I abhor tipping while overseas. Here’s a much better way to do it

Letter of the week: Dig deep

On the camel train in Morocco. Tips covered.Credit: Alamy

I generally abhor the practice of tipping, but not everyone is fortunate enough to live in Australia where people are properly paid for their work. In other countries, tips are an essential component of people’s remuneration, so tips really are required. On a recent trip to Morocco, our guide asked everyone to put the equivalent of about $200 each into a tipping pot, and he paid tips as appropriate. Unexpected, but fully accounted for, and easy for us. Workers such as the cameleers, who gave us an amazing experience, were paid properly. I happily prepay tips and gratuities as it is easier all-round.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster, Vic

Dig deeper

I recently spent a wonderful two months in South America with an incident in the spectacular Siloli Desert of Bolivia serving as a reminder that the safety practices we adopt when driving in remote areas of Australia are not practised worldwide. Our four-wheel-drive vehicle with seven occupants, and jam-packed with luggage, almost fell into a steep ravine when the loose gravel verge of the road subsided. The terrified occupants scrambled out of the teetering car, which then sat at a precarious angle for four hours while the drivers and guide tried to dig by hand to level it out.

We were dismayed to learn that neither vehicle carried a two-way radio, tow-rope, shovel, torch or first-aid kit. With the help of people in passing vehicles, who provided a rope and a shovel, and much good luck, the situation was resolved with no injury or damage, but with traumatised and wary passengers.
Jenny Gilmartin, Strathdale, Vic

EDITOR’S NOTE Have you had a close call overseas? Write to us at the email address or box below, and we’ll publish the most interesting, if not scariest, responses.

No kidding

I disagree with Kerry van der Jagt’s piece (Traveller, June 12) about solo travellers being “more likely to score a spare seat than couples”. I have found that I am more likely to be moved from my assigned (or paid-for seat with additional legroom) to accommodate families or couples. On a British Airways flight I was moved for a parent to sit with their son. The son turned out to be 30.
Linda Page, Baulkham Hills, NSW

Purple reigns

Lee Tulloch’s column on mistaken suitcases at the carousel (Traveller, June 7) reminded me of an incident many years ago. I was travelling for many months and decided to purchase a purple suitcase instead of the ubiquitous black and navy ones, which were then the usual colours. I never saw another purple case in my entire time. Arriving home about midnight I was greeted by a call from the airport. I had the wrong suitcase. Back we went to return one case and retrieve mine. In fact, there were another three purple cases waiting there, mine with its ribbons still intact. I had just assumed that they had come loose. Such embarrassment.
Marie Nash, Balwyn, Vic

Case not dismissed

I bought, what I thought, was the ugliest pair of suitcases I could find – bright pink flowers against a black background – so that not only could I spot them easily, but so no one would want to steal such an awful creation. They did deliver in visibility, but I was stunned to receive at least two compliments on their “artwork” during my 11-week trip. The best part, though, was that I’ve never seen anything like them anywhere else.
Randi Svensen, Wyong, NSW

Flex appeal

Thank you, Terry Durack, for such enlightening, sage travel advice contained in your story on travelling for food (Traveller, June 6). I’m starting on my lunges immediately.
Susie Holt, South Yarra, Vic

Meals on wheels

Regarding railway station food, as per Terry Durack’s story, we were lucky to be waiting for a train in Catania, Sicily, at about 11am when we saw hot trays of food being brought from the kitchen. With a long trip ahead of us, we loaded up. It turned out to be some of the best food we ate in six weeks of wonderful eating in Italy.
Scott Lowe, St Kilda West, Vic

Not fine at all

We recently booked a car from Europcar at Heathrow, as our experience with the staff there two years ago had been good. This time it was the opposite. We had booked a small saloon car, but with what was available, we were given an MG SUV, at seemingly no extra cost. My husband signed the handwritten contract with only a cursory look, and didn’t notice that the seemingly helpful staff member had charged us for the “upgrade” at twice the cost of the original requested vehicle. As soon as we realised the error, only a few hours later, we rang Europcar and were told the problem could be solved only “on return”. When we did return the vehicle, the Europcar staff member refused to believe us, with a senior official asserting that we had been offered and agreed to an upgrade, with the implication being we were lying. My belief is that this is a subterfuge in the hope that jet-lagged people won’t read the fine print.
Erica Smith, Newington, Vic

