'Tis the season...

In these austere times treats and indulgences are so much more valuable as they lift the spirits and nurture the soul. It is about a pampering experience for ourselves and possibly more importantly for our love ones. This lead my thoughts to perhaps the most significant indulgence of all – a great holiday, skillfully put together, blending real value for money, appealing to the traveller’s holiday wish list and competently delivered by the knowledgeable travel expert. We all live fast paced lives with little room for pleasure so indulging in a well-planned holiday is OK!

Judging by the last minute calls and booking enquiries we have received in the last week or two, for departures during the holiday season it seems that travel is not totally off the cards for the local traveller.

So here are some last minute specials where you may just be lucky to get a seat on a plane and a comfy bed in a resort.

Laid back Zanzibar is one of my favourite destinations so exotic and yet so Africa.

The Karafuu Hotel is great value and by all accounts lives up to its reputation of excellence. The following review comes from guests who were at the hotel in Nov 08:

We rate this hotel as excellent for the following reasons:

1. High standard accommodation (not just for honeymooners!).
2. Courteous well-trained staff who want all the guests to have a very enjoyable stay

3. Location: East Zanzibar, on the beach, clean with wonderful pool life and snorkeling in the lagoon. Terrific environment.
4. High quality cuisine for half-board of international standard.
5. Access to very well organised tours to all places of interest, with personal guides.

We recommend this hotel without any caveats.

Skiing is a holiday that one should do at least once in a lifetime and if you do it once you will probably be hooked and then it will become a regular holiday option. Switzerland has some great offers in the New Year. Champery, one of the oldest ski resorts located in Val d’Illiez in the Lower Valais, still manages to maintain much of its traditional charm with several fine bars and restaurants in the village. These are situated side by side with the numerous traditional chalets with their carved balconies and typical roofs so reminiscent of the popular Johanna Spyri’s story of Heidi, the girl from the Alps. There is plenty of skiing in Champery, the cable cars and the chair-lifts lead from the village into the skiing area of “Portes du Soleil”, one of the world’s largest continuous skiing areas.

Or click on the following link for other ski packages suited to your specific needs.

Skiing Holidays

Mauritius is offering some great last minute 7 & 10 night breaks just after the New Year. The perfect time to recharge the batteries, on our most favourite tropical Indian Ocean Island.

Holidays to Mauritius in February 2009

Le Cannonier is a resort offering a full house of cards; a great location, peace & tranquility, close proximity to Grande Baie and the best value for your spend. A unique feature of this charming resort are the sundowners you can enjoy at Le Navigator Bar while listening to soothing popular classics as gentle waves lap the golden shore.

With the devastating terrorist activity in India and the customarily happy and relaxed Thais threatening unrest in their land of a thousand smiles, contemplating a secure destination is at the top of everyone’s list of holiday priorities. There is no safer haven than Ireland. A country that has been there, done it, got the bloody T shirt…remember the provocative & chilling IRA movies such as ‘Bloody Sunday’ and Daniel Day Lewis in the ‘Day of the Father’? Well those days are all behind them for the time being and you are as safe as houses in Ireland. You will be awe-struck by the exceptional joie de vivre & beauty of this green and fertile rock…I can guarantee a holiday you will cherish for eternity.

Here is just a soupcon of Irish holidays we have to offer. I have a great passion for the Irish, the nicest and most witty folk you will meet anywhere on this mortal coil. One of our specialties is crafting a holiday to Ireland tailor made specifically for your needs and desires. There is so much diversity that you will be gob-smacked at all the activities available to the intrepid & enterprising traveller.

It is time to book your cruise for 2009/10. Cruising is the best and most value for money holiday ever. Have you noticed how many different cruise lines there are? Why do you think that is? Because many discerning travellers realise that cruises are a unique and affordable way to experience the world. We often forget that most of our spectacularly beautiful planet is water!

Search for cruise holidays

Have you heard about the specialised mobile service provider, WEBTEL.MOBI? They are cutting the costs for mobile calls and texts worldwide by up to 80%. The new service enables travellers abroad to make mobile phone calls cheaper than by using their own, or host networks, and thereby avoiding weighty roaming charges. The service can be use by any person with a web-enabled mobile phone from anywhere in the world from their own phone regardless of the contract type or local service provider, and with no need to change their service provider or their own phone number. Signup to Webtel.mobi is free and is a simple 30 second online process. There are no contract requirements and users may join or leave whenever they wish. Webtel.mobi can be accessed from web-enabled mobile phones or desktop and laptops at www.webtel.mobi. And whilst on the subject of the web have you joined twitter yet? Take a look when browsing the web next time.

Tis the silly season, so may I wish you peace & goodwill, travel safely and spare a thought for those 1000’s less fortunate for whom the festive season is meaningless.

In the words of many a South African & that Jewish, Xhosa speaking South African comedienne Nik Rabinowitz all I have left to say is ‘Shap Shap’ or (Sharp! Sharp!) Meaning stay focused plus a whole host of other innuendos as well!

Lindsay Quail