P. HEANEY, ST ANDREWS

This crossing is rather remote and there are much easier ways to get from Thailand to Nha Trang but latest reports confirm you can cross from Thailand into Laos on Mukdahan's Friendship Bridge. It is also possible to obtain a visa at the border, at a cost of about 1500 baht ($50), and you will need a passport-size photo. On the Lao side of the border, you are five kilometres from Savannakhet, the country's second largest city, from where you will need to take a bus to travel 240 kilometres west to cross into Vietnam at Lao Bao.

You might be able to get a bus to take you to Hue, former royal capital of Vietnam, and this is your best option. You cannot get a visa on arrival at the Vietnamese border but it is easy enough to obtain this from Vietnam's consulate-general (vietnamconsulate.org.au) in Sydney. From Hue, you will have no problem getting a bus all the way to Nha Trang, where you will probably need a few days lying flat on the beach.

What you are proposing is challenging but you will have some good stories to tell.

WE ARE A FAMILY OF FOUR TRAVELLING TO EUROPE IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY FOR FIVE TO SIX WEEKS. THE "KIDS" ARE 20 AND 17. OUR WISH LIST IS LONDON, PARIS, AMSTERDAM, BERLIN, ITALY AND CROATIA, AND A WEEK RELAXING ON A BEACH ON THE WAY HOME. WHAT ARE THE CHEAPEST FLIGHT OPTIONS, SHOULD WE GO BY TRAIN OR HIRE A CAR, CAN YOU SUGGEST AN ITINERARY, AND A STOPOVER ON THE WAY BACK?

A. ZAHER, ST LEONARDS

It will be cold, especially in northern Europe, but hotel prices should be lower and you won't have to face too many crowds.

Regarding your flight, contact your nearest Flight Centre (flightcentre.com.au) agency, they should be able to help you get the best possible deal.

The Tripologist doesn't do itineraries because they involve personal preferences, and everyone is different. Without knowing your take on art galleries, shopping, dining, hotels, live performances, architecture and nightlife, it's impossible to tailor an itinerary. However, one of the excellent guidebooks from the Lonely Planet series will help you construct your own.

Most of the places on your wish list are cities, and a car would be more painful than practical. Unless you plan to take in the glories of the European countryside there is no point having a car and at the time you'll be visiting, the countryside is stark and bare.

The logical choice for a stopover with a beach is Bangkok, from where you have easy access to several resort areas, including Krabi, Phuket, Ko Samui and Hua Hin, and my personal choice would be the first name on that list.

I WILL BE SPENDING CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK CITY WITH TWO NINE-YEAR-OLD GRANDCHILDREN. WHAT CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS MIGHT THEY HAVE THAT WOULD APPEAL TO THEM? IS THERE ANYWHERE THAT MIGHT OFFER A CHRISTMAS DAY MEAL THAT THE CHILDREN WILL REMEMBER FONDLY?

O. PAUL, SEVEN HILLS

New York City with children at Christmas is the trifecta of good times. The best free show in town is the Christmas window displays along Fifth Avenue. One of the highlights is the FAO Schwarz store, and don't miss the giant Christmas tree and the ice skating rink at the Rockefeller Centre. Macy's Santaland will also dazzle. On Christmas Eve take in the carols in Washington Square Park. NYC makes a splash with its Christmas shows, and the highs for this year include the New York City Ballet (nycballet.com) performing George Balanchine's Nutcracker. You might also consider the Radio City Music Spectacular, Aladdin and Wicked. Christmas dinner is not a big deal in the United States but The Plaza (fairmont.com) would be a good choice - it's old-world posh.

CONVERSATION

OVER TO YOU . . .

THE QUESTION WAS: "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A VOLUNTOURIST AND WAS IT A REWARDING EXPERIENCE?"

K. Hickey writes, "When I was 19, I spent a month on a kibbutz in Israel. I had always been fascinated with this unique way of life. I volunteered in a children's house by day and travelled around the country when I had time off. This was over 20 years ago, a very special experience that stays with me still."

From S. Howell, "I did a month-long trip with AllOut Africa in 2009 to Swaziland, with side trips to South Africa and Mozambique. Swaziland has an exceptionally high rate of AIDS, leading to many orphaned children. These children cannot afford schooling, so go to local volunteer-run schools. The program with AllOut Africa is run by Swazis for Swazis, and the benefits are fabulous for the kids and for the volunteer. Monday to Friday was spent at a free school, helping with maths and spelling, plus sport and dancing.

It was such a pleasure to work with these bright kids and assist in a small way with their education. The last week was an ocean safari to Tofo beach in Mozambique. Warm water, beautiful sand, kayaking, snorkelling, opportunities to see dolphins and whale sharks, a wonderful way to end the month. This trip was sensational and smoothly run, and you felt that you had a real impact, even though it was brief. It encouraged me to do more volunteering - a year with AusAID, a week in Spain, and more to come."

Next question: Have you done a women-only tour, and how was it?

Send response to tripologist@fairfaxmedia.com.au. The best response will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.