Qantas email directed me to a scam visa site

Dust up

Avis rental cars hit me with a more than $50 “valet charge” in Durban, South Africa, for a light dusting of beach sand in the foot wells of the hired vehicle. No damage. No stains. The sort of mess a vacuum cleaner could fix in seconds. I queried it but a month on, after emails and social messages, I’m still getting “we’re looking into it”. Avis Australia says overseas rentals aren’t their problem. In beach towns, sand is normal wear and tear. This kind of penny-pinching is how brands burn goodwill, one customer at a time.
Cameron Craig, Birchgrove, NSW

Prepare for your scam

Qantas directed me to a scam visa site. We booked a flight from Melbourne to Santiago, and received an email from Qantas titled “Prepare for your flight”. Contained within it was a notice that travellers to Chile are required to complete a “customs affidavit” with a link provided. I clicked on the link, and completed the online form, but my credit card was rejected. The next day I attempted to purchase something online with my credit card, and it was declined. I contacted the bank, which advised that the site I was directed to was flagged as a scam site, and it had blocked my card. Even though that site has generally good reviews, it is known for over-charging for visas and other documentation. I am generally wary of providing my credit card details to websites, but I would not expect Qantas to link to a scam one in an official email.
Andy Horne, Elsternwick, Vic

Wrong righted

I recently received a call from Qantas customer advocacy regarding my published complaint about being bumped from my seat. They apologised and said this should not happen for paying customers and provided compensation. While the initial incident is still frustrating, it should be acknowledged that Qantas followed up, which is much appreciated.
David Lewis, Gladesville, NSW

Letter of the week: Memory lanes

Jenny Hewitt’s article, “Seven Wonders of The Bund, Shanghai” brought back many memories, especially since I lived in Shanghai between 1936 and 1945 with almost no one left today with whom to share such memories. The charming and culturally significant old French and International Concessions, including the Bund, remain essentially unchanged except for their new Chinese names. When my granddaughter, Beccy, spent a day in Shanghai last September, she filled the day visiting my memories, those mentioned by Jenny but also The French Club (now the Okura Garden Hotel), where my parents played tennis and where I learnt to swim. Of course, Beccy loved Shanghai.
Justin Gardener, Pymble, NSW

Steamy relationship

Thank you to Rob McFarland for the story on Finland with an emphasis on happiness and saunas. Aino Sibelius, wife of the world-famous Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius, designed a sauna for their home near Jarvenpaa, 35 kilometres from Helsinki in southern Finland. With thousands of visitors each year, it continues to stand beside their house on the property, which has become a museum, near Lake Tuusula, which is also home to other artists. If you enjoy a curiosity of faraway places and a love of good music, listen to Sibelius’s orchestral music and be transported to Finland, a place of legendary stories and unspoilt nature.
Geoff Hayes, Malvern, Vic

Domestic hiss

After navigating the cattle yard of check-in, bag drop and security during Sydney domestic airport renovations, I am calling for investors to time-share a Cessna. Meanwhile, a caveat emptor is required for all passengers to check minute-by-minute changes to airport conditions, but no offset of any kind is offered to inconvenienced passengers. Worse still, elderly people are forced to wait in long lines with only one attendant to support the boarding-pass machine and offer any information needed. If enough of us invest we could save ourselves so much stress on “No BS Air”.
Jessica Revill, Leura, NSW

Case dismissed

The letter regarding Kenya airways from Mark Goldstein reminded me of when we flew with it two years ago from Nairobi to Mount Kilimanjaro. Our luggage went missing along with half of our fellow passengers. When I spoke to the misnamed help desk, which didn’t have a computer in sight, I asked, “is missing baggage a common problem?” The lady seemed to think this was a silly question and replied, “of course, every flight”. We were then asked the description and colour of the bags which she entered into a well-worn exercise book. When one of our fellow passengers described her bag as having 20 squares across the bag with numerous colours, the employee simply stared at the passenger for what seemed an eternity and simply wrote “black” in her book and then called out, “who’s next?” Our bags did turn up four days later after they apparently had a little break in Zanzibar. The joys of travel.
Terry Thelwell, North Ryde, NSW

