TASMANIA be Pleasantly Surprised
TASMANIA
Looking for an overseas holiday where the Australian dollar still offers value for money?
Looking for somewhere to relax and unwind from the daily stresses.
Tasmania!
You will be pleasantly surprised by what Tasmania has to offer. Fine food, great scenery, fantastic wine and quality resorts are all available.
With direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Launceston Tasmania offers easy access from the mainland.
Within 90 mins drive north you can be walking along the tracks in Cradle Mountain National Park.
90 mins drive east and you are at the beautiful Freycinet National Park, home to the scenic Wineglass Bay.
A recent addition to the landscape at Coles Bay, a mere 10 minutes drive from Freycinet National Park, the Edge of the Bay Resort (www.edgeofthebay.com.au) is a stunning property.
Enjoy romantic intimacy overlooking the sea and the striking Hazards Mountains, in stylish accommodation. Row a dinghy, walk in Freycinet National Park or mix adventure with the pleasure of fine Tasmanian food and wine.
The resort offers true luxury cottages in a tranquil setting. Each cottage has views of the bay and your own private deck to relax and enjoy a nice Tasmanian Pinot, whilst watching the sun set.
Superb, stylish Waterfront Suites with the sea at your doorstep, spacious ensuite, quality audio visual equipment, email/internet connections, private deck and breakfast facilities.
The resorts restaurant “The Edge” offers modern Australian cuisine, using fresh local Tasmanian produce. A great place to sample some of the local Tasmanian wines on offer.
Tasmania… be tempted!
CHINA - A destination you need to go to
CHINA - A destination you need to go to
1.Chengdu
Chengdu is on top of my list simply because that is where I grew up and I love the city so much. I do have a soft spot for it and it’s definitely worth going to.
Nowadays, Chengdu is best known for its lay-back life style. Join the locals in the tea-house or Majiang table; you will have a taste of the Chengdu culture.
History
As one of the oldest cities in China, Chengdu has more than 2,300 years of history. It has been an important capital city of several ancient kingdoms/states. It was firstly established as a capital city in the early forth century B.C. by the ancient Shu state.
The city continued to develop as a regional center into several Dynasties such as Tang and Song Dynasties. During the Tang Dynasty, Du Fu and Li Bai became the most famous poets over the centuries in China history. Even today, you can still find their famous poems in textbooks.
History does make a difference to a city. Rather than just modern concrete buildings or artificial sceneries, I personally prefer traveling in those historic places. There is always so much to learn and so much to imagine.
Attractions
Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage
It is the residence of one of the most famous poets in ancient China, Du Fu. A lot of classic poems were composed while he lived there.
Address: No. 37 Xinhua Lu. The cottage is situated off Xi Yihuan, nearby Huanhuaxi, in the west of Chengdu.
Qingchengshan Mountain
It was situated on Northwestern edge of Chengdu Plains. It’s 15 km to the southwest of Dujiangyan City and 66 km from Chengdu.
There are numerous Taoist temples on the Qingchengshan Mountain’s slopes. You can visit Jianfu Temple, Tianshi Cave and Shangqing Temple. The mountain remains pleasantly green year round. It’s also a perfect place to enjoy the sun-rise and sun-set.
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Dujiangyan Irrigation Project was firstly built in third century BC by engineer Li Bing . The project was used to control river flood and irrigate farmland. This project had expanded to today’s three million hectares of dams, pumping stations, canals and bridges.
There are also Fulong Temple (built to honor Li Bing and his team), Two Kings Temple (The “two kings” being Li Bing and his son), Yulei Park to visit around this area.
It is situated in West of Dujiangyan town, in the western area of Chengdu’s Plains, above Minjiang. The trip is about 40-50 minutes from Chengdu by car.
Four Maidens Mountain
Four Maidens Mountain features four snow-capped peaks and three major gorges According to locals, the peaks are the incarnations of four pretty virginal girls. That is where the name came from.
The three deep valleys Changpin, Shuangqiao and Haizi Valley are another attraction of the Four Maidens Mountain. These Valleys feature waterfalls, alpine grasslands and meadows and crystal-clear lakes.
Recommended Hotels
There are various hotels in Chengdu suit for different budgets. Price range is from 200yuan to 1000yuan. On average, these hotels provide relatively luxurious rooms at very reasonable prices.
The below are the recommended hotels.
Sofitel Wanda Chengdu
Hayatt Hotel
Jingjiang Hotel
The Shudu Mansion Hotel
Kempinski Hotel Chengdu
Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel
Hualian Hotel
Yale Hotel
Yinhe Dynasty Hotel
Food & Restaurants
A lot of travelers said, you are wasting your trip if you don’t try the local food. It is a heaven for spicy-food lovers.
These are some traditional or modern Chengdu dishes you have to try
Gramma Chen’s spicy Tofu
Zhong Dumpling
Long Chaoshou
Spicy Hotpot
Han Steamed Pork Buns
Heart-broken Jelly
Sweet-skin BBQ Duck
There are way too many to list here. You just have to go to those local restaurants to find out yourself.
CRUISING- BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
CRUISING- BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
With more pressure being placed on households than we have seen for some years it is no surprise that people are sharpening their pencils when it comes time to work out their holiday budget.
