How Do Couples Get A Perfect Holiday...

Have you felt the strains of living life a little out of the ordinary of late?  Well, it can be said that “covid-19 has had an effect on all of us”.  But now after each state and territory in Australia has experienced closures and you, isolation. Life is still not as we know it and it wont be for awhile, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel...time for a holiday.  A desired perfect holiday!

Ultimate Winery Experience

If you have been pondering where you and your loved one would escape to, to feel the joy of freedom, relaxation, fun and whatever you desire, remember to consider these three tips:

• Get organised.  Ask family or friends if they can look after your children, pets, plants or house for a few days.  If need be look at services where you can get a live in nanny or where your pet can be comfortably lodged in a boarding kennel environment.  Also, do not be hesitate to touch base with a friendly neighbour who may be able to water your plants and keep an eye on your house or there may be a local kid who would love some pocket money.  Simply ask them and then you are another step closer to your perfect holiday.  

• Couples you want that perfect holiday?  So, holiday where there are no children unless you truly do not care.  Options for a perfect holiday would be to stay at a resort that has adult only facilities, such as a pool area or more oooohlalala, stay at an adult only resort. Yes, they do exist.  Be it a private villa, a luxury resort, remote outback camp or an adventure such as heli-touring, fishing, self-driving or an exploration cruise to experience different cultures and unique scenery.  You can experience a perfect holiday.

• Because this is all about you and your loved one.  Discuss what you both mutually want to do or get out of your holiday.  There is no use, hanging out remotely in a luxe tent at a beach destination if your loved one despises being away from concrete buildings.  Will it be an action packed holiday or leisurely lazing by a pool and wine sipping at a fancy restaurant.

Kimberley Coastal Camp

Here are some suggestions to stimulate discussions to what you may desire on your holiday:

•      Gourmet cuisine or fresh local produce
•      Wine your drink and you would love to taste and experience more from a region
•      You both love the ocean, so you will not go inland
•      You love the ocean, but it is nice to broaden your life experiences, so why not head inland

Remember, this is about you two getting away together.  Take a relaxed pace and appreciate what we do have on our doorstep here in Australia, all within a few hours drive or flight.

When border restrictions are eased, travel and holidays are going be different.  Social distancing, washing of hands, sanitising and less contact of communally touched items will be in place.  

At Travel With A Difference we have over twenty years in coordinating and booking holidays and travel arrangements, so contact us

Grab a cuppa, sit back and relax completing this Find A Word Destination and receive a gift when you book your holiday with us 

AUSTRALIA is AMAZING

Western Australia

Josef Chromy + Baked Smoked Salmon...

A destination that easily alludes to delicious is wine and fresh produce is Tasmania.  Here we are sharing not only delicious recipe from the Josep Chromy winery, but a must do Tasmania wine and taste experience.  We're sure you'd love to share this with family and friends. Enjoy!

Baked smoked salmon, sparkling oyster cream, salmon cavier

Wine pairing
2015 Josef Chromy Vintage Sparkling

Ingredients
1kg fillet of Tasmanian salmon
6 shucked oysters
200g creme frache
Good olive oil
3 lemons
1 lime
1 orange
1 bunch rhubarb
2 cucumbers
1 head small fennel
1 bunch baby radishes
1 head small fennel
1 bunch baby radishes
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch mint
1 bunch chives
1 clove garlic
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 small jar salmon roe
50 ml sparkling wine

Ceviche cure
70g table salt
30g caster sugar
Juice and zest of 1 orange
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Chopped green fennel tops from the bulb of fennel

Oyster cream
Meat of 6 fresh oysters
250g crème fraiche
30 ml sparkling wine
20ml olive oil
1 lemon
Salt and cracked pepper

Lemon dressing
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic – minced
2 sprig thyme - bruised
1 tsp Dijon mustard
150 ml good olive oil
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a jar and shake well, allow to infuse for at least half an hour.

Method
If you can, get the salmon pin-boned and skin on, from a fishmonger, as the fillet will be nice and thick. Carefully cut the belly fat off and trim any edges that aren’t smooth. The Salmon will present better later.

To make your cure mixture, blend the ingredients in a food processor, coat the fillet and set aside for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Rinse fillet with cold water, then dry with paper towel. To cold-smoke the fish, place the salmon fillet into a deep casserole dish and cover well with plastic wrap. Using a small hand smoker, make a small hole in the wrap to fit the nozzle in, fill the bowl of the smoker with some fine apple or hickory wood chips and smoke the fish until the chips have burned out.  Remove the nozzle and cover the small hole. Allow smoke to sit with the fish for at least 30 minutes. This will impart a gentle smoke flavour to the Salmon, make it moister and more tender when baked. (There is a huge difference to doing this process yourself rather than buying cold smoked fish. There is no comparison in the finished result! Look for hand smokers and fine wood chips at hospitality and catering stores).

Place the salmon fillet skin down in a baking tray, preferably one with high sides. Rub the flesh with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt, cracked black pepper and chopped thyme leaves from 8 stalks or so. Cover with foil and bake at 100 degrees C with no fan, for 1 hour. You’re looking for an internal temperature of approximately 46 degrees C. Serve straight from the oven.

