Traveller Letters: This ‘magical’ destination is grotesque and barbaric

Horrific not idyllic

Your writer Steve McKenna’s portrayal of an idyllic and quaint Faroe Islands (Traveller, June 13 ), filled with enthusiastic labels of “dreamlike”, “fairytales” and “magical” does neither him nor the cruise line Ponant any credit.

Not so magical: the Faroe Islands.Credit: iStock

To do so glosses over the grindadrap, perhaps among humanity’s most grotesque and barbaric slaughter of whole communities and multiple generations of some of nature’s most glorious and gentle animals – in this instance, pilot whales (and more species still). Faroe locals – children in hand – wade up to their armpits in blood-laden water, herding and systematically mutilating hundreds of these “magical” creatures, for no more than a cynical tribute to ancient Viking practice, then founded on hunger and necessity.
Andrew Finch, Paddington, NSW

Letter of the week: Talk the walk

Through the fields near Siena on the Francigena.Credit: Getty Images

I enjoyed Luke Slattery’s story about the Via Francigena in Italy (Traveller, October 26). My friend and I spent three days hiking the trail from San Gimignano to Siena last month. First up, we stored our main luggage in Florence. On the trail, daily 6am starts meant we could finish hiking by early afternoon, leaving plenty of time for post-hike gelato, wine, and food shopping. Navigation was straightforward, thanks to a combination of regular signs pointing towards Canterbury and Rome, and maps on the excellent Alltrails app. Like Luke, we didn’t see many people en-route, but when we did, we wished each other a sincere “bon camino”.
Danielle Pogos, Hawthorn, Vic

Transaction inaction

I have booked accommodation with Airbnb twice since July. On both occasions when I paid I was charged hundreds of dollars extra in several other transactions. My bank statements show it as Airbnb, yet when I speak to them, they say they have no record of these other transactions. My bank’s fraud team looked into this, and they said it was in fact Airbnb. Today my partner had three bookings cancelled by Airbnb, which said she had launched transaction disputes against them and it was not her at all. It would appear Airbnb has a hacking problem.
John Swanton, Coogee, NSW

DFAT chance

Uluru, depicted on the Australian passport, transforms under ultra-violet light.Credit: DFAT

I was so intrigued by Ute Junker’s article on the design of passports (Traveller, October 31) I rummaged around for a UV torch in the junk drawer, and thanks to pandemic RAT tests, I found one. With my new passport in hand, I was delighted to see all the design features light up, including the moon over Sydney Harbour and Lake Eyre, lightning over the Three Sisters, stars, comets and native animals throughout. Amazing. I feel privileged to live in a naturally stunning country and grateful to possess such a beautiful tech-savvy passport allowing me to appreciate the wonderment of international travel. Thank you, DFAT.
Adrienne James, Camden NSW

Waiting game

Watch out for the security deposits [also known as a “pre-authorisation”] at hotels during your travels. I stayed at the lovely Banff Ptarmigan Inn in Banff, Alberta, Canada, and provided my credit card for a security deposit. After not receiving a refund after five days I queried and was told those charged on international cards may take up to 30 bank business days for it to come through. At the time of writing, it’s been 18 days, and I am still waiting.
Sanda Aye, Footscray, Vic

Ticked off

In her column (Traveller, October 29), Lee Tulloch writes that she had to complete five “sustainable activities” to become a Qantas green-tier member. What bollocks. Fossil fuels are the main drivers of climate and ecological breakdown. As for getting a green tick for offsetting a flight, carbon credits are largely junk, a dodgy accounting exercise to relieve flyers’ guilty consciences. But Tulloch shouldn’t worry too much about her carbon footprint. The concept was dreamt up by an advertising firm working for BP, an oil company, to distract attention from what is urgently required to reduce emissions: phase out fossil fuels.
Angela Smith, Clifton Hill, Vic

Less is more

I was pleasantly surprised to see Lee Tulloch’s column and also the publication of reader Danni Moore’s letter (Traveller Letters, October 26). At last the elephant in the room – namely aviation pollution – is being discussed. While it is a hard sector to decarbonise, in the short term the only partial solution is for people to fly less, translating to fewer planes in the sky. An Airbus A380 burns around 11,400 litres of fuel per hour. Thanks to Lee Tulloch for the column and Traveller for publishing Danni’s letter.
Dennis O’Hara, Wanniassa, ACT

