Secret Women's Business
Girls On Tour Newsletter - August 2017 |
| | From the editor.....
Welcome Friend to the ‘winter’ edition of “Secret Women’s Business”.
What another incredible year of touring we’ve had visiting exciting new destinations as well as returning to ‘old favourites’. Many ladies travelled with Girls On Tour for the first time in 2017 and many returned for more exciting adventures. I am so very grateful to each and every one of my girls for their ongoing support. It is the friendship, camaraderie, inspiration and wanderlust of these incredible women that make my ‘job’ the best one on earth.
During the year we’ve marvelled at the solitude of Antarctica, the beauty of Italy, the remoteness of The Kimberley, the diversity of The Galapagos and been humbled by the humility of the beautiful people of Laos and Myanmar. In 2018 I aim to take you to more wonderful destinations and hope that you will join us on your ‘trip of a lifetime’. |
| | A secret love affair……..
I’m often asked ‘where is your favourite place in the world?", my answer will always be home, but if you’re asking me where in the world have I left a piece of my heart, it’s Egypt. I don’t even know when my love affair with this ancient land started but it’s enduring. It was long before my first visit in 1998 with our then 14 year old son Brian, but after returning another 4 times and 50 countries later, the longing still continues. Nothing can prepare you for the enormity of Egypt. No documentaries, images or stories can do her justice, you must see the land, walk through the temples, feel the history and meet her people for yourself. The first time I gazed upon the gold mask of Tutankhamen, I cried. I can’t wait to return to the land of the Pharaohs once again when the time is right. If you’ve left a little piece of your heart somewhere and would like to share it with our readers please "click" on the button below and I’ll publish some of your stories in my next newsletter.
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| | | Keywords competition....
In our last newsletter I asked you to send me the 'keywords' that you use to search for your holidays. Thank you to everyone who entered. The draw took place at Suncity Travel with Lynne and Rosemary officiating and the winner was...... Robin Earley! Robin was actually on tour with me and Girls On Tour in Myanmar at the time and was thrilled to receive the news from home and has chosen the prize of $300 cash back on her next GOT trip which she is planning to be Southern India and Sri Lanka in 2018. Thank you once again for taking the time to enter and congratulations to Robin. |
| | | Highlights of "Laos and Myanmar". Where do I start? Having never travelled to either of these countries before I had no idea what to expect but was pleasantly surprised with both of them. We started in Laos or as it's officially known The People's Democratic Republic staying in the capital, Vientiane as well as Luang Prabang. We did a cooking class at Tamarind Cooking School, took part in a Baci (basi) ceremony in the home of a local family, watched the Buddhist Alms Giving ceremony, donated a number of books to the Library Boat that goes up the river to remote areas of Laos, visited the Hmong Village, the Adriatic Bear rescue centre with it's beautiful Kuang Si waterfall, the elephant camp, the limestone caves at Pak Ou, cruised the Mekong, climbed the 440 steps to watch the sunset at Mt Phousi, visited the COPE centre which helps people who have been affected by unexploded ordnance as a result of the bombing of Laos during the Vietnam war, visited numerous ancient, beautiful temples and wandered through the colourful markets. In Myanmar (formerly Burma) we explored the 2,000 year old Sule Pagoda which was originally Indian but is now Burmese and is said to contain a hair of the Buddha. The difference between a Pagoda and a Temple is that you can’t go inside a pagoda as it is sealed off and usually contains a relic of some kind and a temple is a place of worship that priests and other people can go inside to worship. The British influence can still be seen in the old downtown area of Yangon where several of the buildings are being preserved and restored. Many have already been pulled down sadly. We visited the 70m long reclining Buddha and the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda. It is 99m high and is adorned with gold plates and decorated with diamonds and other precious and semi-precious gems. There are 101 temples that surround the pagoda. I think I can say with confidence that Bagan and Inle Lake were our favourite places on the trip. Bagan is such a small township but steeped in history. The twilight carriage ride around the 2,000 temples was a highlight and a must do. Many people climb to the top of the temples for the sunset but I think being amongst the temples at this time of day is so special. Inle Lake is a whole new world. The Intha people have been working, living and farming this area for generations. We got to join in with the Thingyan Water Festival while we were in Myanmar which was a whole lot of fun and the locals just loved that we got involved. All in all this was an amazing experience and one that I and all the ladies enjoyed. The food was great, the hotels wonderful, the people in both countries welcoming, the history amazing and the scenery breathtaking. This tour was jam-packed with highlights but these are just a few. One thing's for sure, this won't be our last trip to Laos and Myanmar. Thank you to Nicole from GetAbout Asia for making this such a memorable experience for all the right reasons. |
