Ferry fast

We have recently returned from travelling to six Greek islands by the fast Seajets Ferries, but the islands’ port infrastructure has not kept pace with the huge increases in tourism. Fast ferries also include fast boarding and unboarding which is done with huge passenger numbers. Every passenger must be capable of rolling or carrying their own bags up (or down) the car ramp and there is no time for dithering or being slow or late. Before boarding, passengers are corralled into a small area with little or no shade, few seats and no public toilets. We timed the turnaround in port of some ferries at three to five minutes. Santorini was probably the most daunting, with close to 1000 passengers getting off and another 1000 passengers getting onto the ferry.
Clare Rock, Blackburn North, Vic

Editor’s note: You can find out more about how to cope with ferry travel in the Greek Islands in this article.

Letter of the week: Well-trained

Narvik sits in Norway just inside the Arctic Circle on the Ofotenfjord. It is also where the Arctic train that runs 43 kilometres to the Swedish border starts. The train line winds around the fjord providing beautiful views. If you sit on the left side of the train for the start of the journey and then move across the aisle at the final stop to sit on the right side for the return trip, you’ll allow everyone to enjoy the stunning views. It is a charming 2.5-hour ride with a delicious complimentary cinnamon bun on the return trip.
Jan Naughton, Wahroonga, NSW

Best on bike

The article by Paul Marshall on cycling the Four Rivers Bike Trail in South Korea (Traveller, October 11) brought back some great memories as my wife and I did that ride in September last year. It was a real eye-opener and showed what proper cycling infrastructure could be like, with 600 of the 650 kilometres of the trail on dedicated bike paths. There were some bizarre moments, such as not being able to book into a hotel until 6 or even 10pm, although we discovered that paying an hourly rate until check-in time got you in early. We found that two local apps (papago for translation and naver for navigation) were invaluable, particularly when off-trail looking for a hotel. A highly recommended ride to experience this amazing country.
Russell Patterson, Heathmont, Vic

Screen time

Regarding the recent Virgin lounge incident with a lactating mother (Traveller, October 7), if no suitably acceptable space is available, the lounge could have a folding screen on hand to be employed at will. Simple solution.
Christine Hinton, Glen Huntly, Vic

The perfect Munch

Viking ships have one of the largest collections by Munch outside of Oslo’s Munch Museum (Traveller, October 3) along with those from up-and-coming Scandinavian artists. An idyllic afternoon aboard the Viking Vesta viewing artworks by expressionist Edvard Munch and listening to descriptions of the pieces, was definitely a highlight of our Mediterranean holiday. It was like living inside a floating gallery.
Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic

High praise

I thoroughly endorse Hugh Anderson’s comments about the American tour company, Tauck (Traveller Letters, October 4). Many of their tours have a maximum of 24 clients, although they will run with a minimum of five travellers. Having been on three European tours with 16, 7 and 21 fellow travellers, each tour has provided exceptional accommodation, a large number and high quality of meals, excellent guides both accompanying us the entire trip, and additional local ones for more specialised information.
Merryn Sterling, Randwick, NSW

Honour the fallen

Andrew Bain’s article on the Commonwealth war cemetery at El Alamein (Traveller, October 4) reminded me of my own visit there in 2018. One of our party, a compassionate Maori woman, wandered among the New Zealand graves singing a haunting lament to the fallen. I was transfixed then as I am now at the memory.
Tim Freer, Torquay, Vic

Island idyll

Labuan Bajo on Flores, Indonesia must be one of the most interesting, busy and beautiful ports in Asia. Komodo dragons, incredible views of the many islands and awesome visibility when snorkelling plus the varied corals and vibrant marine life made our recent holiday unforgettable. The excellent hospitality provided by the locals added an extra level.
Annie Vertue, McCrae Vic

Tip of the week: Fine China

We took advantage of the 30-day visa free entry for Aussies and did a DIY trip from Hong Kong to Guilin, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. The river cruise from Guilin had scenery of karst mountains that is more magnificent than any Norwegian fjord. The canals of Suzhou rival those of Venice. The energy and vibe of Shanghai beats London. Best of all, it’s so clean and no one is trying to pickpocket me like they are all over Europe. We couldn’t have been safer. The cities are full of next-generation electric vehicles while we contemplate emission targets in the West. We didn’t have to spend a single physical yuan because the Alipay and WeChat electronic payment system is wondrously meshed into everything. No need to worry about credit-card merchant fees in China. DiDi cars and local metros are ridiculously cheap.
John Lau, Woollahra, NSW

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you for your letters about whether planned or unplanned travel (or a bit of both) is your preferred way to see the world, some of which appear below.