Terminal velocity

Reading Linda Page’s experience regarding cutting it fine to make an onward flight (Traveller Letters, October 26) brought back recent memories. Travelling from Madrid to Melbourne, our travel agent detailed Terminal 3 for check in. It turned out that Terminal 4 is the international check in, some five kilometres from the domestic one. If it had not been for a switched-on taxi driver who spoke English, we would have been in the same stressful situation as described by Linda.
Margaret Loadman, Mt Eliza, Vic

Untold entertainment

Shaney Hudson, in her report listing the attractions of Denarau Island, Fiji (Traveller, October 26), overlooked the Vou Hub centre for the performing arts located only five minutes away. In June we were enthralled at the Fiji Untold Show (voufiji.com) which I would describe as modern dance with a Fijian cultural basis. The energy, enthusiasm and skill of the performers rivals any in the world. Free transfers are available to and from shows from Denarau and Nadi hotels, and snacks and drinks are available to purchase. The cast mingling with guests after the show was a highlight. Highly recommended.
Ross Petersen, Kew, Vic

The bitumen is back

On the road again – a stop at Lightning Ridge.Credit: Destination NSW

Bravo, Brian Johnston, not only did your article on driving the outback (Traveller, November 2) make me smile, I read it twice. The humble road trip is often underrated by Australians who spend thousands flying overseas and suffering days of uncomfortable travel. Sure, Australia is big, huge in fact with lots of nothingness. But to experience something unique, it needn’t have to be “The Big Lap” around Australia or an off-road adventure somewhere. Simply choose a pocket of your state that you haven’t visited and hit the road.
Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic

Savings plan

A warning to travellers: the stairway to heaven is out of order. In Paris’ St Eustache Church, a door in the apse is identified with a Latin inscription, “I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me shall be saved”. However, a sign advises visitors in French, English and Spanish to “Please do not enter”. To avoid disappointment, seek other paths to salvation.
Alex Wright, Wollstonecraft, NSW

Tip of the week: Incredible India

Safdarjung’s Tomb in New Delhi.Credit: iStock

Three weeks travelling in Northern India with an Intrepid small group tour was a revelation. The congested and heaving life force that is New Delhi, in all its facets, from ancient to modern. The rough and winding roads that lead to the former British hill stations in the cooler foothills of the Himalayas, overnight trains that were both challenging and exhilarating, and the spectacle and history of the Mughal Empire, from the Taj Mahal and Red Fort in Agra to the Quntab Minar and Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi. Easy flights to and from New Delhi. I can’t wait to return. My dreams are filled with colourful memories of our adventure.
Linda Govan, Armstrong Creek, Vic

Join the club

On a recent trip to the UK I realised I had underestimated the immense interest the Van Gogh exhibition Poets and Lovers [which runs until January 19] would attract at London’s National Gallery. There were no tickets available for either of the two days I was in the capital. I asked how I could get in as I had come “all the way from Australia and just had to see the exhibition”. The answer? Simply buy a membership valid for a year, and you can walk straight in at any time of the day. I bought the card through an English friend as they needed a UK bank debit, but the card admitted two people. The card was used four times in two days. This worked out at almost the same price as a single ticket and no booking was required.
Christine Galbraith, Wollongong, NSW

Give me Moor

On a recent trip to Malaysia, we made a train journey of about two hours from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh. The train journey ends at Ipoh Railway Station with its Moorish-style architecture, built by the British during colonial rule. The city began as a village and grew rapidly after huge deposits of tin were discovered. It’s surrounded by limestone hills and caves where temples are built. Famous for its fruits (such as durians and pomelos), hawker street food, and laneways such as Concubine Lane and Market Lane, it also has laid-back cafes, boutique shops and street art. Train tickets cost RM82 ($28) return from KL with air-conditioned carriages and reserved seating. Day trips are possible if the journey starts in the morning, with tourist sights in Ipoh easily accessed with Grab Taxis.
Annie Vertue, McCrae, Vic

Faulty compass

Holy moly, it seems the writer of the letter headed “Road warriors” (Traveller Letters, October 26) doesn’t know his east from his west. Going from Mexico to Key West he would have headed east, not west, and going from Quebec to Seattle he would have travelled west, not east.
Steve Alperstein, Double Bay, NSW

Image conscious

I am writing to clarify for your readers that if they wish to find the impressive view in your stock photo of the Cadiz old town, Spain (Traveller Letters, October 26) they will have to travel 130 kilometres to Olvera, a beautiful town in the north-east corner of the Cadiz province. It is a highly recommended stop on any tour of Andalusia’s white villages.
Martin Hanlon, Forestville, NSW
EDITOR’S NOTE Thanks to our reader for pointing out the error and for the recommendation of Olvera.

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