew to Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock) in the big red center of Australia. They climbed the rock and experienced an unforgettable sunrise and sunset. Then they flew to Perth, 9,200 miles from Portland, in Western Australia, and drove down to the southwest corner of the continent, where they went to the Valley of the Giants, with its Treetop Walk through the eucalyptus forest.

The trees are enormous, and being in the forest canopy with the birds is unforgettable.

Thomas Bland and his son Martin of Portland spent a month in Australia, traveling first to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where they saw the country's interesting plants and animals. Then they flew to Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock) in the big red center of Australia. They climbed the rock and experienced an unforgettable sunrise and sunset. Then they flew to Perth, 9,200 miles from Portland, in Western Australia, and drove down to the southwest corner of the continent, where they went to the Valley of the Giants, with its Treetop Walk through the eucalyptus forest. The trees are enormous, and being in the forest canopy with the birds is unforgettable.

Travel tips: Australia is full of friendly people, amazing scenery and fantastic animal life. They recommend it to anyone.

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