SPLUTTER CONTEMPT
I’m a Virgin Platinum frequent flyer and love flying with them. However I just lately flew between Sydney and Melbourne, seated in an exit row and needed to endure an unmasked passenger sneezing and coughing for the complete flight. The crew made no effort to do something about obligatory face masks carrying. There was even a travelling pilot on the opposite aspect of him and after I questioned the crew, I used to be answered with an “all right”. But it was too late as by that stage we had been disembarking. The unmasked bandit then walked by way of the terminal unencumbered.
Paul Soanes, Doncaster, VIC
LETTER OF THE WEEK
PACK MENTALITY
I needed to smile studying Lee Tulloch’s column on carry-on baggage (Traveller, May 14). I returned this week from a two week Intrepid Premium tour of Morocco. There had been six of us on the tour and the opposite 5 had all managed to reach with a wheeled carry-on and a backpack. I had a medium suitcase weighing round 16 kilograms and a backpack and felt responsible each morning after I needed to have a porter take the case to the foyer from my room. Quite frankly I (and the information) puzzled the place on Earth all their adjustments of garments had been coming from. I had packed for doable chilly nights within the desert and a chilly Melbourne on return. I additionally had an additional pair of mountaineering footwear and a full toiletry and beauty bag. I wore all my garments and had a few issues laundered and wore them once more so I’m undecided I may have diminished a lot. I suppose the additional footwear and toiletries had been pointless. I’d be taken with what folks select to go away behind to allow carry-on
Denise Williamson, Seaford, NSW
BANG ON BANGKOK
It was beautiful to see such a complete story a couple of favorite journey hang-out, the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok (Traveller, May 14). Thank you for together with Samsara Cafe. I can vouch for it – a critically trendy place and likewise tucked on this hidden laneway location, behind a temple, is probably the most stunning and quirky resort – Loy La Long. It has the identical relaxed vibe as Samsara the place you may sit together with your legs dangling above the river, sipping a drink and watching Bangkok life movement by and likewise a fraction of the price of the characteristic high-end resort.
Sally Pope, Five Dock, NSW
GALL STORY
As a lot as I loved Anthony Dennis’ story in regards to the Creative District in Bangkok, it was galling to see Thai Airways is the advised service after I, and plenty of others like me, are nonetheless ready for Thai Airways to refund my cancelled flights from April 2020. And, I proceed to listen to nothing from them with regard to after I can count on the cash.
Debra Kilsby, Elwood, VIC
DIPLOMATIC INCIDENT
The frustration in delays getting an appointment for a visa to go to the US is actual and comprehensible. I’ve now simply obtained my sixth J-1 visa which permits me to work on the University of Hawaii for one semester after a nail-biting four-week delay which I perceive is attributable to the consulate in Sydney being closed for relocation. The tip to maintain trying on-line for earlier appointments is nice however dates can fluctuate between November 2022 and March 2023. An various is to go for submitting all paperwork by publish and marking it “emergency”. Good luck.
Judie Hudson, Prahran, VIC
IT’S TERMINAL
Sydney’s Central Station concourse’s lack of satisfactory cafe amenities (Traveller Letters, May 13) is infamous and has been so for years. The authorities’s cause given for the dearth, reportedly “due to reduced patronage”, merely displays the usual of what was on supply. The amenities and off, pre-packaged meals had been so poor that it’s no shock under-patronage occurred. Downgrading amenities after which saying no one desires them is a deliberate dodge. In the station concourse’s japanese nook there was once a welcoming cafe with seats, tables and loads of contemporary, numerous meals on supply. Then that cafe disappeared. The authorities may simply return this cafe to make use of. When I journey from Newcastle I discover it appalling that such an amazing metropolis can’t insert an excellent cafe into the concourse which in spite of everything, could also be many worldwide and nation folks’s first impression of Sydney.
Susan Webb, Valentine, NSW
CUTTING REMARKS
Paul Foley (Traveller Letters, May 13) has solely a part of the passport renewal story. After finishing a renewal type on-line it clearly says you have to print, signal, take the shape with two images to a publish workplace the place your passport is reduce up, images adhered, pay $308 after which anticipate a brand new passport. I did it final Monday. My recommendation to Cheryl Luther (redeeming flight credit, Rants & raves, May 14) is to discover a very skilled journey agent by asking round.