To make the cream, use a hand blender or small food processer. Shuck the oyster meat into a container or blender, add the juice of 1 lemon, sparkling wine and olive oil and blend until smooth. Fold through the crème fraiche and season with salt and pepper. For the best presentation, put into a small squeeze bottle and refrigerate. You can dollop if you don’t have a bottle.

For the salad, peel the rhubarb and very finely slice in 10cm strips, then put into ice water so it curls up. Finely slice cucumber, baby radish, and baby fennel and add to a mixing bowl with the drained rhubarb and half a bunch of torn parsley, mint and chives cut into 4cm sticks.

When ready to serve, place the salmon fillet gently onto a wooden board or serving platter, dress the salad with some lemon dressing and gently surround the salmon fillet. Place your slices and dices of ceviche over the salmon and salad and repeat with the oyster cream and salmon roe. Pick a few small herbs off the remaining herb bunches to garnish, and finish with a little more olive oil over the top.
Serves 8

BOOK our Must Do - Wine & Taste experience in Tasmania.  It's a four night package combined with contemporary accommodation, fun and unique pursuits and it goes without saying delicious local food and wines!

Josef Chromy - wine and taste

Hey U.....

If you’re in your thirty to forties or even twenties you’re the lucky one because U by Uniworld have the newest and most stylish ships cruising the European rivers of France, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany and The Netherlands with U in mind.  

The concept is similar to its mother cruise company Uniworld. U have the joy of cruising the rivers in style and have the delight of only having to unpack once!  This is no just get aboard and laze about holiday, although it can be if that’s what U wish. The wine tasting, beer mixology, local celebrity DJ parties or yoga sessions are just a few of the on-board activities included, depending on your itinerary. U by Uniworld will have U in good stead to embrace your memorable European holiday.

Balcony Suite - unpack once!

Of course, U will go ashore and have the opportunity to explore and discover local attractions. Walk inside a medieval castle, visit a national museum of contemporary history or take a selfie at Eberbach Monastery with its 12th century architecture - which made it the perfect film location for ‘Game of Thrones’ and whilst there taste the abbey’s Riesling, as well as a scenic bike ride.  If U have not experienced a silent disco before, give it a go it’s so much fun. U choose your tune and then groove away. There are also evenings onshore and the U Hosts are on hand to give local insight and recommendations. The excursions have been perfectly selected and vary depending on your chosen itinerary and are there to enhance your European holiday – cheese tasting, hiking within a winery, rock-climbing and the list goes on.

Let's dine....

Breakfast. What? It’s brunch that is served and it’s available at your leisure with delicious eggs and bacon, salads and pastries and wholesome chia seed smoothies at arm’s reach.  Dining also is flexible with U choosing what time U would like to eat within the open hours and how U would like to be seated.  That is, U can dine at a communal table one day and then at a smaller high or low table the next, change it around as you establish new friends or simply choose to dine with your special someone.  The restaurant menu changes daily and consists of fresh and locally-inspired farm-to-table cuisine that is served as shared plates. Vegetarians and vegans are also catered for with scrumptious cuisine. After dinner relax on the rooftop lounge or enjoy a drink from the rooftop Ice Bar where tapas and after-hour snacks and a cocktail or two can be enjoyed.

The boutique floating hotels feature three different room styles ranging from "I just need a comfortable place to sleep" to "it’s all style and we’ll stay in a suite”. Flying solo? Not a problem; there are single and triple rooms, as well as the special request  twin-share room if U are travelling on your own and want to share the boutique cruising experience with a like-minded traveller. Whichever room you choose, you are guaranteed to have the best waterfront views, right from your room, in the centre of each city you visit.

Lounge Food 

U by Uniworld has two ships and 8 day itineraries that can be combined giving U a “super cruise” of fifteen or twenty-two days..  The maiden voyage set sail in April this year with much joy and excitement shared amongst the guests. The custom designed U by Uniworld itineraries will be cruising until October and then there are limited unique December departures allowing U to be away and enjoying the celebrations of Christmas and New Years Eve making for a memorable and special holiday.

The Rooftop Lounge - see you there!

Hey, so call us at Travel With A Difference for a brochure or to make a time to meet up to discuss and coordinate your holiday arrangements, so U have a wonderful European holiday!  Contact telephone: 03-5254 1279 and via social media - Facebook    Instagram    

U by Uniworld - yes, please!

Retreating in Style...

this is your welcome jetty as you arrive at Anantara Dhigu

"DREAM ON" and be groovy...

Hong Kong offers so much as a destination with many shopping precincts, a culture where you can participate in Tai Chi, take a tea appreciation class or explore the historical sites. The public transport makes for easy exploring and of course don't forget to pack your swimmers, remember it is summer!

Our "DREAM ON" deluxe package this week is the groovy Mira Hong Kong and not only do we have a fab package rate, but we are also offering an upgrade from the City View Room to the Courtyard Room*.

Oh, I forgot to mention the many cocktails and food experiences to be had!

