Traveller Letters: The Japanese showed me how to recline my seat politely

It was too good a chance to miss to not meet up with my son in Mexico on a student exchange program there. Arriving late, he took me to a tiny place called Cholula, east of Mexico City. A festival for Virgin Mary was in progress. In the dark, we stumbled across a near empty churchyard where two boys struck up a constantly changing rhythm on drums. Over the top of this came the random melody of an old man playing on a home-made instrument, like a cross between a recorder and an oboe. Despite my jet-lag, I was captivated by that simple get-together of musicians in the dark.
Martin Hengeveld, Research, Vic

Tatts how we like it

Like Julia D’Orazio (Traveller, November 28) I’m also a “reformed cheapskate” in one way regarding family holidays. I’m a big believer in everyone not always having to do the same thing when holidaying together, with each family member getting to choose one memorable activity they’d like to do without worrying about the cost, like a bungee jump, a helicopter ride, a special tour or a quad-bike ride; and we save our pennies beforehand to provide these special experiences. Some years ago while on a family holiday in New Zealand, our then 17-year-old son even chose to get his first tattoo in Queenstown. Imagine his delight when I said, “Where do I sign?“
Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown, NSW

Eat Turkey

Last year I did one of the Culinary Backstreet food tours in Istanbul and can highly recommend them (Traveller, November 23). My tour traversed both continents and, as Lee Tulloch described, revealed places and food that I would never have found on my own. It’s incredibly good value for money and I finished the day feeling totally satiated.
Lisa Clarke, Watsons Bay, NSW

Missing in Africa

Namibia is very picturesque and worth visiting. Just don’t expect to ever get a tourist VAT refund on purchased goods. We received written advice that our claim was approved and would be paid in three months. Several months and follow-ups later without payment it leaves us feeling scammed.
Peter Kempster, Brighton, Vic

Tip of the week: Guiding lights

We recently had a wonderful trip to Japan and the highlight was spending a day with a local volunteer guide organised through the official Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO). Our guide, a retired educator, showed us around the uplifting city of Hiroshima while discussing history, philosophy, education, careers, government policies, taxes and food. A free service, the only cost is your guide’s lunch and reimbursement of transport costs. Why do the guides do this? The Japanese concept of Fureai – developing emotional connections between people.
Alan Hayden, Hawthorn East, Vic

Samoan loaf

Your cover story on guilt-free holidays (Traveller, November 16) reminded me of a trip I took to Samoa earlier this year. I rarely travel to loaf, however in Samoa it is impossible to not spend a few days in a beach shack (fale) and watch the waves, read a book, and enjoy doing nothing. I now recommend Samoa to everyone I speak with. It’s a fantastic destination, full of wonderful people, and is a worthy destination for any loafing holiday.
Stu O’Brien, St Kilda, Vic

Euro visions

We recently returned from our ideal travel destinations for doing nothing including Nice, Cannes, Ramatuelle, Saint Tropez, Santorini, Paros, Athens and Doha. We enjoyed daily golden hours sipping Aperols, kicked back at beach clubs and pools, strolled the boulevards, and let the days drift by. A magical holiday.
Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW

Monastic life

I have your Tripologist to thank for the monasterystays.com recommendation and booked a month in Rome for the price of a few days in a hotel in the same location. The extra time gave me the luxury of days of doing nothing at all in between days of classic sightseeing.
Kylie Salisbury, Lakemba, NSW

Uluru dawning

Nothing is almost all that you need to do for this outback spectacle – just sit in the dark and wait. “First light” at Uluru, watching the inky black sky magically turn to hues of magenta, and then our solar star peeks over the horizon bringing with it a burst of colour, silhouetting this world-renowned sandstone monolith. At 348 metres high, this icon is taller than the Eiffel Tower. Your senses will go into overdrive as the desert slowly comes to life around you. And the only effort required is an early start and warm clothes in winter.
Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic

Expect the unexpected

In September we were fortunate to do a self-guided tour of Vietnam. A catastrophic typhoon in the north forced us to change plans, so we visited the beautiful Phong Nha region instead, exploring stunning caves and a national park whilst staying at a fabulous farm stay. This was our trip highlight. We extended our stay when another typhoon hit. Later, in Hoi An, food poisoning caused more itinerary changes. The key takeaway: keep your plans flexible, book accommodation and flights with low (or no) cancellation fees. And worth a mention is the Grab app, great for travel and takeaway food.
Simone Meakin, Morpeth, NSW

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com