Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Cosmopolitan Sydney, Australia’s largest city, offers so much to see and do—the stately Sydney Harbour Bridge, iconic Opera House, Bondi Beach, and Royal Botanic Gardens, as well as alluring outdoor recreation, lively shopping districts, international cuisine, and a vibrant nightlife. Despite this extensive menu of possibilities, though, one of Sydney’s most popular attractions remains the colorful historic area known as "The Rocks."

Founded in 1788 as a penal colony to house convicts from Great Britain’s overloaded correctional facilities, The Rocks’ original buildings were constructed of sandstone, a fact that led to the area’s name. Even from its earliest days, The Rocks had a bad reputation—one that didn’t improve as it established itself as a dockside slum filled with prostitutes, sailors, dockworkers, and even a street gang known for theft, assault, and battery.

Today, cobblestones still line the lanes and narrow alleyways, and some of the original buildings still stand—including Australia’s oldest house, Cadman’s Cottage, which dates back to 1816. The Rocks’ gritty past, though, has been tempered by a genteel charm. History and heritage now stand intermingled with quaint artisan shops, galleries, pubs, and street entertainment. The picturesque setting in the shadow of Harbour Bridge creates a captivating travel destination and true magnet for Sydney visitors, young and old alike.

Things to do in The Rocks area:

1)      Take a cruise on Sydney Harbour.

2)      Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge. Adventurous visitors can climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge, the world’s tallest steel-arch bridge, for amazing panoramic views. 

3)      Enjoy a pub tour. The Rocks houses many of Sydney’s oldest watering holes. Guided pub tours are available or you can visit them on your own.

4)      Take a ghost tour. Journey through haunted houses and hear eerie tales of murder, violence, and treachery that took place in this historic area.

5)      Visit a museum. The Museum of Contemporary Art is Australia’s only museum featuring contemporary art, while The Rocks Discovery Museum is located in a restored 1850s sandstone warehouse and showcases the history of The Rocks from the times before the convicts arrived to the present day.

6)      Explore The Rocks Market. Operating each weekend, the market offers hundreds of stalls filled with locally grown produce, hand-crafted artwork, and many unique products and Australian delicacies.

7)      Browse the charming shops & galleries. Many are converted workmen’s cottages, warehouses, and sandstone terrace houses.

Planning a trip to Australia?  No one takes you further in the land down under than Globus. From the breathtaking scenery to the captivating culture, the lands of New Zealand and Australia offer a vacation like no other. Pick a vacation style that best fits you.  Globus offers a wonderful selection of escorted and independent vacations to choose from. Learn more about Globus Australia tours and take advantage of early booking discounts for 2011 travel.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Royal Caribbean is making waves with their new itineraries for 2011. 

The cruise line is making a bold move and taking most of the ships offering 7 day cruises out of South Florida.  Travelers can choose from the two largest cruise ships in the world, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas from Ft. Lauderdale alterning Eastern and Western caribbean cruises.  Since both ship are new and offer an incredible amount of amenities, this leaves the prices fairly high, so it will be interesting to see if cruisers will pay the premium, or go looking for cheaper options on other cruise lines.

The Mariner of the Seas is being redeployed from Los Angeles to Europe. This will give Royal Caribbean a record-breaking 11 ships in europe for the summer of 2011. It seems to me like a lot of inventory when many clients are still seeking vacations closer to home. In November 2011, the Mariner will debut cruises out of Galveston Texas for Western caribbean cruises through April 2012.

RCI is also adding a second ship Down Under.  There will be 13 unique itineraries to choose from including new ports such as Apia, Samoa; Denarau, Fiji and Esperance, Australia.  Radiance of the Seas now joins Rhapsody of the Seas in Australia, offering a selection of 2- to 18-night itineraries with a variety of stunning South Pacific ports of call. You'll be snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef one day and exploring a pristine tropical island the next. For the ultimate Australian vacation, set sail with Radiance of the Seas for a Circumnavigation of Australia, which combines a 16-night Australia Top End cruise and an 18-night Australia Bottom End cruise for a truly unique experience.