Lindsay Somerville, Lindfield, NSW
READER TIPS
TIP OF THE WEEK
BEST (AND WORST) OF BRITISH
A phrase of warning when you have simply negotiated a fly-drive deal within the UK. I signed up for a seven day British Airways and Avis contract commencing March 18 from Belfast. When I arrived on the Avis desk, the agent refused to recognise my NSW digital driver’s licence, demanding a plastic licence. There had been completely no reference to this within the settlement documentation. I needed to negotiate with one other agency and get an understandably inflated deal, which exceeded the overall fly-drive quantity. So an enormous brickbat to Avis in Belfast. But there is a bouquet for British Air. When dropped at their consideration after my return to Oz, they’ve organized fee to me of the overall further value of automotive rent plus 50 Pounds “for my trouble”. I contemplate that to be “above and beyond”. And for the report, the most effective worth for cash in case you’re desirous to go to London from Sydney is unquestionably the BA Premium Economy in a Dreamliner.
Charlie McCusker, Manly, NSW
OPEN THE GATE
Have any readers had success in contacting the web site, gotogate.com, with regard to flight credit because of the pandemic? My airline is comfortable to oblige with a credit score however it requires affirmation from the reserving agent, on this case gotogate ,who appear to have their telephones completely off the hook.
Michael Atkins, Noosa, QLD
FINN TIMES
Ray Charter (Traveller Letters, May 22), do not grasp across the Helsinki airport terminal for eight hours, as seating and cafe area is proscribed within the nice however compact terminal. Take the frequent Finnair coach into city, which takes about half-hour to get to the central railway station on the town. Walk throughout the sq. to the principle artwork gallery, or in case you really feel like stretching your legs after the flight from Bangkok, stroll down by way of the design district and go to the Design Museum. You can see this charming museum in an hour or so, together with time for the astonishing Marimeko Finnish-designed clothes show on the highest ground. Stop contained in the church throughout the street, to relaxation your weary legs and thoughts, or have brunch in a close-by cafe and stroll again to the Finnair coach cease beside the railway station, following one of many vacationer workplace’s pedestrian routes, by way of the nicely preserved streetscapes of this calm and unspoilt metropolis.
David Weir, Northcote, VIC
LOW RENT
In January, I booked lodging in Port Stephens, NSW, by way of an agent 12 months prematurely. I paid a 50 per cent deposit. Five months later, the agent contacted me advising that the homeowners of the house had determined to cancel my reserving as they had been not sure about renting it. My deposit was refunded. Later that day, I noticed the house on the agent’s web site out there for a similar interval as I had initially booked however for $2000 extra. Has anybody else had the same expertise and did you do something about it?
Rebecca Matthews, Chiswick, NSW
BUFF STUFF
Leafing nostalgically by way of my 1953 NSW Country Railway Timetable I relived the numerous in a single day journeys my highschool associates and I had undertaken to such locations as Wallangarra, Mungindi, Eugowra, Tumbarumba, Bourke, Dorrigo and Batlow. Recently, in a pale imitation, I took the 12.31am practice from Strathfield to Lithgow, with a connection to Bathurst arriving simply earlier than 5am. Bathurst is one in all our wonderful nation stations and thankfully heritage protected. I returned on the 5.46am “Bathurst Bullet”, an amazing innovation of some years in the past to allow a extra handy day hyperlink with Sydney.
John Slinn, Epping, NSW
DON’T BANK ON IT
While Terry Fletcher’s financial institution has confirmed a refund of all charges (Traveller Letters, May 13), it does not imply the airline’s financial institution has handed it on. Locally, some organisations do not refund service provider charges, together with American Express and PayPal, which implies there may be nonetheless a value to the seller. And who is aware of what the case is in Qatar?
Mark Roberts, Caloundra, QLD
WIN A SET OF THREE HARDIE GRANT TRAVEL BOOKS
The Letter of the Week author wins Hardie Grant journey books value greater than $100, together with Mindfulness Travel Japan by Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh; Paon, Real Balinese Cooking, by Tjok Maya Kerthyasa and I Wayan Kresna; and Plume by Tania McCartney.
See hardiegrant.com
SHARE YOUR TIPS AND WIN THREE LONELY PLANET TRAVEL BOOKS WORTH $100
The Tip of the Week author wins a set of three nice Lonely Planet journey books, together with Australia’s Best Trips, Best Day Walks Australia and Gourmet Trails Australia and NZ.
See store.lonelyplanet.com
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Source: traveller.com.au