Letters: Airlines should factor in passengers' weight

Why is it that we are told who we are to use as a travel agent and that Australian travel agencies are selling the same product for up to $1000 a person more than the US?

Travel the World (the Holland America agent in Sydney) says this cruise costs $3558 a person compared with the US price of $US2659 ($2978) in the same cabin category.

All we want is a comparable price if we have to buy our cruises in Australia. Whatever happened to freedom of choice?

- G. and J. Swann

Call their bluff

I hope David Eldridge's experience (Traveller, April 24) does not put him off visiting South Africa again.

The situation he describes, where a policeman tries to solicit a bribe, is not uncommon in countries where the majority of the population exists below the poverty line.

If you talk to South Africans, they say to ''bluff'' the police. This is exactly what I did a couple of visits ago when I was pulled over for speeding and the policeman wanted me to pay a bribe rather than book me. I simply let him do all his talking and steadfastly stated ''please book me''.

Realising I was not an easy target, he crossly waved me on.

I always drive myself around South Africa and in annual visits since 1987, this has happened only once.

Most tourists will not have to contend with this issue and will be sure to enjoy the beautiful wildlife, scenery and favourable exchange rate.

- Cheryl Smith

… or pay the bribe

It seems there are a number of similar scams in South Africa to that experienced by David Eldridge.

In November, we were pulled over by traffic police just past an intersection. We were told we hadn't fully stopped and had to pay a 750 rand ($110) fine. We had stopped and told him so but it was his word against ours.

We knew it was a scam, even before he offered to negotiate a ''discounted fine''. He accepted 250 rand.

- Merle Green

Another story from Sri Lanka

Leisa Tyler's account of a trip to Sri Lanka (Traveller, April 24) smacks of someone devoid of empathy. "The 27-year war is now over." Is it? Why, then, are Tamils fleeing their homeland? One only needs a passing interest in current events to know that unseaworthy boats filled with refugees - often Tamils fleeing persecution - are regularly intercepted in Australian waters.

- Caitlin McKay

Sweat on it

If you have a new Australian passport, leave it in your hotel safe or in a plastic sleeve.

I didn't do that in Laos. I had it in a money belt around my waist for security and perspiration affected the computer-printed image on the passport and this caused me problems at subsequent immigration points.

When I returned to Australia, the immigration office replaced it in two days.

- Pamela Shaw

Adults behaving badly

Peter Moore complains (Traveller, May 1) about other people's children spoiling his holiday but as someone who has raised five children and travelled extensively with and without them, I have seen many more adults of all ages behaving rudely, inconsiderately, offensively and just plain annoyingly - enough to last a lifetime.

- Michael Fox

Jump the queue

After landing at Sydney Airport's Terminal 2 from Hobart on the Friday evening of the Anzac Day long weekend, I found a long taxi queue and decided to take the train for the first time.

A couple of minutes later I was on the platform in time to catch a Circular Quay-bound train. Some 17 minutes later I was there and, once at ground level, I debated whether to catch one of the numerous taxis waiting at the rank or wait 10 minutes for a ferry. I chose the latter.

I am sure I made it home well before some of those in that taxi queue.

- John Rogers

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