Letters to the Travel Editor
Too funny for words
Many thanks to Terry Johnson [“Letter to the Travel Editor”, Tuesday, October 1] for reminding us that there are many splendid places in New Zealand. Here is an amusing poem I learned after I lived in North Wales about 12 miles from LlanfairPG. Dai is the Welsh name for David.
Dai Shepherd dropped his crook and cried,
“Enough of living in Llanfairpwyllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch.
“I’ll emigrate to a place less tough.” New Zealand beckoned. Off he flew. He now herds the sheep at Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
Jill Robertson, Waihi
The Travel Editor replies: Thanks for that, Jill. Really rolls off the tongue.
First Class far from reader’s reality
I have written similar letters to your predecessor, and to you. Sigh. But I am trying again, an incurable optimist.
Your editorial in [last Tuesday’s] Travel, including as it does derogatory remarks about Economy Class passengers, needs a response.
In the real world in which I live, more than 95 per cent of us travel Economy; it’s a fact of life. So references to “cattle class” (previously), or today’s “sardine-can horde” are unnecessary and demeaning. The economic realities dictate that we will travel together in Economy, and airlines to their credit make every effort to make life as comfortable as possible.
We are all aware that Business Class exists, or even First Class, but that is far beyond our means, so no need to make ourselves unhappy because we don’t travel there.
The Travel section spends the majority of its articles on travel in First Class (in the general sense of the word), far removed from the reader’s reality. If the intention of descriptions of travel to various destinations in Business Class, or of luxury suites, is to pique the reader’s interest, then it fails miserably.
I’m sure that airlines, cruise ships, hotels and rail companies are quick to offer such luxury travel to your travel magazine, in return for which they receive a glowing review, and the vicious cycle of prestige and opulence continues.
If the intention of your editorial was to assure us that you are an average Joe who travels like the rest of us, then it failed miserably.
You merely made another set of derogatory comments about the vast majority condemned to “cattle class”!
I’d be grateful if your magazine made some effort to reflect the reality that we have to live with, not the celebrity status to which you seem to aspire.
Peter Blakey,
Mairangi Bay The Travel Editor replies: Thanks for getting in touch, Peter. Our writers travel in pretty much every category and class there is (sadly, First Class remains a rarity).
This one keeps on raising its ugly head
One of the major frustrations of air travel is the unwelcome problem of having the seat in front reclined back into your face.
A simple measure for airlines to follow would be to advise all passengers not to recline their seats unless the cabin lights are out. Roger Russell,
Campbells Bay The Travel Editor replies: I’m a huge fan of zombie movies and this subject is the King Zombie of the letters page: You think it’s dead, but it just keeps coming back.
On walking
Re: Rebecca Barry Hill's article [October 8]. Cheryl Strayed's book Wild was written about her hike of part of the Pacific Crest Trail not the Appalachian Trail. Otherwise the article was full of good information.
Robert Free The Travel Editor replies: Good spot, mate. That was an error in the editing.
On spending pennies
I was doing so much browsing and referring in your latest 64-page edition that I started to look for a Contents listing on p2. Couldn’t see one. I think it would help.
Many of your Flight Check reports say “Didn’t need to go” (to the toilets). But this is one of the important factors that can make (or spoil) a flight. Please ask your reviewers to have a quick look — even if they don’t “need to go”. Regards,
Frank Coulter The Travel Editor replies: Cheers, Frank. Our ‘What we learned in Travel this week’ file, on p3, is intended as a broad content listing — though not everything gets in there and with the bigger issues (like that bumper 64-pager and indeed this week’s whopping great 48-pager) there’s a lot that doesn’t make the cut.