Letters to the Travel Editor
ON KIA ORA: TE ARAROA
Dear Sir,
Can you pass on my congratulations to Elisabeth for her comprehensive feature on Te Araroa in [Travel, February 23, "Kia Ora"] a02nd I hope to see similar features on East Coast landmarks from time to time. I am sure her feature will be a shot in the arm for the district in terms of more holidaymakers visiting this area.
Places like Tokomaru Bay, Tolaga Bay, Wairoa Mahia and Lake Waikaremoana are suggestions if they have not been featured before. My late wife's father and grandparents lived at Te Araroa for some years and visits there were always special.
Your Travel magazine is a great read every week.
Trevor Mills, Gisborne
ON FIRST/BUSINESS CLASS
Ed's note: We asked readers to send us their tales of "First World Problems" from Business Class.
Air New Zealand NZ1 flying home LHR-to-LA, I was seated across from a very large man who took his jandals off at Heathrow and travelled the whole flight with his bare feet on the ottoman, with dirty, black-lined toenails. No blanket to cover them up and when cabin crew asked him to put his socks on, he refused. Eurgh. Gross. Is this a "First World Problem"? I think I'd be offended in the Third World by this revolting sight! The way the pods are configured, his feet were right in my line of sight.
Cheers, Helen Hickford
I never experienced anything but pleasure and a sense of indulgence while travelling Business Class for the global corporation with whom I worked some years ago, though the extras were substantially less than those of today.
Perhaps today's travellers are so overwhelmed with extras that they have become rather much like spoilt children.
Robert Phillips, Howick
ON TRAVELLING WITH BABIES
I was interested in the article on "Is travel wasted on babies?" [Travel, February 23].
Without an element of doubt - it is not! Absolutely nothing we do for, and with our babies, is wasted.
Obviously they will not "remember" every little detail they experience or every place they visit - but it all goes to making them the little people they become. None of us remember everything we did and experienced, not only as infants but also 20/30 years ago, but we are the sum of all those experiences.
So, folks, take your newborn infants on holiday with you, it will help develop them in to a well-rounded person.
Ron Davis, Albany
ON LUGGAGE
Dear Sir,
In response to your "We don't like" [Departure Lounge, Travel March 1], not liking Air New Zealand's 23kg and preferring the Qantas 30kg limit, especially for an extended holiday. My response is: What is one of the biggest issues with travelling? Surely it must transporting luggage. So I like Air New Zealand's limit of 23kg. Last year, my wife and I had two months in Europe during summer/autumn and our luggage weighed 15kg each, and we each probably had too much luggage. Many of our fellow travellers struggled with 25kg to 30kg bags and wished they travelled as light as we did.
Just my opinion.
Ross Bridgens
Dear Sir,
A couple of weeks ago someone complained about Air New Zealand only allowing 23kg luggage. Good on them! Who needs to take 20kg clothing etc in their case (allowing 3kg for the case)? We did that on our first overseas trip and never again. Usually we have under 15kg all up, but maybe we want to take some gifts too. Take less, you can buy more, or bring back souvenirs.
Alison Woodcock, Snells Beach
Send your letters to travel@nzherald.co.nz
