Opinion
Tripologist: What should be on my itinerary for a Northern Lights trip?
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
Michael Gebicki
The TripologistWe are planning to see the Northern Lights this November by travelling to Spitsbergen. As Australian passport holders, do we require a visa? Also, what’s the best itinerary you can advise? We want to cover some parts of Norway.
R. Gollapudi, Boronia, Vic
Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Norway, and that includes Spitsbergen. Throughout November Spitsbergen has zero hours of sunlight however it does experience a few hours of twilight for the first nine days of the month. This gives you a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights, but any other activities are going to be restricted.
In Norway itself, one popular itinerary is the Coastal Express cruise with Hurtigruten. This tour begins at Bergen and travels north, dropping passengers and supplies at towns and villages along the way, many of them set deep within the fiords that notch the Norwegian coast. This is an incredible journey and you have an excellent chance of seeing the Northern Lights here as well as at Spitsbergen. The cruise ends Kirkenes, within the Arctic Circle and close to the Russian border, from where you can fly back to Oslo.
To reach Bergen from Oslo, take the Bergen Line train. Leave the train at Myrdal Station and take the ride aboard the Flam Railway which takes you on a steep, 20-kilometre journey past dramatic granite formations and the Kjosfosse sinkhole where a waterfall disappears into the ground at your feet. The train line ends at Flam, on the edge of Aurland Fjord. Spend the night if you can, it’s a world-class wonder.
We are a couple in our 60s heading to South India for three weeks in November. Flying into and out of Bengaluru. Advice from seasoned India travellers varies from “follow Luke Nguyen’s itinerary” to “pick one place and look for a cheap taxi driver” to drive around. Would like to spend time in Kerala and obviously Tamil Nadu, but not move around too much.
G. Close, Hurlstone Park, NSW
Three weeks is a perfect time for a leisurely tour of this remarkable part of the subcontinent. My first stop after Bengaluru would be Kochi, and you can either fly or take the 11-hour train journey. Stay at Fort Kochi, there are several hotels here at various prices, from backpacker to colonial-style boutique hotels. Fort Kochi is one of my favourite cities in India, a melting pot for the cultural cross currents that have washed through the subcontinent.
From there you might take a rice barge cruise on the backwaters and then head for Munnar to stay among the tea plantations and spice gardens in the cool, misty heights of the Western Ghats. Next stop, Madurai to see one of India’s most impressive and revered temple complexes. Stay overnight here, and perhaps take a street food tour, another pillar in the city’s fame.
Continue to the Chettinadu region which takes its name from the Chettinars, a community of traders prominent as mercantile families in the 19th century. Much of their wealth was lavished on the opulent mansions they built in the many towns and villages of their rural homeland, some of which have been brought back to life as stylish hotels.
From here it’s a short drive to Kumbakonam, site of several major temples, and you might stay nearby at Mantra Koodam. A three-hour drive takes you to Puducherry, a former French outpost, where shuttered windows and tree-lined streets with overhanging balconies recall its colonial past. From here it’s a short drive along the coast to Chennai, with a stop at the hugely impressive Shore Temple at Malappuram.
From Chennai you could take a flight back to Bengaluru. While you could organise this itinerary on your own it’s going to be difficult. One tour organiser I can recommend is Pravin Tamang, contact via WhatsApp is often quicker. If you want a flawless and memorable tour of an amazing part of India, I can think of no better operator.
We are planning a holiday in November for two weeks with small children, one and three years old. Typically, I would head to the Pacific for something not too far, however I’m worried about the impending wet season at this time of year. Any other suggestions?
S. Parker, Coogee, NSW
What about Thailand? In November you’re past the peak of the wet season and temperatures and humidity are slightly more comfortable. With children that age you might want to choose just one resort and make day trips, and Phuket might be the easiest option. Access to Phuket is fast and convenient and that’s a big plus with toddlers. The beaches are fine, the food scene is as good as anywhere else in Thailand, the shopping is good and resort accommodation comes at prices to suit all budgets. Twin Palms is a calm, low-rise resort close to Surin Beach that gets great reviews from families.
Another possibility is Krabi, the long strip of coastline on the other side of Phang Nga Bay from Phuket. Set against a backdrop of craggy karst hills, there are several beach resorts here that look out across the steep limestone islands of the bay. Some of the resort areas here – such as Railay and Koh Lanta – can only be reached by boat. For something more mainstream and easily accessible, Ao Nang and its northern neighbour, Klong Muang, could be the place. Krabi has its own airport.
I have rented cars in the US and Canada and understand that I need to take out the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) insurance, our travel insurance only covers the insurance excess, not damages to the car. Neither Covermore nor HCF cover damage I might do to other people or property. This exclusion leaves me worried about driving my relatives’ and friends’ cars over there.
A. Bowden, Killara, NSW
If you’re driving a friend or relative’s car you are usually covered by their motor vehicle insurance policy since the cover applies to the vehicle, not the driver. There are a couple of provisos. You must be driving the vehicle with their knowledge and consent, and you must be a fully licensed driver. It would be advisable to have an international driving permit. You should also ask your friend or relative to check their insurance policy to make sure this is the case and there are no exclusions. For example some insurers will ask policy holders to name other drivers if they are living in the same house, and this might apply even if the residence is temporary.
While your liability is limited when you hire a vehicle in most countries, that’s not the case in the US. There you are liable for the total cost of any damages, up to full replacement value. The car rental cover that comes with most travel insurance policies does not come anywhere near the amount you might face in case of even moderate damage to your hire car. You can choose to accept your car-hire operator’s full Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) when you pick up your vehicle and you can expect to pay around $45 per day.
There are other specialist insurers such as RentalCover that offer full CDW/LDW at a much lower cost. If you were to have accident you might be required to pay for the damage before making a claim against such cover. RentalCover adds the warning “If you are not covered for third party property and third party personal damages, please purchase it at the rental desk.”
Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.
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