Category Archives: Promotions
There Is Nowhere Like Norfolk
Greetings from My Travel Expert and the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters!
It has been a while since our last entry, over the course of the last two years we have been battling to survive the effect that COVID-19 has had on our industry, and we are more than thrilled to be one of the businesses that has managed to pull through. During this time though, we did refrain from trying to tempt you into going away with us due to the frailty of the system, with border closures and travel bans stopping and starting seemingly weekly.
That however is behind us, and to celebrate we want to invite you to join us on our next group adventure – the first since January 2020 – to Norfolk Island in November 2022! To celebrate the return of travel and opening of borders we are re-running one of our more popular tours, and as you will see there is nowhere like Norfolk!
Like our departure in 2019, this tour will take in the best of Norfolk Islands Scenic, Cultural and Culinary and Historical Heritage, with behind the scenes visits to see how the island operates, fantastic meals, and incredible company!
7 Nights / 8 days,
Sydney to Sydney,
7th to 14th November 2022
AU$3492 Per Person Share Twin
AU$4205 Per Person In Single
Once one of the most notorious penal colonies, today Norfolk Island is a charming island paradise with cultural and historical sights than will amuse and delight. Combined with the incredible scenery and the fantastic cuisine Norfolk Island is a must see destination for all!
This programme includes return airfares ex Sydney with Qantas including all prepayable taxes, Return airport transfers, 7 nights accommodation at South Pacific Resort Hotel, Cooked Breakfast daily, 1 x 2 Course Dinner at the South Pacific Hotel, 1 x 2 Course Dinner at Hill Restaurant 1 x 2 Course Dinner at the Homestead Restaurant other meals as detailed in the itinerary and all sightseeing and entrance fees as detailed.
ITINERARY
Day 1, 7th November 2022: We depart Sydney today for the incredible Norfolk Island, flying out at 0930 with Qantas and arriving at approximately 1310. On arrival we will be met and transferred to our lodgings at the South Pacific Resort Hotel, where there is time to refresh before enjoying our welcome dinner. (D)
Day 2, 8th November 2022: A fantastic day of exploring Norfolk island awaits starting with an Orientation tour of the Island showing off sights like Kingston, Cascade, Longridge and much more. The day is brought to a close with a progressive dinner with each course served at different Norfolk island family homes. (B/L/D)
Day 3, 9th November 2022: We visit the home of prolific author Colleen McCullough this morning before enjoying an afternoon to ourselves, This evening we enjoy a traditional island feast— the island fish fry — before we head off for a night time adventure through the convict settlement at Kingston, a sound and lightshow set to bring the convict era alive. (B/D)
Day 4, 10th November 2022: This morning is all about Cheese as we head of on a Mootineers Cheese Tour of the Christian Brothers Cheese Company where we learn all about the local dairy farming, local honey production and see some truly spectacular rural Norfolk views. The remainder of the day is free until dinner at Hilli Resteraunt. (B/D)
Day 5, 11th November 2022: Today we find out what makes Norfolk Tick as we head behind the scenes to see what goes into making the island operate from Weather Monitoring to Recycling to Fishing and Power generation. This continues in the afternoon with local farming and distilling, before we take a break with Dinner and a Ghost Tour through historic Kingston. (B/D)
Day 6, 12th November 2022: While we have had some convict experiences previously, this afternoon we head out for an indepth tour of the historic Georgian Settlement of Kingston, visiting the main sights and hearing of the convict and colonial history. Our day of Convict Exploration is capped off by the famed “Night As a Convict Dinner” (B/D)
Day 7, 13th November 2022: We head out this afternoon for a visit to Two Chimney’s winery for a late lunch and wine tasting. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at Homestead restaurant. (B/D)
Day 8, 14th November 2022: You may have thought the touring portion of the itinerary was done, but we have one last stop to make with a visit to the incredible Cyclorama – an inspiring visual journey through Norfolk Island’s history. Afterwards, having already checked out of our hotel we continue on to the airport where you will have time for light refreshments before we board our plane at roughly 1410 and fly for Sydney where this tour concludes upon arrival at around 1600. (B)
*Please note that Itinerary may be subject to change based on local conditions
If all this sounds fantastic, and you want to have as great a time as our last adventurous bunch of convicts then now is the time to book your space on this incredible getaway! Get in touch with My Travel Expert and the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters today!
Telephone: (02) 4421 5577
Email: nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au
Address: 81B North Street, Nowra, NSW 2541
My Mekong Morning Tea
My Travel Expert & The Shoalhaven Solo Sisters
(02) 4421 5577 or nowra@mytravelexpert.coma.au
Update Session @ St Georges Basin
As some of you may be aware, we have opened a satellite office at the St Georges Basin Country Club, which means that any of you living in the area out there, you can now drop in at the satellite office to make payments and deposits rather than needing to come into the office in Nowra each time.
