Christmas Is Almost Here, But Don’t Forget To Plan For Next Years!
Christmas and the Festive Season is just about on us .. or if you celebrate like the Dutch who started on December 6 with St Nicholas Day, your month of festivities has already begun!
The thing is, whilst most of us know what we are doing this year, for Christmas, and most probably for January, there are very few who have yet given 2016 a thought. If you are looking to Travel over December 2016 / January 2017 now is the time to start thinking of that time of year, to look into what you want to do and start sounding out possibilities.
For those of us here in Australia Christmas is a time of sweltering heat, bushfires, blowflies, outdoor barbecues, of sun, surf and sand. Few of us have experience a traditional White Christmas or the typical Snow Season of the Northern Hemisphere and all that the season entails.
If you want to experience how the other side of the world sees Christmas, and the tail end of the year there are plenty of opportunities to get out there and explore the Northern Winter next Summer! You could take a tour of the Christmas Markets in a number of European Countries, and all the delectable food, and culture that goes with them. You could take to the slopes and go Skiing in Japan, Canada or the Swiss Alps. If you are a little more adventuresome you could stay at an Ice Hotel in Romania or Lapland, or even rent out a cabin for the Winter and experience how cold it really gets in Siberia! You could head to the mountains of Japan and enjoy the Hot Baths, visit the North of China and enjoy the Ice Festival at Harbin or take in one of the few North Hemisphere Winter Tours that run in December and January.
As you can see there is an incredible array of Winter Experiences for the traveller to experience, and deciding which is the one you want to do NOW is important! Airfares for next December will start becoming available in Late January, and for January by late February, and for these periods if you know when you want to fly its best to make arrangements early because flights fill with people visiting friends and relatives early in the year – so early bookings are essential to getting the best prices. Early booking will also ensure your space in places that may have limited accommodation or space such as some of the more remote Ski Lodges, Antarctic Cruises, Ice Hotels or Boutique Tours.
So take some time this Festive Season to speak with the loved ones about your plans for the same time in 2016/2017 and if a December or January Escape to the cold north sounds appealing, then drop by to speak with us in the New Year to begin planning your next cool escape.
A Quick Cruise
Sometimes it is nice to head off on a quick break, or to get your first taste of something with a short trip.
To that end we have a pair of cruises on offer for any single travellers looking to try out a new travelling companion, couples looking for a quick break, or if you just enjoy travelling in good company!
So if a short break away sounds appealing just get in touch with us!
A Gallon Of Extras ..
..are available at the moment for anyone making a booking aboard a P&O Cruise! To celebrate the launch of the Pacific Eden and Pacific Aria P&O are offering free premium drinks packages on select cruises over seven days, and free soft drink packages on select cruises under seven days.
That is a fairly incredible bonus offer (or saving depending on how much you imbibe) .. that literally works out to be a minimum on-board bonus worth AU$632 per person on a 7 night cruise .. more, if you are cruising longer!
So if you were considering a cruise now is the time to look into it, My Travel Expert & Shoalhaven Solo Sisters are a CLIA member and have access to some of the best cruise specials available – just call us on (02) 4421 5577 or email us on nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au for more details
Australia is calling …
From cruising the Kimberly Coast, braving the the Bungle Bungles, touring Tasmania, seeing the Swan River, discovering Darwin and more .. there is always something to encounter within Australia. That is why we are having one of the Experts come down to give a presentation on some of the best ways to see the land down under!
If you have been considering a journey through Australia (or New Zealand) and would like to get some ideas from the experts then this is your opportunity. On the 18th November 2015 from 5:30pm for a 6pm start we will have at our offices a representative from AAT Kings to give us a lecture and film presentation on the Kimberly’s, Australia, New Zealand and what there is to see, do and experience across the region.
So, if you would like to join us on the 18th November 2015, just register on the below link!
Discover Australia with the Experts
While Australia may not be populated with Ancient Cities, Monumental Buildings of a different age, or food and culture that we are not used to, there is an incredible array of sights, sounds, tastes. There are natural landscapes that are unique, pristine and untouched, Cultural Sites of local tribal history dating back over 40,000 years, and more.
From the forested Hinterlands of Tasmania, the panoramic glory of the Kimberleys to the bustle of Sydney and the action of the Gold Coast, there is something in Australia to attract all sorts of visitors .. and sometimes a trip to somewhere in your ‘own backyard’ is just what is needed rather than a trip to a foreign shore.
One of the Tour Operators that can help you either explore a region in-depth going from site to site as you journey through a region (like Tasmania or the Kimberleys), or that can help you case yourself in one locale and then see all that is within an easy journey of that point (such as Cairns or Adelaide) is AAT Kings, one of Australia’s longest running Tour Operators. For AAT King’s Australia (and New Zealand) offers endless fascination and they have a fantastic array of programmes and offers they always have at hand, and are continually expanding their product options.
If you have been considering a journey through Australia (or New Zealand) and would like to get some ideas from the experts then this is your opportunity. On the 18th November 2015 from 5:30pm for a 6pm start we will have at our offices a representative from AAT Kings to give us a lecture and film presentation on the Kimberly’s, Australia, New Zealand and what there is to see, do and experience across the region.
So, if you would like to join us on the 18th November 2015, just register on the below link!
A Taste of Europe and North America with Travelmarvel
With our APT & Travelmarvel information evening running this evening we thought this was the perfect time to remind everyone of a few set group departures we have running in conjunction with these fantastic companies.
Rhine & Rhone River Cruise.
This 21 day programme takes a fantastic trip starting with a few days in Paris before travelling up to Amsterdam where we board our first cruise boat and sail down the Rhine over the course of several days until we hit Basel, where we disembark for a short overland trip to Lyon where we join our second cruise vessel and then cruise down the Rhone to Nice, where we disembark and head for Monte Carlo where we spend a last few nights before heading home.
With almost 20 locations visited in a 21 day period this tour is a fantastic way to visit one of the more picturesque areas or France, Germany and Switzerland as you cruise through the famed regions of Alsasc and Lorraine, the Black Forest, the edges of the Swiss Alps and into the Cote de Azur.
Currently available from AU$11,790 per person including varying fly free deals, with the end of the year creeping up on us now is the time to book in your space aboard this departure to ensure that you get the best offers available.
Canada & Alaska.
Nearly everyone has at some point seen on TV, or on posters, newspaper adverts and other media the scenic lakes and soaring mountains of the Canadian Rocky Mountains .. like Banff which is pictured above. As well as the frozen Glaciers, Grizzly Bears, Pioneer Towns, Modern Cities and unspoilt wilderness that is part of most Canada and Alaska advertisements. For good reason, these places area s truly incredible as the adverts make them seem, and in some cases are even more inspiring when you actually get there!
Our 21 Day departure leaving in August starts on the Island of Victoria seeing the sights of this incredible region before hopping aboard our tour bus and traversing the highlights of the Rocky Mountains before returning to Vancouver aboard the renown Rocky Mountaineer, where we then board a cruise ship and explore the frontier towns, native american culture, wildlife and scenery of the Inside passage before returning once again to Vancouver where our journey ends.
This tour has a little something for everybody, and can be enhanced by adding in those little tours that not everyone wants to do – such as Whale Watching, Dog Sledding, Glacier Walks and Rafting on the Mountain Lakes. This programme visits over a dozen location during the tour and has time in every location to really get a feel for the place you are visiting.
Currently available from AU$9895 per person in share twin, now is the time to book while all the early bird and flight specials are still in full swing.
You can look up more information on our Rhone & Rhine Departure and our Canada & Alaska Departure on our website, or if you want the information straight from the source join us for tonight’s informational session – limited spaces are still available
A World Of Opportunities With APT & Travelmarvel
Join us on the 28th of October to discover a world of Travel Possibilities with our guest speaker from APT and Travelmarvel. Launching in the 1920’s APT is one of the worlds longest running tour operators and these days in conjunction wit their 5 star product (APT) run an inclusive 4 star service (Travelmarvel) to places across the globe. With these companies you can Climb the Great Wall of China, Sail the Mekong, Visit the Volga, Ascend the Eiffel Tower, Witness the Great Migration, Walk upon Athabasca Glacier, Raft in Lake Louise, Tango in Buenos Aires and More! Do it with Style, do it with comfort – come and join us and see how, with APT and Travelmarvel. Spaces are limited so register today!
Seeking Dubai ..
In the last few decades Dubai has become more than a stopover port on the way to other European or Middle Eastern Destinations. Dubai and the surrounding UAE including Abu Dhabi has become a thriving tourist destination in its own right with an incredible mixture of modern marvels and ancient sights, a destination of culture, history, shopping, sports and recreation – a destination for travellers of all ages.
Which brings me to the point of todays short post. Hot off the press of our classifieds section, we have notice that we are seeking a female traveller to join one of our members on a trip to Dubai in February 2016. Our young traveller is heading out from Sydney and looking to spend some time in some quality company (which we hope one of you can provide) while exploring the fascinating sights, sounds and tastes of the United Arab Emirates and Dubai in particular.
So if a trip to the gateway to the Middle East sounds of interest, then why not contact us today and see if you may be a suitable companion for our Dubai bound traveller.
My European River Cruise (September 2015)
Guess Who has been travelling? Julie has just recently returned from escorting one of our Group Departures along the Danube. A fantastic trip visiting Prague before cruising from Budapest to Amsterdam, then onto Paris for a few days R&R before heading home. If you have been following our blog and website over the past 18 months or so you may have noticed us promoting this upcoming trip from time to time.
In any event the trip seems to have gone off really well with those attending telling us that they had a fantastic time – but don’t just take our word for it, take a look at some of our happy campers and trip highlights below! (Please note this is best viewed as a slideshow on the website and images may not appear on your Email updates)
I know, there are not a lot of “site photos” but if all we did was show you those what incentive would you have to join us on our departures! In any event there was a lot of fun had, and if you want to join us on a future trip then take a look around the website to see what is on offer!
My Travel Expo Deals – Limited Time Offers
Well, what a night! Our thanks to our industry partners and our visitors for making it such a fantastic night! Having said that we do have a number of fantastic offers from our industry partners, from Cruising around Fiji with Captain Cook, discovering Tasmania with AAT Kings, Safari on the Serengeti with the Africa Safari Co, relax on a beach in Hawaii with Qantas Holidays of discover the mysteries of Peru with the South American Tourism Office. For a full look at all Expo specials please click here! Be warned the file is large and may take some time to load. Please note all specials are of limited duration so if one takes your fancy now is the time to act!
My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters 