Greatness is not defined by what a person receives, but by what that person gives

Newsletter 50  |  November 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

The face of the travel industry has changed evidently during the past year. To keep in touch with the demands of change, we at Etnique Travel have also decided to realign ourselves in the new changed travel environment. Due to the fact that we are still in the final phases of negotiations, we will inform you, as our loyal customers, first of the outcome in our next newsletter.

We have to take a decision on how to reposition ourselves in the market to continue with our strive to provide our customers with even a higher level of service in 2006.

Our single aim is to build on our past relations with our customers, to address their travel needs in every sphere and to continue to maintain a level of service excellence in the changing time we live in.

We will keep you posted.

- Johann Beukes

During September/October of this year my wife and I payed a visit to family in Tennessee in the USA. And what a beautiful, scenic state this is, aptly named the Green State - in my view a region that must count as one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations.

But before trying to describe this heaven on earth, I must relate something interesting flowing out of our stay in London en route to the USA. Two days before our departure, there was an article in our local newspaper, Volksblad, by one of their journalists living in London. He described his favourite pub, the  Piano Bar in South Kensington, just opposite the underground station of High Street Kensington. The owner of this pub is an accomplished pianist, who in the evenings plays on his grand piano placed in one corner. Sometimes his wife joins him, singing romantic melodies.
 

Since we stayed over in London for a few days with the idea of spending this time just strolling along whilst enjoying some lesser known attractions, we one evening visited the Piano Bar. There I wrote a short letter to this journalist, asking the staff to forward it to him on his next visit. A week or two after our arrival back in South Africa, there was a follow-up article by the journalist, describing the excitement of the owner and staff when they gave him my note, pointing out the table where we sat. The journalist was so surprised and delighted, that he wrote about my letter, mentioning our names and stating his intention of framing this letter as a reminder of one of his most memorable experiences overseas. And I now can candidly recommend visitors to this quaint little ‘internationally known’ pub! But, back to Tennessee. We landed in Atlanta, drove by car up the beautiful Sequatchian Valley via Chattanooga to Crossville, and there-after to Maryville, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Gattlinburgh in the Great Smoky Mountains. This is a route that allows you to experience most of Tennessee’s treasures.

On the eastern side of this route stretches the Appalachian mountains. Although not as high and as rugged as the Rockies, it forms an impressive chain. On the left lies the Cumberland Plato, with the Tennessee River as the main artery of the Upper Cumberland System with its numerous rivers and  beautiful, fertile valleys. The whole region, referred to as the ‘Land of Winding Waters and Musical Mountains’, is covered by pristine forests, most of which escaped the axes of the lumbermen in previous centuries, serene valleys and blue lakes, picturesque historic towns and majestic mountains.

One of America’s great natural attractions are to be found here: spectacular caves with ancient mysteries and legends, like the Forbidden Caves, near Sevierville, which boasts the largest wall of rare cave onyx known to exist, the Tuckaleechee Caverns near Pigeon Forge, with its stalagmites and underground stream, and the largest, the Cumberland Caverns, a U.S National Landmark, where an original underground pageant of light and sound is shown.

Should you be interested in playing golf, this region boasts some of the best award-winning champion courses to be found, quite a number of them designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Cumberland region, and especially Crossville, with its five beautiful courses, is known as the Golf  Capitol of the southeast. The scenic settings - some incorporating rolling hills, mountain streams and rock formations into their layouts - provide for a spectacular golf vacation.

The inhabitants are friendly, caring and down-to-earth, enjoying fun-filled festivals, like the Harvest Festival that we experienced. Everywhere in the towns, in the streets or alongside the roads, displays of orange pumpkins, maize-cobs and other products catches the eye. This is where the world championships for the largest pumpkin takes place. Everywhere celebrations are held, with concerts by the best country, bluegrass and gospel artists. After the Harvest Festival follows Halloween, with its pumpkin scares, nightlong celebrations, and children knocking on doors. Unfortunately we had to depart before this took place.
 

