A passenger dropped their bag on my husband’s head, injuring him

Baggage drop

When our Jetstar flight from the Gold Coast to Cairns in August landed, the usual passenger rush to stand in the aisles and retrieve baggage from overhead lockers occurred. In this mad scramble, a passenger somewhere behind us grabbed his bag from a locker above us, lost control of it and dropped it on my still-seated husband. There was an audible gasp from people nearby. The passenger did not stop, just said “sorry”, grabbed the bag and exited. My husband was left with bruising to his arm and injury to his neck and shoulder, which has resulted in the need for physiotherapy and chiropractic sessions. We reported it to a flight attendant and ground staff who took details of the incident. The result so far? No response from the airline.
Beverly Kelso, Tweed Heads, NSW

Pho-nomenal

Want to taste a country? Our trip through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia made food travel exciting. In Vietnam, we ate pho, with broth, noodles, herbs and meat. In Laos, larb was spicy meat with lime, herbs, chilli and toasted rice powder. In Cambodia, it was creamy fish curry, gently spiced and steamed in banana leaves. Markets smelled, stalls sizzled and families shared food. Every meal became an adventure. We watched food being cooked and tried new things. Visit South-East Asia for unforgettable flavours and memories. Whenever you taste these dishes, you will be there.
Gary Levine, North Bondi, NSW

Picture imperfect

Readers will be aware that the UK now requires an electronic form (ETA) to be lodged ahead of arrival, for which one pays almost $40. But they may not be aware of the number of dodgy operators who have cottoned on to this as a way of charging fees, and caution is advised when searching for the appropriate site online. Use only gov.uk/eta – and be prepared for frustration, as their requirements for a photo of your face are taxing. I was on the verge of cancelling two lectures in the UK when my neighbour came to my rescue and was able to take a photograph that apparently satisfied whichever bot was considering my application.
Dennis Altman, Clifton Hill, Vic

Bad form

Visit Japan Web is a service that speeds up clearance times at major airports like Haneda, replacing the paper forms for immigration and customs. But be warned: there are similar sites that provide this service where, at the last step, you are guided to “easy payment” – a fee of about $60. Only use the real Visit Japan website (www.vjw.digital.go.jp), which is free. It’s an easy mistake to make. It’s only about $60, but that’s nearly ¥7000 you could be using on your trip.
Margot Pope, Lewisham, NSW

Editor’s note: As the two preceding letters indicate, scam sites that charge fees for immigration entry forms that are actually free are rife. Be sure you are using the official sites, usually identifiable by .gov addresses. Read more about the issue here.

Fairmont’s fair go

Your article on the $100 million renovation of Jasper Park Lodge, in Canada, mentions the devastating 2024 fires. My son was working at the lodge at the time of those wildfires, which resulted in the sudden evacuation of the town of Jasper. As a parent in Australia, I was impressed and comforted by the care given to my son and fellow Fairmont staff after their evacuation. The communication, accommodation, food and care provided to all staff during those many weeks of displacement and uncertainty were impressive. Kudos to Fairmont.
Michele Fowler, Asquith, NSW

Cheap as chups

Over the 40 years I have been travelling to New Zealand, I have watched prices rise and everyday items and meals become more expensive. Not any more – New Zealand is now a very affordable destination. On a recent trip there, I noticed prices were very reasonable and with an attractive current exchange rate, you could do worse than enjoy the magnificent offerings this beautiful country has.
Greg Egan, Newport, NSW

Turkish delight

Michael Gebicki’s advice about using the pay-to-access IGA Lounge at Istanbul Airport was spot-on. We recently had nearly six hours to wait at the airport and used this lounge. An added bonus is that the $185 entry fee is half price for those over 65. We especially enjoyed the musical quartet, the delicious buffet and the refreshing gin and tonics.
Sally Ferguson, North Sydney, NSW

Take a Bath

I’m surprised that Bath didn’t make the listing of the top UK cities. Surrounded by beautiful countryside and built in honey-coloured Bath stone, the city’s ancient Roman history and Georgian architecture should give it a high score. I’m only a little bit biased, having come from there, but it’s chockers with bookstores and fabulous restaurants, bars, theatres, museums and a stunning 1000-year-old abbey. You can swim on the rooftop at Thermae Bath Spa next to the Roman Baths, join the best comedy walk in the UK, Bizarre Bath, or steep yourself in Jane Austen’s world at the Royal Crescent. Next, get out of the city and take the Bath Skyline Walk.
Judy Hungerford, Narraweena, NSW

Editor’s note: We’ve received quite a bit of correspondence about which cities should or shouldn’t have been included in that story, but it’s worth pointing out that for the purposes of the list, the writer looked at only the 20 biggest cities in the UK and ranked those in order, rather than including every city in his assessment.

Spare me

I collected a hire car from Europcar at Milan’s Malpensa Airport in Italy. Shortly after I noticed the tyre pressure warning light. I assumed it simply needed air. Then the tyre went completely flat. But the repair kit had already been used. On returning the car I asked if they check the kits and they said no, it’s up to the customer to tell them. Guess what? They don’t, as it will cost them money! Europcar claimed I drove on unsealed roads. I didn’t. They said I was in charge of the car when the puncture happened. Doubtful. Logic suggests the kit had already been used, and we were driving on that repaired tyre. We had been driving up to 130km/h on a tyre that should not have exceeded 80km/h. We were fortunate not to have had a serious accident. Only after emailing the CEO did Europcar refund the taxi fare to collect another car. They still charged me €238 ($386) for the tyre. My advice: when collecting a hire car, inspect the tyre repair kit before leaving. A used or missing kit is not just an inconvenience, it’s a genuine safety hazard.
Steven Cooper, West End, Qld