Royal Caribbean's ships are some of the most innovative in the industry. Not only are there lots of amazing things to do onboard - like the new 30-foot rock climbing wall, FlowRider® surf simulator, and great dining options to name a few—there's also an endless number of fun onshore activities, too. You'll also be able to visit many different destinations all on one cruise, without ever having to repack-all for one amazing price.

Monday, August 09, 2010

When a place has as much to offer as Australia & New Zealand, it is wise to organize your time before leaving home. By arranging an independent tour or joining an escorted, group tour, you'll be able to make the most efficient use of your time and see more of the wonder down under.

Australia and New Zealand are full of amazing natural landscapes, vibrant cities and modern attractions. There's so much of interest it's not surprising visitors return inspired and excited about their experiences.

New Zealand is compact and can be covered, top to bottom, in a couple of weeks.

Across the Tasman Sea lies Australia. This vast country has many areas catering to visitors that are long distances apart.

Combining both countries is an adventure of a lifetime as you see two of the most fascinating countries in the world - from spectacular Fjordland National Park, New Zealand to Ayers Rock, Australia and everything surrounding these amazing places.

Independent Touring

Through our industry partnerships, we can arrange a custom vacation for you to see all you want in Australia and New Zealand.

• From luxury hotels to budget camping adventures there are many options available for singles, families and groups.
• In New Zealand, the road system on both the North and South islands is immaculately maintained and un-crowded making it easy to tour by car or motor-home. You can also travel by rail and coach.
• Farm stays let you experience first hand a vital part of these agricultural nations.
• With the long distances in Australia, take advantage of an air pass if you have limited time. There are also rail and coach passes available for independent travellers.
• Independent tours designed for families include activities just for kids like a visit to the School of the Air, a program of radio instruction for children of the Outback.
• For the outdoor adventurer, trekking, bird and wildlife viewing are safe and pleasant in New Zealand as there are no natural predators or snakes. Take a hike on White Island, an active marine volcano or through the Waitomo Caves to glow worm grotto. Go bungee jumping where it was invented, in Queenstown, the capital of extreme adventure activity. 

Escorted Tours

For many travellers, organized tours with a group provide the most efficient way to see the most important areas of Australia and New Zealand. They enjoy the carefree experience with luggage handled for them, having a full time local guide and the camaraderie of travelling with others.

• Tours are available with accommodation from budget to luxury with most sightseeing and some meals included.
• Group Tours range from a one day tour to the Hunter Valley north of Sydney to comprehensive one month tours of both countries with domestic flights included.
• Combine shorter tours and city stays to create your own adventure. Pick and choose from a wide selection of destination and special interest escorted tours.
• A must see, easily visited by guided tour, is famous Ayers Rock, situated at the Red Centre of Australia, the dry, outback desert area in the middle of the country. The area is part of Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park which is Aboriginal land and one of the few World Heritage properties listed for both natural and cultural importance. Experience Aboriginal culture at the visitors centre and music and dance shows.
• To see more of the South Pacific, add a stop over in Fiji or the Cook Islands to your flight home.

Last but not least, you can combine both a land and sea vacation on a cruise tour of  Australia and New Zealand.  Cruising Australia and New Zealand is an adventure that offers a diversity of landscapes and experiences unmatched anywhere else in the world. The ports you'll visit are amongst the most varied and interesting in the world. You can discover more of these exciting countries by adding a tour before or after your cruise. This could certainly be your most memorable vacation

Australia tour packages and independant vacations were just released for all of 2011 through early 2012.  There are some wonderful promotions available for booking made by the end of August.

