Each week Traveller publishes a selection of rants, raves and travel tips from our readers. See below on how you can contribute.
Weight. There’s more
I was recently slugged $75 by Jetstar for being two kilograms over the limit for cabin baggage (Traveller Letters, May 30). The luggage police suggested I open my bag, in front of a room full of passengers, and wear whatever would bring the weight down. I refused. Other passengers surrounded me and offered to take my weight on their ticket as they were underweight. The luggage police refused. So, obviously, the point of the exercise is not to reduce weight on the plane, but to increase revenue (I won’t mention all the passengers who hid from the luggage police and then sailed through onto the plane with overweight bags).
Helen Russell, Leichhardt, NSW
Load limits
Your reader Rod Grierson’s frustration with Jetstar’s “luggage police” misses the point entirely. Baggage weight limits exist for good reason: aircraft load balance, overhead locker capacity, and baggage-handler safety are all genuine operational concerns. The rules are clear, published in advance, and apply equally to everyone.
Chris Jack, Dee Why, NSW
Editor’s note: A question remark remains, however, on why some airlines allow much more cabin baggage than others – something Michael Gebicki will look at in this Monday’s column.
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Empathy, please
Your reader Rod Grierson’s attitude to overweight people (Traveller Letters, May 30) was clickbait for your letters page. Airline seats do not accommodate the variety of sizes that passengers come in. Rather than communicating distress to an attendant, I suggest talking to the person sitting next to you about what it is like to navigate a world made for straight-sized people. Failing that, read Aubrey Gordon’s book What we don’t talk about when we talk about fat and learn some empathy.
Tanya J, Randwick, NSW
Letter of the week: Trip of a lifetime
Our family experienced Fiji’s amazing eco-friendly Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji in 2006 when our children were seven and four, and have returned many times. This resort and its amazing staff, including Jonny the marine biologist, are the main reason why our son is now completing his PhD in genetics, after studying marine biology, and our daughter is doing a masters in corals and seaweeds.
Kerry Bail, Beaconsfield Upper, Vic
PINs and needles
Imagine my surprise when I read Tim Norman’s letter “Luckless in Luxor” (Traveller Letters, May 3). My wife and I had a similar experience, after a 10-hour drive from Sydney to Melbourne. We were unaware that we should have received a code from the owner of the apartment we had booked with Booking.com. When we arrived at the apartment, I attempted to open the lock box that contained the key, using the PIN I had received with the confirmation of booking. Wrong. Don’t panic. I then contacted the owner on the mobile number provided, only to be greeted with “the number you have dialled is disconnected”. I tried to contact Booking.com and, guess what – they had “no record of that booking”. After an hour of frustration, with the temperature in Melbourne at 14 degrees, our daughter and son-in-law managed to arrange alternate, more expensive accommodation. My daughter submitted a cancellation to Booking.com and at 8.30pm that night the owner phoned me from Saudi Arabia with the code wanting to know why I’d cancelled, claiming he’d sent the code earlier in the day (I have scoured all my files without finding the supposed email). A total of $80 has been credited to my account, without explanation, possibly the cleaning charge for the apartment we didn’t use, but will the remaining $388 be forthcoming?
Warren Lyons, Northmead, NSW
Australian unexceptionalism
Many years of travelling the world has taught me that no single nationality makes for better or more adventurous travelling companions than any other. The idea that Australians are more intrepid, venturesome or happy-go-lucky on the road than anyone else is a self-perpetuating myth. We are, as a rule, good company in any travel group, but I’m not sure we produce a “peculiar chemistry” that sets us apart from other nationalities. That sounds like Aussie exceptionalism to me, and I don’t buy it.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully, Vic
Tall tale
I am 194 centimetres tall and have decided not to travel by plane any more. I don’t see why I have to pay extra for a seat I can fit into. I’m sick of chewing the hair off my kneecaps all the way to London – a poor substitute for in-flight entertainment. In the good old days we could plead our case at the check-in counter and get a comfortable seat. Not now.
Allan Humphries, Chatswood, NSW
Not part of the union
We recently flew from Edinburgh to Spain on Aer Lingus with a one-hour stop in Dublin where we transferred to a larger plane. When we arrived in Malaga, we thought our luggage had not made the transfer because it didn’t come out on the carousel. Luckily, our e-tags showed it was at the airport, so we went looking and saw a small sign advising that all non-EU luggage was on other carousels. These were behind one-way security doors and the 10 or so people on our plane from non-EU countries had to wait another half an hour for the luggage to appear and then go through a separate security exit.
Heather Barker, Albert Park, Vic
Keep trying
I’m amazed that Matt McGrath (Traveller Letters, May 30) has been unable to get any compensation for his flight and tour. It is totally the fault of Qantas if they cancelled the flight, and he must be able to make an insurance claim for the tour. I would suggest he keeps trying until he gets a good result.