As a bit of a welcome, for everyone to meet the expanded team, including Maree who is returning to us after a 4 year hiatus, we are holding an information session on the 6th September at 10:15am at the Function Room at the St Georges Basin Country Club.
Where we will be talking briefly about what we are doing in 2018 for Group Tours, explaining about the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters Initiative for Solo Travellers, and the benefits our satellite office has to offer club members and locals in the St Georges Basin area. If you would like to attend please RSVP to our St Georges Basin Office on (02) 4442 9077 or by email to sgbcc@mytravelexpert.com.au
Cherry Blossom Special
Sakura, that is Cherry Blossom Season, see’s Japan bathed in tones on light pink, with flowers blossoming from Tokyo to Kyoto, from Hikone to Hiroshima, and it is a vision that enthralls locals and foreigners alike. Which is why in April 2018, we have put together a departure to Japan that will highlight this incredible seasonal event!
For those that want to experience Sakura this is the perfect time to head over to Japan but we do realise that this might not be a draw card for everybody which is what the tour we are operating takes in a steady balanced mix of modern and ancient Japan, with a few twists of our own thrown in.
We are going to start the tour for example with an exclusive day out for our guests, beginning with a trip to Tsukiji Fish Markets – the largest market of it’s kind in Asia, where we will learn of the importance of fishing and seafood to the Japanese people before we head off to learn how to make one of Japans most iconic meals in a Sushi Preparation Workshop. The days even’ts don’t end there however as we head out in the evening to get a glimpse of the Japanese love of Robots, Animatronics and Anime as we visit the almost infamous “Robot Cabaret Show”, followed by a dinner at a rather unusual restaurant.
This though is just the start of getting a true taste of Japan, from here our trip unfolds and covers all sorts of evens and sights that people love about the Land of the Rising Sun. We will take a trip on the Bullet Train, which is one of the highlights for many people, we will visit the floating Shrine of Hiroshima, experience the extraordinary view of Mount Fuji, partake in a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony, take a look at the famous Bamboo Forests at Kyoto, visit the iconic Castles of Matsumto and Ninja, and much more.
This is a truly incredible trip, visiting Japan at a time of the year like no other! With visits and sightseeing in Tokyo, Nikko, Matsumoto, Nagano, Toyama, Shirakawam Takayama, Nagoya, Toba, Osaka, Matsuem, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Hakkone National Park.
The package includes return airfares from Sydney, 4 star accommodation throughout, sightseeing daily, entry to a number of sights and locations, transport by air-conditioned coach and more! Full details can be reviewed here (please click to read.)
Running from the 8th to the 23rd of April this is slated to be an incredible touring experience and with a limited number of spaces available at AU$7994 per person in share twin if you want to join then to book, or enquire about more details, please contact us on (02) 4421 5577 or by email on nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au
Join us in 2018 and Discover the Murray River & Kangaroo Island
In early 2018 we have a fantastic programme to South Australia taking in the highlights of Kangaroo Island and the best of the Murray River. This programme has limited space available and is the perfect way to experience two of Australia’s most renown locations.
Costs:
- Inside cabin $2470.00 per person twin share
- Outside cabin $2860.00 per person twin share
- Inside cabin $3030.00 per person in single
- Outside cabin $3525.00 per person in single
Includes: Return Economy Class Airfare flying with Qantas inclusive of all port taxes and surcharges, Arrival transfer Airport to Hotel in Adelaide, Overnight at the Mercure Grosvenor Adelaide pre and Post tour with Dinner and Breakfast, 2 Day Kangaroo Island Tour including transfers to Cape Jervis, ferry services, admission to attractions and overnight at the Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn, 4 Night Heritage Cruise along the Murray inclusive of all meals, entertainment, guided & eco Walks and transfer back to Adelaide Airport
Excludes: Personal expenses inclusive of laundry, alcohol, phone charges etc, meals other than those indicated, other items not mentioned here or in detailed itinerary.
Full details are available below, otherwise call us on (02) 4421 5577 or email us at nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au to reserve your space today!
Exclusive Inclusions & Discounts in 2018
Julie Woodall & Partner, enjoying local transport in Vietnam
With Four Large Tours on the way in 2018, one question we have been asked is ..
Why should we choose these over any other tours?
.. and the answer is simple, because we are offering something that is unique on each tour that is only available should you book through My Travel Expert & the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters. More than that we are offering them at fantastic prices.
Unique Inclusions and Discounted Prices.
