Is it impossible to get a hotel in New York for under $300?

Four of us will be travelling through Europe in a leased Peugeot and after a week in Maria Alm, Austria, we need suggestions on which route to take to Bruges, Belgium, where we will begin a bike and barge trip. We would rather go through interesting regions than major cities. One suggestion was to take the Romantic Road through Fussen, Augsburg and Donauworth to Wurzburg. We have about a week to get to Bruges.

- G. Keast, Sussex Inlet.

The Romantic Road, pictured, is a great idea. It's got plenty of scenic, cultural and historic interest, it wanders through some glorious countryside and it's taking you in the right direction.

You can find lots of information about the towns and villages along the way on the internet and the local tourist offices are another good source of material.

The Romantic Road is about 350 kilometres end-to-end and, by itself, that might not be enough to fill in your entire week.

If you find yourself with time to spare when you get to Wurzburg, at the northern end of the road, you could head west across the French border to Reims and spend a couple of days exploring the Champagne region.

You might also include some of the Word War I battlefields if you want something very unromantic before heading for Bruges.

GUIDEBOOK WINNER

Planning a round trip to an Asian wonder

We are looking at a trip early next year to Angkor Wat. My husband would like to experience the Singapore Airlines A380, so we want to spend a few days in Singapore before going on to Angkor Wat. We would like to come home via Bangkok. Is this practical? Can we do the whole trip with Singapore Airlines? Would we need to take a tour? We are not young and are not anxious to wander about in Cambodia alone.

- S. Rando, Kingsgrove.

The trip you have in mind is perfectly practical, although you won't be able to do it all with Singapore Airlines. The A380 will get you as far as Singapore, from where there are frequent connections with Singapore Airlines to Bangkok. From Bangkok, it's just a short flight with Bangkok Airways to Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor. If you book your ticket with Singapore Airlines, you'll be able to select your seat. Your nearest Flight Centre (flightcentre.com.au) can help out with all the flight bookings.

You do need to take a tour of Angkor, pictured, because it covers an enormous area and the various temples won't make much sense without a guide. You can book this before you leave but you won't have any trouble finding a guide if you wait until you get there. Rather than a group tour, you might want to hire a guide who can arrange a private tour for just the two of you.

It's ideal if you can spend a few hours among the temples in the early morning, then relax at your hotel between 11am and 3pm and return in the evening. This way, you'll avoid the worst of the crowds.

Last time I was there in 2010, the going rate for a car and driver for the day was $80-$100. In Siem Reap, Asian Trails (www.asiantrails.info) at 587 Hup Guan Street and Exotissimo (www.exotissimo.com) at 300 Airport Road are respected local operators with private guides.

Personal security is not a major concern in Siem Reap but do take care of your health. November to February are the coolest months. Temperatures and humidity rise between March and May, followed by the wet season in June.

Tread carefully in Sudan

I will be travelling alone to Africa in December 2012 to April 2013, starting in Cape Town and working my way up to Cairo using a well- known overland tour company, Intrepid. I hold an Australian passport. I have started researching visas and I am having trouble finding information regarding the process for obtaining a Sudanese visa. Are you able to advise? Also, I am a single female traveller; will I be safe if I take all necessary precautions? Are there any important precautions that you recommend?

- B. Atkins, Wallsend.

Obtaining a visa for Sudan is incredibly complicated. Intrepid Travel can advise you of the process, but essentially you need to apply to the embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Indonesia at Jl Prof Dr Satrio, C4 Kav 22 Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia. Download an application form from the Sundanese embassy website in the USA (sudanembassy.org). You can also obtain a visa at Aswan in Egypt which takes only one to two days, however Intrepid advises that you would need to obtain a letter of approval from the Australian embassy in Cairo to vouch for your identity and there may be a charge for this.

Intrepid further advises that "passengers need to check their travel insurance carefully, as the Australian government currently has a high travel warning out on Sudan and this advisory level may render some insurance policies invalid".

Since you are travelling with a respected operator you can rely on your tour guide to keep you safe and sound. However Africa does require special precautions. Google "women Africa Anouk" and you'll find a useful and detailed website with tips specifically for women travelling in Africa.

Digitwatch

Those holiday snaps showing you dancing in ethnic costume or on crutches after that ski accident were meant to be shared. Sign up with flickr.com and you can upload your digital images for your nearest and dearest to admire through Facebook, Twitter and on blogs. flickr.com.

If you have travel questions, we’d love to hear from you. Write to travelshd@fairfaxmedia.com.au and include the name of your suburb or town in your letter. Personal correspondence cannot be entered into. Only questions appearing in print will be answered. One published letter each week will win a Lonely Planet guidebook.