Sailing or Cruising...

If taking to the seas is not your thing, consider sharing this with someone you know, who'd love the insight and to experience amazing destinations that go along with being on a vessel of some description at sea or on a river...

I grew up with dad having a boat/s, so as a kid fishing and wake-boarding were experiences that brought much fun to our family activity.  Then as an adult, I took myself off on a week long holiday sailing on a 100ft square rigger the "Golden Plover" in the Whitsundays, having so much fun, I extended my stay to sail supplies to chartered yachts.  A few years later whilst traveling abroad I had a few spontaneous jaunts at sea, then back home it was another Whitsunday's sailing holiday completely different to my first and then an amazing sail around Tonga island hoping remote islands. These and other boating experiences have brought much joy and maybe hair-raising moments, but have given me memories I am glad for and fond of!

Here are a few ideas for 2017 that may just be what you're after...

Viking Cruises offer river and ocean cruises, being European owned the clientele is a mix of nationalities, the river cruises of course have the lesser passengers and all viking ships offer the same Scandinavian style and comfort interior. Earlybird offers until 31 October 2016 

Star Clippers is your tall ship cruising experience. Cruise the Caribbean or the Mediterranean seas or embark on their newest voyage around Indonesia. Cruise between May - October 2017 for savings.
Cruise around Croatia for 8 Days and save up to $600 per couple. Earlybird book + deposit by 31 Oct.

Luxury River Cruising in Myanmar (Burma) in November, 1st passenger $6482 + 2nd if FREE. Book now!

Uniworld River Cruises have been a favourite with our clients. To see the Netherlands and Belgium in spring when the flowers create a tapestry of colour. Book + Deposit before 31 October for 2017.

Orion Cruise zodiac landing in PNG

And then there's still, the small boat experiences in Fiji, the Kimberley,  PNG, India and other interesting destinations I have not mentioned.  To discuss your holiday further, simply contact us at Travel With A Difference and we look forward to assisting with your memorable holiday.

Star Clippers - Indonesia

our entertainment in Tonga!

"On My Bum"

We all have our own reason, as to why we choose to take off and remove ourselves from our regular life routine.   Some like to take a holiday for a week or so, stay in one location and simply relax and enjoy the resort.  Others may choose to travel and utilise different modes of transport and explore several towns and cultures.

I wanted to visit a place that I'd heard of back in 1991 from when I meet an eighteen year old female Canadian traveller in Nepal. She was travelling solo; I was twenty-one and travelling with a friend.  I was intrigued by her and her travels.  The opportunity arose at the end of 2013, when I was going to Bali and then on to Malaysia to explore the destination and view some hotels.  Laos was only a 2 hour 45minute flight away from Kuala Lumpur, that would take me to Vientiane the capital.  I'd then sit at the airport cafe for a few hours before boarding a forty-five minute flight to arrive into Luang Prabang.   Laos was that long awaited destination.

To get to Laos there is no direct path from here, it is bit of a hop-skip and jump either via Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia or Thailand.  But this was an opportunity and it was the UNESCO town of Luang Prabang, that I wanted to experience and that's what I did for ten days.

Sure, I doubled up on visiting the night market, having a g&t at a café or restaurant along the Mekong or Nam Khan Rivers before dinner or walking in and out of stores pondering their wares and where to spend my money.  The expats are prevalent in town, but so are the opportunistic locals.  Designer clothes and home wares to delicious croissants, were all there for purchasing, as well as home-stitched clothing or a serving of sticky rice (eaten with your fingers of course!).

Having the joy and freedom to consume my breakfast, lunch and dinner at any time and at any location, there was only so much aimless gazing I could do.  I started to click photos of all that I was observing.  I was on this journey alone, so I embraced living in the moment and called this moment “On My Bum” as that’s what I was doing, sitting on my bum as I clicked these and other pics during my breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Enjoy!

Vientiane Airport cafe

Sakkaline Road

Sakkaline Road

Kitsalat Road

Kitsalat Road

Ock Pop Tok Textiles - fairtrade village

Elephant Village Sanctuary

Shangri-Loa expedition up the Nam Khan River

Sakkaline Road

a Tad Sae Waterfall cafe

located between Nam Khan River & Sakkaline Road

The owner of the cafe

Ps. Not on my bum, but the sounds they generate

Wanting to escape and experience the unknown?  Travel With A Difference can also coordinate a celebratory, well-being or a bespoke free-spirit holiday. 

group travel cringe or embrace....

Group holidays, do you cringe when you hear the word 'group'? 

Don't worry you're not alone; I still hear people say, "oh, I could not stand that".  But the more diverse these group holiday options are becoming the more people are participating and embracing them. 

There's a variety of 'group holiday' experiences to be had. It may be a small group journey - where you join a small group of up to twelve guests to experience a destination. The more niche is the special interest group getaway - where groups of whatever number will experience a footy game, Gallipoli, trekking, a photograph or writing workshop just to name a few.  Then, there's the small 'like-minded' holidays, where men or women gather with their friends to chill-out, share a laugh and whatever takes their fancy - usually a cooking class or a game of golf.  Yes, they leave their loved-(family and pets)-one’s home.

