Blog Archives
Spring Into Singapore with Shoalhaven Solo Sisters
Have you always wanted to travel to Asia but are unsure where to start? Do you enjoy holidays away where you don’t need to move hotels regularly but still enjoy sightseeing? Do you like a good mix of free time and scheduled events while away?
Singapore is the perfect destination. Following on the heels of our Honk Kong Experience, we are running a similar tour to Singapore in February 2016. We encourage everyone to come and find out what we are doing, what will be included and have your chance to input what you would like to see included at our Singapore Workshop on the 4th February 2015 at 5pm.
If Singapore sounds like a destination for you, either for the destination itself, an introductory trip to Asia, or if you just enjoy good company then please register online to join our workshop today!
Register Online Now!
Just a quick reminder that we have the limited time special on our USA departure still available. We are still seeking starters for our Adelaide and Kangaroo Island trip so we can firm up a date, and are seeking more expressions of Interest in our Christmas Markets Tour!
Classifieds: Cruise the North Pacific
Just a reminder to all we have a number of travellers seeking companions for their own trips, some of which are shown on our classifieds section. We do have one seeker looking for company on a Trans-Pacific Cruise in April 2015 with Celebrity cruises journeying from Shanghai to Vancouver with stops at Jeju Usland in South Korea, Kobe, Mt Fuji, and Tokyo in Japan and Petropavlovsk in Russia.
So if you have ever wanted to see even the basics of China, or cruise the waters of the Northern Pacific, encounter the Arctic Circle or if you are a single traveller who enjoys cruising this may be the opportunity for you! For more information just contact us!
Take A Hand In Shaping Your Egyptian Experience!
Have you ever wanted to explore Egypt? To walk the great Hypostyle Hall at Luxor (Image below), to sit back and enjoy High Tea at the Aswan Hotel where Agatha Christie wrote Death On The Nile, or spend some time browsing the shelves of the Great Library of Alexandria?
Then you are in luck, in January 2016, My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters are running a group tour to Egypt that will take in the best of Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile. Our plan is to run a trip of between two and three weeks, including all transport, accommodation, sightseeing, entrance fees and much more.
We are not just doing what we want though, and encourage you to come in and join us on the evening of Wednesday the 14th of January 2015 to hear what we are planning and let us know what you would like included!
CONFIRM YOUR PLACE NOW!
REGISTER HERE FOR YOUR EGYPT WORKSHOP – 14 JANUARY 2015
Seasons Greeting ! Shoalhaven Solo Sisters & My Travel Expert
Wow, what a year ! The Solo Sisters have now been going for 14 months and the response from the community, members and even our travel colleagues has been absolutely fantastic! Better in fact than we could have hoped for, and while not every package we have offered have gotten off the ground enough have and those have all been well received and the feedback fantastic.
2014 has been an incredible year for us , and we have plans to see that 2015 and 2016 are even better!
We have a fantastic array of tours for 2015 which can be seen here on our website, and we have an incredible range of tours we are hoping to run in 2016 that we will be running tour workshops on throughout 2015 so you can have your say on what is included!
A number of people have asked us about receiving more regular updates, we try and keep our physical mail-outs to once every three months, and do our e-mail updates once a month, more regular updates can be obtained by registering at http://www.shoalhavensolosisters.com.au and you will receive our e-newsletter and blog updates, or by following us on Twitter, Google +, Facebook, Tumbler or Instagram
So Once again, Merry Christmas, thanks for a great year and we hope to see you in 2015!
Golden West USA Special – Grab It While Available !!!
We have had one of our 2015 departures on this site for a while now, but with deadlines for everything else, and last minute specials we haven’t had too much time to really talk about this trip much. But, as the blog post says we do have something with this tour now that will grab your attention*
The Golden West USA Tour we have departing in October 2014 retails for 5359 per person in share twin for an 18 day tour programme including flights, a price we believe is reasonable, if we didn’t we wouldn’t have used it for our solo sisters departures. We have though been speaking to our providers and have managed to make that price even better, and can offer you the tour package at a fantastic cost of AU$3403 per person in share twin .. that is a saving of AU$1955 per person!!
