I am intrigued by some of the rants which appear on your letters page. We have been travelling for many years and things definitely do not always go to plan. However, getting angry achieves nothing and only upsets you and your fellow travellers.

Just go with the flow and make the most of the opportunity if there is a change of plan. Some of our most memorable travel experiences have occurred when least expected, leading us to places we had not anticipated or planned to visit. Be flexible. Isn't that what travel is all about?

Marlene Lawton, Bundarra, NSW

LETTER OF THE WEEK

I have gazed in awe at Tutankhamen's death mask in the Cairo Museum, virtually on my own, for several minutes. And if you have ever wanted to visit the Pyramids now is the time to go.

We have just returned from a Peregrine tour of Egypt and Jordan. At some sites we were the only tour group there for the first half hour so sightseeing was fantastic.

We never felt unsafe at any time and got to view the attractions without the crowds. In Egypt we had a wonderful guide, Hoda, who gave us an interesting insight into Egypt from a female perspective.

Jacquelyn Hardwick, Coburg, VIC

TART RESPONSE

While I concur with your food writer's enthusiasm for Portuguese pastries (Traveller, April 16-17), I was startled to read that "Porto is named for the port produced in the region".

Couldn't be more wrong. The Portuguese name for the city is "Oporto", or 'The Port', because it has been an important harbour since the time of the Romans. The wine is named after the city which provided the export outlet for the precious fluid.

Caroline Miley, Heidelberg, VIC

WORD OF WARNING

Ute Junker's cover story (Traveller, April 23-24), brought back happy memories of family travels in Indonesia in the 1990s. We visited all Junker's must-see locations and more. Now my grandchildren are the ages my children were and I would love to take them.

However, DFAT's Travel Advisory has consistently warned against travel to much of Indonesia, meaning no travel insurance coverage. So yes, do explore the wonderful diversity of our near neighbour but do check DFAT website first.

Sandy Brayshaw, Goulburn, NSW

EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE

Michael Fewster (Traveller Letters, April 23-24), the very nature of travel means that your bags and/or cases will be damaged. Every bag or case has some compromise either price, quality, security, weight or ease of movement.

Luggage that clearly fits your request would be the Pelican Elite Luggage Case range.  Fairly tough and lighter than the military grade cases that Pelican also offer. These cases do have TSA locks.

I don't lock mine as I'd rather the mechanism not be broken mid-trip by someone forcing the lock. They also stack inside each other for a neat storage solution when not travelling.

However, I would recommend a lighter bag such as Eagle Creek's range of two-wheeled bags, super light, super tough and also expandable should you add to your luggage while travelling. They will last many years despite the best that airlines or travellers can throw at them.

The Australian luggage manufacturer Crumpler offer reasonably tough two-wheeled bags and offer a lifetime guarantee. Mine is still going strong after three years.

Finally, if you want a case that you can pass onto your grandchildren try a Zarges K424XC with off-road wheels. You can go to a war zone with one of these.

Simon Canfield, Canberra, ACT

CLASS ACTS

Interesting that Nancy Price (Traveller Letters, April 16-17) should mention Downton Abbey in connection with the Cunard ship, Queen Victoria. Cunard ships are in many respects, still in that era with first and "others" class passengers, minimal laundry and medical facilities, and dining in special "upper class" restaurants at additional cost.

My wife and I spent four weeks on Queen Victoria in March, and I had no trouble with dress rules, although they bordered on ridiculous. If Cunard had paid as much attention to food quality and passenger health - as dress rules - our voyage may have been better.

One week into our voyage, my wife and I contracted the "Cunard Cough".  Sounds innocuous enough, but the uncontrollable cough prevented sleeping, eating and generally doing very much at all.

One further matter which may be of interest to travellers, is the Cunard White Star Luggage Service. As I was still unwell when we reached Singapore, and as we were leaving the ship and spending three days there before flying home, I took advantage of the service which was said to provide a five-to-seven day delivery to Berwick. (At considerable cost, but I felt worthwhile).

Our suitcase, full of evening wear and other unnecessary clothing left the ship on April 2, and to date, April 20, I have not seen it.

John Cunningham, Berwick,  VIC

FULL BOTTLE

Your Tripologist columnist Michael Gebicki is wrong (Traveller, April 16-17) when he writes, "you can usually take your own alcohol on board ... [a cruise ship]". I have cruised on Princess, Norwegian and Carnival, and the best one can expect is to be able to take one bottle of alcohol on board at embarkation. Alcohol brought on board at ports of call is confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.

And while I am at it, why isn't the alcohol on board at duty-free prices? Cruiselines are able to operate casinos outside territorial waters, so why not sell alcohol at duty-free prices outside of those waters?

John Christiansen, St Kilda, VIC

FOND MEMORIES

With 16 other passengers my wife and I visited Kumamoto, Japan aboard Silver Discoverer in September 2014, the first cruise ship to berth in this city of 670,000 people.

We received a big welcome including media so it's sad to see that this charming place is devastated and, ironically, not by the nearby active Aso volcano.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla, ACT

WE WELCOME YOUR TRAVEL-RELATED OPINIONS AND EXPERIENCES

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