Lecco not lacking

Lecco in spring.Credit: iStock

On our recent trip to Italy, my husband became ill and needed hospital care. Not only were the staff at the hospital in Lecco, Lombardy, caring and professional, so too were their counterparts at the inhouse cafe, which was a real bonus. I found Lecco itself to be a beautiful lakeside gem of a small city, surrounded by a magnificent mountain range that towers over the city. This interruption to our holiday refocused an appreciation of the wonderful world of travel. Put Lecco on your list as a must for real travellers.
Lyn Cobb, Coogee, NSW

States aside

Thank you for your recent pieces on US destinations. They save us having to go there. What about some articles on Canada? Some of us still want to visit North America without leaving the civilised world.
Michael Challinger, Nunawading, Vic

Editor’s note: You’ll find a major feature article about Canada here, which we published in March. But stayed tuned for another extensive look at the country coming soon.

Tip of the week: Let’s do lunch

If you are visiting Niagara Falls, check out Hi-Lite Restaurant.Credit: Getty

If you are visiting Niagara Falls by train from Toronto, Canada, conclude your excursion by lunching at the Hi-Lite Restaurant in Queen Street. It’s in downtown Niagara Falls near the railway station and shuttle bus terminus. Clearly popular with locals, it offers up a more authentic North American dining experience than might be found elsewhere on the tourist strip. Booths, counter stools, cheery, efficient, no fuss waitstaff and mid-20th century ambience complement the “Old timer’s special” comprising bacon, fried potatoes, eggs (over easy medium, thanks) pancakes and maple syrup with coffee. And, apart from us, not a tourist in sight. Bliss.
Mark Carter, Roseville, NSW

Playing AirTag

After a recent KLM flight from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, I experienced a sinking feeling when my bag failed to appear at the luggage carousel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over the next few stressful days, KLM unhelpfully claimed my bag had, in fact, arrived in the Danish capital. However, I could see that this wasn’t the case, as the Apple AirTag in my bag clearly showed that it was still at Amsterdam airport. KLM weren’t convinced until I managed to share the AirTag tracking link with them, after which they found my bag and promised to send it on. I was eventually reunited with my bag a week later, though I had to go to Melbourne Airport to collect it. While I’m not an Apple advocate, this demonstrated the value of Apple AirTags to enable you track your luggage yourself.
Paul Heneberry, Mooroolbark, Vic

Czech account

Prague in the summer.Credit: Getty Images

I’m writing from Prague in the Czech Republic, where I’m spending a wonderful few days at the start of their tourist season. The days when this city, and most of Eastern Europe, were considered cheap holiday destinations have long gone. If you want to experience various restaurants, including those on the famous old square, payment is still preferred in cash, in the local Czech koruna currency with fortunately plenty of ATMs available from which to access it. Mastercard and Visa are accepted but, for various reasons, American Express is not accepted in most stores, cafes and restaurants.
Peter Menton, Bankstown, NSW

Bear witness

Brian Johnston’s story on the underrated parts of France (Traveller, June 8) prompted memories of discovering a cave system in Dordogne where tours are conducted only “en français” (audios available in other languages), which gets a thumbs up from us. Grotte de Rouffignac channels its visitors into the delicate underground world by electric train, often in complete darkness, limiting light exposure and visitor impact, to witness hundreds of artworks, 16,000 years old. Engraved or painted mammoths decorate the eight kilometres of cave walls, but the sight of dozens of rounded hollows where prehistoric bears had nestled into the limestone floor to hibernate was something we didn’t expect to see.
Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic

Wait. There’s more

The Canal du Midi in southern France is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Credit: iStock

Over the past 15 years I’ve enjoyed visiting a number of those places mentioned in Brian Johnston’s France story and there are many other places, particularly closer to the Spanish border, that I could add, such as Minerve, throughout the Minervois area and Aude Valley, the Canal du Midi, the Montagne Noir and the Pyrenees, with largely unknown medieval towns, ruined Cathar castles and deserted museums. But I will be happy if others can’t find them so they stay less touristed. However, I do have to point out that the Camargue, as shown on the accompanying map to the story, is on the Mediterranean Sea, south of Avignon and Nimes. Also, while correctly placed on the map in the article, Chambery is not in the south-west, as stated in the sidebar article, but in the south-east of France.
Gavin Kempin, Northcote, Vic

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to our reader for pointing out these errors, which Traveller regrets. Corrections have been made to the online version.

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