In April we head off to Japan to encounter the wonders of this country during Cherry Blossom Season, one of the most picturesque times to visit. Outside of the standard touring though, and the inclusions of the airfare in the price we are taking you to see some fantastic sights that will round out the tour that others will not be. Taking a look at the culinary side of Japan we will take you to Asias Largest Fish Markets where you can see the sheer volume of seafood eaten before we take a cooking lesson to learn how to prepare Japans signature dish – Sushi. We are also going to take you to see part of modern Japan, down top Shinoboku to an entertaining evening for a dinner and show – where the popular cultures of Anime, Robots, and more are on display at an almost bizarre Robot Cabaret Show. More to the point the release value of this package is already discounted by 10% from the pricing that it was originally.
In May we have a fantastic Canada and the Inside Passage Departure with Scenic and while that means luxury the price is inclusive of airfares, discounted for early bookings and includes unique moments that no other tour provider includes starting with transfers to and from the South Coast to Sydney Airport. An overnight in Rydges in Sydney to accommodate for the early departure flight, , as well as enriching experiences on tour from photos with mounties, Canadian History Evenings, the Rocky Mountain Round Up, First Nation Cultural Experiences and more.
Leonie Clay getting a close up look at an iced over Lake Louise
When we head to Cruise the Mekong in August we have already included your flights and transfers in the pricing, and have selected a vessel that allows better access to the river than any other Ship currently cruising so you spend less time transferring to sights whilst cruising. To really make this exceptional we have charted the entire vessel, which means that we are saving over AU$2,000 per cabin – which is a fantastic saving for any couple.
Finally in October we are headed out to Italy, where apart from the airfares and major highlights we have built in an incredible extension to the south to see the highlights of Pompeii, Naples, Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento. On arrival in Rome rather we have thrown in a complimentary Borghase Gardens Tour that you can opt to take rather than waiting for your hotel room to be ready. Before leaving Italy and Rome we have included a fantastic little market and cooking tour that will allow help buy the foods that you will use to cook your own fantastic goodbye luncheon.
As you can see, we have gone to some lengths to ensure that what you are paying for is more than worth your money. So with the fact that we offer Unique Inclusions and Discounted Prices now is the time to book aboard one of our 2018 Departures .. just contact us today for details!
Leonie Clay, enjoying the sights of Rome
2018 Tour Launch, Spaces Still Available
Good Morning Ladies and Gents,
Just a quick reminder that we still have a few spaces available on our 2018 Tour Launch evening on the 29th March 2018. This is being held at the Ex-Servicemans Club in Nowra and we would love to have you there as we unveil the fantastic destinations we will have on offer for 2018, as well as a very very brief look at what is planned beyond.
If you would like to join us for what promises to be a great evening please give us a call on (02) 4421 5577 or register your place directly here
While we are on the subject of reminders, there are still spaces available for our Vivid Departures (on the 31st May or 7th June – $139 per person), Joadja Ghost Town Tour (2nd September for AU$110 per person) and our Floriade Getaway (30th September – 1st October AU$390 per person share twin).
If you would like to register a place on any of these quick trips please give us a call on (02) 4421 5577
Discovering Joadja
Join Us On 2 September As We Discover
Joadja Ghost Town & Distilley
Joadja valley and town is a region of significant cultural heritage. The community at its peak was home to more than 1200 people, mostly Scottish immigrants who lived in tough conditions in an isolated valley. The mine closed and the people that lived here moved away to start somewhere new. The town, the mine and its equipment were left behind, and now stand as a testament to what took place here all that time ago. Nature is slowly but surely taking Joadja back, climbing over the buildings and working its way into the foundations. Come and enjoy the beauty of this stunning valley, hear the stories and feel the history behind it all!
Includes Transfer to and from the Shoalhaven (from designated pick up points), Morning Tea, 90 Minute Guided Ghost Town Walk, BBQ Lunch & Distillery Tour
Joadja Ghost Town & Distillery Tour
$110 Per Person
2nd September 2017
Reserve your space today simply call My Travel Expert on
(02) 4421 5577 or email nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au
Finding Floriade
1 Night / 2 Days, 30 Sep – 1 Oct
Nowra – Canberra- Nowra
$390 Per Person Share Twin Or Double
$530 Per Person In Single
Developed in 1988 as a grand, one off floral tribute to mark Australia’s Bicentenary and Canberra’s 75th anniversary, Floriade has become Canberra’s most iconic annual tourism event and Australia’s premier spring festival. The floral display of more than a million bulbs and annuals planted across 8,000 square metres of inner city parkland is more than just a flower show.