This is also the home of the so-called Hillbillies, with their typical pronunciation. Some of the restaurants even reflect this in their menu’s. The Bean Pot in Crossville welcomes guests as follows: ‘Y’all is now in the Cumberland Mountains of Tenasee whar mountain folks like us are aimin’ to please you with good country cookin’. Here you will find interesting dishes such as ‘Two Aigs, krispy Bacon or Sawsage’ for ‘breakfus’, you can order ‘sanwiches’, ‘chezeburgers’ or ‘hot dawgs’, and ‘wash hit down’ with ‘choklet cow juce’! In this short article I’ve only tried to give an overall impression of the region, just to entice you into considering it when planning your next trip overseas. A next installment will focus on specific attractions, towns and also what the Great Smoky Mountains has to offer. - Manie Wolvaardt

Letters from our Customers:

Big Brag

• “Beste Nerina, baie dankie vir al jou moeite met die reëlings wat jy getref het vir die Cheetahs se reis- en verblyf vir die finaal teen die Blou Bulle  - jy bly ‘n ster!!!
  Gerda von Solms Vrystaat Rugby-Unie, Bloemfontein
   

• “Tessa, thanks for the welcome. Everything went well apart from the trip to Croatia. We could not get a ferry, so we had to travel by bus through Slovenia without a visa. The worst happen and they did not allow us through. We had to go back to Trieste and apply for visas (2 days) and then we took the bus again. We enjoyed Switzerland the most and would like to go back. Thanks for all your arrangements. You did an excellent job and we would recommend you to all our friends.”
  Theo McDonald - UFS, Bloemfontein 
   

• “Johann, ek het afskrif van jou rondskrywe ontvang wat ons met groot vreugde gelees het. Nogmaals geluk met al julle inisiatiewe en suksesse en veral die beskeie, dog baie professionele wyse waarop julle julle “brand” aanbied en veral julle besigheid posisioneer. Dit bly ons voorreg om met julle te kan besigheid doen”.
  Prof Johann Coetzee - Driehoek Bestuurskool, Meyerton
   

• “Tessa, baie dankie vir die vriendelike welkomswoord. Alles het klopdisselboom verloop (alhoewel die nuwe “Swiss” nie met die ou “Swissair” kan kers vashou nie!!). Ek wens net ons kon ‘n emmer of twee van die Europese reënweer saamgebring het. Maart-maand 2006 is daar alweer ‘n kleinkind op pad, dié keer in Skotland. Miskien moet ons in Julie weer help doop. Ons sal betyds kom om vlugte te bespreek. Vriendelike groete”.
  Klaus & Elna von Delft - UFS, Bloemfontein
   

• “Dear Etnique, thank you for the excellent newsletter”.
  Adv Louis Nel - Corporate Legal Facilitator, Johannesburg
   

• “Tessa, thanks for all the arrangements to Russia, everything went like clockwork”.
  Paul van der Merwe - Letseng Diamonds, Lesotho 
   

• “Dear Tessa, we had a very pleasant trip to Zimbabwe and we would like to thank you for your efficient and speedy travel arrangements. Every little detail was perfectly planned and arranged, as usual. Our stay at the lodge was absolutely fabulous and the dinner at the Boma was most enjoyable.”
  Adv Bertus & Ilse van Rhyn, Bloemfontein

CPT 8TH BEST CITY IN THE WORLD
TRAVEL AND LEISURE MAGAZINE PUBLISHED A SURVEY OF THE TOP TEN CITIES IN THE WORLD:
1. SYDNEY, 2. BANGKOK, 3. ROME, 4. FLORENCE, 5. CHIANG MAI, 6. NEW YORK, 7. ISTANBUL, 8. CAPE TOWN, 9. OAXACA, 10. SAN FRANCISCO