Details matter

As a project manager, I’m an avid planner for work but also travel (Traveller Letters, October 4). I create detailed itineraries with options, routes, and costs to allow the mood to take us on our daily journey. Planning and learning about the destination beforehand enables me to be present once arrived. It’s not tick-a-box travel but capturing things that might appeal, often far from the tourist traps. This approach led me to Nantucket, off the New England tourist route and a perfect destination in winter, with almost no tourists. It’s still my favourite place. Charming, windswept and historically significant.
Kaylee Barnett, Wahroonga, NSW

Weather dependent

On our last trip to France, we and another couple hired bikes for three weeks to ride through the Loire Valley. We booked accommodation for the first two nights and the last night. We caught the train upstream from Nevers to Roanne then spent two days riding, before hiring a canal boat with our bikes onboard. We cruised down the Lateral Canal which follows the Loire River for a week, tying up to visit gorgeous villages with markets and chateaux and staying overnight where we felt like. We then spent 10 days riding downstream to Nantes. We had a plan of averaging 50 kilometres a day but didn’t book anywhere along the route as riding bikes can be weather- dependent. We would either come across a gite (French B&B), or visit the tourist bureaus that were happy to ring around to find suitable accommodation. Fortunately, we had great weather with only a couple of damp days, and even a strong tail-wind one day where we covered over 80 kilometres.
Jenny Collins, Cheltenham, Vic

Space for serendipity

When I learned the piano ages ago, my teacher taught me all the rules and then said to forget them. This enables me to “travel” through a musical piece freely with boundaries unconsciously keeping me in check. I apply this to planning our travel. I set out the days, the date in rows and AM, PM, accommodation and transport in columns. Once the plan is printed and the trip starts, we can forget the plan, knowing we can fall back on it if something unexpected happens while we are still able to take advantage of serendipitous situations.
Michael Ford, Malabar, NSW

Event planning

Travelling unplanned is impossible if it’s in peak times at peak locations – do not take the risk. Our family of four have not forgotten or forgiven a night spent in a US hotel room reeking of cigarettes (the only room left in town) in Ouray, Colorado, due to a summer mountain event. Use “free cancellation” options, then you have the ability to stay longer or change routes, without losing security. This has worked for us.
Kirsty Page, Heidelberg, Vic

Resting easy

I take no chances, particularly with booking accommodation or flights. I have no interest in the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where we will be sleeping that night, or being ripped off by a hotelier because it is 9pm and every other hotel is full. Each to their own though.
Neale Meagher, Malvern, Vic

A day-to-day thing

When travelling abroad I always keep a list of laughs to take home and add to our photo books. On our last trip with Holland America to Alaska the prize laugh went to an onboard experience. Each day a special daily item was put in all lifts, namely a mat telling us what day of the week it was. Each day I would take a photo with a giggle knowing I would use the photo in my photo book in some funny way. Towards the end of the cruise we noticed the Sunday mat was in one lift but the opposite lift mat said Monday. I will always remember the laughs and conversations with complete strangers over different mats and none of us having a clue or caring which was right. We did all agree however on Alaska being a truly beautiful experience.
Cecily Chittick, Wyong, NSW

Cabin fever

Since losing my husband four years ago I now yearn to travel again, but I get despondent seeing on every advertisement that it’s a price per person or twin share. Are there no ships with single cabins? I don’t mind sharing a room but not a bathroom. Can no company provide a small cabin with just an en suite? Excuse the pun but I have many friends in the same boat as myself.
Sue Moore, Breakfast Point, NSW

Editor’s note: Solo cruising is on the rise and some cruise lines are responding to the trend. You can find out more in this article.

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