What's the best way to...

Take a midnight plane to Georgia? Buy a ticket on British Mediterranean Airways from Heathrow to Tbilisi, the capital of the ex-Soviet Republic of Georgia. The plane takes off from Heathrow shortly before midnight on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The airline is expecting the new route to appeal mostly to business travellers, so space at the back of the plane is being sold off through discount agents such as Regent Holidays (0117- 921 1711) for pounds 371 return, including UK and Georgian taxes.

Meet some fortunate travellers? Travel to the Brighton Festival's Programme of Literature and Debate, which this year bears the title "Fortunate Travellers".

The programme begins on 3 May, and includes Robyn Davidson and Edward Marriott, respectively authors of Desert Places and The Lost Tribe, together on 16 May. Irvine Welsh can be spotted on 15 May, and Ben Watt - half of the Everything But The Girl duo - will be talking, not singing, on 10 May.

Ski in May? According to Ski Scott Dunn (0181-767 0202), you could spend the next bank holiday on the slopes of Val d'Isere; a four-night trip, flying from London City airport costs pounds 399, including self-catering accommodation.

Aim for Antwerp, or go to Ghent? Take advantage of the new offer from Eurostar (0345 303030): London Waterloo to any station in Belgium for pounds 77 return.

Reach Budapest or Bratislava? Fly to Vienna. Fares to the Austrian capital on Austrian Airlines, British Airways and Lauda Air are low, and the airport has direct bus links to the capitals of Hungary and Slovakia. Three buses each day run to and from Budapest, fare pounds 15, and nine daily to Bratislava for pounds 4.50 each way.

Climb ev'ry mountain in Bhutan and Sikkim? Discover these Himalayan kingdoms in the travel pages of the Long Weekend, with The Independent this coming Saturday, 19 April.