A “GOOD NIGHT” WITH VIRGIN
VIRGIN ATLANTIC HAS A REPUTATION FOR INNOVATION, AND HERE’S THEIR LATEST:  THE AIRLINE HAS DEVELOPED A NEW “GOOD NIGHT” FLIGHT SERVICE FOR ITS UPPER CLASS PASSENGERS ON FLIGHTS DEPARTING AFTER 21H00. THE SERVICE OFFERS PASSENGERS A WIDE VARIETY OF FRESHLY PREPARED FOOD IN THE CLUBHOUSE BEFORE THEY BOARD THEIR FLIGHT. ONCE ONBOARD, PASSENGERS WILL BE OFFERED A GOOD NIGHT SNACK AND NIGHTCAP BEFORE THEIR BED IS MADE. THE GOOD NIGHT SERVICE WILL BE ONBOARD ALL FLIGHTS DEPARTING HEATHROW AND GATWICK AFTER 21H00 AS WELL AS THE FLIGHTS FROM JOHANNESBURG, HONG KONG, LOS ANGELES, JFK AND NEWARK.

KULULA WINS REGIONAL RACE
KULULA.COM PIPPED ITS LOW-FARE RIVAL 1TIME TO THE POST WHEN IT LAUNCHED REGIONAL FLIGHTS TO HARARE AND WINDHOEK ON OCTOBER 24. KULULA’S OPENING FARES START FROM R499 ONE WAY, EXCLUDING INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE TAXES. LUSAKA, ZAMBIA LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE THE NEXT REGIONAL CITY TO BE SERVED BY KULULA, WHERE THE COMPANY WOULD BE “PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL COMPANY TO OFFER DAILY FLIGHTS”, ACCORDING TO A COMPANY STATEMENT. 

SA IS ‘CHEAP’ HOLIDAY DESTINATION
SOUTH AFRICA IS THE CHEAPEST POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATION IN THE WORLD AFTER THAILAND, ACCORDING TO RESULTS OF THE AMERICAN EXPRESS FOREIGN EXCHANGE HOLIDAY COST OF LIVING INDEX. THE INDEX LOOKED AT THE COST OF LIVING IN THE VARIOUS COUNTRIES SURVEYED FROM A BRITISH PERSPECTIVE AND IS BASED IN POUNDS. THE INDEX COMPARED PRICES OF 13 ‘SHOPING BASKET’ ITEMS IN 12 POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE US, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE AND NORWAY. SOUTH AFRICA’S ‘SHOPPING BASKET’ TOTALLED £67.68 (R822), AFTER THAILAND’S £65.70 (R798), MAKING THEM THE GREATEST VALUE-FOR-MONEY DESTINATIONS FOR HOLIDAYMAKERS THIS YEAR.

BEWARE OF POPI AND PAIA
ADVOCATE LOUIS NEL, TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY LEGAL EXPERT OF LEGAL CONSULTANCY BENCHMARK, SUGGESTS THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY TAKE NOTE OF THE RECENTLY PROMULGATED PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION BILL (‘THE BILL’, OR ‘POPI’), WHICH WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK. “THIS BILL IS GOING TO HAVE HUGE IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY. PARTIES WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO KEEP PASSENGER INFORMATION ‘AD INFINITUM’ AND WILL BE OBLIGED TO DESTROY IT IF THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY THE REASONS FOR KEEPING IT AS CIRCUMSCRIBED IN THE BILL.”

SAX OFFERS JNB / GRJ FROM R230
SA EXPRESS AIRWAYS, HAVING TAKEN OVER THE JOHANNESBURG / GEORGE ROUTE FROM SAA, IS NOW OFFERING THREE DAILY FLIGHTS STARTING FROM R230 ONE-WAY, EXCLUDING TAXES. THE ADDITION OF TAXES AND CHARGES BRINGS THE FARE TO APPROXIMATELY  R500 ONE-WAY.
 

Travel Information:

WEST JET

WEST JET is an Airline with head office situated in Calgary, Alberta. West Jet airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:

On a West Jet flight (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

On another West Jet Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

"Thank you for flying West Jet Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Ontario, a flight attendant on a West Jet flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "West Jet Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of West Jet Airways."

Heard on a West Jet Airline flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."