festive celebrations....

The idea of Christmas or New Year in Europe was recently put in front of me and I thought, what an amazing holiday experience that would be.  I've experienced a Christmas in London, where it lightly snowed, the novelty of being away from family and in a winters environment, as opposed to sunny Barwon Heads was exciting. I've spent a New Years Eve in Edinburgh, where Hogmanay is a celebration that is very festive and friendly.  Another festive season abroad was for Easter in Austria due to a skiing holiday.  All memorable and unique, but the highlight was probably St Anton in Austria; where we went to church, we were all rugged up trooping to and from our hotel in the snow and sharing that moment with friends was special.
So, when this idea of spending Christmas or New Year in Europe, I thought I best share it with you.
The tours we have available range from 7 to 12 days visiting destinations Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany...you may stay in an 800 year old Coaching Inn deep in the heart of the snow covered mountains of Austria or for a German Fairytale Christmas, stay in a village beneath Neuschwanstein Fairytale Castle.
These are escorted group tours and prices start from $1,999 per person twin/double share.
Call us today for reservations or to discuss your European holiday further.  T: 03-5254 1279
Spaces are filling fast, due to the success of previous years!


Central Europe Inn



Chapel Austria



Vienna Townhall Christmas Market



Neuschwanstein Fairytale Castle, Germany




bucket list...

Wanting to give suggestion to an array of awesome holiday experiences, to which some of us may refer to as a Bucket List, but I wanted to clarify when and where the Bucket List come from?
Well, if you've clicked on the Bucket List link, you'd have read it was based on a movie released in 2007 that featured Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman - with those two actors, this movie is now on my DVD rental list.
The Bucket List is a personal thing, your desires and wishes of things you wish to do.  What's fun about the bucket list, is it is something that you'll enjoy doing, remember for a lifetime and maybe never do again.  So, here a few bucket list suggestions, but I'm sure you've got your own...
1. staying in a hotel where your favourite movie actor/actress once stayed.
2. swim with a whale shark - slow moving filter feeding shark, can be 12m in length.
3. go to India and help build a village.
4. with friends rent a riad in Morocco.
5. relax on a beach in the Cook Island.

It is whatever you want it to be....

to you all...

have a Happy Happy Festive Season

stay safe, jolly and well for the New Year

ENJOY the transition, as you move from the end of one year to the beginning of another. 

ENJOY the company of the people you keep, if you're not enjoying it, move on.

ENJOY the freshness of the produce you consume.

ENJOY and embrace your thoughts and dreams for the future.
Whilst not forgetting, there are others less fortunate...

ENJOY the moment.... until we speak again - Karen

sailing the maldives...

Operating a travel business and being a busy consultant, means a lot of time is spent sitting at the desk in front of the computer.  Daily on the computer screen, I see endless deals for romancing at resorts, volunteering holidays abroad, extensive car leasing, cruising the Caribbean to trekking in stunning locations, and that is without mentioning the airline deals.
This one came through and stopped me in my tracks. I thought wow. Sailing the Maldives. Imagine, sailing. You and a friend or a few of your friends, if you're not confident or experienced to sail alone, rent a crewed catamaran that provides you with a skipper and a cook to prepare your meals. Having just sailed around Tonga....I had to blink myself back to the reality of work!  
We all take some time during the year for a little getaway and I understand, people have different priorities to what they wish to do with their time and money or even their desired holiday destination.  But, if you love the ocean, escaping crowds - all it takes is a mate or three couples and you could be on yacht sailing turquoise blue waters and having an amazing experience.

To discuss your vessel options and best time to explore and sail the Maldives, give us call: 03-5254 1279

holidays for happiness...

During the GFC the government was urging us to take holidays, for us to spend and stimulate the economy... Well, some of us did and some of us didn't.  For those that did, well done, you contributed to keeping monies moving and as you would've discovered and may discover further - you felt good for it!

What you gained and maybe you weren't conscious of or even aware of it, was the sense of happiness you felt when on holidays. During my years in travel I've meet some passionate persons, and through the spa industry I recently met a fellow, Dr Sebastion Filep, he and I were both at a Medical Tourism & Wellness Tourism conference.  Our discussions were fun, but his passion for peoples happiness and how tourism can assistance in that was of great interest.  Working at Victoria University, Centre for Tourism and Services Research, he'd had just returned from a conference in Budapest where it was discussed that, yes, tourism - travel and holidays - did stimulate your a sense of happiness and improve wellbeing.

Below are a few links where Dr Sebastian Filep has been quoted.  On reading these, you'll comtemplate your past holidays and how you felt, smile and giggle and acknowledge, yes, my holiday did enstill a sence of happiness....Enjoy! 
Scientists say holidays are good for us
Travel eases depression: research 
Make everyday like your holidays
Holidays can make you live longer


simply capturing the moment...



Balinese girls at Kila Aman



 Note:  wish to travel with a friend, on your own or with a group, simply give us a call and discover what Travel With A Difference can do for you...