Traveller Letters: I never appreciated AirTags until this happened

Thank you to Lee Tulloch for highlighting the untapped potential of the world’s golf courses as flourishing, sustainable green zones (Traveller, April 23). Traditionally, most of us have viewed manicured golfing greens as neat sporting havens. As the world’s population booms and the environment struggles to keep up, however, capitalising on the space by adding parkland and veggie gardens makes perfect sense. Humans and wildlife alike need much more nature. Let’s follow in the footsteps of the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort and drive toward organic greens.
Amy Hiller, Kew, Vic

Wrong giraffe patch

Your story on South Africa (Traveller, April 20) was quite comprehensive and helpful. However, it might seem that a giraffe is just a giraffe, but you wouldn’t see the giraffe featured on your cover in South Africa – it is a Masai (or Maasai) giraffe which is found in East Africa, not down south.
Frank Coates, Bayview, NSW

Unhappy snaps in Bali

We recently enjoyed a five-day Luxury Escapes holiday in Bali. Our transport to and from the airport to the hotel was arranged by Luxury Escapes. We were surprised, annoyed and concerned that the drivers of the transport cars took photos of us on their phone without our consent when they dropped us at the hotel and the airport. I’m not sure of the purpose of this. Have other travellers had a similar experience?
Krish Krishnaswamy, Kew, Vic

Island idyll

Carrie Hutchinson’s article (Traveller, April 27), brought back many memories of a week’s sailing in 2013 around the San Juan Islands. We flew by Cessna from Bellingham, Washington State, to Orcas Island and met Dave, skipper of the Yacht, Nawalak, at Deer Harbor. We had previously sailed with Dave from Ketchikan, Alaska, down the Great Bear Rainforest to Bella Bella, British Columbia. The Nawalak takes six paying passengers and a chef. We sailed around many of the islands, moored overnight in beautiful coves, walked, explored, kayaked, observed abundant bird and sea life and experienced beautiful sunsets.
Roslyn Van der Velde, Swansea, NSW

Tip of the week: On rails, at sea

For a time there were three train-ferry services operating in Europe but sadly only one remains (Traveller, April 11). The Puttgarden-Rodby train ferry for the Copenhagen to Hamburg train concluded in 2019 having commenced service in 1963. The Berlin Night Express (Malmo/Berlin) used to travel on the Trelleborg-Sassnitz train ferry however Stena Line ceased this service in 2020. The train from Rome or Naples to Sicily boards a train ferry (Villa San Giovanni-Messina) to cross the Straits of Messina. This is the last journey in Europe and possibly the world where passenger trains travel via ferry.
Peter Cheong, Annerley, Qld

It’s PT for me

I recently returned from Western Australia having completed the second stage of travelling around Australia by public transport (Traveller Letters, May 4 ). Not being encumbered with a car, I can travel a section of the journey then return to a home base to complete the next sector later on. This sector was from Perth to Port Hedland by the thrice weekly bus. Being thrice weekly, we alighted at Carnarvon, Exmouth, Karratha and Port Hedland, spending a few nights at each locality and exploring each town by the local town bus at about $2 a day. I returned to Perth via Meekatharra and the inland highway after a few weeks of travel including public transport to Marble Bar. Apart from accommodation and meals, I spent under $600 for several thousand kilometres of relaxing, no-stress and comfortable bus travel in Western Australia. I was amused to see the people who had spent mega-dollars on their four-wheel drives and caravans doing their round-Australia journey.
Mike Vale, Ballan, Vic

Hearts are in Asia

We travel more to Asia (Traveller, April 27) for several reasons: proximity, great experiences, food, diverse cultures and value. In Asia, we usually do one country each trip, spending time in key cities as well as exploring regionally. Every country is unique, but all can be reached within a day. Favourites are Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali. We enjoy Europe but always visit several countries to maximise the trip. Notably European travels are usually a few weeks longer than an Asian experience. Even when we go to Europe, we always have a stopover in Hong Kong or Singapore or Bangkok.
Philip Smith, Waterloo, NSW

Tour guide translations

I have worked as a tour guide for many years in many countries and these are among my favourite translations. Travelling in central France on a day which would prove the hottest on record, a chateau visit left everybody hot and sweaty, so I suggested to our French guide we detour via our hotel for a 30-minute break in the air-conditioning, have a drink of chilled water and use the bathrooms. Our guide informed the group “we are going to have a break at the hotel as John wants to refrigerate you”. In an Indian restaurant, a waiter brought a jug of water and I asked if it was definitely safe to drink. “I assure you it has been passed by our manager,” he said. In Spanish, the noun precedes the adjective (white house becomes casa blanca) and one guy who had a low opinion of somebody said he was a “big shitbuller”.
John Sutton, Brunswick West, Vic

Pillow talk

In Ben Groundwater’s search for the perfect pillow (Traveller, April 24 ) he mentions the Ostrich. I have seen similar lay-your-head-on-the-tray-table styles advertised but was immediately dissuaded by the thought of the seat in front being suddenly reclined. Upper spine damage is too great a risk for a couple of hours’ sleep.
Tom Hanson, Mount Kuring-Gai, NSW

I heard a rumour

I have rented cars many times over the years in Britain and Europe without an International Driver Licence, but not for at least five years. I have heard rumours that such a licence is now required. I will be renting a car in England in June. Is that true and if so, how do you get one?
John Nesbitt, Mosman, NSW

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com