Tripologist: What’s the best stopover destination on the way to the UK?

We are travelling to the UK and considering a one- or two-night stopover each way but can’t decide which airline or stopover would be best, taking into account the war in the Middle East and the likelihood of typhoons and turbulence if travelling via Asia.
A. Brian, Bexley NSW

Changi Airport’s Jewel complex. Singapore ticks all the boxes for a stopover.

There are many stopover possibilities between Australia and Europe but your best choice would be Singapore. With just a day or two to devote to your stopover you want a smooth passage through immigration, a swift delivery to your chosen hotel, the possibility to get some exercise, no difficulty with another language and efficient and well-regulated taxis and transport, and Singapore ticks all those boxes. Since there are frequent services between Singapore and London you could make your entire outbound journey in daylight.

For example, you could take a daytime flight from Sydney to Singapore with Singapore Airlines, spend a night or two in your hotel and then take flight SQ318 from Singapore to London, departing at 12:35 and arriving in London at 19:15, perfect for a decent night’s sleep. Weather and war are unlikely to affect your travel plans.

Want to know more about what to do in Singapore? Read Traveller’s comprehensive destination guide here.

I’d really like to cycle between Seoul and Busan, but I’m not overly keen to take a bike to South Korea. Can you recommend the best way to organise this trip? I’m open to a tour or someone on the ground organising all the components. C. Challenger, Black Rock VIC

The sun sets behind a watch tower at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, South Korea.Credit: iStock

You’re much better off taking a guided cycle tour rather than trying to organise a bike, accommodation and gear transfers and there are several operators that offer the package plus a guide and cycle mechanic. Freewheeling Adventures (freewheeling.ca) has a 10-day guided tour between Seoul and Busan that takes in cycle paths and rural side roads through cities, traditional villages and ancient heritage sites. Teamax (teamaxadventure.com) also has a seven-day Seoul-Busan guided bike tour and the option to ride an electric bike. Shangrila Adventure (shangrila-adventure.com) is another operator with a seven-day itinerary but without the e-bike option.

After a few days in New York we plan to go to Washington DC and spend about four days there. We would like to go via Philadelphia. Is there a bus or tour company that would allow us to do so? What is the best way of exploring Washington DC? We would be interested in Virginia also. M. Freeland, Little Bay NSW

By far the simplest way to get from New York to Philadelphia is by train. Trains depart frequently from Moynihan Train Hall at Manhattan’s Penn Station and the trip takes around 90 minutes. From Philadelphia to Union Station in Washington DC, the train trip is just over two hours. As a showcase of national aspiration and achievement there’s a lot to see in the capital and you might want to take a general tour first and follow it up with tours to take in your specific areas of interest. Take a look at the tours available on Viator, Tours by Locals and Washington DC Tours & Sightseeing. Some of these tours also include sights in neighbouring Virginia.

We are travelling to Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Chile. We can load Chilean pesos onto our Wise card only, and I read that ATM withdrawals are problematic in Argentina. What is the best way to access cash in Argentina, Brazil and Peru? A. Morrissey, Broadmeadow NSW

Quite a few travellers are reporting problems withdrawing cash at ATMs in Argentina, with major losses due to the official exchange rate, which is much lower than the so-called blue dollar rate. Several travellers suggest using Western Union to obtain Argentinian pesos, or taking US dollars in cash as a far better way to get a reasonable exchange rate.

However, when paying with a foreign VISA or Mastercard in Argentina, your card will be charged at the Mercardo Electronico de Pagos (MEP) rate, which is much better than the official exchange rate. According to VISA, the MEP rate currently gives you about 70 per cent more pesos than the official rate. Therefore, the best strategy would be to take some US dollars to change for cash at the blue rate and use your Wise card to pay bills.

I wouldn’t bother loading your Wise card with Chilean pesos. Load it with Aussie dollars and you’ll get the interbank rate for your dollars at the point of sale, but make sure the transaction is made in local currency. Since this is a VISA card you can use it to access cash at ATMs in Brazil and Peru as well.

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