Your questions: What’s the best eSIM for using my phone in Europe?

I’m keen to use my own phone number when I travel this year to the UK, France and Ireland. Last year in Turkey, Optus had a failure that meant I was unable to use text messaging or phone calls. This time I’m not sure I trust Optus. What eSIM would you recommend?
C Wright, Raby, NSW

eSIMs can take the hassle out of accessing mobile data overseas.Credit: iStock

I used a Jetpac eSIM extensively when I was in Europe and Morocco late in 2024 and it never let me down. In the past, I’ve used an Airalo eSIM which also worked well, but it was more expensive than the Jetpac equivalent. To obtain your eSIM, download the app, and choose whichever product fits your needs.

Don’t activate your eSIM before you arrive at your destination. You will need a data connection, so you might have to wait until you reach your hotel. If the activation doesn’t happen straight away, turn your phone off and on again. At a pinch, get the staff in your hotel to help – if they’re under 30 they’ll probably fix it.

Read more: Why eSIMS are a game-changer for overseas travel

We are considering a trip to Kyrgyzstan to join family there. Any recommendations for our five or six days in Bishkek?
G. Preston, Cherrybrook, NSW

Victory Park in Bishkek.Credit: iStock

Bishkek’s State Historical Museum on Ala-Too Square in the heart of the city displays the cultural heritage of the Kyrgyz people. Also worth visiting is Panfilov Park near Old Square and Manas Square and the Osh Bazaar, a faint memory from the time when this was one of the halts along the Silk Road. Dordoi Bazaar is one of the biggest markets in Central Asia.

The M. V. Frunze Museum, named after a Soviet army officer who was born here, and regarded as one of the fathers of the Red Army, is a virtual time capsule containing artefacts relating to the city’s Soviet era. These attractions are unlikely to occupy you for more than a couple of days, and you might want to explore beyond the city itself.

Possible day trips include Burana Tower, a ninth-century minaret in the Chuy Valley, with ancient petroglyphs and an open-air museum; Issyk-Kul, a saline lake in the Tianshan Mountains; Song-Kul, a remote mountain lake at over 3000 metres where you can experience nomadic life, and Kegeti Gorge, 50 kilometres east of Bishkek, ideal for hiking.

I will be 75 next year and was thinking of one “last hurrah” overseas trip. The idea would be to find a small French village, stay there two to three weeks, hire a car for day trips, and sample as many small French restaurants and patisseries as possible. Maybe the north Burgundy area?
K. White, Mirboo North, Vic

Medieval facades in Noyers-sur-Serein. The village is often used as a film set.Credit: iStock

In northern Burgundy, my choice would be Noyers-sur-Serein. Set on the banks of the Serein River, north-west of Dijon, it’s a well-preserved medieval village with cobbled laneways overlooked by half-timbered houses. So authentic is the atmosphere that the village is often used as a film set when the script calls for a medieval backdrop. In the nearby area, the Chateau d’Ancy-le-Franc is a Renaissance chateau with one of the largest collections of 16th and 17th century murals in France. The interiors are sumptuous.

In the same direction, Tanlay on the Burgundy Canal, has another impressive Renaissance chateau surrounded by a moat. That chateau features prominently in the 16th-century French Wars of Religion.

Just 20 kilometres south of Noyers-sur-Serein, Montreal is one of the most beautiful villages in northern Burgundy, with impressive views over the Serein Valley. The 12th century Collegiate Church of Our Lady is worth visiting. Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Vezelay and Sauvigny-les-Bois are all within a one-hour drive, and all will leave you sighing. Don’t miss Epoisses, home of my favourite cheese.

With the new Paris ticket system, I’m unsure what is the best travel card and app for seniors. We will stay in Paris for about two weeks, visiting Versailles and Fontainebleau and using the bus and train network. We hold Australian Pensioner Concession and Seniors cards.
D. Holden, Coburg, Vic

Starting from January 1, 2025, the ticketing system for Paris’ public transport system has been simplified, and praise be. The flat fare for trips on the Paris metro is now €2.50 ($4.15), and €2 ($3.30) for a bus/tram ticket. This allows travel right across the Ile-de-France region, which extends well beyond metropolitan Paris, but excludes the city’s airports.

For your visit, the simplest solution is to download the Ile-de-France Mobilites app to your phone. Using the app, you can buy a Navigo Weekly Ticket, which gives you unlimited travel throughout the region, using your phone for contactless travel, for seven days at a price of €31.60 ($52.40). Purchases must be made using a credit or debit card. Some travellers have reported problems with transactions made using non-French credit cards, if that’s the case, you’d be better off purchasing a Navigo Decouverte card, which gives you unlimited travel for a week at the same price of €31.60. The card itself costs €5 ($8.30).

One slight drawback is that the weekly pass is valid from Monday at 00:00 to Sunday 23:59:59. You can buy a Navigo Decouverte pass at almost any Metro, RER or Billets Paris et Ile-de-France train ticket window that normally sells tickets and passes. Non-resident senior foreigners do not qualify for a discount on Paris’ public transport.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.