Traveller Letters and Reader Tips: An airport's Irish pub in India is not a Qantas lounge

Michele Sharp, Queens Park, NSW

DEAR MUM

Like Judith Rostron (Traveller Letters, March 18), I also wrote newsy aerograms to my parents every week that I was on the other side of the world during the 70s. When I was clearing out my mother's desk, I found that she had kept every letter and now I have a detailed account of my travels in my own words. A benefit of slow communication days.

Janet Oxwell, Canberra, ACT

LONG DARK CLOUD

Your writer enthused "God Bless New Zealand" (Traveller Letters, March 18) when they were able to change plans due to the cyclone, but we were disillusioned by our New Zealand tour company. Cyclone Gabrielle meant our cycle tour was cancelled on the second day, but we were given no alternative rides or even suggestions, just ferried back to the start and dumped in a hotel for one night. We managed to conjure up some plans and even did a day tour with a different company along one of the trails we'd missed out on. To add salt to our wounds, we found our tour guide and driver from the cancelled tour enjoying the trail too, and using the bikes we had paid for.

Natalie Cleary, Gymea Bay, NSW

GLASS ACTS

In response to your cover story, "Raising the bars" (Traveller, March 18), my favourite bar is the rooftop Sugar Bar at the East Hotel in Hong Kong. Views across Victoria Harbour at sunset as the lights come on and all the ships ply their trade make the happy hour cocktails even more satisfying than just having a drink.

Jim McAlpine, Moss Vale, NSW

My favourite bar is the Beer Bazaar in Tel Aviv, in the middle of the Carmel Market on Yishkon Street. During the day the bar is a small hole in the wall room for about six people with a range of six excellent craft beers. It's a refreshing retreat from the surrounding noise and heat of the Arab fruit and vegetable stalls and definitely the place to stop for a quick one. At night the markets are closed, the beer crates are upturned to become tables and chairs and spread around the neighbouring area. Young couples with their dogs enjoy the cooler evening and the bar is a haven of peace and reflection.

Michael Barker, Annandale, NSW

MIXED RESPONSE

Any rooftop bar is my favourite regardless of what you drink or which city you visit. Non- alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails are certainly the latest fad but have unforeseen consequences for the humble wine drinker. On a recent Princess cruise, a wait of 30 minutes was average to be served a glass of wine due to the large number of cocktails being ordered and the extra time required to make them. Cocktails, on cruise ships, are now on par in price with a glass of wine and therefore are the preferred option. Gender stereotyping is also alive and well in the coffee area. I always order a long black, my male partner a cappuccino, with the cappuccino always served to me.

Barbara Tregear, Ashfield, NSW

LOCKER SHOCKER

I refer to Lee Tulloch's column, "Let's carry on carrying-on" (Traveller, March 18). Carry-on luggage is fine, but it's what seems to be oversized luggage that takes up more than its fair share of the overhead locker that is particularly annoying. I get angry when asked to put my half-filled small backpack at my feet and make my flight uncomfortable because the overhead locker space is taken up by large carry-ons and I can't even get any space at all. The comment in the article, "it's a frantic race to get on first and claim that precious space above your seat" typifies the selfishness of some of those with carry-ons, especially the oversized items. The airlines don't seem to be interested in ensuring compliance with carry-on dimensions and weight requirements, perhaps because it's one less item of baggage they need to handle elsewhere.

Trevor Street, Park Orchards, Vic

BANK ON IT

I too travelled throughout Europe with my Europe on $5 a Day guidebook (Traveller Letters, March 18) in the 1960s and did everything Brian Payne did. On top of that, because of the cost of sending mail from Europe, we purchased a stack of aerograms in London and my buddies and I wrote home once a week, mailed them to the Bank of NSW, Sackville Street, London and someone there posted them for us.

Doug Johnson, Bellevue Hill, NSW

FAIL FOR PASS

Arriving in Japan after a three year absence, a few things stand out. Since the country reopened, people are busting to get back and it looks like this year's slightly early cherry blossoms will encourage even bigger crowds. The queue for people exchanging their Japan Rail Pass (jrailpass.com) vouchers for the actual pass was enormous today, snaking all the way out of the JR office in Tokyo Station. When my turn came, I was horrified to see that the new JR Pass is now only the same size as a normal train ticket - about 6cm by 4cm. The implications of how easy it would be to lose are too scary and once it's lost, they won't replace it. Gone is the large colourful fold-out card they used to produce; perhaps it is a cost-cutting measure. Guard it with your life.

Margot Pope, Lewisham, NSW

WORLD RECORD

I also have many diaries (Tipometer, March 26) from my travels both in Australia and overseas. They are a great way to remember travels as you often crowd so much into a day that it is hard to remember exactly what you have done. I even glue entry tickets, cards or dockets into the diary as souvenirs. Television programs or news items will spark a memory, so out comes the diary. Diaries have also been known to settle arguments.

Vicki McDowell, Maroubra, NSW

SWISS MISS

My two sons lost their luggage on a Qantas-American Airlines codeshare flight from Dallas to Los Angeles and on to Sydney. We phoned American Airlines who took no responsibility, so I phoned Qantas twice a day for three days, completed paperwork and sent photos of the luggage. On the fourth day we returned to Sydney International Airport and searched anywhere there was luggage. We found rooms with rows of luggage and eventually found the Qantas lost luggage office with unattended luggage sitting outside looking like it had been abandoned. There was a sign with a mobile phone number to call, but there was no answer. Eventually an employee arrived and walked us over to the Swissport office and there, in the entry area, was my two sons' luggage. I encourage anyone who can return to Sydney's International Airport to go to arrivals on level one and look for the Swissport office .

Kate Leahy, Strathfield, NSW

TOUR AND TASTE

I highly recommend the all-day Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Indigenous tour (budjbim.com.au) in Victoria and enjoy the delicious tasting plate lunch at Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre. You will see and learn so much more about how Gunditjmara people lived, see the remains of stone houses, the eel traps and ponds and hear stories of life there than is possible in a short tour. It is definitely worth having time to spend two nights in Portland, on Victoria's south-west coast, or nearby, in order to enjoy the full-day tour and have a good look around.

Annie Keely, Fairfield, Vic

BED BUGGED

Your reader Peter Surgenor (Traveller Letters, March 18) comments on the Malaysian bed tax on foreigners. The tax is small at 10 ringgit ($3.40) a night and most places I have stayed will provide a receipt if you ask. Compared with the soon to be introduced 300 baht ($13.19) tourist tax in Thailand (for travellers arriving in Thailand by air) it's a small price to pay.

Stephen Trevarrow, New Farm, Qld

I SAW THE LIGHT

I bought a new lightweight carry-on weighing in at 1.9 kg. The clothes, joggers, undies, socks, hat, toilet bag all weighed. So far, the bag and clothes are six kilos, which allows for last minute extras. By taking a carry-on bag, my clothes and needs will be with me all the time and easy to pull along. Go light weight!

Judith Bond, Campbelltown, NSW

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