INCLUSIONS: Return Qantas economy airfare including taxes ex Melbourne, Return private Mercedes transfers between HKG airport and The Mira, 4 Nights accommodation and daily breakfast.
COST: $1696.72 per person twin/double share
BOOK: today, as there are only limited "DREAM ON" deluxe holidays available.
DEPARTURE DATE:  Friday 08 June 2012
CONTACT:  Travel With A Difference now 03-5254 1279
* subject to availability

"DREAM ON" in a by-gone-era...

To escape and retreat to the legendary Raffles Hotel in Singapore is a wow factor experience. Relax in the nostalgia of your suite or spend sometime reading in the drawing room. Choose to dine in one of the restaurants or bars.
This remarkable hotel dates back to 1887 when the Sarkie Brothers, the proprietors of the Eastern & Oriental in Penang (hmmm..there's another getaway) announced they would open a hotel in the name of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Oh, there is too much to tell and it can all be discovered as you chill out on the balcony pondering the thoughts....
BOOK this "DREAM ON" deluxe holiday now, as it is only available today.
INCLUDES: Return Singapore Airlines economy airfare ex Melbourne, 4 Nights accommodation with late check out until 6pm, Daily breakfast, Welcome Singapore Sling, 24 Hour butler service, SG$500 worth of discount vouchers per room per stay (to be used at participating shops within the Raffles Hotel Arcade), One afternoon tea for two people plus a dinner for two at Tiffin Room (beverages not included), Australian departure and airport taxes.
DEPARTING DATE:  Thursday 24 May
COST: per person  $2991  double/twin share
Simply, email TWAD reservations or phone 03-5254 1279 advise the two passenger names and they appear in their passport, contact phone number and you are booked.

Stop dreaming and booking your holiday now....

"DREAM ON" escape to Bangkok

Destination:   Pathumwan Princess Bangkok, Thailand

Departure date:   Sunday 20 May     Return departure date: Thursday 24 May

Inclusions:  Return Thai Airways economy class airfare Ex Melbourne, Return private airport - hotel transfers, 4 Nights accommodation staying at the Pathumwan Princess Hotel in a Deluxe Room, Check out till 6pm, Daily breakfast, Australian departure and airport taxes

Cost per person: $1230.94

NOTE: these packages are limited for sale today only!

Additionals: upgrade to business class, travel insurance, credit card fees may apply.

BOOK NOW: "DREAM ON" reservations or 03-5254 1279 only on sale today or unless sold out!

Remember: at time of booking we need your name as it appears in your passport and a contact phone number!

"DREAM ON" no longer...

Make your "DREAM ON" deluxe holiday a reality today....

Destination:  Bali Sentosa Private Villas, Seminyak - 1 bedroom villa

Departure date: Friday 18 May      Return date:  Tuesday 22 May

Inclusions: Return Garuda economy class airfare Ex Melbourne, Return private airport - villa transfers, 4 Nights accommodation staying in a 1 bedroom deluxe villa, Daily breakfast, Daily afternoon tea/coffee with snacks at Blossom Restaurant, Free Wi-Fi internet access through out the resort, 1 Wholesome dinner at Evo Restaurant, Daily spa treatment - 60 minute Traditional Massage: 90 minute Natural facial: 120 minute spa treatment choose of solar deity or finding balance, Australian departure and airport taxes

Cost per person: $1997.32

Additionals: late check out, upgrade to business class, travel insurance, credit card fees may apply.

BOOK NOW:   "DREAM ON" reservations  or 03-5254 1279    only on sale today or unless sold out!

Remember: at time of booking we need your name as it appears in your passport and a contact phone number!

"DREAM ON" holidays to book...

Travel With A Difference will release a "DREAM ON" deluxe holiday or unique holiday experience weekly via FaceBook, the package will be for two persons to travel on a set date to Asia or the Pacific.

"You don't need to dream on any longer, you can make your deserving deluxe holiday a reality, with a simple click.   We love to make this easy for you!"

Your "DREAM ON" holiday package will include return airfares, private transfers, stylish accommodation and daily breakfast.  If a "DREAM ON" holiday package is any different it will be advised at time of the package being released on FaceBook.  "DREAM ON" packages are limited, so respond promptly to confirm your your holiday.

reservations & conditions for a "DREAM ON" package:
1.   will be released via FaceBook weekly featuring a set departure date from a capital city within Australia to a destination within Asia or Pacific.
2.   will include return airfares, transfers, accommodation and daily breakfast based on two guests travelling.
3.   departures exclude school holidays.
4.   are available at time of release, but offers are limited.
5.   requires an email to be sent to Travel With A Difference advising the guests names as it appear in their passports, along with a contact phone number. Guests must be 18 years of age or over.
6.   confirmation will be based on a "first in best dressed" response.
7.   once confirmed a deposit is required within 5 days.
8.   final payment is due one month prior to departure, unless otherwise advised.
9.   may require payment for airfare to be paid prior to final payment.
10. travel insurance is highly recommended, as packages are non-refundable and conditions apply.
11. is only available to Australian passport holders.
Travel With A Difference license number: 32425
RESERVATIONS and further information phone 03-5254 179