Reality check

I sympathise with Mark Goldstein’s unpleasant end to his trip in Africa, but this is travel. Once we leave Australia, predictability vanishes. Missed flights, shabby transport, horrific roads, varying standards of service await. Travelling is about experiencing difference, not sameness. These differences enhance my appreciation of just how things do work here. Most Africans will never travel beyond their own village let alone country. What a privilege to see the wonderful sights in a way not available to the locals. Those buses might be the best ones available. Did you notice most Kenyans walk? Kenya and Tanzania offer so much more beyond the safaris.
Annabel Marley, Cootamundra, NSW

Winter of my content

We went to the Cinque Terre in January this year. Apart from the Via Dell Amore track, the trails are all free in winter. The Amore one cost €10 ($16), and for that, you got about one kilometre of complete paving, flat with occasional seats. Weather? I guess it can vary, but for us, it was crisp but sunny, blue skies and I did the walk in a T-shirt. We stayed in La Spezia, maybe not trendy but jolly good value and only a 10-minute train ride from the Cinque. There, for the price of a hotel room, we got a central Airbnb with two bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, washing machine and dishwasher. What’s not to like? La Spezia also has an interesting and inexpensive naval museum, and you can take a 20-minute local bus to Porto Venere, another beautiful coastal site. So, challenge the paradigm, go in winter.
Helen Jeffcoat, Indooroopilly, Qld

Tip of the week: Mind your step

To categorise the Sentiero del Viandante, near Bellano and Varenna on Lake Como, as anything less than “hard” or even “tough” (Ask the Tripologist, March 6) is ill-advised. While accessible by train between lakeside towns, the path quickly climbs high above the lake on steep, rocky, mule tracks with repeated altitude gain and loss. My wife and I, experienced walkers, completed several long sections and found them strenuous and exhilarating for all the right reasons, but definitely not leisurely. Walkers expecting a lakeside stroll will be surprised, and should take quality walking poles.
Jonathan Breedon, Prahran, Vic

Wild at heart

We spent four nights at Bomani Tented Lodge, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. A little slice of heaven. On our first day out on safari, with just me, my husband and our guide, we felt like the only people on Earth. We didn’t see another vehicle at any stage during the day, unlike some game reserves, where traffic jams abound and animals are quite immune to human presence. What we did encounter was myriad wildlife, still wary of us, living a wild life. The lodge itself is a wonderful spot to plant yourself. Beautiful staff, great food and company, but more importantly, the respect shown to the animals and the knowledge imparted by our guide, made Zimbabwe the highlight of our three-week Africa trip.
Maree Harrison, Nerrina, Vic

Force farce

Like many people, I took out travel insurance for a trip via Dubai on March 15. That flight has been cancelled because of the war, as the insurance company (Allianz) has applied its force majeure clause [defined as unexpected circumstances, such as war] in which case all claims will be refused. I asked for a full refund of my premium, as the company has excluded all claims against it. They refused, and provided only a partial refund, pocketing about $300, as it was outside the cooling-off period. This is a case of payment for no services, and as it affects thousands of travellers, it deserves to be exposed.
Harry Blutstein, Northcote, Vic

Potty for Paris

In response to Gavin Kempin’s plea for places to go for great tea when travelling, I highly recommend the incomparable Mariage Frères in Paris. There are multiple stores, but my favourite is in the Rue des Grands-Augustins. As you walk towards the historic shop, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, you pass the studio site where Picasso painted Guernica as well as a marker commemorating the proclamation of Louis XIII after the assassination of Henry IV of France. What a bonus.
Bernadette Brouwers, Ballarat, Vic

Liquid gold

Where in the world to get a good hot chocolate? On a trip to Florence, an elderly Florentine friend recommended I visit the historic Caffè Rivoire in Piazza della Signoria for its renowned version. Indeed, sipping on the liquid gold looking over to Palazzo Vecchio is a special experience in its own right.
Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay, 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