Cereal and a bread roll: You call this business class food, Qantas?

Hungry traveller

One reader was unimpressed by the food offerings on board Qantas’s business class.

What were you thinking Qantas? I recently travelled business class from Apia to Brisbane – a five-and-a-half hour flight departing at 7.30am. To my surprise there was no choice for breakfast and no hot food. I was offered cereal, a bread roll and biscuits for breakfast and no other food. Would I fly Qantas on a similar route again? Absolutely not. Would I go back to Samoa? Absolutely. Next time I will travel via Fiji for better service and, more importantly, a decent feed.
Andrew Roberts, Theodore, ACT

Letter of the week: Georgia on my mind

Tbilsi and its old town at sunset.Credit: iStock

I agree wholeheartedly with Ben Groundwater’s assertion that Georgia is home to one of the world’s great but undiscovered cuisines (Traveller, May 10). Our favourites were indeed the wonderful clay-oven bread (shoti puri) and the scrumptious shkmeruli with its rich garlicky scrumptiousness. Our other great discovery was Gotrip (gotrip.ge), car and driver – prices are reasonable and are fixed however many stops you want to make, so long as the journey is completed in a day. Drivers are careful, skilled and professional (and have online reviews). They are not guides, but can give an insight into life in Georgia, plus tips and recommendations, and they’re a more comfortable and flexible alternative to the ubiquitous Marshrutka minibuses.
Ken Richards, Elwood, Vic

Free to go

My experience of entering the United States last week was wildly different to those facing recent difficulties. We arrived in LAX at 5.40am so had to wait until customs opened at 6am but arriving at the desk, we were warmly greeted by the officer, asked one question about our intentions and that was it. I am sure there are cases of wrongdoing, but the average punter is still OK, and the US is still an amazing place.
David Lewis, Gladesville, Vic

Hike to joy

In September, 2023, my wife and I hiked with Pyrenees Tours in the Pyrenees and Basque regions, and we have just returned to Sydney after another great experience, this time in the Dordogne and Perigord regions. We were 20 Australian seniors, all in our 60s and 70s, hiking some seven to 14 kilometres each day, always stopping for lunch of either a baguette or something at a small auberge (hotel). We stayed at a lovely hotel in Monpazier, being treated to (almost) Michelin standard food at its restaurant, and walking the streets of this bastide town founded in 1284 by Edward 1 of England. It was eight days of great enjoyment with these professional people.
John Verhelst, Huntleys Cove, NSW

Uluru dream realised

Wintjiri Wiru uses 1200 drones, along with laser and light projections, to tell part of the Anangu chapter of the Mala ancestral story.Credit: Getty Images

Owing to a surprise health issue, which has affected both my mobility and confidence, flying seemed like a challenge too far. Through all of these life changes my wife has been magnificent so, when she daydreamed about visiting Uluru to see the drone show, it moved me enough to take a deep breath and see if it could happen. From the moment we arrived at the terminal in Sydney, through Ayers Rock Airport, to be wheel-chaired back to baggage collection in Sydney, all the Qantas ground staff and flight crew were amazing – professional, calm, considerate and friendly.
John Veitch, Burradoo, NSW

Find my iPad

While travelling to London earlier this year, I realised that I had left my iPad at the security check-in gate at Changi Airport. I discovered this about four hours into my Singapore Airlines flight to London and approached the senior cabin staffer who quickly helped me complete a “lost property” email to Singapore. She also notified customer service at Heathrow. On arrival at Heathrow she personally introduced me to the customer service representative who said that he would take up my case. I was relieved but not too hopeful. Two days later, the CSO emailed me to tell me that they had found my iPad at Changi, and it was on its way to Heathrow. It duly arrived, and I arranged for it to be couriered to my residence in London, again with the CSO’s help. Customer service at its finest.
Peter Keane, Eltham, Victoria

Tips included

My wife and I recently inquired about a European tour by coach with Trafalgar. I have travelled with them before and they are exceptional. I tipped as I thought warranted throughout the trip. This time though, I was advised “all tips and gratuities are included in the tour price”. I was told this amounted to $535. Add-on VAT/GST and “incidental” expenses suddenly became testing. Involuntary tipping, in my opinion, is a form of automatic theft and should be outlawed.
Ray Armstrong, Tweed Heads South, NSW

