Traveller letters: Australia, stop whinging about Americans - we could learn from them

See: Traveller letters: I'll never go through LAX again

COOL FOR KYATS

I stayed at the Strand Hotel (Traveller, March 18), in Rangoon, in 1972 as an indulgence when on the hippie trail. It cost $US12 anight. Although worn, it was in pretty good nick.

I learned a valuable lesson, however, in that I'd bought, in preparation for my visit to Burma, a lot of Burmese kyat on the black market in Bangkok. This was how I justified the outrageous cost. Unfortunately, the hotel then did not take local currency.

Graham Morgan, Great Western, VIC

GATE EXPECTATIONS

The introduction at Australian airports of smart gates for e-passport holders may reduce processing time for passengers at the airport, but it does nothing to make people travel smarter.

Recently returning to Brisbane from Singapore, I was astonished by the number of people who were incapable of inserting their ticket in the correct way to proceed through the screening process. Border Force agents who are stuck stating the obvious to arriving visitors have my sympathy.

Riley Kernaghan, Regents Park, QLD

CAPE CRUSADERS

On a recent trip to Cape Town we were grounded for five hours while an engineering problem was investigated. As a consequence, I missed my connection to Brisbane in Singapore, along with several other passengers. However, airline staff were awaiting us when we got off the plane.

They put us on new flights, transferred our luggage, arranged for us to stay and eat at a nearby hotel, and paid for taxis. They also handed out letters for insurance purposes. And all this was done with their usual courtesy, efficiency and smiles. Ten out of 10, Singapore Airlines.

Kathy George, Indooroopilly, QLD

GRAND PLANS

I booked and paid for my daughter to use an Airbnb property in Melbourne when a week out from the booking the host started to offer that her grandfather may be unwell.

On the day before arrival the booking was cancelled. It took over a month to get any refund back from the host and then she kept the cancellation fee. My daughter was travelling interstate and this left us with no time to change the booking. When I tried to contact Airbnb they would not communicate with me.

Marie Hall, Albury, NSW

FREE, FREE AT LAST

To add to Ken Richards' advice about travelling to Canada via China and bypassing the US (Traveller letters, March 18), a 72 hour visa-free stay is part of China's transit without visa program.

It allows a traveller arriving at certain ports of entry to be admitted to China and stay within a specified geographic area for 72 hours visa-free before continuing their journey to a third country. The 72 hours rule applies (among other cities) to Beijing (PEK) and Guangzhou (CAN).

In addition, since February 2016, for cities like Shanghai (PVG and SHA airports) and Nanjing (NKG), the transit without visa stay has been extended to 144 hours.

Upon arrival at the designated airport, a traveller can request entry under the transit without visa program from the immigration inspector. In some airports, there are special immigration inspection lanes for the program.

Mariusz Dechnik, Marrickville, NSW

WHINE CLUB

Tatiana Podmore (Traveller letters, March 25), hotels swipe your card when you check in in case you carve "Tatiana woz here" into the bedhead.

I have one or two gripes. I can't understand why in a double or twin room they can't give you towels that are two different colours: "Mine's the beige one, darling!"

My biggest gripe though, is big hotels that claim to be airconditioned but switch it off centrally to save money. My least favourite memories of overseas trips is trying to sleep in 27 degrees with windows that don't open and no fan.

Graham Meale, Boambee East, NSW

Tatiana Podmore has covered several of my gripes but the biggest is not being able to tell which toiletry is which. Many of us are visually challenged and have had surprising results from bottles in accommodation.

Surely just a big letter S for Shampoo or B for body wash, even L for lotion on the bottle, behind the fancy branding would save many from mishap or a damp trek through the room for spectacles.

And don't even get me started on why I need to pay extra for a decent coffee with my breakfast.

Fiona Haines, Pullenvale, QLD

GLOSSED OVER

I, too, am worried about Qantas, David Morgan (Traveller letters, February 11). On a QF9 business class flight to Dubai last November there were no magazines or newspapers because "passengers now use their own iPads".

Qantas' partner, Emirates, on my return flight was, in contrast, generous, which exposes a problem with codeshares – you have to match the top standard.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla, ACT

IS DON, IS GOOD

I realise yours is a very liberal paper but can we dismiss all the anti-Trump comments in the travel section, please? He has nothing to do with how the Transportation Security Administration operates and it's inaccurate and unfair to imply that he does. And no, not all Americans are ashamed of Trump – despite what you'd like your readers to believe.

George Williams, Potomac, Maryland

LET IT BE

I agree wholeheartedly with Anne Buckley (Traveller letters, March 11) and her letter regarding Airbnb. I tried to book and found them too intrusive for my liking.

Will stick to mainstream accommodation sites from now on who don't need photographic identity, also judging by the reaction and letters from Airbnb hosts they seem very defensive, almost unfriendly. If you are that worried about your property, don't let it.

Russ Hall, Essendon, VIC

RARE MISS

During the past few years we have often found inspiration in Traveller and followed your recommendations with confidence. You inspired us to visit Oman, Kenya and Tanzania and take the Forgotten World in New Zealand recently.

We have just returned from Sri Lanka and looked froward to visiting the Brief Garden near Bentota on our return trip to Colombo. Our guide first drove us to the garden of Geoffrey Bawa where we had a guided tour of an expansive garden, and house which we could not enter.

Upon rejoining our driver he realised his mistake and then drove to Brief Garden created by Geoffrey's brother Bevis. Your description was of "snaking paths, swooning tropical foliage and aromatic trees that drip voluptuously". I had passed the cutting from Traveller to the other guests and we agreed it would have to be better than our first experience even though it meant two entrance fees.

What your reporter saw to nominate this as his or her favourite garden in the world I cannot imagine. We did get to see inside the house and some paintings and sculptures by Donald Friend but it was not worth the fee or inconvenience. The rest of our trip in Sri Lanka was fabulous and the first time we have booked through Webjet.

Ros Barwick, Sunnybank Hills, QLD

NAME SHAME

As a Japanese national, and someone who has a sister living in Okinawa, I just wanted to point out a mistake in the paper (March 25-26, 2017). In Traveller, the writer repeatedly says "Nara", as the capital of Okinawa. The correct name is "Naha". And still is the capital of Okinawa. This may be very confusing to your readers because you talk about "Nara" a few pages later, in the Review section, page 27. The writer is correctly describing Nara – it was the first capital of Japan more than a millennium ago.

Nara and Naha are very far from each other; one near Kyoto, and the other, half a day away by plane from the main island.

Mitsue Kimpara, Balmain NSW

Editor's note: Thanks for pointing out the error, this has been corrected online.

Send us your travel-related opinions and experiences

Letters may be edited for space, legal or other reasons. Preference will be given to letters of 50-100 words or less. Email us at travellerletters@fairfaxmedia.com.au and, importantly, include your name, address and phone number.