Also, I question. Does then going on a cruise entail 'group travel'? As you are amongst the masses of thousands, all living the same life for the duration of time it takes to embark and disembark on the cruise.

'Generational-holidays' could also be group holiday, as I have coordinated these Generational-holidays where the grandparents take their children, spouse and grandchildren on a holiday...those number of guests soon add up!

Travelling as group does definitely have its merits. It allows you to travel in the safety and companionship of others. It means your holiday arrangements will be pre-arranged and mostly pre-paid, giving a smoother and more seamless journey.  It takes the pondering and decision making out of it, which can be a time waster when on holidays.  For sure, you still have to take the time to ponder and decide, but is mostly done before you depart on your holiday. The pondering and decision making would be on what destination you are going to go, what is it you want to experience, what the cost you are prepared to pay and so on.

So, for your next holiday you may just ponder...am I travelling in the company of simply a friend or loved one or am I going to cringe or embrace the thought of a 'group holiday'? 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts....

Travel With A Difference CALENDAR has a few 'special interest' group holiday you may be interested in: Uganda - eco and sustainable.  France - history of Julia Child and food. Uganda - charity and sustainable.

trekking Bay of Fires

Bill Peach journeys: Sydney to London

Absolute Sanctuary group yoga retreat

lodging whilst trekking Vietnam

Travel With A Difference through knowledge and experience, can tailor-make a memorable and unique journey for you....

trekking together....

A valued client/friend contacted TWAD earlier this year with the desire for her and her female friends to go on a trekking holiday in Asia.  They had trekked Tasmania and the Northern Territory several times and now were after something different. It was great talking with her to discover her desired requirements: it was to combine some trekking, stunning countryside, cooking class or sensational cuisine, as well as a bit of luxury along the way.  Nutting through the destinations, giving consideration to their time and seasonal climate constraints, North Vietnam was the chosen destination.
When visiting Hanoi, a cruise out on Halong Bay is a must, with the travelling time there, that added a couple of days to the itinerary.  The eight night / nine day itinerary was created.  It involved a night in Hanoi on arrival, four days trekking in a National Park with three nights in basic homestay accommodation and amenities, a night a Nihn Bihn - this was the capital city before Hanoi, a night cruising Halong Bay followed by two nights in a luxury hotel at the end in Hanoi along with a cooking class at K.O.T.O. - a local hospitality school giving children off the streets the opportunity for a change in life.
The journey invitation was for eight women, due to circumstance, it extended to ten with me becoming one of the group.  Not only was I keen on the itinerary, but it would be the first time I'd be travelling with a group on an organised itinerary and I've spent many years travelling. So, this was going to be interesting!!
Sapa is the most spoken of location when people say they're going trekking in Vietnam, but due the travelling time to get there and the request from our client for a location with a strong local and less tourists, we headed south west. Pictures below display the stunning scenery in which we were surrounded by daily as we trekked. The accommodation and hospitality on the luxurious Bhaya was a delight, after sleeping on bamboo floors with a thin mattress for three nights, plus the food sensational.  When we arrived in Hanoi, our journey had been elevated once again, by two nights in the beautiful and historical Hotel Metropole.
Do, enjoy my holiday photos below and if you have a group of friends or colleagues or if you wish to take your family on such a journey, simply phone us, we love to discuss, create and coordinate holiday with your requirements in mind...   
Travel With A Difference reservations: 03-5254 1279

A holiday with everything we had wished for ~ Lawes, QLD

And the journey goes on... Please visit our facebook page for further images. Enjoy, Karen

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....

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...

Travelling Solo - to do or not to do

For over twenty years I have been on and off planes, whether it be for work or leisure I have always managed to squeeze in some solo travelling. It has not been by choice, it has been a matter of circumstance. Work has you attending a conference, a private famil doing resort/hotel inspections or travelling from A-to-B to meet up with friends.

I look back at the times I've travelled solo and each time I recall saying "I'm not doing this again" .  Huh, but some how, I find myself in that solo state of travelling once again.  As much as I'm conscious of the feeling of being solo...lonely...bored..it happens, me travelling solo.  Why do I loath solo travelling? There is nobody to share the moment with, sure there's the people in the train, plane or automobile, but are you going to see them again to share the heart felt moment you just experienced?  Not likely.

Travelling solo can also have its rewards and attributes, such as allowing you to step out of your comfort zone and chat with a stranger, it allows time for you to see and do the things you want to see and do without compromise. I recall being in need of time-out, so I went to a spa health retreat - Kamalaya Koh Samui. It was fab, I was there for a week, I didn't speak to anyone beyond the staff for the first five days, I need that down time. Then I met a fab English woman there and had great chats for the next day and half. 

So, whatever your reason, purpose or need to holiday or travel is do consider does it have to be solo or can I share the experience. And this is where these great Companion Business Class Airfares with Malaysian Airlines can assist. Enjoy.


OFFER: Companion Business Class Airfares - Malaysian Airlines
- On Sale until 30 November
- Companions must travel together entire journey
- Visit Malaysia, Asia, Middle East or UK/Europe
For Reservations contact: http://www.travelwithadifference.com.au/


It can be a hard slog...



Oh, thrill of being solo...



 


Remember when...