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

We all “feel” better getting away on vacation. Did you know it really is not just your imagination? Science and statistics show it is true.  Vacations can reduce risk of heart disease, depression and even slow down the aging process. How about this statistic… Two vacations can cut your risk of heart attack by 50%.

Vacations help reduce stress, which will always help your health. 

Here are some other  tips to reduce stress during travel.

• Get away long enough time to let go of your daily grind.  A week is recommended.
• Watch your time zones – too many time zones actually increase your stress on your body’s natural rhythms.
• Don’t over schedule your trip – Make sure you have quiet time each day.
• Be social – making new acquaintances has a restorative power.
• Enjoy physical activity – moderate exercise like swimming and walking are great energy boosters.

How sad that a third or us do not use all our vacation days!  Hopefully this will inspire you to take some time to better your health with travel.

Ready to research a trip?

Here is our network of travel destination sites for travel planning made easy!

Africa Tours | Alaska Tours | Antarctica Tours | Asia Tours | Atlas Cruises & Tours | Australia Tours | Canada Tours | Christmas Market Tours | England Tours | Escorted Family Vacations | Fall Foliage Tours | France Tours | Greece Tours | Hawaii Tours | Ireland Tours | Italy Tours | Luxury Tour | National Parks Tours | Oberammergau | River Cruise | Russia Tours | Scandinavia Tours | South America Tours | Spain Tours

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Ever thought of going on an independent vacation for your honeymoon? You choose your destination, how long you stay, it really doesn't get any easier than that. Below is a press release about the new independent programs that Monograms offers especially for honeymooners.

LITTLETON, Colorado 11/11/2009 – When planning a wedding, some perfectly lovely women become “bridezillas” and wonderfully great men find themselves doing everything wrong… Together, bride and groom are often under extraordinary pressure – and sometimes, at odds – while booking the “perfect” honeymoon.  Monograms provides want-to-be-honeymooners a solution: Simplifying travel planning by taking care of vacation details on nearly 150 travel packages in 31 countries on five continents around the world.

“We handle all the details for honeymooners,” said Jennifer Halboth, director of marketing for the Globus family of brands, parent company to Monograms.  “This includes offering them a wide variety of destinations from which to choose the perfect getaway as well as a selection of highly recommended hotels, known for their location and amenities and transportation, ensuring they easily get from point A to B (and C, D and F).”

For international escapes, Monograms also provides travelers a Local Host – an expert in their destination – to help them make the most of their vacation.  And, in 2010, Monograms has expanded the cities worldwide in which Local Host services are available.

“Many newlyweds don’t have a lot of time or energy to research their honeymoon destination before they go.  This isn’t a problem when choosing Monograms as a travel companion,” said Halboth.  “When couples travel internationally with us, they will be welcomed by an on-site expert who will help them get acquainted with their honeymoon destination by facilitating a half-day of sightseeing.  The Local Host is also on hand to personalize their experience, providing suggestions, making excursion arrangements and answering questions.” 

Sample Monograms Vacations Sure to Appeal to Honeymooners in 2010 Include:

EUROPE

• A Week in Paris (7 days)
• Rome, Paris & London (10 days)
• Paris & Nice (7 days)
• Rome, Florence & Venice (10 days)
• NEW Rome & Sorrento (7 days)
• Barcelona & Madrid (7 days)

SOUTH AMERICA

• Cruising the Galapagos with Peru (13 days)
• NEW Brazil, Argentina & Chile (13 days)
• NEW Costa Rica Wonders (7 days)

SOUTH PACIFIC

• Australian Escape (11 days)
• Journey Down Under (11 days)

ASIA

• NEW Beijing & Shanghai (7 days)
• NEW Beijing & Hong Kong (7 days)
• NEW Bangkok & Phuket (9 days)

NORTH AMERICA

• NEW Vancouver & Whistler (7 days)
• Oahu & Maui (7 days)
• NEW Maui & Kauai (7 days)

Ready to start picking out your honeymoon http://www.independentvacations.org/