Cabin kindness

I’m a frequent traveller to unusual destinations. On recent Jetstar flights between Sydney and Melbourne, when boarding is via the stairs and not an air bridge, I’ve been delighted to be offered assistance by young men who take my cabin luggage up the stairs, then put it into the overhead locker. I’m 73 and fit-ish, but white-haired and these kind gestures, while unnecessary, were welcome, and accepted gratefully. There’s a lot of goodwill out there.
Fran Kirby, Castle Hill, NSW

Oh, no Canada

I messaged Virgin Airlines via their website about difficulties I was having booking seats on a code-share flight with Air Canada from Vancouver to Melbourne via Brisbane. Within three hours I had a response, and seats from Brisbane to Melbourne were booked at no charge. Air Canada, who we had done the original booking with, were difficult to reach, unhelpful and wanting to charge for the seats. I appreciated the service from Virgin – Air Canada, customer service matters.
Sandy Guest, Yarraville, Vic

Tip of the week: As you wish

Inside the Musee d’Orsay – the advantages of early access.Credit: Alamy

Aside from the Louvre in Paris, the Musee D’Orsay is possibly the most crowded museum in the city. It can be difficult to enjoy the fabulous paintings surrounded by hordes of people, many posing for pictures in front of the artworks, but a Carte Blanche ticket provides unlimited visits to the Orsay and the Musee de l’Orangerie and early access to the former at 9am. I filled in the form, available online, took it and a passport-sized photo to the Orangerie (where lines for ticket purchase are much shorter) for immediate entry and the cash desk issued me the card with attached picture, so no other identification document was needed when entering either museum. Being able to view the artworks with only a few other people is such a wonderful experience.
Merryn Sterling, Randwick, NSW

Tap turn-off

Our family is staying in New York City and were advised by an official at the subway to tap on with our mobile phones at the gates, instead of buying a paper OMNY ticket from the machines. It may feel more convenient to simply tap, but all four of us were charged multiple times for a single ride at different times and at different stations. Although we tried to report it, there was no recourse with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. We put in disputes with our banks and fortunately were refunded. Could have done without the hassle.
Sally Polmear, Barkers Creek, Vic

Bath-time

Steve McKenna’s report on visiting Bristol and Bath (Traveller, May 19) prompts me to alert readers to the excellent free walking tours of Bath by The Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides (bathguides.org.uk). Operating since 1934, these tours provide a fascinating insight into the history of this jewel of a city. Highly recommended, and even better, given the never-ending debate about tipping, no tips are accepted.
Brooke Broughton, Leura, NSW

Give Milan a break

Stunning: Milan’s Duomo.Credit: iStock

I am leaving Milan after a week and heartily disagree with your previous correspondents who have said it is grey and boring. Like all European cities, Milan has been transformed by a huge reduction in cars, replaced by walking, bikes, and excellent public transport. Notably there are no electric scooters. Streets are wide and clean, buildings majestic and beautiful, parks gorgeous and the food fabulous. Milanese are polite and unhurried and the only place a bit crowded was the stunning Duomo and nearby Galleria. Museums are wonderful and user-friendly and the house museums a delight. Every shop window is a design wonder. Take time, relax and enjoy.
Heather Barker, Albert Park, Vic

Flyover wonder

Having been fortunate enough to experience a Qantas scenic flight over Antarctica many years ago, it gave me a vivid picture of the fortitude of those early explorers and the majesty of this untouched continent. Yes, if I had the money, I could actually stand on Antarctica and see its wonders close up, but is this a good idea? Every extra human encroachment of this pristine environment destroys part of its uniqueness, never to be recovered.
Marjie Williamson, Blaxland, NSW

Price watch

On a recent road trip from Brisbane to Sydney and back (down the Pacific Highway and up the New England Highway) I was astounded at how much the price of fuel changed from town to town. The cheapest diesel we found was 162.9 a litre in Coffs Harbour. The most expensive at Macksville (193.9) just 40 minutes down the road. Thank goodness for fuel price watching apps like PetrolSpy. By using the reliable information on the app we made huge savings bypassing towns with expensive fuel, and motoring in to a town where we could save 20 or even 30 cents a litre.
Ed Cooley, Buderim, Qld

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