- Illuminated wonderland – Explore the whimsy and the beauty in outdoor lighting design and production, as curated and constructed by the expert team at Mandylights. They’ve designed a parkland – full of impressive lighting installations which will excite and delight the fairy light lover in anyone.
- Roving Entertainment – Be amused and entertained by talented musicians, quirky roving entertainers and circus acts, who will bring the park to life each night. Giant lady bugs, flame twirlers and many many more…
- The Marketplace – To indulge your inner foodie (and food critic), we’ve created the Marketplace; a food, wine and beer bazaar hosted in the The Kitchen Company Tasting Plate, during NightFest. Explore the food and beverage crafts of Bentspoke Brewery, Pialligo estate, Mount Majura vineyard and more, in a melting pot of top local and regional talent.
This 2 day package includes transport to Canberra and Return from the Shoalhaven, time on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday Morning to visit Floriade, a Standard Nightfest Entry Ticket, and One Night Accommodation at the Crowne Plaza Canberra. Costs for upgraded Nightfest Tickets and Breakfast available on request. Spaces are limited
Costs for upgraded Nightfest Tickets, Breakfast and more available on enquiry.
Call My Travel Expert on (02) 4421 5577 or e-mail nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au to reserve your space today or
Journey By Rail @ My Travel Expo
From the days or the original Orient Express, travelling the world by Rail has been seen as a luxury and ultimate travel experience, and whilst the glamour of rail journeys may have faded a bit there is still an incredible array of rail journeys out there for the traveller to enjoy, from the luxury journeys of the Palace on Wheels or Rovos Rail to the incredible vistas offered by journeys like the Copper Canyon Run in Mexico or the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada.
With partners like Sundowners Overland, Scenic, APT, Adventureworld, the Africa Safari Co, South America Tourism Office, Sunlover Holidays, AAT Kings, Globus and others, we can offer Rail journeys from around the world to tempt you!
Perhaps the most famous of the Rail Journeys at the moment are those that take a few days, covering several destinations, usually in some of the most scenic places on earth, rail journeys like the ..
The Ghan and the Indian Pacific, are Australia’s two premier rail journeys crossing the country south to north, and east to west respectively, these trains provide a comfortable way to visit and experience the vast reaches of Australia’s Outback and the Red Centre.
Trans- Siberian and Trans-Mongolian, starting from Vladivostok, Beijing or Ulaanbaatar , this is perhaps one of the worlds most renown voyages travelling from the pacific coast all the way through to Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Travelling via places like Yekaterinburg and Lake Baikal the sights available as you transit the Siberian Tundra is absolutely incredible!
The Rocky Mountaineer, is perhaps one of the worlds most famous rail journeys covering the mountainous peaks of Rocky Mountains it is a must inclusion for those that love the sweeping vistas and the possibility of wildlife sightseeing. Available as a one way trip from Vancouver to Banff or as a return journey this is one way to see the mighty Rocky Mountains in comfort.
Rovos Rail and the Blue Train, are synonymous with the world Luxury, and a journey aboard either of these trains hearkens back to the days of true luxury rail voyages. An incredible way to get not only a taste of Rail Heritage but a look at some of the more incredible places in Southern Africa, Rovos Rail and the Blue Train are experiences to be savoured.
“El Chepe” the Copper Canyon train, is a fantastic way to explore the Grand Canyon of Latin America, with travel by rail and accommodation at some of the most incredible natural sights in Mexico. With cliff side hotels, local cultural visits, historic sites and natural wonders, this programme is a truly incredible voyage.
These are just a few of the multi night rail journeys available with dozens more available such as, The Devils Snout, covering the Volcanic Regions and Mountains of Ecuador. The Royal Scotsman covering the Scottish Highlands. The Oriental Express, from Singapore to Bangkok. The Royal Rajasthan, and several other trains, that cover the land of the Maharajahs – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The classic Orient Express running between Venice and London, and so , so many more across the world.
Rail Journeys are not limited to just multi-day voyages with some of the worlds award winning trains being trips that take much shorter runs – overnight, a day a few hours. These shorter range journeys are usually that highlight either scenic locations, or are a fantastic way to use a overnight trip to get you between locations such as the Glacier Express in Switzerland, the varying trains that run from Cuzco to Machu Picchu, the Kuranda Scenic Railway in Cairns, the Carson-Wagonlit experience of an overnight train from Aswan to Cairo of the Victoria Trains between Hanoi and Sapa, plus dozens of others world over.
With partners like Sundowners Overland, Scenic, APT, Adventureworld, the Africa Safari Co, South America Tourism Office, Sunlover Holidays, AAT Kings and Globus we can help you embark on nearly any rail journey across the world, and if you are a lover of locomotive travel then now is your chance to speak with the experts at ..
My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters 