Traveller Letters: Snacks go a long way when your flight is cancelled

I feel for Tony Sullivan (Traveller Letters, June 3), and encourage him to use Resolver.co.uk as I did to get full compensation for flight delays originating in the EU and UK. This free service provides you with the correct legal wording and EU Regulation to reference in your communication with the airline, under which they are legally bound to compensate in full, based on the length of the delay. Within two weeks of my email to Qantas about our QF10 service from London to Perth, which was delayed by 26 hours, I had my full refund in my account – nearly $1000 a person.
Damian Reynolds, Maroubra, NSW

Gut reaction

Having also returned from Portugal recently, I did not necessarily notice the different European wheat raised in the “Gut reaction” letter (Traveller Letters, June 10) but can confirm that a pastel de nata (Portuguese tart) every day while in the country certainly hit the spot. Or you can try the pastel de belem in Lisbon. And on the topic of food, in Portugal give the arroz a la valenciana (Portuguese version of paella) and Francesinha (iconic Porto dish) a go with a sangria on the side.
Cameron Giacometti, South Turramurra NSW

Gut reaction #2

Your Aussie wheat definitely requires closer inspection. My family and I have been over from London for the past two months and, since arrival, have all experienced near continuous discomfort. We had no wheat issues ever back in Europe, and it is only by unearthing a rare loaf of organic bread that we have been able to get back on the toast and Vegemite. I would also note that wheat allergies, to varying degrees, are a constant theme when dining with family and friends here, far more prevalent than back home. On the other hand, I’m yet to see a single traffic warden, so my blood pressure has come right down.
Tom Etherton, London, UK (but currently Toowong, Qld)

Doggy bag

I admit to having taken the occasional piece of fruit (OK, and maybe the occasional danish) from hotel breakfast buffets, but things changed in India and I have not one scintilla of guilt. India itself was wondrous but not so all of its stray dogs. Had we been aware of the extent beforehand, we would have bought some dry dog food at the beginning of the tour to fill baggies each day but instead, we started taking leftovers and a few other small titbits to feed the puppies that crossed our path. Better in their stomachs than the rubbish bin.
Daniela Scalcon, Cabarita, NSW

Back(pack) off

As a former flight attendant there is one other thing that I would like to add to traveller etiquette (Traveller, June 7) and that is the backpack. Passengers constantly forget they’re wearing them or just don’t seem to care about whom they nearly decapitate when they swing around in the narrow aisle of the aircraft.
Jill Rogers, Pullenvale, Qld

Tip of the week: Cancel culture

As soon as I have the idea of a getaway in my mind, I start the search for accommodation options and car hire etc and book through sites that offer free cancellation, sometimes right up to the day of arrival. Then, keep an eye on last-minute deals and room sales as the day gets closer. If you find a cheaper deal, book that and then cancel the original booking. Also, most hotels have loyalty programmes that are free to join and offer great discounts for booking direct. Remember to link as much as you can to frequent flyer accounts. For instance, my NAB rewards card offers extra points for booking through partners, I just booked some accommodation through Agoda and got 8 points for every $1 spent.
Sally Milliss, Logans Crossing, NSW

Two sides now

We are currently on a long trip with a combination of group and independent (or DIY) travel organised from Australia using Rail Europe and Booking.com. Using DIY travel we picked up local tour companies in Avignon and local people in Lyon through the French greeters organisation. Ending our DIY travel we looked forward to joining a group tour through Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Both methods of travel have been fun, interesting and memorable, with advantages and disadvantages. The group tour allows you to see the highlights of the country and of course, organised transport and accommodation. The bonus is travel with friendly people. In DIY, you can take things slowly, use public transport, meet locals and use long forgotten French and Spanish. But you may miss out on key sites if you do not do your research properly.
Michael Copping, Oatley, NSW

Return to Algeria

It’s time to think about going to Algeria. On May 11 Smartraveller lowered its advice for most of the country to “exercise a high degree of caution”, the same as many other popular holiday destinations. I recently spent nine days there, visiting the fascinating cities of Algiers and Constantine, the magnificent Roman ruins of Djemila and Timgad and the magical Sahara oasis town of Ghardaia. Algerians were welcoming and there was none of the hassle that tourists experience in Morocco. My trip was organised by an Algerian tour company who also provided the invitation letter needed for a tourist visa.
Robert Cumming, Centennial Park, NSW

Finding a way

I totally get your map fetish, Ben Groundwater (Traveller, May 24)! I also love maps, but above all, I am for an atlas. I can relate to the pleasures of messing about with Google Maps, and let’s face it; where would we be without this tool when travelling? But the humble atlas (or in my case, my Lonely Planet Travel Atlas; a Traveller letters prize!) always comes in handy before planning any trip. You think of the “big name” places you want to visit: Paris, Cinque Terre, wherever, then when you look at the map of that region, you will find many similar, but better places to go.
Margot Pope, Lewisham, NSW

Pocket pickers

I write this from Paris, hoping that my experience today of being pick-pocketed on the Metro, might serve as a salutary warning for tourists to the larger cities of France to be extremely vigilant and carry as little cash and valuables as possible. The Paris Metro is of course the notorious “office” of many gangs and they seem to run unimpeded by the gendarme. After being cleaned out of about €470 in cash (yes, tres stupid of me to carry that around) I waited for well over an hour at the nearest police station to report it. My advice to travellers in France in crowded places – do not talk to strangers if your hands are not in your pockets and be very suspicious of attempted conversations and in particular, diversions. Amazing city Paris. Even with the world’s best pick-pockets.
Darshak Mehta, Mosman, NSW