Letters: Insurers won't come to the party

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This was published 10 years ago

Letters: Insurers won't come to the party

LETTER OF THE WEEK

It is ironic that many retirees reach that time in their lives when they can most afford to travel overseas about the same time as they begin to accumulate pre-existing medical conditions that insurance companies will not cover. As a result, I suspect large numbers of retirees simply do not travel overseas and this must add up to a considerable amount of lost business to travel agents, tour providers, airlines, etc. Rather than lose this business, would it not be worth the travel industry promoting travel insurance where these pre-existing conditions can be covered for an appropriate premium that allows for the greater risk?

-Ken Thurgood

TOLD YOU SO

Thanks to this publication, my husband and I have just returned from the most amazing holiday in Europe, which was booked through Outdoor Travel after seeing an ad for its Bike and Barge holidays in Europe. We are in our 60s, in good general health but not particularly fit. However, we were able to cycle about 30 to 50 kilometres each day, travelling from Bruges to Amsterdam. We also visited various places of interest including a flower market, working windmills, museums, a cheese farm, strawberry farms and countless cafes, bars and restaurants. Our accommodation was on a refurbished Dutch working barge, the Iris. The food was excellent and the guide, boat owner and staff all went out of their way to make sure our holiday was very special. We had so much fun and both have such a sense of achievement from doing this.

-Sue Grant

CARGO CULT

I sympathise with Lorna Donaldson (Letters, July 6-7). Two weeks ago on a flight from Dubai, the aircraft was filled to capacity. The amount of on-board baggage was incredible. On approaching Kuala Lumpur, a man became agitated as he could not find all of his on-board luggage. After creating a scene and being abusive to the purser, it was finally located. Between his wife and himself there were five pieces of hand luggage, plus two duty-free bags. This is unfair to passengers who abide by the rules and have trouble placing their one piece of hand luggage in the overhead lockers.

-Ken Johnston

MONKEY BUSINESS

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Our cruising friends were not keen to visit Kuta or the southern parts of Bali on a day shore excursion. As a keen visitor to Bali, I suggested a taxi trip from the port to Ubud. Afterwards, my friend told me they had indeed visited Ubud and the Monkey Forest and they'd videoed the monkeys eating bananas, doing somersaults and landing in the water ... an amusing sight. My friends sent the short video to Australia's Funniest Home Videos at the behest of grandchildren and were suitably surprised and rewarded with a $500 prize! It pays to listen to others' suggestions!

-Alison Watts

CLASS ACT

We travel several times a year to Perth with Qantas and wish to congratulate them on the introduction of seats that only recline a small amount in economy class. Too many times have we been subjected to the selfishness of people who recline their seats to only a few centimetres from our faces, making a four- to five-hour journey very uncomfortable.

-Valerie Dyball

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