Category Archives: Experience
Getting Out To Asia with Travel Indochina
When people talk about getting away, a lot of feedback and questions we have are along the lines of where is worth seeing and what is within my Budget? For us the list of destinations and things to do is longer than our arms, and the options to fit within budget will vary from destination to destination. What we could recommend though that is generally within many peoples budget ranges is a trip to Asia, and there are a number of wholesalers including Wendy Wu, Peregrine and Travel IndoChina who have some fantastic options for single travellers.
Asia has a fantastic array of destinations where you can get out and see some incredible natural sights, areas of unique cultural and historic, and there is always special interest and river cruises. China, Mongolia, Vietnam, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand .. there are literally dozens upon dozens of options to think about! There are even more ways to get out there and experience what there is to discover. One of the more popular ways is small group touring – which Travel Indochina specialise in. Small groups usually of between 10 and a maximum of 16 travellers allow you intimate access to guides and sites without the bustle of a large tour group.
For example here are 4 of Travel Indochinas 2014 Itineraries that are great introductory tours that showcase the highlights of their destinations
Vietnam Insights: 11 days in Vietnam from AU$2610 per person in share twin. This trip takes in the base highlights of Vietnam – Hanoi, Halong Baym Danangm Hue, Hoian and Saigon including the Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi Tunnels.
China Panorama: 15 days in China from AU$4250 per person in share twin. This trip takes in the major highlights of China starting in Shanghai, then to Zhuijiajiao, Guilin, Yuangshuo, Longshen, Chengdu, XiÁn and Beijing.
Iconic India: 17 Days in India from AU$3985 per person in share twin. This journey soome of the true highlights of India – Udaipur, Jojawar, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra (including the Taj Mahal), Orchla, Bandhavgarh National Park, Khajuraho, Varanasi andDelhi
Burma Revealed: 13 days from AU$4080 per person in share twin. Burma is a fantastic destination and this tour covers the least of what one would want to encounter – Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Kalaw and Inle Lake.
Please note that all rates shown above are subject to availability as well as varying terms and conditions. These and many other itineraries are available and we can provide costings for specific dates for across Asia with Travel Indochina.
Which is my next point – why is Travel Indochina someone we would recommend that a Solo Sister Member consider travelling with? The simple answer is that on their small group departures there are some fantastic options in regards to sharing and pricing that work in favour of the single traveller. Travel Indochina on their small group departures will offer to match a single traveller “with a stranger”, which means they will attempt to match you with someone of the same sex (and hopefully age) for the duration of their tour. As a bonus on their small groups should they not be able to find someone to match you with, and you then need to have a room to yourself .. they won’t charge a single supplement. This is a great opportunity for a single traveller who doesn’t want to fork out the additional for a guaranteed room of their own and who doesn’t mind sharing.
So if you have been considering a trip to Asia, why not drop by My Travel Expert / Shoalhaven Solo Sisters and speak to us about the opportunity presented with Travel Indochina
A Few Solo Specials With APT
Every day we keep our eyes open for any specials and deals that may work out well for our Single Travellers. This week we have a few limited specials that have come in from APT, a 5 star Tour operator who have a few “No single supplement” special on European River Cruises, Antartica Cruising and Luxury Small Ships. These deals are available only for a limited time, so if you want information on any then please contact us at My Travel Expert / Shoalhaven Solo Sisters very soon on (02) 4421 5577
Cruise With Julie Goodwin!
Have you ever desired to cruise the Murray? Ever wanted to meet a celebrity chef and see how they do what they do? Well Captain Cook Cruises have a fantastic special available – if anyone would like to join the basic details are below, simply contact us for any further details or to book aboard!
Europe, the USA & Beyond …
Get Away with Trafalgar & Insight
These days there are a number of tour operators that are beginning to realise that there is a need to match up single travellers – because nobody wants to pay a huge chunk of cash to do what everyone else is doing simply because they are on their own.
Two of those tour operators are Trafalgar Tours and Insight Vacations. These are two names that many of you would recognise, running set departure tours throughout Europe, the USA and most recently Asia and South America. Both companies have a “match up” policy where they attempt to match you up with another single traveller on their tours, it does help you save and if they can’t find a match they will usually allow you to travel anyway without paying a single supplement!
