TICKETS TO RIDE
Travelling to Venice from Mestre in Italy we bought one-day return tickets for €1.25. When we pulled into Venice, the ticket attendant on the train came along and informed us we would need to pay €30 each as the ticket was not validated.
An apologetic local attempted to discuss the issue with the attendant. When the train stopped, and everyone else on the train alighted, the doors locked us in the train.
The attendant then compromised, charging us €30, not €60, though looked disappointed when we chose to pay with a credit card.
Having learnt the lesson to validate your ticket when on trains in Italy, we advise you to find a funny looking green-blue box at the entrance of a platform. You then wave your ticket on it until a green light blinks at you.
Never pay cash if caught out by this unknown rule to the tourist. Why? Ask yourself who gets the cash.
I spoke to an English friend about our experience. He said he had the same situation, but argued for an hour until he did not have to pay. But we wanted to see beautiful Venice, so we gave away €30.
Libby Carroll, Woolloomooloo, NSW
CREAM OF THE CROP
I'd like to recommend Cider Cottage at Woodhill Manor, Liskeard, Cornwall, to your readers as the perfect self-catering cottage to explore Cornwall.
Fully equipped and close to Liskeard, it has its own garden and adjacent wood and excellent hosts full of information. We enjoyed an excellent week there exploring Cornwall.
The hosts thought a day trip to Lands End was a long way, but to Australians, the distances are small. In a week, we consumed much clotted cream and cream teas and, of course, Cornish pasties.
Laurice Paton, Heathmont, VIC
PEACE OFFERING
I organised a self-drive camping trip to Southern Africa recently. Among so many highlights, our guide in Botswana was voted the highlight by all six travellers in our party.
The knowledge and experience shared by gentle Peace Shamuka from Last Eden Safaris taught us so much more than we hoped for about his country's government and people and flora and fauna.
He helped us safely survive the thrill of being in the path of over 100 elephants on their passage to a waterhole, taught us how to distinguish the wide range of life around us while improving our photographic skills.
We learnt how to drive safely in this part of the world and woke to elephants and hippo close to our tents at night.
Above all, Peace provided an adventure that we would never have experienced or survived on our own.
Jenni Morris, West Melbourne, VIC
FALLING FOR IGUAZU
One of my favourite destinations is Iguazu Falls. Regardless of cost, there is only one place to stay on the Brazilian side of the falls, the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas.
It is inside Iguazu National Park, which means that you have the falls all to yourself (and your fellow hotel guests) during park closing hours. To be able to experience the falls at dusk and dawn without the usual crowds is simply priceless.
Kirsten Walla, Vaucluse, NSW
HOWDY PARDNERS
It can really pay to shop around between different partner airlines. For example, I paid less than half the price for a high-season return flight from Muscat, Oman, via Abu Dhabi, by booking the flight with Italy's Alitalia, rather than the operating Etihad Airways.
Gerhard Engleitner, Glen Waverley, VIC
VIETNAM EASE
I recently flew with Vietnam Airlines (the only carrier flying direct from Sydney) to Vietnam and Cambodia and I've never had such a pleasant surprise.
Vietnam Airlines was wonderful. It departed on time and arrived early both ways. The crew were exceptional and the food delicious. In business class, in place of screens, we were handed large iPads to use already loaded with movies, TV shows and more.
Roslyn Comyn, Randwick NSW