To take advantage of this special all you need to do is book before the end of January 2015, and pay in full before the end of February.
What though is going to be seen on this trip, where will be visited that will make you want to outlay this sort of money? The truth is that this trip sees the best of the west, with the major sights entrance fees included and plenty of time for you to get out and explore on your own the sights you may wish to see – be it Madam Tussauds in Las Vegas, the infamous Pier in Santas Monica or the shopping malls of Beverly Hills.
With the group we spend 16 day touring from Los Angeles to Los Angeles, taking in Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, the bright lights of Las Vegas, the incredible natural scenery of Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite National Park, the iconic city of San Francisco and the beautiful coastal towns of California!
In the last twelve months we have had Kelly, Julie and Leonie all scout out some of the fantastic locations that this tour is going to and all three have had a ball encountering the “Golden West”, enjoying everything from the scenic flights over the Grand Canyon to testing their luck at the tables in Las Vegas.
You can review the tour in full here on our website – just click here – and you can see whats included, what is going to be seen and where is going to be visited.
So if you want to take advantage of this incredible offer and book aboard for just AU$3403 per person in share twin then give us a call today on (02) 4421 5577 or email us at nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au !
* Yes, I am using the ‘grab’ wording as an excuse to use this fantastic photo of Leonie from Madam Tussauds visit
Discovering Egypt with the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters
While the Shoalhaven Solo Sisters has had a fantastic start to things in 2014, and our tour programmes for 2015 are looking great we are already in preparation mode for our 2016 departures and for that .. we will need your help!
If you have ever wanted to travel to Egypt, we are holding a workshop this January, where you can hear where we plan to visit, what we intend to do and to hear what you would like to see and include.
So if you want to Travel To Egypt ..
SIGN UP FOR OUR WORKSHOP HERE!
Maybe though you are not convinced, maybe you think that despite the fact that things ares settling down in the region there isn’t much in Egypt to see or do. Well as someone who has travelled there over half a dozen times, and is always seeing something new let me be the first to tell you that if you wanted to see ALL that Egypt had to offer you would need over 40 days .. and thats being generous!
What can be covered in Egypt inside a two week period is incredible, and even without extending and adding is well worth the time and effort to see .. within a two week period what you would cover are the following basic areas ..
Cairo – This city while not Egypt’s most attractive is a hub of sights and sounds worth exploring. Its the gateway to the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara and Dashur, as well as being the location from which someone views the Sphinx, the remains of the ancient City of Memphis, the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, the Egyptian Museum, the Aberdeen Palace, Saladin Mosque, Ben Ezra Synagogue and much much more. Cairo is the melting pot of Egypt with the mix of the Ancient world blending with the Ottoman, Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, English Colonial and others. A fantastic place to get out and get a taste of Egypt.
Alexandria – This city is often left off many Egypt itineraries which to my reckoning is always a great shame. Alexandria is possibly Egypt’s most metropolitan city with a fantastic Shoreline on the Mediterranean, which the Montazah Palace and Gardens are but a highlight, it is the best place in Egypt to experience the Roman Influence of history in the region, with more being uncovered yearly, and while the Ancient Lighthouse is at the bottom of the sea and the Ancient Library has burned down centuries ago, the new library stands as a reminder for what was there and what they are hoping to re-accomplish. Alexandria also has a fantastic Museum, that is a little more navigable then Cairo, and the walkways, byways and bazaars of Alexandria are well worth a visit. Of interest to Australians Alexandria is also the perfect place to get out and visit the battlefield sites of WW2 including El-Alemein.
Luxor – This City in Middle Egypt is a highlight of almost any trip featuring the temple complexes of the Karnak and Luxor, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings and of course the start of many eoples Nile Cruises. Luxor boasts fantastic Bazaars, fine dining, great museums and some of the finest Alabaster workings in Egypt. For those wishing to venture a bit afield it is also the perfect gateway to visit the Ruins at Dendra and Abydos.