| | | Italy: "Bella Italia 2017" Italy is always a good idea and it doesn't matter how many times I go there, I still love it and love that the ladies I take there love it too. I don't know why it took me so long to do it, but for the first time since we've been doing this trip with Girls On Tour, I reversed it, starting in Rome and finishing in Venice and it was magic! In the past we've started in Venice and finished in Rome. This was great because you got to fall in love with Venice and Italy straight away, however finishing in one of the busiest and most amazing cities in the world, Rome can sometimes undo all the magic when you have to fly out of Fiumicino Airport which is pretty much my least favourite airport in the world. It was wonderful to have my favourite tour guide in the world, Alessandra as our guide once more in Rome. Ale is and always will be 'one of the girls' and loves being a part of our tour any time we visit Rome. We had another beautiful group of girls who bonded well and became friends straight away ensuring that there was lots of fun and frivolity and we all had a 'fantastico' time. So many highlights and a few new places this time including the hilltop Abbey of Monte Cassino which was destroyed by allied bombing in 1944. This was a place of special interest for Pam from NZ whose father played a role in the Battle of Monte Cassino. We stayed at Malgrate on Lake Como which was spectacular and at the suggestion of our tour manager Tiziana we visited Parma, the home of Parmesan cheese and Prosciutto with it's beautiful cathedral and small town ambience. The inside of the 11th century Parma Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is among the most beautiful I've seen anywhere in the world. Our trip was 25 days in total and finishing in Venice was such a pleasure. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE everything about Italy - Rome, Florence, Sorrento, Tuscany and everything in between but to be able to wind down in Venice with it's unique pace and lifestyle was just wonderful and I don't think anyone will forget the 'taxi' to the airport!!! If you haven't already done so please check out the Italy album on Facebook. |
| | Recently subscribed? Are you new to Girls On Tour? If so I'd love to hear how you first heard about us as I've been trying some new modes of advertising and I'd love to know what works and what doesn't. Please 'click' on the button below and tell me which publication or site helped you find Girls On Tour.
Was it "Your Time, Sunshine Coast", "Your Time, Brisbane", "Country Style", "Redland City Bulletin - Seniors Lifestyle", "Holidays to Europe" website, "Facebook campaign", "Newspaper article" or another? I thank you in advance for your feedback.
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| | 2018 Tours are being released as they are finalised. "Croatia & Treasures of the Balkans" (already 30% sold) and "The Kimberley" are now on our website and open for bookings with other tours to be released as they are finalised. Also coming in 2018 - "East Africa" 18 days departing in August. Our first ever "Mexico and Cuba" trip is sold out!
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| | | Antarctica, Galapagos and a Taste of South America 2019 There is really only one word to explain both Antarctica and Galapagos, WOW! From the moment you step on-board your expedition ship in Ushuaia you know you're in for a real adventure but to set foot on the Great White Continent is just something else. It's surreal, it's enormous, it's breathtaking. People have asked me 'what do you do in Antarctica?' After the initial crossing of the Drake Passage which takes around 2 days, each day for the next 5 or 6 days you will suit up in your thermals and polar jacket, wet pants and boots twice a day and board a zodiac to either go ashore or explore the icebergs, bays, harbours and coves of the last discovered continent. The places you land will depend on the itinerary of the vessel that you are on as each company or vessel has strict instructions as to where they can land and/or explore. From here we'll travel to Ecuador and then on to The Galapagos for exploring, snorkeling, relaxing and hiking. We already have many ladies who have sent through their expression of interest so if these destinations are on your bucket list, send me yours as we will definitely be offering this exceptional tour in 2019 and bookings will open soon.
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| | | TRAVEL INFORMATION DAYS
In the coming months we will be holding regional Information Days presenting our upcoming tours at various locations around Australia. This is a great opportunity to meet other like-minded ladies who love to travel in an informal setting and share your travel stories and wishlists. Come along and meet Judy and your other escorts and find out why Girls On Tour is right for you. Learn about Girls On Tour and our upcoming trips for 2018.
