Michael Gebicki is Traveller’s expert Tripologist. Each week he tackles the thorny issues in travel as well as answering your questions. Got a question for the Tripologist? Email tripologist@traveller.com.au
Our family of four adults want to go for a two-week holiday in early September. Either Japan, Europe or China, we’re not sure as my son is keen for scenic beauty and a couple of days of hiking. Budget is a constraint, so if you can suggest which place to visit it would be a great help.
S. Gupta, Castle Hill, NSW
Europe is expensive, airfares are high in September since this is the new peak season and two weeks is rather short for such a long journey. Japan is easier to get to, and no jet lag, but meals and accommodation costs are fairly high unless you’re prepared to stay in very small hotels and eat like a local. China is better value. For a couple staying in mid-range accommodation, budget around $180-$300 per day, about $100 less per day than in Japan. China also delivers the scenic beauty and hiking experiences you’re looking for. For inspiration and ideas to help plan your journey, take at this Traveller feature on China.
We’re a well-travelled couple turning 80 next year. For late September 2027, we have a two-week Swiss rail tour, followed by a tour of Puglia finishing October 15 in Naples. Can you suggest another place to visit for five to seven days?
J. Toon, Williamstown, Vic
Orvieto is my number one choice. The town sits on top of a volcanic stump, rising in a huddle of stone and terracotta from the rolling vineyards and olive groves of western Umbria. Star attraction is the gothic Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, one of the prettiest churches in Italy, cast in alternating bands of pale and dark marble with an ornamented facade with pinnacles, biblical reliefs, spiralling columns and glittering mosaics. The streets that radiate from the piazza in front of the church are lined with cafes, restaurants, gelaterias and galleries, and too narrow for traffic, a maze of delights for idle strollers. Beneath the city is a labyrinth of 1200 caves that have been carved from the volcanic tufa stone. Within easy reach are some of the prettiest of the Umbrian hilltowns including Todi and Montefalco, famous as the home of Sagrantino wines. Mid-October is a beautiful time to visit, with autumn burnishing the vineyards and cooler walking weather. It’s also a time when mushrooms, truffles and wild boar appear in the markets, the ingredients for some of the classic dishes of the Umbrian kitchen. The fastest trains will get you from Naples to Orvieto in less than three hours with one change at Rome’s Termini Station.
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When my wife and I board our flight in Zurich to return to Australia our passports will be valid for five months. We are transiting in Singapore, but is this likely to be a problem? We are in our late 70s and will have no further use for our passports. It seems a total waste to pay almost $1000 for two new passports.
D. Clingham, Acton, ACT
Since you are only transiting in Singapore it’s unlikely to be a problem but you need to check with your airline, because airlines make the final boarding decision. In Singapore, there might be reasons why you would not be able to board your onward flight to Australia, and seek to enter. For example if there was a problem with your aircraft or a change to your flight schedule requiring an extended stay, or a medical episode needing immediate treatment. Singapore requires that Australians seeking entry must have a passport valid for more than six months from the date of entry. Staff at the check-in desk in Zurich might consider a passport with less than the six months validity a reason to deny boarding. Ask your airline, and get a response in writing.
Together with another couple, my husband and I would like to take a narrowboat holiday in the UK. We want pretty countryside, villages, pubs and preferably ease of access from London.
B. Everson, Gladesville, NSW
The 140-kilometre Kennet & Avon Canal is the classic British waterway, and one of the loveliest. Running from Reading, west of London, to Bristol, the waterway follows the natural course of the Thames as far as Newbury, where it joins the Kennet & Avon Canal to join with the Avon River at Bath before the final leg of the journey to Bristol. It includes spectacular stretches of countryside, including the West Berkshire hills, the southern end of the Cotswolds and the lovely Georgian city of Bath, passing through 105 locks. Getting to and from the start and finish points by public transport is no problem. A week is just about the right amount of time, and there is no shortage of riverside pubs and villages along the way. See the websites of the Kennett & Avon Canal Trust, Canal Holidays and Foxhangers for more information.
Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances
Michael Gebicki is a Sydney-based travel writer, best known for his Tripologist column published for more than 15 years in Traveller. With four decades of experience, his specialty is practical advice, destination insights and problem-solving for travellers. He also designs and leads slow, immersive tours to some of his favourite places. Connect via Instagram @michael_gebickiConnect via email.