So if you have considered a trip around Europe to see the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Eiffel Tower or more than there are options. If you wanted to travel the Rocky Mountains, see the Grand Canyon or explore the wonders of Canada and the USA then we may have something for you! All you need to do is let us know you would like some information and we can get something to you.
Wine & Cheese Weekend
Just a last reminder that if you were thinking of joining us at the Nowra RSL on the 12th July for some Cheese and Wine Tasting then please RSVP by the 1st July.
Murray River Getaway & Hunter Valley Wine Weekend
We have about half the numbers we need for the Murray Valley Getaway – so if you were wanting to experience a few days aboard a traditional Paddlesteamer than now is the time to reserve your spot. We also need quite a few more travellers to confirm our Hunter Valley Weekend – so we encourage those who want to come to let us know!
Shoalhaven Solo Sisters, Super Special Savings
Canada & Alaska, Departing 16th May 2015
Standard Tour Price: AU$10,295 per person share twin, excluding Flights.
Book and Deposit by the 3rd October 2014 and receive an AU$250 per person discount on the standard price
Pay in full by the 16th July and receive a further AU$300 per person discount
That means you could possibly reduce your trip cost to AU$9745 plus airfare, and to make that even better for a limited time we have an airfare special where partners fly free, thereby literally reducing air costs by 50% per traveller!
European River Cruise, 5th September 2015
Standard Tour Price AU$10,275 per person, including flights*
Book and Deposit by the 29th August and receive an AU$250 per person discount on the standard price
Pay in full by the 31st August and receive a further AU$400 per person discount
This means if you book now this journey cost to AU$9625 per traveller! *Please note that at this stage Evergreen includes flights in this package as part of an earlybird costing and reserves the rights to ammend or change costs based on flight availability and tax changes
SO, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US, GET IN TOUCH & BOOK NOW WHILE PRICES ARE GREAT!
Please note all prices are subject to availability and terms and conditions as applicable to the departures involved.
Quick Post – Thanks & Offers
The Staff from Shoalhaven Solo Sisters and My Travel Expert would like to thank those ladies who came out and joined us at the “Ladies Day Out” Race day on the 25th, it was a great day and we all hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did. Our Congratulations again to Margaret and Kelly for placing in the Best In Field competitions. For those that were not there you can get a taste of what happened over in our gallery!
Now on for some great news ..
Hong Kong
Our sale price of AU$3393 has ended, if you haven’t already booked or spoken with us about the trip though there is some good news – we can still have some spaces, but the price may rage up to our non-discounted price of AU$3969 per person in twin or more, based on individual rather than group airfare prices. So if you want to come to Hong Kong to shop, get a taste of China, visit the national parks, or get a taste of Disneyland even, then the time to book is now while decent priced airfares are still available.
Shoalhaven Solo Sisters Six-Month Shennanigens!
It also came tour our notice today that the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters has now been operating and matching ladies up for six months, while not a huge milestone we take whatever chance we can to enjoy ourselves, and with the half a dozen events we have run, the fantastic tours we have gotten away and with a fantastic growing membership of ladies, we believe that we have more than enough reason to celebrate. So you don’t feel left out of our celebratory mood we will be offering a 50% reduced deposit on all bookings for our Hunter Valley Wine Weekend or our Murray River Weekender for the next month, so if you book a place between now and the end of June we will only want AU$100 per person to secure your spot.
So our thanks for joining us at the races, and for making the last 6 months an enjoyable ride .. it is a great start.
Update: Race Day, P&O, Hong Kong, Canada & Indulgence
Just a quick update on a few Upcoming Events and Group Departures
SSS Race Day: Join us at Shoalhaven Turf Club for a fantastic day at the races, it is a fantastic opportunity to mix and mingle with other Solo Sisters and our staff. A perfect chance to meet up with some of those who may be amenable to travelling with you. If you want to come please let us know before the 23rd May at the latest as we only have limited tickets for giveaway!
P&O Walkaround: We have an extremely limited number of spaces left on our 12 June P&O Ship inspection. At $55 for the day including lunch, transport from Nowra and the Ship Inspection it’s a great value for a fantastic day out. If you would like to come call us on 02 4421 5577 immediately.
