Traveller Letters: No, I don't want to use my room's coffee machine to make tea

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Traveller Letters: No, I don't want to use my room's coffee machine to make tea

Updated
Our readers have issues with tea and coffee facilities in hotel rooms.

Our readers have issues with tea and coffee facilities in hotel rooms.

BEVERAGE RAGE

As someone who detests coffee (Traveller Letters, May 8), I immediately look for an electric kettle or jug in hotel rooms. When I ask for one I am told to heat the water through the coffee machine. This does not work. No matter how many times I heat the water, the smell and the taste of coffee remains in the water and also in the cups or mugs. I now take my own travel water boiler/immersion heater and mug. But I shouldn't have to do so.

Chris Sinclair, West Pennant Hills, NSW

Suggestion: rather than having a rant and a rave about there being no coffee in hotel rooms, how about you take a walk, preferably around the local neighbourhood. For a start you may find something worthwhile like I did recently in Christchurch, New Zealand, in the form of a turmeric latte. You would be also supporting local small businesses, plus you can always take the coffee back to your room. Win, win.

Brendon Fehre, Waterloo, NSW

Unlike Dianne Rooney, our recent overnight accommodation providers left us with a range of tea choices as well as a coffee machine and the makings for breakfast. We have discovered that Airbnb accommodation does not always provide breakfast, though we've also had a hot breakfast cooked for us. With short stays we've found much more individual extras provided in this type of accommodation. Books, bathroom items and other items add a more personal touch often not provided in holiday apartments and may encourage repeat visits.

Alison Watts, Haywards Bay, NSW

Many years ago I purchased a one cup plunger made of light, durable plastic. I've taken it all over the world. Essential in the US and England, as well as through regional Australia, you can always buy ground coffee in a supermarket. In Japan, I also discovered one cup paper drippers – these can be purchased in Daiso stores here in Australia. Of course, if there is good coffee available, I'll buy a coffee. Most towns in Australia now have at least one establishment that has good coffee, like the Tumbarumba Bakery in NSW, which I visited a few weeks ago.

Philip Smith, Waterloo, NSW

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LETTER OF THE WEEK

BED BUGGED

Unfortunately, it hasn't taken Jetstar long to revert to their customer-unfriendly practices. We booked a long-awaited holiday for extended family interstate for July. One daughter, her husband and two children (four-year-old and eight months) booked from Avalon, Victoria, to the Gold Coast departing midday and arriving at 2pm - very family friendly, but within a few weeks of booking, Jetstar "rescheduled" the flight with the new time is 7pm, arriving at 9pm. This makes the flight much more inconvenient; not only is it bedtime for small children, they also miss a day of their precious one week holiday (and who knows how many more changes Jetstar might make between now and July). I don't understand why Jetstar treats their customers with such contempt and continually changes schedules, with no concern (or recourse) for customers.

Jan Kealey, Herne Hill, VIC

SLOWLY DOESN'T DO IT

The letter from Gary Gibbs (Traveller Letters, May 1) about Australia's slow trains hit my "if only" button. After travelling through France or Spain at 300 kilometres an hour on a comfortable, quiet train, it feels like the third world to go from Coffs Harbour to Sydney on the olde world train, rocking and rolling on its ancient tracks. This area is home to many retirees who will soon be unable to drive or fly when needing to visit Sydney. A fast train would be well patronised and could even be attractive to commuters, considering how long it takes to drive to Sydney from the outer suburbs.

Diane Hood, Fernmount, NSW

BORDER BLUES

I am happy for Cathy Harnack who found increased family visits a "lovely upside to the COVID-19 restrictions on overseas travel" (Traveller Letters, May 8). Spare a thought, however, for the millions of Australians with family overseas. My parents in Germany are both in their mid-80s, and I have not seen them for a year and a half. Many friends are in the same boat and we all miss our families desperately. If you have all your nearest and dearest on the same continent with you, count yourself lucky, because not everybody does.

Carsten Roever, Brunswick, VIC

MERCURY RISING

Craig Tansley got a bit carried away in his story, "Toast of the outback" (Traveller, May 8). Australia's highest ever recorded temperature was 50.7 degrees at Oodnadatta, not 60.7. Given that, we can safely say that temperatures in the Simpson desert do not reach the "high 50s". And if they ever did, we'd have a new record for the hottest temperature ever recorded on earth.

Brendan Jones, Annandale, NSW

REPELLENT THOUGHTS

The cover story on the outback pub crawl by air reminded me of a coach and air trip I took to that amazing part of our great (in all senses of the word) country. However it mentioned only briefly that constant companion on such a journey - the outback fly. Tiny and persistent and in their millions, they even intruded into the cabin of the plane and much time was spent swiping at the windows. For any city slickers doing this kind of tour, fly screen hats are essential. Insect repellent is useless. They lap it up.

Lee Palmer, Albert Park, VIC

HIT THE ROAD

I have seen the many recent letters in Traveller Letters regarding Qantas cancelling the Alice Springs to Uluru leg flight route from Darwin, something that happened to us on our recent honeymoon. The only flight option offered from Darwin was to travel to Melbourne or Brisbane first, then back to Uluru. Our solution was to take the flight to Alice, pick up a car and drive out. The open road, interesting landscapes and not spending hours on planes and in airports made it the best option for us. Be prepared to be stung with exorbitant "exotic location" and "one-way" fees from rental services, though upon comparing with other travellers our total cost didn't seem much more than having to rebook flights.

Elise Stitt, Randwick, NSW

MISDIRECTED

If one were to travel 200 kilometres south from Winton (Traveller, May 15), one would not arrive at Hughenden; it's north-east of Winton. That said, a more interesting method of reaching Hughenden would be to hire a car in Townsville and drive west/south-west through historic Charters Towers and then return through Lyndhurst. A much more enjoyable four or five days.

Michael Hayden, Kiama Downs, NSW

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