Traveller's Checks

Traveller's Checks

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday June 2, 2007

Q Many years ago we stayed at a convent in Rome and would like to repeat the experience. Do you have any information? Also, do you know of an order of nuns whose work is to show non-Catholics the Vatican?

Philip and Freda Smith

A Convent accommodation can beat hotel costs by hundreds of euros, as well as highlight historic aspects of Italian life. You might find there's a nightly curfew and fax or email communication is often easier than attempting to parlo Italiano over the phone. Prices start at about $65 a person and meals are sometimes available.

See Monastery Stays (www.monasterystays.com), Hospites (www.hospites.it) and the Rome tourist agency (www.romaturismo.it). The very useful Church of Santa Susanna website (www.santasusanna.org/comingtorome/convents.html) has a comprehensive list of convents near the Vatican and in the historic centre. Near Trajan's Column, Casa il Rosario (email irodopre@tin.it) has received good reviews.

The Dutch Ladies of Bethany acted as tour guides for non-Catholics in Rome until the mid-1980s. More recently, the Foyer Unitas Lay Centre (www.laycentre.org/programs.html) has taken up the mantle but the services are largely designed for organisations and parishes. The centre runs programs for those wishing to visit Rome's religious sites as interdenominational pilgrims rather than tourists. Email info@laycentre.org to see what it can suggest.

There are plenty of companies that can take you on a private tour of the Vatican. Try Presto Tours (www.prestotours.com; three-hour tours, maximum 15 people) and Vatican Art Walks (www.vaticanartwalks.com; $400 for up to three people). Remember to dress appropriately: no shorts, sleeveless tops, low-cut blouses or above-the-knee skirts.

Q We have booked a campervan to travel from Darwin to Perth in July. We have 35 days to make the trip and our main interest is in the natural environment. What are our options when we are restricted to bitumen roads? With the long distances to be travelled and our 14-year-old ("I'm bored") daughter in tow, it all seems a bit daunting!

Greg and Elizabeth Adelt

A The distances you'll be covering on your Darwin to Perth road trip will be huge, so allocating 35 days is a wise decision. The route is pretty tried and true and largely follows the coast, with plenty of stops along the way.

It should all seem less daunting if you plan your route carefully, do your preparation and stock up on things to keep your daughter entertained (invest in an MP3 player). Get ideas from people who have done the trip by chatting on Lonely Planet's

Thorn Tree travel forum (thorntree.lonelyplanet.com).

Your itinerary will most likely take in Katherine Gorge, Kununurra, the Bungle Bungles and the Gibb River Road, Windjana Gorge, Broome, Eighty Mile Beach, Karijini National Park, Exmouth, Monkey Mia, Denham and Kalbarri. Western Australia's natural environment is stunning, combining pristine seascapes, reefs at Ningaloo, the rugged Kimberley, the ancient rock and gorge country of the Pilbara and, of course, the desert. If rains come, you could be in luck and witness the state's famous wildflower display. The Wildflower Way heads inland from Geraldton, through Morawa and Mullewa north of Perth. The Kalbarri region and Shark Bay have tremendous displays of banskias, grevilleas and eucalypts. North West Cape, the Pilbara and Kimberley also come alive with melaleucas and grevilleas.

Q I want to go to western Africa in March-April next year and spend three to four weeks in Mali (and Timbuktu), with two to three weeks in another country beforehand (Ethiopia or Libya). I've been having difficulty getting information on flights from Australia to this region. Do you have any advice on flights to any of these places and then on to Bamako?

Allan Roberts

A We can recommend Flight Centre or STA. The problem is that getting to West Africa is difficult from Australia and from Asia. West African countries are served by their own and neighbouring national carriers and most are also served by Air France, a hangover from colonial days and a reflection of France's continuing ties with the region. So Paris is the best place for you to pick up a direct flight to West Africa.

With Libya there are more options from Europe as the country is served by Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, KLM and Lufthansa, some of which code-share with airlines serving Australia. If you were really intent on cutting out a European stopover, then your best route to Tripoli is with Emirates, which serves Australian cities and involves a stopover in Dubai only (some flights also have a refuelling stop in Singapore). This air fare isn't cheap, however, at about $3000 return. You can then fly from Tripoli to Bamako with Afriqiyah for about $700, plus tax. Going to Europe first involves more flying time but you'll find that the airfare will be cheaper.

Ethiopia is served by South African Airways, so you can fly there from Johannesburg, then take another regional carrier across to Bamako. Getting to Johannesburg from Australia is possible with connections through Qantas, Singapore Airlines or Malaysia Airlines. Read the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's travel advice for all of the countries mentioned at www.smartraveller.gov.au.