Patricia O’Brien, Rozelle, NSW
Came to my aid
In April this year, my wife and I began our travels in the UK and Sicily, arriving at Gatwick Airport in the UK. As we waited to collect our bags from the busy carousel, I thought, “why not put in my hearing aids”. Dumb idea. Upon taking one out from the holder, my arm was bumped. Away flew the aid. I thought they had fallen to the ground but went searching along the entire carousel to no avail. Soon, other kind folk joined in the search, mobile lights beaming about. No aid. An airport staff member came by and joined in too, looking a little further, kneeling, hands sweeping about. No aid. And we had to be at St Pancras station for a booked train to Edinburgh. After five minutes of frantic looking we started to leave, thanking the staff member while he showed me who to contact for lost property. But then, as we reached the exit door for the South Terminal train station, this wonderful fellow came running up, saying, “I found it”. Relieved and exuberant, we thanked him profusely and caught our trains.
Kevin Mulvogue, Mount Evelyn, Vic
Tip of the week: Constantinople consternation
On a recent trip to Istanbul, we needed transport from the hotel in Sultanahmet to the Galataport to board our cruise ship. I had read about unscrupulous taxi drivers, so I chose Uber as I’d be aware of the driver and the cost. All went well until I noticed he had turned off the navigation system and took us a very long way around, travelling south instead of north. The driver then asked for payment. I said “Uber”, which he would have known. Then I got the charge: TRY648 ($20) instead of TRY380 ($11.50); I had been ripped off. I contacted Uber who promptly replied, asking me what I thought I should pay and refunded more than I asked (TRY328, or about $10) so the cost was less than I expected. Travellers who are ripped off like me, remember, contact Uber and you should be helped.
David Lipshut, Connewarre, Vic
Lucky seven
I was going to write that you should keep quiet about Norfolk Island because we don’t want it overrun. However, there is a limit to the accommodation, so it isn’t a problem. We have been to Norfolk seven times and are booked again next year. We go to relax but there are so many things to do and love – the history, walking, golf and eating out, the 50 km/h driving limit, giving way to cows, swimming or snorkelling at the beautiful Emily Bay. The only niggle is that the internet used to be poor, delivering splendid isolation, but now there is Elon’s Starlink so we are connected.
John & Larraine Brown, Kianga, NSW
Fine folk
Julietta Jameson’s potted history of the island discovered and named by James Cook in 1774 and the return of the Pitcairn Register on the 170th anniversary of the arrival of the Morayshire is a timely reminder of the uniqueness of Norfolk Island. Before I visited Norf’k Ailen in March last year, I thought I knew a bit about this Australian External Territory. However, after visiting the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area and listening to the volunteer guide Alan’s commentary, I departed Norfolk Island with a deeper understanding of its traditions and its people who are so passionate about their island home.
Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW
Thanks, honey
Due to an unexpected eye operation, we were unable to make a trip to Palm Cove, Queensland, and had to cancel within three weeks’ notice. At first, we were offered a partial refund by Peppers Hotels & Resorts, but following a request to reconsider, we were advised we would receive a full refund of our hotel booking. So, a shout out to them for being good sports. My advice? Be persistent, but above all, be reasonable and polite. You’ll get further with honey than vinegar.
Gudrun Stylianou, Bega, NSW
True or false
I usually ring the hotel and book and feel I am getting a good rate. This is for Australian hotels. Now I see many adverts on TV telling me to use Trivago for big savings. What is correct?
Marjie Williamson, Blaxland, NSW
Problem licked
A trick I learned years ago going through US immigration and finding my fingerprints didn’t work on the scanners: moisten your fingers before putting them on the scanners. I used wet wipes, but I had to lick my fingers (yuck) once which also worked.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster, Vic
Happy places
Editor’s note: In our series, My Happy Place, where Traveller’s writers reflect on the holiday destinations in Australia and around the world that they cherish the most. We also invite you to submit your happy places. Here’s a selection of your contributions.
The Shoal Bay Country Club Hotel, Port Stephen, is my happy place. My dad was a regular guest there from 1947, when he was 20, and our family holidayed there annually. The beach opposite is iconic with its white sand and glinting crystal-blue water. Rowley Jenkins was the master of entertainment there and we swam in the pool and ate all day long, partied at night making friends playing indoor cricket, housie, indoor horse racing, the coconut game, fancy dress shows and doing the Shoal Bay shuffle. Rowley’s friendship, entertainment and beautiful surrounds would bring us back year after year. Overseas? No comparison. Here was my haven.
Amanda Taura, Dee Why, NSW
I discovered my special place accidentally on purpose. I was bushwalking, something I did often in my late teens and university years. On this occasion, I was walking the Sealers Cove-Waterloo Bay circuit. We’d begun at Telegraph Saddle, as everyone did and crossed the Prom to reach Sealer’s Cove. We spent the night there. The next day, we climbed out of Sealers and followed the rough coastline. Mid-afternoon, we glimpsed Refuge Cove, through the trees. Two pale golden beaches separated by dense bush and a rocky escarpment. And once we reached the deserted campsite, utter, complete peace. I have never been anywhere that enveloped me as fully in an appeal to all the senses: beauty, stark and vivid; serenity, sheltered and protected; and still, warm air so filled with scents of forest and seashore we could taste its deliciousness. I returned there many times, with friends and family. I haven’t been back there for many years now. But I can return, any time: I simply close my eyes and relax until peace subsumes me completely. I can feel again the rough stone under my bum, hear the gentle wash of wavelets on the sheltered shore. And I’m gone, all the way back to my restorative place.
David Baxter, Mornington, Vic
The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com
The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com
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