Africa
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It’s a land of mystery and adventure; a vast continent where deserts and jungles
are larger than many countries. As a holiday destination, Africa can’t be shoe-horned
into a single category. An adventure destination, definitely. Come to Africa to
commune with a staggering variety of wildlife in its natural environment. Come to
Africa to meet ancient tribes of Bushmen and Bedouin desert nomads. Africa is equally
a family holiday destination as a romantic Mecca for couples. From the pyramids
of Giza to the wineroutes of Cape Town; from the bustling bazaars of Morocco to
the breathtaking beaches of Mauritius, from the snowy pinnacle of Kilimanjaro to
the dusty tracks of the Kalahari, Africa reveals itself as a complex and fascinating
continent of rich cultural and ecological variety.
Antarctica
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The land at the end of the earth, the world’s last pristine wilderness continent,
and the source of much of southern Australia’s winter weather, Antarctica is fast
becoming a ’hot’ destination. A harsh land of frozen polar ice, it’s surprisingly
also the driest continent on earth. We go to the Antarctic to experience Mother
Nature at her wild untamed best, and we encounter wildlife thriving in the most
extreme conditions on the planet. We get there by a number of routes, sometimes
from Hobart or Lyttleton in NZ, but most expeditions leave from Ushuaia on the southernmost
tip of Argentina, and getting there is an adventure in itself.
Asia view
This is Asia; a continent as diverse as any on earth with vastly different populations
linked by a common smile. There’s no easy way to categorise our northern neighbours,
they’re all so different, but wherever you decide to go you’ll be enchanted by the
warm hospitality and the depth of culture you encounter. History stretches back
thousands of years and nurtures antiquities of rare beauty and value, cuisines are
as unique as the communities that produce them, but the welcome is as genuine in
the hills of Bhutan as on the beaches of Bali.
Australia
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You’re standing in it. The wide brown land downunder; universally acknowledged as
the world’s most desired holiday destination. And the reasons are self-evident.
Vibrant, cosmopolitan and safe, our cities are the envy of the world for their multicultural,
sophisticated and understated style. We’re awash with spectacular sights and unique
flora & fauna right around the country and our laidback, laconic approach to life
is admired by all. If we just spend ten seconds thinking about it, we could all
come up with our own top ten Aussie destinations list. What are you waiting for?
Europe
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History, culture and romance are just 3 very good reasons for a European holiday.
Lifetime memories are around every corner of this continent, and they’re waiting
just for you. Paris is on every honeymooner’s wish list, London on a gourmand’s.
See Rembrandt in Amsterdam or Michelangelo in Florence. Catch a bullfight in Barcelona
or a salmon in Scotland. Walk along Dubrovnik’s city wall or sail around Stockholm’s
waterfront, cycle around Belgium or cruise along the Danube; whatever you do, wherever
you go, your holiday in Europe will become a memory you will carry forever.
North America
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It’s a big continent and it spans the frozen Arctic wastes of Alaska and Canada
to the searing deserts of New Mexico and Texas. It’s home to the world’s most recognised
city names, and some of the world’s most photographed scenic resources. Two countries
side by side, collectively the largest source of our entertainment and ideas, and
a holiday here will put you in touch with a history and culture much older than
our own, but similar in many ways. This is a land where dreams do come true, where
the pioneering spirit lives on; where big city sophistication gives way to small
town innocence, and where your next holiday will be one out of the box.
South Pacific
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Think South Pacific and the colours blue and white flicker in your mind’s eye. This
is where impossibly blue skies hang languidly over warm aquamarine seas, set off
by a ribbon of brilliant white sand. Think a wide ocean studded with the sheer splendour
of tropical islands fringed by sandy beaches with not a footprint to disturb the
postcard beauty. Think warm, gentle people singing songs of welcome as they drape
lei around your neck. Think endless summer and the kiss of sunshine on your face.
Think about calling your Travel Counsellor right now.
Gorillas in the Mist
Wednesday 8th October 1997

Travel Counsellor: Kerrie Croft
Grrr Gorillas
Anyone who has seen the movie “Gorillas in the Mist” can’t help but feel compassion for the gentle giant gorillas – what wonderful creatures to be on the brink of extinction. I wanted to see them in the wild before it was too late.
Most people go with an organised safari group and this is the easiest way on limited time but the adventurer in me meant I just turned up. This has its risks as you could be on a waiting list for days even weeks since each day has a limit on the amount of people that can enter each park to track the gorillas.
There are several places to see the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains which borders Uganda, Zaire and Rwanda. I chose the lesser known and smaller Mgahinga National park in far south west corner of Uganda [right on the border with Rwanda and Zaire].
The entrance to the park was up a steep dirt track 12 kms from Kisoro, a small basic village. There was a camping ground at the entrance so my new found travel buddy and... view full story
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