TRASHED BY CASH
Following a morning tour of Buenos Aires in January, we decided to spend some time in Recoleta, the gracious "European" quarter of the city. This is where the best shops, hotels and various attractions are found. After getting money from a Banelco Bank ATM, located within the bank itself, we had lunch and wandered some more. My husband got his cash out of another Banelco ATM, located at Recoleta Mall. The next day we discovered that the majority of the 100 peso notes dispensed by both ATMs were fakes, after a taxi driver refused to take our money. Banelco has 60 per cent of ATMs in Argentina and has entered into a partnership with Visa to form the largest payment processor-organisation in the country. It seems incredible that such a partnership cannot ensure safe financial transactions. Our advice: beware of ATMs in Argentina, take US dollars in cash and change it in a bank, being sure to check the notes before you leave.
Jill Wayland, Pyrmont, NSW
STRANDED
When we booked our 30-day cruise with Oceania, they handled visa applications for three countries, but unfortunately they failed to notify us that we needed a visa to enter India. Pre-boarding passport inspection by Oceania officials in Dubai revealed that "at least a dozen other passengers" also lacked entry visas.
Oceania's solution was to leave me, a 76-year-old throat cancer survivor, and my wife, who had recently had a pacemaker implanted – plus four other English-speaking passengers – in Muscat, Oman. At our own expense, all six of us had to find two nights' accommodation in Muscat, e-Tourist visas, a flight and a night's accommodation in Mumbai, before we were able to rejoin the ship. Other stranded passengers flew back to Dubai for connections to India or were wait-listed in Oman with long delays. It was a nightmare.
In December, my wife and I lodged itemised claims with Oceania for a refund. Despite their apparent duty of care, no refund has been made.
Tim and Eve Colley, Coffs Harbour, NSW
THE FAST LANE
There has been a lot of discussion about Indian e-Visas lately. We arrived in Delhi on February 2 having used the e-Visa. Unlike Kate Brown (Traveller Letters, February 13-14), we had no trouble. We found that the e-Visa lane was clearly marked and after waiting about 15 minutes, we were through and others in the queue seemed to take about the same time. Our friend, however, did not have an e-Visa and took at least another 40 minutes longer to be processed in the traditional immigration queue. Based on my experience, I see no reason to caution people against using the system; in fact, I would recommend anyone going to India uses the e-Visa.
Michael Musso, Sutherland, NSW
BURY THE HATCHET
I was disappointed by Richard Tulloch's comment about "hatchet-faced lavatory attendants" (Traveller, February 13-14). I hope all Australian travellers will think beyond feeling resentful about having to pay for toilet facilities. Imagine yourself as the poor person (usually a woman) whose destiny it is to clean or attend toilets in order to survive. How would you feel if your mother/grandmother was in that position? So please, travellers, show a little empathy. In actual fact, those women do a fantastic job keeping the facilities clean and deserve our respect. So next time, greet them and give a friendly smile. They are probably sick of seeing hordes of hatchet-faced tourists scowling at them.
Klara Smythe, Auburn, NSW
STOPPED FOR A STOPOVER
We have booked return flights from Seattle to Sydney in July and have recently been informed that Hawaiian Airlines has changed its flight times, meaning we'll miss our connection and have to overnight in Hawaii. For compensation, we've been given $US130 for a hotel and a small allowance for food and transfers. Looks like we'll be sleeping in a one-star hotel. Not good enough!
Fiona Foster, Hornsby, NSW
OUT AND ABOUT
A sidebar to Nina Karnikowski's near-desert experience (Traveller, February 6-7) recommends the view down on to the wonderful variety of entertainers from atop a Jemaa el-Fna cafe. Better still, why not actually mingle around the buskers down there in the square?
Margaret Cunningham, Ashfield NSW
LETTER OF THE WEEK
On a recent Qantas flight from Santiago to Sydney, a serious medical emergency unfolded in front of us and the manner in which the cabin crew performed during this difficult period can only be described as highly commendable. They acted in a very professional, calm and confident manner as they attended to the needs of the unfortunate passenger. At the same time, they showed respect, understanding and support to his partner, while not losing sight of the needs of the remaining passengers.
At the sad conclusion to their efforts, those directly involved showed the resulting strain and emotion, but after a few hours' break, they returned to their duties with a smile and a pleasant manner, tending to the needs of the passengers as if nothing had happened just a few hours prior. Well done to the cabin crew of QF28; we now we take comfort in the knowledge that when we travel with the "flying kangaroo", we know the staff are well trained for all their duties.
Rooney and Richard Keogh; Dromana; Victoria
WE WELCOME YOUR TRAVEL-RELATED OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES
The writer of the letter judged the best of the week will receive a Lonely Planet prize pack. See www.lonelyplanet.com.
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