Dates and venues are to be confirmed however we plan to hold these sessions in the following locations:
Rockhampton | Lismore | Perth | Brisbane | Melbourne | Sunshine Coast
If you'd like to be kept informed as dates and venues are locked in please 'click' on the button below to send your expression of interest adding your desired location and I'll notify you as soon as dates and venue is locked in. I look forward to meeting you there.
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| | | | Egypt - Good reads: Whether it's going to Egypt or reading about Egypt, I just can't get enough. Here are just a few of my favourite reads including some from one of my favourite authors, Egyptologist Christian Jacq. - "The Son of the Light", Christian Jacq - the first book of 5 in the Ramses series. - "Cleopatra's Daughter", Michelle Moran - encompassing two of my favourite places in the world, Egypt and Rome, a beautifully written warts and all account of Rome and the Roman Empire. - "The Keys of Egypt", Lesley and Roy Adkins - the race to read the hieroglyphs. The story of John-Francois Champollion and his race to unlock the cryptic language of the pharaohs. - "Mountains of the Pharaohs", Zahi Hawass. The untold story of the pyramid builders as told by one of the world's foremost Egyptologists. (who by the way I bumped into in Cairo in 2007).
- "Nefer The Silent", Christian Jacq - the first volume of 4 in "The Stone of the Light" series. - "Memoirs of Cleopatra", Margaret George - told in the first person from the young queen's earliest memories. Beautifully written, I rate this book in my top 10 that I've ever read. |
| | | | Exciting new discoveries around the world in 2017.....
Ancient Roman coins found at mining site: July 2017 - A treasure of gold and silver ancient Roman coins has been found at a mining site in Huelva, southern Spain. The 40 or 50 coins found, which date from the 2nd century AD, according to a report in La Informacion, are said to be from the era of Nero and Trajan.
https://www.thelocal.es/20170706/milestone-treasure-of-ancient-roman-coins-found-at-mining-site
“Little Pompeii” found in France: August 2017 - French archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of a Roman settlement in southern France that was deserted by its inhabitants after fires that ultimately helped preserve the site now being dubbed 'Little Pompeii'. The site on the banks of the Rhone near the town of Vienne, has revealed luxury homes, mosaics and items of furniture that date back to the 1st century AD. https://eblnews.com/video/france-archaeologists-unearth-little-pompeii-southeast-172044
New Discoveries Shed Light on Romans in Northern England: April 2017 - From Roman shoes and keys, to a rare amber figurine and the most northerly example of coin production ever found in Europe, Archaeologists have recently discovered a range of Roman objects through a major road improvement scheme in North Yorkshire. https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/new-roman-discoveries-northern-england
Egyptian archaeologists uncover 1,000 statues, 10 sarcophagi and mummies in ancient tomb on the west bank of the Nile River: April 2017 - The tomb comprised an open courtyard leading to two halls, one containing four ancient coffins and the other including a chamber that houses six. The Antiquities Ministry said the tomb was built for Userhat, a judge during the New Kingdom period, from roughly 1500 to 1000 BC.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/egypt-discovers-3000-year-old-tomb-of-nobleman/8452084
Ancient Egyptian statue's torso pulled from mud in Cairo suburb: March 2017 - The three-tonne torso of a massive statue that may be of one of Egypt's most famous pharaohs has been lifted from mud and groundwater where it was recently discovered in a Cairo suburb. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-14/ancient-egyptian-statue-lifted-from-mud-in-cairo-suburb/8351896
Meet the mummified Polar beauty, her long eyelashes and hair still intact after 900 years: August 2017 - Unearthed on the edge of the Arctic, she is the only woman so far found in an otherwise all-male necropolis, buried in a cocoon of copper and fur. This haunting 12th century woman is a member of an unknown hunting and fishing civilisation that held sway in the far north of Siberia - with surprising links to Persia. http://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/meet-the-mummified-polar-beauty-her-long-eyelashes-and-hair-still-intact-after-900-years/
Archaeologists at Angkor Wat find large buried statue: July 2017 - Archaeologists at Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex studying the site of a hospital from eight to nine centuries ago say they have found a large statue in their excavations. Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-archaeologists-angkor-wat-large-statue.html
To keep up to date with finds all over the world check out http://www.archaeologica.org/NewsPage.htm |
| | Thanks for reading, see you next time! Girls On Tour "We'll show you the world" |
| | | We are proudly associated with Suncity Travel Caloundra. |
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