Since 2007, Traveller readers have shared their joys, frustrations and life-changing experiences as well as considered critiques of articles they love and hate.
Kate Boothby, of Randwick, had a letter published earlier this month (August) lamenting that, like Queensland in the State of Origin against NSW, the Ranters are now trouncing the Ravers. "Many times I have picked up valuable tips on places to go, ways to get there, and tips for the unwary," she wrote, adding that it used to be the first page she looked forward to every Saturday. "Lately, it seems there has developed an imbalance …are so few travellers thrilled or even pleasantly surprised by anything? Or is it only the disgruntled that find time to write in?"
It's a fair point. The Letter of the Week that particular week slammed New York as "the city which never sweeps", with piles of trash lining the streets. Yet the rest of the column was a mixture. One praised a recent article about "Bush Tucker" in the Northern Territory, adding recommendations.
Another explained a nuance about rail travel in Europe. Three more took issue with a previous correspondent about her views on what she can cram into the overhead locker. And the final two letters disagreed with another writer who had argued that most passengers on a long haul flight would prefer to spend the flight in darkness, with the blinds closed.
It was ever thus.
The first letter in the new Traveller, a decade ago, in its compact, dual-state format in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, advised readers to be aware of the problems of leasing a new Peugeot 207 (rather than hiring a car) for a 31-day driving holiday around Europe.
"Our tyre was slashed and ruined by would-be thieves in Spain," Sue Martin wrote. "We were told by Peugeot to drive 40 kilometres over the border to Portugal to have it fixed. We waited three days without a spare tyre in an area of poor roads. Then we were told there would be a further delay of 12 days." Sue's story got worse from there.
That first Rants and Raves contained a "job's worth" reply from British Airways to a previous correspondent who had complained about airline staff not helping to lift her bag into the overhead locker. "Due to health and safety requirements, customers must be able to lift their bag into the overhead lockers in the aircraft cabin unaided," BA's spokesperson wrote.
Premila Singh sympathised with the original letter writer. Qantas had been informed when she booked her ticket that she had a bad back and would "need assistance with my hand luggage", and she was told there would be " 'no problem' …(but) the attendant refused to help". Fortunately, the "passengers around me were extremely helpful".
Poor old Qantas – often saddled with its yoke, "our national carrier" – has come in for more criticism than most, along with other much-used travel providers such as Eurail, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and just about every other airline, railway and tour operator.
But having trawled through 10 years of Rants and Raves, or just "Letters" originally, several themes emerge as "frequent fliers". Our readers have starkly contrasting views about: airport check-in times; what is acceptable as "carry-on baggage"; the level of attention flight attendants should be obliged to give you as a paying customer (some correspondents, clearly, were born in the age of Downton Abbey); the advantages and disadvantages of car hire/car leasing versus rail travel; whether or not to take out specific travel insurance, rely on your credit card provider (if you booked your trip on credit card), or investigate what reciprocal medical arrangements the country you are visiting has with Australia; the penalties single travellers have to pay (when often "kids go free").
Popular Rant subjects about flights include: seat recline, children in business class and the availability of exit rows for tall passengers. Tipping, credit card charges at hotels and unexpected car hire charges are other recurrent general themes. Rave topics tend to concentrate on helpful staff (especially for passengers with extra needs) and recommendations about particular operators, hotels, restaurants or tours that have passed expectations.
As a frequent contributor to Traveller over the past 10 years, it was cathartic to read the brickbats – and the occasional bouquets – readers have taken the time to write about my esteemed colleagues, pointing out mistakes they (or, ahem, their editors) have made, or restaurant recommendations disagreed with.
Suddenly I'm not alone, and don't feel quite so embarrassed by the reader who accused me of being historically illiterate for having Christopher Columbus "sail over the ocean blue" in 1942 (not 1492). But we travel journalists have escaped lightly compared with the vim and vigor with which you have attacked – or supported – other Ranters and Ravers.
You're a tough crowd, but that keeps us honest. Just as no British comedian (Arthur Askey), singer (Shirley Bassey) or band (the Beatles) could call themselves professionals until they'd played the infamous Glasgow Empire, some of us have survived.
Of course, so much in travel has changed in the past decade.
The Airbnb website wasn't launched until 2008 (just in time for Barack Obama's appearance at the Democratic Convention in Denver, where there was a shortage of hotel rooms). Uber followed a year later. Admittedly, TripAdvisor was an internet "golden oldie", having been founded in 2000 – but it wasn't the unreliable travel source it is today.
Reading some of those early Rants and Raves is like taking a trip in Dr Who's Tardis. Where can I find a cheap place to stay in New York with my husband and two children? Can anyone recommend a good English-speaking internet cafe in Rome?
However, some letters put travel inconveniences into perspective. Carole O'Neill, at that time the owner of Finches of Beechworth, wrote a plaintive plea after Black Saturday and the other bushfires which hit Victoria in 2007.
"Townships such as Beechworth are still standing," she wrote. "It is untouched, still beautiful and a perfect place for an indulgent stay. But it is empty. Please come. The town's folk will welcome you and appreciate your care."
Margo Maller, who bought Finches from the O'Neills in 2014, reports that both Beechworth and Finches – voted Australia's best B & B by TripAdvisor customers in 2016 – "are pumping".
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