By my calculations, I saved just over a total of four hours of travel time, not to mention the stress of having to battle peak hour Sydney traffic.

Wollongong, whether for business, pleasure or family reasons, please support this Jetgo investment in our region.  Let’s make sure we never give the company a reason to leave.

Tony McAdam, Cordeaux Heights

I wonder if Richard Burnett knows that Australia Day as we know it now wasn't commenced until 1994.  Hardly a long established Australian tradition.

Maybe he should read the recently published statistics that reveal the a lot of people don't even know what we're celebrating and most don't really care when it is as long as they get a public holiday.

And I think that Richard’s denigration of Senator Di Natalie as a new Australian is particularly harsh. 

I  came to Australia from the states (age 23), in 1973 and fell in love.

First with the beer, second when I discovered that Australians had elected a socialist government, and third, a young Australian girl with whom  I am still happily married.

  I'm sure that Di Natalie feels the same as I do.  

One problem, Richard. I don't like cricket.

William Bielefeldt, Kembla Grange

On my dream holiday I awoke to the warm sun shining through the partially opened flap on the tent and the scent of coastal banksias, magnolia flowers spread across the sand and the tea trees gave some shaded relief.

The glorious, translucent blue green waters of the pacific lapped gently on the golden sands as the water splashed softly against my toes, and chased the seagulls up the shoreline away from the sand crabs foraging for scraps.

This was the perfect setting and I felt so at ease enjoying the perfect weather, at one with nature until I was jolted from my slumber by a loud noise and realised I was lying in a tent at city beach near the entertainment centre, unemployed, homeless and with little funds to secure enough to eat, but still surrounded by the beautiful ocean and others in the same predicament.

My dream had turned from sheer delight into a nightmare and I couldn't see anyway out. Oh well, dreams can relieve the stress and monotony of everyday lives.

Fingers crossed it may change.

T Dunn, West Wollongong

The right of the individual to hold and, express an opinion on any subject has been the subject of several of contributions to the Mercury opinion Page in recent weeks.  

For example, ‘Right to have a say’ (January 18) and ‘Right to ponder on religion’ (January 19).  

While both contributions are well-articulated attempts to defend the correlated topics – freedom of expression and religious belief –  neither addressed “the elephant in the room”, the equally important right of reply.

Publicly expressing an opinion on any topic invites a response.

This is as predictable as the Sun rising in the East and setting in the West.

Personally, whenever I submit an opinion piece for possibly being considered for publication, I do so in the knowledge criticism may arise.

If it does I accept it as being “par for the course”.

Barry Swan, Balgownie