We are travelling in Germany and then to Paris and London, all by rail. Is it cheaper to buy a German Eurail pass and then pay for tickets from Cologne or Frankfurt to Paris and again for the Chunnel, or to buy a two-country Eurail pass for France and Germany?
Mary

The German Rail Pass costs $402 and allows you four days of second-class travel over a one-month period. The comparable single-country Eurail pass costs the same, but you can increase the number of days of travel at an additional cost. With the two-country Eurail pass for France and Germany, travelling second-class, you can travel from four up to 10 days over a two-month period from $624 up to $979. This includes the two-person discount.

Fares on the Eurostar from Paris to London are about $505, but you can get a discount for booking at least two weeks ahead. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable fares can be found for as little as $150. For more information, go to the French rail website.

A second-class train fare from Frankfurt to Paris would cost about $235; from Cologne to Paris it's about $20 cheaper. Visit the German Rail website. Assuming that you were to purchase a cheap Eurostar fare, you would spend about $800 on rail travel by separately purchasing your non-German train fares.

If you were to buy the six-day two-country Eurail option and then your Eurostar fare, you would spend about $985. So it would seem that the single-country Eurail or German Rail pass and separate purchase of the rest of your fares would be cheaper than the two-country pass.

For information on Eurail passes, go to www.railplus.co.nz. For independent information on train travel in Europe and beyond, you can't go past The Man in Seat 61, which has descriptions of just about every train journey in the world, with timetables, tips and links.

Exploring Mozambique
With relatives in Reunion Island, I've decided to explore part of South Africa and Mozambique on my way back to New Zealand later this year. What are the must-sees in Mozambique? Do you have a recommended itinerary for a three-week exploration?
Genevieve

Mozambique, with its sublime 2500km coastline, magical offshore islands and fascinating cultures, is one of Africa's best-kept secrets. You'll find an upbeat atmosphere, overflowing markets, traditional fishing villages, colonial-era buildings, moss-covered ruins and wild, remote beaches, with African, Arabic, Indian and Portuguese influences.

You can enjoy comfort and great service in larger towns and resorts, but expect to rough it a bit elsewhere. Mozambique offers the chance to experience Africa well away from the established tourist circuit.