On course: Travel briefs

Cell phone use Q I'm traveling to Europe with relatives and we'd like to use our cell phones to stay connected with one another while we're there. Is that possible?

A Because you didn't say where you'll be traveling or what kind of phones you have, the simple answer is yes. That said, the most important thing you can do is contact your service provider before you leave to inquire about an international calling/data plan that will make those calls, even if within the same country, much more affordable, especially if you plan to text or browse the Web. If you don't sign up for a plan, or buy a prepaid international calling card, you're likely to incur huge international roaming charges. For example, during a recent overseas trip I signed up for a data plan that cost $50, but it saved me hundreds of dollars because I couldn't resist using the many iPhone travel applications. Still, I exceeded the limit on my data plan and was floored to discover that downloading driving directions to a hotel on a street that I couldn't find on a map cost me about $40 more.

Answers to travelers' questions appear in Travel weekly and every Monday at startribune.com/escapeartists; send your question by e-mail to travel@startibune.com.

JIM BUCHTA

Pay your card on time If you are holding an American Express card co-branded with Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Hilton Hotels or Starwood Hotels, beware. In the new year, you'll need to pay your bill on time or forfeit the miles or points you thought you earned for making purchases on your card during that month. To get the rewards back, it's going to cost you. American Express is sending notices to affected customers that beginning in January, rewards won't be transferred to loyalty accounts with those partners if you are late paying your bill. You'll be hit with a $29 reinstatement fee if you want the rewards back. That fee is on top of the late-payment fee -- $19 or $38 depending on your balance.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A new literary walking tour A new walking tour is being offered in Charleston, S.C., based on places featured in the new Pat Conroy bestseller "South of Broad." The two-hour tour is available Tuesday through Saturday, departing from the lobby of the Mills House Hotel and ends outside the Gibbes Museum of Art. Both places are mentioned in the novel. Tour stops linked to the book include St. Michael's Episcopal Church; Legare Street, part of protagonist Leo King's paper route; Water Street, where characters in the novel ride out Hurricane Hugo; and the Dock Street Theater, visited by Leo's parents on the night of a family tragedy. The tour is $25 a person. Reserve tickets at 1-843-568-0473 or www.oldcharlestontours. com/southofbroad.html.

Iconic eats around the world What people eat can tell you a lot about a country. That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind "Food Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 Extraordinary Places to Eat Around the Globe" (National Geographic, $40), a lavishly illustrated guide to food and place. In it, the editors choose 500 culinary destinations around the world, succinctly describing what makes them special along with suggestions on when to go. Arranged by theme, readers will find chapters on great food towns, markets, seasonal dishes, street foods and desserts. If you have ever wondered about the origin of some of the world's singular original dishes and drinks, this is the book for you.

MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

A German Christmas At the Spirit of Christmas Past, visitors can relive the traditions of past holidays next Saturday and again Dec. 19 at Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay, Wis. Interpreters greet visitors as they stroll the grounds and stop by historic buildings for tours, activities, demonstrations and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for ages 62 and older, $6 for ages 5-17 and free for ages 4 and under. Receive $1 off admission with a donated canned food item for the local Salvation Army (1-800-721-5150; www.heritagehillgb.org).