The Trapp trail

I'm travelling to Vienna in May for five days and would love to travel to Salzburg to see where The Sound of Music was filmed.

Which is the easiest way to travel on a tight budget? Is the train feasible or do you think it would be too far, taking account of our short stay?
Lisa Wilson, Nottingham

Salzburg is an easy train ride from Vienna; services run very frequently, take just over three hours and cost around £35 return. The city makes for a long day-trip or easy overnight stay; it depends how much of your trip you want to devote to the Tourist Trapp.

In Salzburg, you can take a Sound of Music tour; Salzburg Panorama Tours is one of several companies offering a guided tour that takes in the main sights from the film.

Visit the Mirabell Palace and gardens, the Benedictine convent and St Peter's cemetery.

Don't worry if you're on a budget, as a walking tour taking in many of these sights can be done with the aid of a decent map. If, after all that, you have the time and the inclination to escape the crowds that flock to Salzburg in the summer, a 13-mile walk into the Tennengebirge region will take you to the high pasture that was used in the opening sequence of the film.

There's no need to be concerned: the hills aren't really alive. You could combine this walk with a visit to the Eisriesenwelt caves, the largest system of ice caves in the world. Werfen, the base for both these activities, can be reached by hourly trains from Salzburg.

The real von Trapps settled in the United States and opened a ski lodge in the hills of Vermont - you can find details of this at www.trappfamily.com.

Volunteering overseas

Do you know of any resources that place people who wish to do voluntary work overseas for, say, a fortnight?
Jim Jordan, Hexham

There are lots of options for you to explore. Earthwatch (01865 318831) sends conservation volunteers to one of 700 teams operating around the world. Costs vary depending on your destination, but on average you'll pay £1,500 for two to three weeks on a project.

Another possible avenue is work-camps; International Voluntary Service (01206 298215 in the south of England, 0113 230 4600 in the north) organises schemes whereby six to 20 volunteers from several countries live and work together for anything from one week to a month. You need to join the IVS before applying to work on a camp, which costs £125 if working abroad. IVS's new brochure, detailing all camps this summer, will be published next month.

If you're connected to a church, it may have affiliate links to overseas missions you can join. Also, if you know the country you wish to travel to, guidebooks often have sections on voluntary organisations. Good books to look out for are the International Directory of Voluntary Work and Work Your Way around the World both published by Vacation Work. They're full of valuable resources and addresses.

Idealist is a useful website for volunteer opportunities worldwide.

Ukrainian Easter

I'm hoping to arrange a group visit to Ukraine next spring. I doubt that an existing package will suit us because we want to be in Uzhgorod over the Easter weekend. Other bases might be Kiev and Odessa. Can you suggest a travel agent which might be able to organise such a visit? It would also be helpful to know the date of Easter in Ukraine in 2003.
David Bridge, Bognor Regis

Easter in Ukraine falls on 27 April next year, a week later than in the UK. Contrary to what you might expect, you'll find that very little closes down for the weekend. In fact, it is likely that there will be more going on than usual during the holiday period. Easter will be a lovely time to visit. The weather is just starting to change as winter fades and spring makes a welcome appearance.

For help in arranging your group visit contact Bob Sopel at Ukrainian Travel (0161 652 5050). This is a leading Ukrainian specialist and services include organising visas, arranging flights, accommodation, money transfers and car- hire. It also offers a translation service.

Another agency to check out is Intourist Travel (020 7538 8600) which specialises in tailormade travel for individuals and groups. Request a brochure for further details. Regent Holidays (0117 921 1711) is also expert on the area.

From Lebanon to Israel

I'm an Australian citizen intending to travel to Lebanon and Syria (with, maybe, a quick trip to Israel depending on the political situation) early next year. I have been to Israel before and had my passport stamped by an enthusiastic border guard; will this prevent me from entering Syria or Lebanon?
Sarah Kanowski, Oxford

In short, the answer is yes. The presence of an Israeli stamp in your passport means you'll be denied entry into both Syria and Lebanon, as both countries refuse to recognise Israel's legitimacy. Any evidence that shows you have been to Israel (ie entry and exit stamps for border crossings between Israel and Egypt or Jordan) will ruin your chances of getting a visa. Some applications also ask whether you have visited Palestine before. A positive response will result in your request being refused. If you do decide to visit Israel afterwards, do not make this known during the application procedure.

In order to enter Syria and Lebanon, you will need to apply for a new passport. Contact the Consular and Passport Office, Australian High Commission, Strand, London WC2B 4LA, (020 7887 5816; fax 020 7887 5558) for further information.

For advice on visa regulations, restrictions and application procedures, contact the Syrian Embassy on 020 7245 9012 and the Lebanese Embassy on 020 7229 7265. In future, have a spare piece of paper and ask immigration staff to stamp that rather than your passport.

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