The Nile – Most Tours will cruise the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, my personal preference is to sail Upstream between Luxor and Aswan rather than downstream from Aswan to Luxor. A Cruise will take in the Highlights of Edfu and Esna as well as the Temple of Sobek, which if you are heading downstream is lit up at night, providing a magnificent hilltop backdrop as you cruise into Port.
Aswan – Then there is Aswan in the deep South, a fantastic city where old meets new, where one can visit the incredible Aswan Dam, explore the Temple Of Philae, experience Nubian Culture on a ride out past the St Simeon Fortress, encounter the vagaries of the Cataract Islands or spend time enjoying High Tea at the Aswan Hotel where Agatha Christie wrote Death On the Nile.
These are the bare basics of what is covered inside a 11 to 14 day trip to Egypt. Then there are the options of what you can do if you want to extend and see more!
Abu Simbel and Lake Nasser – Admittedly you can do the Massive complex at Abu Simbel as a day trip (and it is something well worth the price in seeing), Alternatively you can choose to explore the lake in depth with a number of cruises regularly sailing between Aswan and Abu Simbel and reverse, offering a uniquely different view of Egypts waterways, the chance to spot Nile Crocodile and the opportunity to see some of the many fantastic monuments that were saved in the relocation process while the damn was being built.
The Sinai – is the perfect place for those that love Religious History, Diving or National parks with a range of places from the shores of Sharm El Sheik to the peaks of Mount Sinai to captivate and consume.
The Western Desert and Oases – are an incredible collection of sights and places ranging from the Temple of the Oracle at Siwa, to the Mushroom Desert to the harsh but bountiful Oases at Dhakala, Kharga and Farafra. This is a trip for those who want to explore a bit more of the local culture alongside the Ancient History of Egypt
As you can see even from this brief introduction on the sites and destinations, there is plenty to see and do in Egypt, for 14 days or well beyond!
So if if that has whetted your appetite and you want to learn more about Travel To Egypt ..
SIGN UP FOR OUR WORKSHOP HERE!
Earlybird Endings, Kangaroo Island and 2015 & 2016 Recap
Just a brief update on a few of our specials which are changing, a new tour that is now pre-viewable under our tours section and a recap on what we spoke about at our 2015 Tour Launch and 2016 Tour Preview
Canada & Alaska, Europe Danube Cruise – Earlybirds Ending: For those still considering joining our Canada & Alaska or our European Danube Cruise departure, this is just a quick note to let you know that the Fly Free and early-bird specials are ending this week, and any bookings made after the 30th October will work out much more expensive. If there is someone out there wanting Canada & Alaska, we do have a lady currently booked and willing to share – just let s know if this appeals and we can help you set up a meet to see if it is a match!
Kangaroo Island – 2015: We have a fantastic group we are hoping to get away to Kangaroo Island in June 2015 (which is as early as we can secure seats on the Indian-Pacific at the moment), this 8 day getaway will cover Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Barossa Valley. The Trip will include Gold Service on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide, Transfers in Adelaide, Adelaide Sightseeing Tour, 4 Nights Accommodation in Adelaide at the Chiffley on South Terrace, 3 Day Charter Tour of Kangaroo Island, Full day trip to the Barossa Valley, Breakfast daily, five Lunches, Three Dinners and flight from Adelaide to Sydney inclusive of all pre payable taxes and surcharges. From AU$2781 per person in share twin, we need a minimum of 16 interested travellers to put this trip into motion and reconfirm dates.
