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Having presented a two-hour radio call-in program every Sunday for several months now, I've been asked hundreds of varied and exotic questions about vacations. (One woman recently phoned to ask my favorites among geological tours.)

But 10 almost-identical questions are asked over and over, every week, indicating a widespread concern. Here they are, along with my answers.

● Should I book my trip now or later? Now. The days of the last-minute discount are fast diminishing, and fewer and fewer tour operators, airlines and hotels offer reductions to those booking late. The best travel deals are those offered long in advance.

● How can I, as a single person, avoid the single-room supplement? You can't — it is an inescapable fact of hotel life, and if you refuse to share with another (an option offered by more and more tour operators), you'll have to pay the entire cost of the room you occupy. About the only way to avoid the penalty is to book those institutional lodgings (hostels, university residences and the like) that simply charge per person (often for dormlike accommodations) and not by room.

● How much foreign currency should I take on my trip abroad? Only a tiny, tiny amount — the sum needed to get from the arrival airport to your hotel. In a world of pickpockets, the last thing international travelers should do is walk around with large amounts of currency. Carry your money in the form of ATM cards, credit cards and traveler's checks, and cash only a bit at a time. And obtain cash either at an ATM (be sure to have a four-digit PIN number) or at a big bank — the source of the best exchange rates.

● Can I, as a single person without a companion, travel pleasurably on group tours? If the tours you're considering are the standard if-it's-Tuesday, it-must-be-Belgium sort, then the chances are overwhelming that you'll be among couples, families and other conventional types, and that you might feel alone. The answer is to book a specialty tour that focuses on a cause or special interest outside of yourself. In that intensely focused activity, people mix and mingle without reference to whether they are couples or singles — and a great many other single people usually are found. Go to www. specialtytravel.com, where you'll find hundreds of special-interest tours departing every month.

● Should an unaccompanied woman travel alone? This is a variant to the previous question. The answer is yes. The world has grown far more sophisticated and no longer looks askance at the unaccompanied woman or subjects her to discrimination. Indeed, some will say that it's preferable to travel alone, becoming more sensitive to the local culture and having a greater chance to meet local residents.

● Is it safe to visit (name of destination)? No one other than you is able to answer that question. Terrorism and/or crime is now a statistically possible risk (though a small one) almost everywhere (including Egypt, Morocco and Bali), and in the last analysis, only you can decide whether you're determined to live your life free from fear or whether you'll avoid every place where an incident conceivably might occur.

● For a cruise I am about to take, should I buy shore excursions in advance? Absolutely not. Wait until the cruise is under way to determine whether or not you feel on a particular day like joining a busload of your fellow passengers, or whether you've met other people with whom to share a taxi, or whether you'd prefer to simply wander in the port city free of charge.

● Should I let my 18-year-old vacation in Europe? I hedge on that question — having no way to judge the maturity of the 18-year-old in question — and suggest that the questioner look up the tour offerings of Contiki Holidays (www.contiki.com), which operates escorted bus tours limited to people 18 to 35 years old (and primarily booked by the younger end). Contiki is a solid organization, long in business, and it generally is regarded as thoroughly reliable for your travel-eager kids.

● What is there to do in London, Paris, New York or (other world-renowned city)? I answer, rather sarcastically, that if they have to ask that question, they haven't done their travel homework. A trip to anywhere should be preceded by a visit to a library, an evening or two in which you bone up on the city or country you're about to visit. A failure to do that dooms you to disappointment.

● Should I use a travel agent? Only if that agent has real knowledge about the destination you're planning to visit. The use of a travel agent usually costs more than do-it-yourself planning (agents charge an airfare fee now that they no longer receive commissions from the airlines). Agents should be able to justify the extra cost with their special familiarity with the details of a particular trip.

As for my radio show (on the New York-based WOR Radio Network), you can listen to it on the Internet. Go to www.wor710.com, click on "Listen Live" or "Podcasting," and you'll hear it either live or delayed.