Arrivals & Departures Weekly Travel News & Views 1 July 2025

THANKS, MEGAN

Reader Gaynor Ashford has kindly sent Megan French a “thank you” for tips that helped her on a trip to the UK and Europe. I’ll let Gaynor explain ...

The lanyards for the phones were an absolute must. So much holiday info was stored therein.

Remember to activate the Wise card before heading off. As simple as using in an ATM for a balance.

Our suitcases were suited to EasyJet (hallelujah).

Our National Trust memberships are accepted in the UK and what amazing houses and gardens we saw. Rewilding is a thing.

We travelled with Viking Cruises from Amsterdam to Basel and were so impressed with the whole experience.

Last point — pack the front door key in the hand luggage on the homeward journey. Our luggage didn’t come back on the same flight as us from Singapore. This was dealt with most professionally at Perth Airport and it was delivered to the house before nightfall.

Best wishes and thanks again.

Nice work, Frenchy.

CARRIE SECURELY

Megan and I like Carrie Case phone cases and lanyards. They are secure and comfortable cross-body lanyards, and the phone is handy. I’ve got a black case and lanyard and my wife Virginia loves her beige lanyard and case, too. She hasn’t lost her phone since she’s had it. (An added advantage.) My suggestion is to look at a Carrie Case bundle of a flexi black/clear case plus lanyard in a new, tough material, which is usually $110. Carrie Case is proudly based in Byron Bay and offers a six-month guarantee on products. The company was founded by Su Graf as the result of her own global travels — with all cases being compostable and biodegradable. carrie-case.com

CARD CARRIERS

Travelex saw a 31 per cent increase in reload transactions for its prepaid Travelex Money Card between January and May, compared with the same period last year. Simon Jackson, the company’s chief customer officer, says travellers want to access, top-up and manage travel money in a secure and reliable way.

The foreign exchange specialist Travelex relaunched its Travelex Money Card app in 2024 and has seen a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in conversion rate through that app.

The Australian app allows customers to add up to 10 different currencies, check their balance and transactions, view card details, and freeze and unfreeze the card.

SLOW WALKING

What some may consider to be slow walking, others may find uncomfortably fast — and one reader has highlighted the issue, after a trip to Europe. She says she now can walk only slowly, and with a walking stick, or uses a mobility scooter. She explains that on a recent TripADeal Swiss Trains holiday, the trains and hotels were great, the scenery excellent, the guide thorough.

“He did what he thought was his best to accommodate my slow pace. Still, he and those who walked quite briskly were far ahead, with me struggling to keep up at railway stations and walking, in some cases, distances to hotels. On a couple of occasions we were given a bus. The trip was their lowest category of “leisurely” and I did talk about my walking with one of their agents previously. No problems were foreseen by her. Are there travel organisations which really DO consider slow walkers? Some might imagine that they do, but their guides disappear into the distance, leaving slow walkers far behind. There is a huge market, presently unmet, for people who walk slowly and cannot be on their feet for long, yet are experienced travellers and keen to keep travelling.”

AUSSIE SPIRIT

Outback Spirit has just launched its full 2026 season with earlybird savings on 22 all-inclusive adventure tours. There are savings of up to $2600 per person when booked by September 30, 2025. Travel is in custom all-terrain Mercedes-Benz 4WD vehicles, with accommodation at safari lodges and wilderness camps, and other carefully selected accommodation. The signature tours returning are Outback Spirit’s 13-day Arnhem Land Wildlife and Wetlands tour, 16-day Exquisite Kimberley Adventure and 13-day Cape York Wilderness Adventure. outbackspirittours.com.au and 1800 688 222

ISLAND RETREATS

Here are a couple of names to have on the radar, for those looking for a big experience quite close to home. Cempedak and Nikoi are private islands off the coast of Singapore but in Indonesia — and easy for us to get to. They may be worth knowing about as an alternative to Bali. Nikoi is family-friendly and Cempedak is for adults only, with bamboo villas for a maximum of 40 guests. cempedak.com