LET’S (NOT) GO DUTCH
I have been utilizing this booking.com for a few years. As a Genius member I obtained reductions on bookings and extra. Last yr I booked lodging and was shocked to see that I had been charged an overseas transaction payment of practically $50. Enquiries to booking.com had been time losing and fruitless. They blamed the resort and had been of no help in any respect. I ultimately discovered by means of my financial institution that the fees had been being routed by means of Amsterdam. Last month I checked out booking 4 nights lodging and booking.com suggested that the standard cost was $1340 however as a Genius member I might have it for $1,090. It sounded good, however on a whim I phoned the resort instantly and so they stated that I might have it for $990.
Peter Frederics, Balmain, NSW
Reading Robert Taylor’s letter about booking.com (Traveller letters, April 23), do readers bear in mind a YouTube video by Dick Smith a couple of years in the past? He warned us that the cash we had been paying was ending up in The Netherlands. I nearly caught myself when booking lodging in Tweed Heads. I thought I was on the motel website and proceeded with the booking. Looked at my bank card assertion to seek out an quantity charged for a overseas forex trade payment. Upon contacting the motel I was provided the identical charge however with breakfast included. The motel would have needed to pay a payment to booking.com if I had proceeded. The solely good factor I can say about booking.com is that I was capable of cancel and my cash was refunded instantly. In yesterday’s information Trivago, who promote a few of these booking web sites, has been fined an enormous quantity for deceptive prospects. I strongly suggest booking instantly along with your lodging if attainable.
Carol Bush, Port Macquarie, NSW
In response to Robert Taylor’s criticism about booking.com charging a 3 per cent transaction payment, booking.com needs fee in US {dollars} or euros. Large corporations and banks have nice leverage and get an excellent deal altering forex. A transaction is simply an entry in a database made on the interbank charge and at negligible value. That 3 per cent is pure revenue and generates monumental revenue. You will discover as a traveller, or with on-line purchases, you pay a hefty payment to the likes of Paypal and bank cards when forex trade is concerned. For giant transactions you possibly can strive fee on to a checking account of their desired forex if they provide that possibility. Then use Currencyfair or comparable low value trade suppliers.
Richard Dowling, Blackburn, VIC
LETTER OF THE WEEK
WEED THRILLER
Nothing stirs the longing for journey just like the reminiscence of cherished meals (Traveller, April 23). My craving, triggered by chilly beer on a heat night: Lao river weed, served as a snack in cafes and bars in Luang Prabang, Laos. You get a mound of scorching, salty, crispy-fried inexperienced sheets, shiny with oil and flecked with sesame seeds and garlic slices. Perhaps there is a facet bonus of jeow bong: a local sweet-spicy chilli relish. Who’d have thought? Filamentous algae dredged from the Mekong, rolled into sheets and dried on racks, then searingly wok-fried, could possibly be the top of beer snacks.
Sally Pope, Five Dock, NSW
THAT’S THE SPIRIT
Our Qantas flight to Gladstone final week allowed an hour in Brisbane for connecting flights, and left Melbourne 75 minutes late as a result of baggage dealing with points. Flight attendants stored us knowledgeable of progress, gave us precedence disembarkation in Brisbane and supplied a private escort to the departure gate. Relieved that we had made the connection, we then noticed our luggage being loaded onto the airplane. Thank you to all of the Qantas employees who supplied such pleasant, environment friendly and caring service. We couldn’t have accomplished it with out you.
Leone Thiele, Cape Paterson, VIC
TAKE A LEAF
For the primary 5 a long time of my life desires of journey might solely be lived vicariously by means of the books I learn. About a decade in the past I began travelling to a few of these places- the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; I stood underneath CS Lewis’ lamppost in Oxford (from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe); and in Romania, adopted within the footsteps of Jonathan Harker from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I’m nonetheless trying for Frances Hodgson Burnett’s secret backyard – possibly I’ll discover it as I wend my method from Southwark to Canterbury cathedral following within the steps of Chaucer’s pilgrims!
Elva Miller, Kenthurst, NSW
BEE WELL
Having suffered weeks of seasickness (Traveller letters, April 23) on a cruise from London to Australia via South Africa a few years in the past, I found {that a} sensible, chemical-free treatment was – a teaspoon or two of honey (take creamed honey, it is much less more likely to spill). It labored a deal with for my sister as nicely.
Tanya Tintner, Halifax, Canada
SCREEN GEM
We travelled over the Easter interval and skim the horror tales out of the state capital airports relating to individuals lacking flights and/or baggage. Flying out of Darwin, we had been within the safety queue for about half-hour. Not due to a scarcity of individuals within the Top End however merely because of the updates to superior safety screening methods that meant laptops stayed in luggage, and my husband, who has a defibrillator implant, walked safely straight by means of the scanning machines. Major airports take word. Update too, and you then will not should take care of the “inexperienced traveller”.
Lynda Lovett, New Port, SA
BAD FORM
I nodded my head furiously in settlement when studying John Boast’s letter (Traveller letters, April 23), relating to the Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD). Having simply returned from the UK, I fully agree with all his feedback. We had been nicely conscious of the necessity to fill out the declaration on-line so duly downloaded the app and created accounts earlier than leaving Australia. However, my daughter and I had horrible points when making an attempt to finish the shape earlier than returning house to Sydney. Neither of us was capable of log in utilizing the username or password we had created – one or different of them “could not be authenticated” – and even once they had been modified and accepted the message relating to it nonetheless appeared upon log in. We had been sure of each these particulars earlier than making an attempt to entry the positioning. All very irritating, and we had the luxurious of respectable WiFi and a printer. You can solely full the shape 72 hours earlier than departure from overseas, so do it as quickly as attainable after then, as a result of chances are you’ll encounter hours of frustration as we did.
Teresa Cayzer, Frenchs Forest, NSW
