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Sydney Morning Herald
16-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Shoddy work: Warning over tailor-made clothes in Vietnam
We have just returned from a 10-day touring holiday to our amazing country towns in southern NSW and northern Victoria. Young was beautiful, with its Chinese Memorial Garden and rich gold-rush history. Leeton is a thriving irrigation town boasting stunning art deco buildings. Bustling Echuca on the Murray River offers paddle steamers to take tourists to wineries for lunch or longer overnight journeys. The silo art trail is a one-day circuit drive from Echuca with spectacular murals featuring our native plants, wildlife and local history. This road trip has inspired us with positive experiences of our great country towns. We were impressed with the high standard of secondary roads connecting towns in both NSW and Victoria. Barbara and John Gorman, Westleigh, NSW Powered down Ben Groundwater's article (Traveller, April 30) about what he can't travel without was very practical but it requires one amendment for cruise ship passengers. On my last Princess Cruise, I packed a power board in my luggage and my suitcase did not arrive in my cabin. I was advised to go to the security area where I was asked to remove the power board from my case. The cruise line considers power boards a potential fire hazard and the confiscated item was returned to me when I left the ship. David Linfoot, Castle Hill, NSW Your views on views Thanks to our readers who responded to our story about the 35 greatest views in the world, as named by the experts. The best letters are featured below. Each published reader published receives a copy of Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World coffee table book valued at $44.99. See Wail watching On a small-ship cruise out of Ushuaia, Argentina, we stopped at dusk, took Zodiacs to Isla Navarino and climbed up, through rough bush, to about 300 metres above the icy water. We sat down, looking east down the channel at our ship and the snow-capped islands in the distance. No one spoke for five minutes. I cried. The view and the silence made me cry, as the memory does now. Ian Johnson, Docklands, Vic Howe amazing Lord Howe Island rewarded me with my greatest view yet – I was mesmerised by Mount Gower's peak in this idyllic paradise. It towers over the island from every vantage point, but for me it was most spectacular from Lagoon Beach. Whether on a sunny day as the backdrop for the magnificent blue lagoon, or teasingly peaking through cloud, this spellbinding view remains my most treasured. Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic Roar power First a rumble, then an all-encompassing roar hits you like a jet engine. Bordering Brazil and Argentina the stunning sight and sound of the Iguazu Falls is breathtaking, as 275 waterfalls, the largest waterfall system in the world, crash and spray. From the expansive view on the Brazilian side to the daredevil walkway stretching part of the way across Devil's Throat on the Argentinian side, the vista is extraordinary and never to be forgotten. Sally Spurr, Lane Cove, NSW Solid rock The monasteries of Meteora are built on top of these massive rock pillars that rise straight out of the ground. It almost doesn't look real. From up there, the view is something else. When I visited, I remember standing still for what felt like hours. But it wasn't just the view that struck me. It was the feeling of being suspended between heaven and earth. It inspired me to slow down, reflect and reconnect with nature and history. Meteora truly deserves a spot among the world's most inspiring sights. Emanuel Marinos, Kogarah, NSW Bath times My favourite view from my travels is this one of Avon Canal in Bath, UK. It was a surprising discovery as I wasn't aware there was a canal in Bath. I love the way it is darker at the edges but your eye is drawn to the light and the reflections in the centre of the photo. A memorable day with my husband and son. Susan Rowe, Epping, NSW Snow show Our journey to the Gateway of the Arctic Circle, Tromso, Norway, started with the plane diverting to a military base to refuel due to heavy snowfall, adding a thrilling twist to our arrival in this enchanting city. When we sipped coffee in a cosy cafe the next day, we were mesmerised by the single best view of our travels. Tromso's harbour sparkled like a frozen canvas, snow-covered mountains rising majestically in the distance, ferries gliding smoothly by. The Arctic scenery held us in its thrall and is forever in our hearts. Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW On top Down Under My single best view is the King Valley from Powers Lookout in North East Victoria region. For as far as the eye can see there's beauty, stretching beyond the valley of farms and vineyards to the mountains of the Alpine National Park. It's so peaceful. As Bill Bryson wrote in his book Down Under, 'if you put this in Virginia or Vermont, there would be scores of people… there'd be souvenir stands and probably an IMAx screen and adventure park'. It really is one of Victoria's best-kept secrets. Peter Denovan, Kew East, Vic Rhodes warrior I stayed in Lindos on the island of Rhodes in September 2018 and walked up the many steps of the Temple of Athena at both dawn and dusk to experience the beauty and vibration of this amazing place. Seven kilometres away, the coast of Turkey can be seen. I am just about to head back now and will be greeting Athena again. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek, Qld Take a peak After a magical scenic train trip we arrived at Kleine Scheidegg in Switzerland. We sat on the terrace of a restaurant and gazed up at an incredibly breathtaking view. We were looking at the famous challenging North Face of the Eiger mountain. Next to it were the majestic peaks of Monch and Jungfrau. The scale of these inspired feelings of awe and a profound connection to history and to nature. Mim Kocher, Healesville, Vic Sounds incredible We rose just after dawn to discover the magnificence of New Zealand's Milford Sound from our balcony on the Silversea Muse in December 2019. The captain had warned the day before that bad weather might divert us overnight to calmer waters, as had been the case with two previous cruises. but Milford Sound was a millpond. This view is emblazoned in my memory and surely in the memories of my fellow travellers. Lina Caneva, South Yarra, Vic Just loafing There are so many great and beautiful views around the world but one that captivated me was that from Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, Brazil. There was a clear view of the entire Copacabana Beach and onwards from Ipanema, to Corcovado in the distance (with the famous Christ the Redeemer statue). It's a bird's-eye view of the main part of Rio, showcasing the mountains rolling down to the sea with the beautiful blue waters of the Atlantic washing around and behind you. Fabulous. Martyn Jones, Adelaide, SA
The Age
16-05-2025
- The Age
Shoddy work: Warning over tailor-made clothes in Vietnam
We have just returned from a 10-day touring holiday to our amazing country towns in southern NSW and northern Victoria. Young was beautiful, with its Chinese Memorial Garden and rich gold-rush history. Leeton is a thriving irrigation town boasting stunning art deco buildings. Bustling Echuca on the Murray River offers paddle steamers to take tourists to wineries for lunch or longer overnight journeys. The silo art trail is a one-day circuit drive from Echuca with spectacular murals featuring our native plants, wildlife and local history. This road trip has inspired us with positive experiences of our great country towns. We were impressed with the high standard of secondary roads connecting towns in both NSW and Victoria. Barbara and John Gorman, Westleigh, NSW Powered down Ben Groundwater's article (Traveller, April 30) about what he can't travel without was very practical but it requires one amendment for cruise ship passengers. On my last Princess Cruise, I packed a power board in my luggage and my suitcase did not arrive in my cabin. I was advised to go to the security area where I was asked to remove the power board from my case. The cruise line considers power boards a potential fire hazard and the confiscated item was returned to me when I left the ship. David Linfoot, Castle Hill, NSW Your views on views Thanks to our readers who responded to our story about the 35 greatest views in the world, as named by the experts. The best letters are featured below. Each published reader published receives a copy of Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World coffee table book valued at $44.99. See Wail watching On a small-ship cruise out of Ushuaia, Argentina, we stopped at dusk, took Zodiacs to Isla Navarino and climbed up, through rough bush, to about 300 metres above the icy water. We sat down, looking east down the channel at our ship and the snow-capped islands in the distance. No one spoke for five minutes. I cried. The view and the silence made me cry, as the memory does now. Ian Johnson, Docklands, Vic Howe amazing Lord Howe Island rewarded me with my greatest view yet – I was mesmerised by Mount Gower's peak in this idyllic paradise. It towers over the island from every vantage point, but for me it was most spectacular from Lagoon Beach. Whether on a sunny day as the backdrop for the magnificent blue lagoon, or teasingly peaking through cloud, this spellbinding view remains my most treasured. Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic Roar power First a rumble, then an all-encompassing roar hits you like a jet engine. Bordering Brazil and Argentina the stunning sight and sound of the Iguazu Falls is breathtaking, as 275 waterfalls, the largest waterfall system in the world, crash and spray. From the expansive view on the Brazilian side to the daredevil walkway stretching part of the way across Devil's Throat on the Argentinian side, the vista is extraordinary and never to be forgotten. Sally Spurr, Lane Cove, NSW Solid rock The monasteries of Meteora are built on top of these massive rock pillars that rise straight out of the ground. It almost doesn't look real. From up there, the view is something else. When I visited, I remember standing still for what felt like hours. But it wasn't just the view that struck me. It was the feeling of being suspended between heaven and earth. It inspired me to slow down, reflect and reconnect with nature and history. Meteora truly deserves a spot among the world's most inspiring sights. Emanuel Marinos, Kogarah, NSW Bath times My favourite view from my travels is this one of Avon Canal in Bath, UK. It was a surprising discovery as I wasn't aware there was a canal in Bath. I love the way it is darker at the edges but your eye is drawn to the light and the reflections in the centre of the photo. A memorable day with my husband and son. Susan Rowe, Epping, NSW Snow show Our journey to the Gateway of the Arctic Circle, Tromso, Norway, started with the plane diverting to a military base to refuel due to heavy snowfall, adding a thrilling twist to our arrival in this enchanting city. When we sipped coffee in a cosy cafe the next day, we were mesmerised by the single best view of our travels. Tromso's harbour sparkled like a frozen canvas, snow-covered mountains rising majestically in the distance, ferries gliding smoothly by. The Arctic scenery held us in its thrall and is forever in our hearts. Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW On top Down Under My single best view is the King Valley from Powers Lookout in North East Victoria region. For as far as the eye can see there's beauty, stretching beyond the valley of farms and vineyards to the mountains of the Alpine National Park. It's so peaceful. As Bill Bryson wrote in his book Down Under, 'if you put this in Virginia or Vermont, there would be scores of people… there'd be souvenir stands and probably an IMAx screen and adventure park'. It really is one of Victoria's best-kept secrets. Peter Denovan, Kew East, Vic Rhodes warrior I stayed in Lindos on the island of Rhodes in September 2018 and walked up the many steps of the Temple of Athena at both dawn and dusk to experience the beauty and vibration of this amazing place. Seven kilometres away, the coast of Turkey can be seen. I am just about to head back now and will be greeting Athena again. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek, Qld Take a peak After a magical scenic train trip we arrived at Kleine Scheidegg in Switzerland. We sat on the terrace of a restaurant and gazed up at an incredibly breathtaking view. We were looking at the famous challenging North Face of the Eiger mountain. Next to it were the majestic peaks of Monch and Jungfrau. The scale of these inspired feelings of awe and a profound connection to history and to nature. Mim Kocher, Healesville, Vic Sounds incredible We rose just after dawn to discover the magnificence of New Zealand's Milford Sound from our balcony on the Silversea Muse in December 2019. The captain had warned the day before that bad weather might divert us overnight to calmer waters, as had been the case with two previous cruises. but Milford Sound was a millpond. This view is emblazoned in my memory and surely in the memories of my fellow travellers. Lina Caneva, South Yarra, Vic Just loafing There are so many great and beautiful views around the world but one that captivated me was that from Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, Brazil. There was a clear view of the entire Copacabana Beach and onwards from Ipanema, to Corcovado in the distance (with the famous Christ the Redeemer statue). It's a bird's-eye view of the main part of Rio, showcasing the mountains rolling down to the sea with the beautiful blue waters of the Atlantic washing around and behind you. Fabulous. Martyn Jones, Adelaide, SA
