Travel

HAWAII Movie Filmmaker Catherine Bauknight will present "Hawaii: A Voice for Sovereignty," a documentary that raises awareness of issues that threaten the ancient and environmentally sustainable culture of native Hawaiians. When, where: 7:30 p.m. Monday at Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Admission, info: Free. RSVP to (626) 449-3220. TRAVEL Jill Swaim will offer a look at Road Scholar and its lifelong learning and travel adventure groups. When, where: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Westwood Branch Library, 1246 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles.

Mahalo nui loa ("thank you very much") for the Special Hawaii Issue [April 21]. Fabulous memories of several visits to the islands in paradise were made vivid by the stories, pictures and maps of Oahu, Molokai and the cruise with stops at the Big Island, Kauai and Maui. One bit of cautionary advice: Limit each visit to Hawaii to no longer than five days. By Day 7, island fever sets in and your vacation turns into "Paradise Lost. " Aloha. Dan Anzel Los Angeles Fast passport renewal Regarding "Fast … and Safe" [On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, April 21]

If you go THE BEST WAY TO CATALINA By sea: Catalina Express offers frequent daily trips of about one hour from Long Beach and San Pedro to Avalon and less frequently from Dana Point to Avalon and from San Pedro to Two Harbors. Round-trip adult fare is $72.50, $2 more for the Dana Point trip. (800) 481-3470, http://www.catalinaexpress.com. Catalina Flyer (out of service until May 8) makes one round trip daily between Newport Beach and Avalon, departing at 9 a.m. from Balboa Pavilion and returning at 4:30 p.m. It's 75 minutes each way. Adult round-trip fare is $70. (800)

MAE WANG, Thailand - As we sat together on a long, narrow raft of bamboo, Alexa Pham dipped her hand into the quickly moving river. "It's the really simple things," she said with a long breath, "that make it beautiful here in Mae Wang. " Two wiry boatmen, steering with long poles, navigated the raft beneath the branches of overhanging trees, around boulders and through bars of late-afternoon sunlight. The men are part of Pham's staff, hired from the hill tribes and Burmese refugee communities of northern Thailand.

If you go THE BEST WAY TO CHIANG MAI, THAILAND From LAX, Thai Airways, Korean, Singapore and Cathay Pacific offer connecting service (change of plane) to Chiang Mai. Restricted round-trip airfare begins at $923, including taxes and fees. Chai Lai Orchid, 202 Moo 9, T Mae Win, Mae Wang, Thailand; 011-66-906-702-693, http://www.chailaiorchid.com . The standard and deluxe rooms, $80 and $94 a night, respectively, have air conditioning, mini-bars and outdoor seating. Lanna rooms, for larger groups, are $80 a night, and Thai-style eco-huts with grass roofs are $60 a night.

AVALON - I'm standing at the railing, the late-morning sun warm on my face and hands, when the ship turns slightly and I see it, a rugged jumble of mountains jutting from the sea. We slow and enter the harbor, where a village clings to the hillside and colorfully painted speedboats flash by pulling water skiers. As we draw close to land, children swim out to our vessel yelling, "Throw a coin, throw a coin. " When I do, a boy dives, popping back to the surface clutching it and laughing.

Fifty miles north of San Francisco, straddling U.S. Highway 101, sits Santa Rosa, former home of Charles M. Schulz and the gang from "Peanuts. " From the highway, as you boom past at 70 mph, Santa Rosa appears to be just another somewhere on the way to somewhere else. But a short detour east into downtown or west into the wine country quickly proves otherwise. The tab: We spent $163 for a night at the Hotel La Rose, dinner for two at Willi's Wine Bar was $84, including wine, and a lavish picnic from Whole Foods Market came to $43. Gas and incidentals added $100 to the tab. Wine at Bella and Iron Horse vineyards, of course, was extra.

Centennial Events Avalon will celebrate its 100th birthday throughout the year, but many events are taking place June 20-26 (www.catalinachamber.com/avalon100/) June 20 – Centennial Festival / Fair June 21 – Community Fish Fry June 22 – Xceptional Music Concert June 23 – Catalina Movie Night on the Beach (movies filmed in Catalina) June 24 – Community Picnic at Joe Machado Field June 25 – Local Band Night June 26 – Community Gala Dinner at the Casino A multimedia program showcasing Catalina's history will play at the Casino at specific times throughout the week.

Question: As a human resources consultant, I sometimes receive travel inquiries from one of my clients. Here is one: An employee, using a company credit card, purchased a $1,200 airline ticket for a business trip. The ticket is in her name and is nontransferable. She then resigned from the company, and the company (which is paying for the ticket) contacted the airline. The airline initially told them there was no problem but later said no changes (regardless of fees paid) could be made to the ticket and even added the comment "Guess you just gave your former employee a nice trip.

Always pack a flat rubber water-stopper for leaky bathtub and sink drains. I've needed it even in highly rated hotels. Bob Myers Lake Arrowhead When traveling with a child in diapers, prepare a grab-and-go package of diapers and wipes. Put three or four wipes in a snack-size plastic bag, then put that and one diaper in a quart-size bag. Place these single packages in a carry-on or diaper bag. For a diaper change, grab one pack and go. Save the leftover wipes in their bags for the return trip.