This is when a cruising holiday with its all inclusive costs is the best value for money to be found in travel. Your upfront cost includes luxury transport from one destination to the next, onboard accommodation, all meals, daily activities and evening entertainment. Cruising has become particularly appealing in these tougher economic times. Cruising offers something for everyone no matter what your age or your interests.
Cruises close to Australia are always popular- people love the idea of an overseas holiday where they don’t have to fly. Cruises departing Australia visit some of the most exotic, unspoilt locations in the world.
This cruise season is shaping up to be the best ever for Australians with more ships than ever visiting our shores and offering an even greater range of local cruising .With ships ranging from basic to six-star, there’s a cruise to suit everyone.
P & O cruises UK will send three ships on world voyages, while Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will return to Australia in February. Dawn Princess will head out of Sydney on the start of its world cruise 5th July.
As well as P & O Australia and Princess Cruise Lines many other cruise lines will return to Australia to operate short seasons of cruises across the Tasman, along the Australian Coast, to the Pacific Islands and from Western Australia to Asia. These include Royal Caribbean International, Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Classic International Cruises and Holland America Line.
Cruise Ships nowadays are luxurious floating resorts. Every facility you could ever need is virtually at your fingertips. Once on board there are no set schedules or routines, the days are yours to spend doing whatever you choose. It may be lazing in a deck chair, or joining in the activities on offer. Or as the sun sets enjoy a moonlit stroll on deck, a lavish stage production or a new release movie. Many of the cruise ships offer children’s and teen’s programmes with a universe of games and age appropriate activities.
Dining has become an incredible culinary journey, from formal to casual meals on deck every dining experience comes with excellent service.
It is easy to see the reasons why every year, more than 250,000 Australians choose to spend their holidays setting sail on a cruise.
Value - all inclusive transport, meals and accommodation.
Convenience - only unpack once
Choice - thousands of itineraries
Experiences - waking up in a brand new port,
Adventure - exciting shore excursions exploring, shopping and surfing.
Whether it is families, friends or couples after experiencing cruising they will realize that no other holiday could ever create such a memorable and relaxing experience quite the same way as a cruise and no other holiday will be better value for money.
SHANGHAI- it never sleeps
Shanghai has transformed into in just over 18 years to the largest and most modern city in China. Tourists come here for its culture, its history, and its people. If you’re having a family holiday or travelling for business, Shanghai is a great destination to travel too, because of its large variety of attractions to see and activity to do and is a destination you will certainly treasure. The blend of East and West, old and new in Shanghai offers tourists a wide variety of experiences that are sure to be memorable. Here people still practise traditional customs and there are hundreds of temples, shrines and monasteries throughout the city.
Shanghai is famous for its Shopping Paradise, formerly known as the “Paris of the East”. So if your travelling to Shanghai, shopping should not be missed any more than its other charming attractions. Shanghai has a large range of department stores, retail stores, and luxury shops which caters for all tastes and budgets. You can pick up international designer wear at very affordable prices. The shanghai markets are very popular amongst tourists and is fantastic for practising your bargaining skills. If your stay in Shanghai extends a week or so you should take the benefits of one of Shanghai’s clothing market stalls or tailor shops. Tailor designs are made to order, tailors can create custom suits, dresses, skirts and costume wear at very adorable prices. Remember to bargain and plan sufficient time to follow up with a fitting.
The most comfortable time to travel to Shanghai’s occurs from March to June and September to November, where the weather is perfect for all occasions. Shanghai’s hot and humid weather begins in July and August, with daily temperatures reaching well above 30°C
Winter is damp and chill, with average temperatures reaching around 0°C, though it rarely snows or freezes.
Top tourist sights and attractions in Shanghai.
The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is the tallest TV tower in Asia reaching a height of 468m. It’s one of the landmarks of the new Shanghai for its modern Architectural design.
Shanghai Museum
Many tourists would say that this is the best museum in China, the Shanghai Museum has 11 galleries and over 120,000 historic artefacts. The Stone Sculpture Gallery and the Bronze gallery are the most viewed with collections dating back to the 18th century B.C.
The Jade Buddha Temple is an excited place to visit whether your a Buddhist or not, temple draws from both the Pure Land and Chan traditions of Mahayana Buddhism. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Burma by sea.
The Bund
The Bund is famous for its waterfront land and has been in Shanghai’s centre since the mid-1800’s. It offers a taste of the past with the colonial structures along the promenade and a view of the modern day structures across the river in Pudong. Some of Shanghai’s main historical landmarks and modern day structures can all be seen along the 1.5km walk. It gets very busy with Tourist and locals during the day, so try and visit it early morning.
The Shanghai Zoo is one of the most famous Chinese Zoos. The Zoo contains a large range of rare Chinese birds, pandas, crocodiles, and of course the South China tiger, also known as the Amoy tiger.
INDIA Conference for KDMA group travel
Australian Business & Conference Travel took The Ku-ring Gai District Medical Association to India for the conference of the year. Excited clients experienced amazing India through exciting tours, elephant rides, trips to the Tah Mahal and exotic india feasts fit for kings.
The group of medicos had the experience of a life time between the daily formal conference agenda. They experienced playing elephant polo, riding on camels, being carried on coaches lead by flame carrying lead man. Wait there’s more; fireworks, met the Maharaja of Jaipur whilst dinning in his palace, enjoyed a tuk-tuk ride through Old Delhi.