Hong Kong Experience: At AU$3393.00 per person our upcoming Hong Tour is a fantastic offer, although billeted as a Shopping Tour the tour is not just for shoppers and most of the shopping is during our non-scheduled time. So if you want to see Hong Kong for any reason this is a great chance to do so. This trips sales period ends though on 31 May, so get in now if you would like to join
Canada & Alaska: Our presale on the May 2015 Canada and Alaska Group has sadly closed – those lucky to have booked will be hearing from us soon. Departing 16 May 2015 we still have space available at AU$10,295 per person share twin. We also have a partners fly free special available at the moment so it is a great idea to look at booking now while seats are available. Please feel free to check out our programme HERE!
Relax, Rewind, Revive: We recently promoted an upcoming indulgence trip we are running in 2015. This trips is all about truly relaxing. Enjoy a laugh on a comedy cruise, knock back a few samples as we visit some of the best wineries near Auckland, and relax to a great massage in Rotorua. Well we now have the full itinerary up and available here! This programme will run on a minimum of 10 travellers and a maximum of 16, so if you are interested in going you should put your name down now!
Relax, Rewind, Revive with Shoalhaven Solo Sisters
Everyone needs from time to time a chance to kick back, unwind and relieve themselves of the stresses of day to day lives. Sometimes though this doesn’t happen when one stays at home – things crop up and you end up spending your downtime being so busy you don’t end up feeling relaxed by the time you are due to head back to the grind.
To that end we have a fantastic trip guaranteed to relax and revive. A dash of humour starts off our little getaway as we depart on a four day comedy cruise from Sydney to Auckland. We follow this up with some pure indulgence in New Zealand itself, first sampling some of the famed New Zealand Wines, then taking off to Rotorua for a Traditional Maori Cultural experience and a fantastic spa package at Hells Gate – Massage, facial, thermal walk, mud soak and spa.
Comedy, Wine and Spa – What more is needed to truly relax!
So if you want to pamper yourself, a friend, or a partner, if you want to truly relax and rewind
THEN GIVE US A CALL TODAY!
2 – 11 April 2015, Sydney-Sydney
From AU$3441 Per Person Share Twin
Includes: 4 Night P&O Comedy Cruise, 2 Nights in Auckland, 3 Nights in Rotorua, Full Board On Cruise and 10 Meals in New Zealand, Transfers in New Zealand, 2 Full Day Tours, Rotorua Spa Day, Return Airfares , Prepayable Taxes and surcharges
* Based on Inside Cabins & dependant on Availability. For Options including Outside or Balcony CabinsSingle Supplement please ask us
Canada & Alaska Pre-sale Ending (16 May)
Our Canada & Alaska Group Departure with Evergreen is now coming to a close on its “pre-sale”, which means if you want to save yourself a small bundle then now is the time to book before prices rise!
Expressions Of Interest: Christmas Markets
One of the best things about travelling, is the experiences it allows you to have, especially when those experiences are not something we have easy access to on a daily basis close to home. This December (probably the 5th) we are looking at heading to Europe to experience something we don’t have here in Australia – a white winter, and the German Christmas Markets.
Ever since the 1300’s there has been some form of Christmas Markets in Germany especially in the areas around Rothenburg ob de Tauber, Wurzenburg and Bamburg. What this tour we are proposing will do will allow you to travel to Europe, see some of the highlights of Germany’s historical sights at a unique time of year, combined with a long running event that is even today still a unique experience. The Historic wooden and cobbled towns will be dusted with snow, adorned with decorations and lit up late into the night so one can explore the culinary delights of Germany, sample fine German wines, and enjoy the Christmas Markets. A fantastic opportunity for the shopper or those who enjoy experiencing unique cultural events.
For the shopper though you will have the unique opportunity to uncover traditionally made toys alongside their contemporary counterparts, you will find stalls of hand crafted and intricately detailed Christmas decorations, as well as a number of stalls, booths and shop fronts that will selling wonderful sweets, foods and drinks .. some of which are only regularly made during this of the year, and in some cases by tradition only consumed on certain dates!