2015 Tour Launch: You may have seen some of these previewed here already but we have a fantastic array of programmes scheduled for 2015 including the following trips! Red Hatters Moreton Island Cruise on 11 February, from AU$749 per person in share twin dependant on spot specials. New Zealand Golfing Holiday starting 7th March 2014 spending 8 days in Queenstown and experiencing 3 of the best regional courses. Canada and Alaska, Rocky Mountains and Inside Passage tour starting at AU$11423 per person in share twin. Kangaroo Island – details as shown above. Castles along the Rhine, a fantastic short cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. Danube Cruise starting 5th September in Prague and ending in Paris from AU$10570 per person in share twin. The Golden West of the USA from AU$5359 per person twin share starting on 21 October 2015 and exploring the Grand Canyon and more. My Thai Experience from AU$2400 per person in Share Twin, a perfect introductory experience for Asia with the option to extend in Thailand. Finally we have our Christmas Markets of Germany, with a 5 December Departure for which we are now taking expressions of interest.
2016 Tour Preview: We have an incredible array of tours we are looking to run in 2015 and would like your feedback to help us design the package that you would like to join! In January 2016 we would like to head to Egypt taking in the highlights of Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile. In April we intend to head to Singapore on another of our Experience tours. In May we are looking to head to Italy taking in Venice, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Umbria and Cinque Terre. In July we are going to look at a fantastic trip to East Africa taking in some of the highlights of Kenya and Tanzania. In September we are going to take in two countries with a heavily inter-twined history – Spain and Morocco. Then in late October we intend to help people explore the UAE, not just Dubai but beyond. In November we intend to head out and discover Vietnam, the North, Central and Southern Highlights. Then in 2017 for those that are interested in a truly spectacular adventure we will be headed off to South America. We do want your feedback and ideas on these programmes so feel free to contact us for more information and to ask whatever questions you would like. We will also be running future events and evenings that will look closer into these.
One Year On! Past, Present And Future!
Past ..
It is a little hard to believe that we launched this website a year ago. Since its launch we have had over 600 people follow the blog section of the site via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook and other bloggers. We have received thousands of visitors from over 67 countries. We have also managed to post 81 posts .. which while not a huge number shows that we are steadily letting you know what we are all up to!
We have managed get away three of our four initial groups, which we feel is fantastic and we love the feedback we have had from our travellers. We have also managed to get away several matched ladies to individual trips and destinations thanks to the Classifieds section all of which have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We have also hosted several events from informational evenings, race days, expos .. all of which had huge turn outs.
So to all our followers, members and other interested parties – we would like to thank you for your support. It has been fantastic and given us a great first year!
Present …
As we head into our 2nd year we are having yet another invitational evening where we as well as some of our industry partners will take a few hours to let you know about the scheduled group departures for 2015, the proposed departures for 2016 and what the plans are for all aspects of Shoalhaven Solo Sisters going into 2015 and onwards. Should you wish to come we will be hosting this at Nowra RSL from 5pm on the 20th October 2014, and would ask that if you intend to come you let us know beforehand so that we can ensure we have enough seating arranged!
For those whom have booked aboard our Dolphin and Whale watching cruise this weekend – if you haven’t been advised the cruise departure time as Huskisson, please be aware that you should be there for boarding between noon and half past twelve, this is slightly amended from the original boarding time due to the tides.
Future..
Just as a teaser of what we will be going over next Monday here is one of our New Programmes for 2015 .. a local Getaway to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island, 8 days travelling to Adelaide by the Indian-Pacific then several days touring Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and the Barossa Valley before we fly back to Sydney. Full details will be unveiled at our Informational Evening but as a proud reader we will let you know that prices will start at AU$2781 per person in share twin
So from all the team at My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters – our thanks for your past and continuing support!
Discover Europe With Peregrine
We spoke a little while ago about how great it is that Travel Indochina has a “Share with Stranger” policy on their tours. Another company that does something similar is Peregrine .. who also have a match up policy on all of their departures. With many of those departures they will try and match you up with a like-minded traveller, and if they are unable to on most tours they will still get you away without a single supplement – though some may still require a small additional payment.
Unlike Travel Indochina the great thing about Peregrine is that their reach extends beyond Asia with tours available in Europe, Africa, South America, and North America .. so if you are a single traveller looking for a fantastic trip to a destination with a lot to offer, and with enough free time compared to group touring time then Peregrine may have the option for you!
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
My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters 