LETTER OF THE WEEK
In my recent travels, I have been flabbergasted by the growing practice of making a mad scramble for the aisles as soon as the seatbelt sign is turned off. The whole section has to wait for these scramblers as there is no way they would give way to people sitting in the preceding rows. I have pointed this out to an offending fellow passenger and was angrily told she would miss her connection if she were not let out first. May I remind these people that enough time should be allowed for layovers; otherwise, they can always take first or business class.
- Cristina Corleto
FULL MONTE
Lee Tulloch, I am surprised and disappointed with a very basic inaccuracy in your column (Luxe Nomad, September 20-21). You write about the Alain Ducasse restaurant, Louis XV, in Monte Carlo, as being a gastronomic treasure of France ... since when is Monaco or Monte Carlo a part of France? Semantics maybe, but although Alain himself may be a gastronomic treasure of France, his restaurant in Monte Carlo is surely a gastronomic treasure of Monaco.
- Kasia Quail
LATTE ENTRIES
Not sure how long ago it is that Rick Stein was in Milton on the NSW south coast (Traveller, September 13-14) but there are several other more recent and interesting cafes in Milton (especially for good coffee) than his recommendations, namely Coffee Guild and Little Gunga.
- Sheilah Whyte
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT
On our recent trip to Africa our luggage was lost between Namibia and Johannesburg by South African Airways and dealing with them gave us no joy. We were overnighting in Johannesburg on our way to Rwanda and leaving earlier than our luggage could be returned (after they finally located it) and only had the clothes we stood up in. Not appropriate for gorilla trekking. We were advised by our Westpac credit card free insurance provider, Zurich Australia, to buy (up to a limit) what we needed and send in the account. This was done on our return and today we received notification it has been paid into our account. We had also contacted South African Airways with no result, having received a standard response that didn't address our issues. This was our first trip using the Westpac credit card free travel insurance and has proved to be everything as it stated. Well done, Zurich Insurance.
- Jan Wilkinson
CASE SOLVED
On a recent flight my old and trusted hard-shell Samsonite case had a side latch broken. It would have been a simple matter of unscrewing the damaged latch and fitting a new one. I live in Canberra and there was no local repair service available so I tried a couple of the Sydney repairers to see if they would sell me a couple of latches. "Oh sir, that is against our policy," one said. "You must send the case to us so we can repair it. That could take up to six weeks". Angrily I called Samsonite in Melbourne and was put through to the spare parts manager. He asked me to email a photograph of the damaged latch to him and said he would send a couple of latches as soon as new stocks arrived. A week later and a small padded bag with two latches "compliments of Samsonite" arrived. All at no cost. That is why I stand by such companies, wonderful service.
- Terry Lovett
BEEN THERE, DUNE THAT
In regards to your amazing places cover story (Traveller, September 20-21), after working as a volunteer at a cheetah conservation centre in Namibia, I travelled to Sossusvlei, reputedly the world's highest sand dunes, which run along the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. I climbed, two steps forward one step back in the fine sand, arriving at the top to see a spectacular sunset. We returned to camp then at 4.30am once again climbed the sand dunes to see a stunning sunrise. Breathtaking, in more ways than one.
- Charmain Williams
BIGGE NOTING
Your writer David McGonigal rightly includes Bigge Island among Traveller's amazing places however his enthusiasm may have allowed some inaccuracies. Rather than being discovered in the past decade it has been an included visit for passengers on cruises from Broome since the one I took in the 1990s on the Sheer Delight. Certainly access to the pictured beach is possible only at low tide as it is to so many places along the Kimberley Coast. But how does he account for the presence of rock wallabies and quolls if the island exists only at low tide?
- Kathy deFlon
MAJOR DISCONNECT
I embrace Mark Longstaff's suggestion of not booking accommodation if free Wi-Fi is not offered. When we travelled to Central America this year we had a driver for three weeks. We stayed in expensive accommodation and had to join the hotel's loyalty program to receive Wi-Fi at no charge. Our driver stayed in hostel accommodation and had free Wi-Fi. Most countries are now offering free Wi-Fi but just about anywhere in Australia we have to pay extra for Wi-Fi (which we won't do). We now check the small print, and if free Wi-Fi is not offered, we look for somewhere else. May I suggest everyone else does the same?
- Carol Hyde
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.