Wealth is not about your assets, it is about how many other people’s lives you’ve enriched

Newsletter 48  |  September 2005

P.O. Box 13600, NOORDSTAD, 9302          E-mail: info@etniquetravel.co.za
Tel: (051) 406 2500                    Fax: (051) 436 3793

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AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER:  083 461 2561

Over the past few years the travel industry moved through many cycles of change; no longer is the role of the travel consultant only to sell a few air tickets, but through tougher competition much more is expected than just that. Some agencies have decided to wholesale cheap tickets, while others focus on the corporate market.

We at Sure Etnique Travel have built up the reputation to provide a specialized service with a difference: over a period of 8 years we have distinguished ourselves as leaders in the industry in so far as product knowledge and first hand experience of travel destinations: from the Loire and Marlborough wine regions to the whiskey trails of Scotland, Australian and Chilean deserts, Patagonian glaciers, rain forests and canyons, hot-air ballooning over MasaiMara and Ngorogoro crater and white river rafting below the Iquazu falls, bull running in the streets of Pamplona or a scenic train journey along the Bernese Oberwald.

Unique to the travel industry, we have a comprehensive collection of travel books, interesting videos on exciting destinations, regions and cities, as well as detailed road maps of most countries and regions of the world. With this wealth of information, and our personal travel experiences, we can assist you with travel itineraries for self drive, train travel or what ever your choice!

To whet your appetite, we have included typical tour abstracts else where in this newsletter. We also invite you to visit our web-site and travel together with us to some of the interesting destinations and also read what some past satisfied customers have to say about our unique specialized travel consultancy service.

- Johann Beukes

Travel Information:

Tips to get you there & keep you happy!!!

Carry on
It’s best to take valuables, a change of clothes and your toothbrush in your hand luggage - just in case your checked luggage has another route in mind. Although lost luggage is an infrequent occurrence, it can still happen from time to time.

Minimizing jet lag
We all suffer from tiredness and disorientation after rapidly crossing several time zones. It’s a natural disruption of our daily routines. Although there’s no way to avoid jet lag completely, you can help your body adjust to its new time zone more smoothly: go to bed early for several days before your trip, avoid flight dehydration, drink lots of water and avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Be sure to drink lots of water after your flight too. Take it easy when you arrive! Relax into the local time slowly, but try not to collapse into bed until the evening.

Space-saving techniques
Try to make every inch count. Stuff all the empty spaces - such as inside your shoes or the hollow in a cup - with small items like underwear. Stand your closed case or backpack up and drop it to the floor a couple of times. The contents should settle enough to create more space.

Making a quick exit
If you look presentable, customs generally goes more quickly and smoothly. It’s an unwritten law for many customs officials; the more tired and dishevelled you look, the shiftier you seem. So brush your hair, shave if you’re a man and straighten those clothes.

Try this one
At the counter, ask that your bags be classified as fragile. This means they should be placed at the top of the pile. With a bit of luck, they’ll be among the first to appear in the luggage claim!

Pack a sense of humour
One golden rule is that you’ll always get better service if you give the staff a smile, a warm thank you and the odd tip. It’s cheap, easy and you’ll see instant results. Hotel owners and clerks are veritable mines of local knowledge and insider tips if you get on their good side.

Shop ‘til you drop . .  but, take your time
When you first arrive in a new country, everything sold in the markets and souvenir shops looks new, exotic, and tempting. However, it pays to hold back from buying until you’ve got your bearings. Today, many of the handicrafts are made just for tourists and quality, authentic craft goods are harder to find.

Keep on top of the currency
It’s easy to lose track of how much you’re spending in a foreign country. We’ve all been seduced by the siren call of souvenir shops. It’s equally easy to be shortchanged by taxi drivers accustomed to disorientated tourists who haven’t yet got to grips with the exchange rate. 

Claiming tax back
In some countries you can claim cash back at customs for certain purchases as you leave the country. If you have spent a lot on holiday splurges, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that you’re not quite so broke. You get money back because, as a foreign traveller, you are not liable for all of the taxes levied on the products.

Be fearless and friendly
Being overly paranoid about safety is one of the easiest and saddest mistakes a traveller can make. It will spoil your trip by making you worry needlessly and can prevent you from accepting the many kindnesses of strangers. After all, interacting with and befriending locals is often the best experience a traveller can have - don’t rob yourself of it!