A perfect winter getaway mixed with a magical taste of Christmas. For those that are considering coming along on this experience you will have the opportunity of getting first class service from your local tour manager plus the tour escort who will journey ex-Sydney (with minimum numbers). You will have the unique experience of attending an evening choral concert at the Benedictine Abbey in Amorbach. You will visit the medieval town of Rothunburg ob de Tauber, as well as Wertheim with its Glass Museum, Miltenburg with is Half Timbered Houses, and more. Then there is the whole Christmas Market experience as you visit a number of markets including Nurembergs fames “Christkindlemarkt”, Wurzburgs Christmas Markets and Kathe Wolfhart’s World Famouse Christmas Village Shop.
Expected land Itinerary:
Day One: Arrive in Frankfurt
Meet and greet at Frankfurt Airport with the specialist tour manager and a transfer to the deluxe coach to start the tour. Drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber; a beautiful small town with medieval buildings and cobbled streets. Time at leisure to explore the town, take a horse and carriage ride or walk the restored city walls. Dinner in a local ‘gasthaus’ and an overnight stay at the hotel.
Day Two: The Shopping Begins
Today the serious business starts with a visit to the Käthe Wohlfahrt’s world famous Christmas village shop. A true cavern of delight full of decorations. In the afternoon and evening watch the Christmas decoration lights come on, the market stalls come to life and take time to browse the market and take in the sights and aromas. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day Three: Wertheim/Miltenburg/Amorbach
Today travel to Wertheim to visit the glass museum and watch demonstrations of the production and design from the traditional to the modern. Continue to Miltenburg, with its half timbered houses, for a short stop to indulge in the local biscuits and coffee. Onto to Amorbach for an evening choral concert in its Benedictine abbey, accompanied by its famous baroque organ. Return to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for an overnight stay.
Day Four: Wuerzburg Christmas Market
Morning at leisure to explore and shop or just relax and take in the atmosphere. Afternoon excursion to the Wuerzburg Christmas Market; one of the most atmospheric in Germany held against the historical backdrop of the Gothic St. Mary’s Chapel and the ‘Falkenhaus’ Rococco mansion. A delightful selection of Christmas goods are on offer here at the beautifully decorated wooden booths. The town hall’s historical courtyard also hosts an artists’ Christmas market. Return in the early evening to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for an overnight stay.
Day Five: Bamberg
The morning free to explore and shop, or just relax and take in the atmosphere. An afternoon excursion to Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage site, including visits to the town hall and cathedral. Experience Bamberg’s charming Christmas Market steeped in tradition. Explore the nativity scenes and over 50 market stalls offering Christmas decorations, ornaments and sweet delicacies from around the region. Return in the early evening to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Day Six: Nuremburg
Travel to Nuremberg to take a city tour starting with the Toy Museum, which has displays covering toys from antiquity to the present day. Then a more traditional visit to the Church of St Sebald, which has been on the site since 1070 and a place of pilgrimage for many to the grave of the holy Sebaldus. Then down to some serious shopping with a visit to Nuremberg’s main market square (Hauptmarkt): In the heart of the old quarter is the setting for the annual ceremony at which the ‘Christkindl’ or Christ Child opens Nuremberg’s ‘Christkindlesmarkt’, the most famous Christmas market in the world. Every year over two million visitors soak up the medieval atmosphere and romance of this miniature town of Christmas stalls. Delight in the delicious aromas of gingerbread, cinnamon, Nuremberg ‘bratwurst’, roasted almonds and ‘glühwein’. Younger visitors can enjoy the ‘Kinderweihnacht’ or children’s Christmas where a magnificent, traditional carousel comes complete with an upper tier, reindeer figures and Santa’s sleigh. Return in the evening happy, full and contented to Rothenburg ob der Tauber for an overnight stay at the hotel.
Day Seven: Depart for Home
Last minute shopping and the last chance to savour a sweet pastry or glass of ‘gluhwein’, before heading back to Frankfurt airport for the return flight home.
At this stage we would need a minimum of 10 travellers to get this tour away, and we would restrict the tour group size to 16, we prefer to keep our groups smaller as not only is it more intimate, but it allows greater access to guides and tour escorts, and allows us to add in the occasional unexpected surprise. So if you think that perhaps you would like to see some of Europe”s most incredible towns, at a time of year when the weather is unlike that experienced in Australia and when one of the worlds most unique regional experiences is available? Then Contact us now to let us know you are interested in coming!
Just call (02) 4421 5577 or e-mail nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au
My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters 