The travel industry has become more and more an area where specialists try to walk where angels fear to tread. Unfortunately, you still get the cowboys within the industry, who try to sell any package at the highest profit margin, without considering the customer’s real requirements.

During the present economic crunch more and more companies are trying to save on travel, by eliminating the travel agent; if your travel agent is only selling you an airline ticket adding a percentage commission fee, or promoting a specific package of a tour operator, without the slightest knowledge of the destination and its weather conditions and therefore not adding any value to your travel arrangements, you should definitely exclude them!

At SURE ETNIQUE TRAVEL we have positioned ourselves in the market to provide you with professional travel advice, first hand destination knowledge, a wealth of travel experience, a library of travel books, DVD’s and detailed Michelin maps as part of your comprehensive travel itinerary for each day to compliment your GPS system on your next trip abroad.

Instead of a travel nightmare and failing your open book travel exam, we will let your travel dreams become a reality to share with friends upon your return. Here are some recent and spontaneous comments we have received:

• “We are often hesitant to express our appreciation for excellent service. I therefore decided to sit down, do exactly that and write to you to express my sincerest appreciation for the excellent travel-related services that your office has rendered to me, in particular since 2003.  It is always a pleasure liaising with your staff; their professional assistance in organising my frequent international travels serves as a real comfort.  Even when flights are delayed or schedules do change, it is comforting to know that a possible solution was only a phone call or sms away – regardless whether it was over a weekend.”

• “One can say so many special things about Etnique; but the most important thing is that everybody I have referred to them so far, are as satisfied as I have been with the professional service and excellent product knowledge.”

• “Thank you for always including me on your most informative and original newsletters which I truly enjoy. Your August reflection on making new friends wherever you travel, is so beautiful, but I do just want to point out that perhaps your wonderful disposition encourages the world to want to be your friend.”

• “Due to dissatisfaction with our previous service provider’s consistent level of service, we have been using Sure Etnique Travel as our only and preferred travel agent since April 2009. Your service has been professional and highly recommendable. You do understand the urgency with regards to our travel arrangements and the response time to our travel requests is always satisfactory.”

Imagine looking down ten storeys to see a white foam trail behind the powerful engines, a flock of hovering seagulls using the light sea breeze to drift up and down along the row of balconies and three long hooter horns to announce the departure of the Princess Emerald.

A cruise to remember awaits the passengers over a thrilling ten days, visiting seven countries, each with their unique own culture and history. The ports of call will be the four Scandinavian capitals and three cities that used to be behind the Iron Curtain.

Prior to the cruise we visited our Danish friends, Hakon and Lisa in COPENHAGEN. We had met at the end of 2000 in Denmark, to finalise a bi-lateral ankle replacement to be performed on me early in the following year in South Africa. Since then, our friendship has grown into something special, with a reunion every year, either in Denmark or South Africa or even elsewhere in Europe, to celebrate life’s good fortunes and enjoy some worthwhile Bordeaux reds.

It is always a privilege to experience a place with locals who know the less visited sights and enjoy different cuisine, like the traditional Danish smørrebrød, (a platter of Danish delicacies similar to the Spanish Tapas or Greek Meze), at the Kanallen Restaurant.

As an architect, (trying hard to become a travel agent), I was obviously very interested in the new Opera House which was opened since our previous visit to the Danish capital. If one compares this building with the more elegant Det Kongelige Teater on Kongens Nytorv (King’s Square), it totally lacks any of the true Danish traditional roots of architecture.

Driving north of the City, en route to the Summer Palace of the Royal family, Fredensborg Sløt, a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a must.

This reminds me of the Dansk Design Centre, a purpose-built showcase of excellent Danish Design, displaying a changing set of design exhibits as well as  architect Jacobson and Dyson articles. Not to be missed  in Strøget, the pedestrianised shopping area is the designer shop, Illum, which caters for the art orientated customer, as well as Georg Jensen, specialising in silver and gold jewellery.

Before embarking on the cruise ship, we popped in at one of Nyhavn’s many restaurants to celebrate our visit to the Kofoeds, Hans Christiaan Anderson and Copenhagen.

And as with so many cruise ships before us, the Lille Havre (Little Mermaid) was the last to bade us farewell.

The first day at sea gave us time to settle in and relax to this luxury: you unpack once, every day visit another port and city, and return late afternoon to the Emerald Princess for an appetising meal and entertainment. Despite the fact that this hotel at sea caters for 3000 guests, we never experienced a sense of being overcrowded; during daytime, we left the ship to explore the new adventure of yet another country.

The Radisson of the Seas Cruise Liners are much smaller (maximum 800 guests) and everything (meals, wine and coldrinks) are inclusive of the price; to the contrary, on the Princess Cruise Liners, you pay extra for everything, even the bottled water.

We arrived early morning of the third day in STOCKHOLM; chartered busses transferred us into town. Because it was our second visit to Sweden’s capital, we decided to focus only on GamlaStan; this tiny old town area is all that’s left of the city’s history, dating back to the Medieval times.

During our previous visit we stayed in the Mälardrottningen, Woolworth’s heiress Barbara Hutton’s yacht, which was converted into a small hotel and is moored at Riddarholmen quay. It was supposed to be a romantic retreat; but our stay in the minute cabin with two narrow bunker-beds, a plate-sized porthole, a shower door with a hole cut out to open over the toilet and almost no room for our suitcase was far from a memorable honeymoon-experience!

We were just in time for the daily changing of the guards in the courtyard of the Royal Palace; we were fortunate, because during our visit, it was mounted guards, trooping to brass band music, apparently a rare appearance.

The best way not to miss any one of the intriguing warren of narrow winding cobblestoned streets, is to walk down Västerlänggatan and to crisscross the little island until you reach Stortorget, the intimate enclosed square, resembling so many other typical medieval squares in Europe’s old town centres. Unique however, is the pink gabled facades with many a cosy canvass-covered restaurant on ground level and facing the fountain in the middle of the square.

For any keen photographer this offers a haven of opportunities: original window displays, public art sculptures, contributing to a sense of social awareness and addressing important issues, surprising detail around every corner and through each arched walkway. And obviously sitting at a street café watching the people passing by is an additional bonus.

An interesting fact is that in the entire Stockholm, the only licensed liquor store is found on the southern end of GamlaStan; apparently System Bolaget is the only place to sell any liquor in Sweden. Needless to say, the prices are exorbitant.

Very original shops not to be missed are: Bo Bendixen’s original design shop, selling children’s clothing, educational toys, birthday calendars, all with the typical colourful animated designs. For original Costa Boda designer glass items from Växjø, a good shop within GamlaStan is Gallerie 22 in Västertänggaten.

                                                               - Johann Beukes

(The follow-up edition of the travel journal on the Baltic Cruise will be in our November issue of ETCETERA – Helsinki, Sank Petersburg, Tallinn, Gdansk and Oslo)

Buenos Aires - Argentina
4 nights from R7 630 pps

Package Highlights:

·    Return flights from Johannesburg to Buenos Aires on SAA
·    Airport taxes
·    Arrival private transfer with a guide to the hotel
·    4 Night’s accommodation at a selected Dazzler Tower Hotel
·    Breakfast daily
·    Buenos Aires coach city tour
·    Departure private transfer to the airport

Add on some extra adventure

Extension to Bariloche      -    3 nights from R2 045 pps
Extension to El Calafate    -    3 nights from R2 985 pps
Extension to Iguazu Falls  -    3 nights from R3 420 pps

PACKAGE INCLUSIVE OF AIRFARE - Are subject to availability and currency fluctuations, and include our professional fees. Terms and conditions apply.

Some special flights during October

LONDON VIA DUBAI         
LONDON DIRECT             
BERLIN DIRECT               
MILAN DIRECT                  
SAO PAOLO DIRECT       
BUENOS AIRES DIRECT
NEW YORK DIRECT         
CHICAGO DIRECT            
MUMBAI DIRECT              
SYDNEY DIRECT              
PERTH DIRECT                 

All above flights from Johannesburg

AIRFARES - include ALL taxes and surcharges and are based on LOW SEASON – Higher surcharges will apply during MID & HIGH SEASON. Price variations may occur due to the increase of the oil price (based on UD$) and exchange rate fluctuations affecting taxes and surcharges.
Should you require airfares to any other destinations, please do not hesitate to contact SURE ETNIQUE TRAVEL.

SEAT AVAILABILITY - Sure Etnique Travel Policy: We do not advertise fares that have minimal or no availability at time of going to press. E&OE.

St Johann     Christmas     18 - 26 Dec               Deluxe Pension      7 nights         R17 700.00

Zell Am See   New Year       25 Dec - 02 Jan      Deluxe Pension      7 nights         R19 570.00

Included:          Return flights ex Johannesburg, return resort transfers, accommodation, breakfast daily, resort reps, travel accessory, travel insurance, ski hire and ski pass

Excluded:         Airport taxes, Ski school & entertainment programme

* Pay in full for the land arrangements and the rate of exchange is guaranteed. All prices are subject to availability, currency fluctuations & airfare increases.

Fully Inclusive
4 nights from R7 406.00
Valid : 23 September - 30 Nov

Includes:  Return flights ex Johannesburg, accommodation, all meals, selected drinks, transfers and SA airport tax of R1 380.00

“Dear Tessa,

First things first.  Thank you once again.    We truly had great flights with Virgin Atlantic.  Their in-flight movies are of the highest standard, as well as cabin service, punctuality in take offs and landings and overall performance.    Luggage arrived promptly and safely - so all in all, a very satisfying airline to fly with.  

Our time in London was hectic but very satisfying.  We stayed at, The Corus Hotel, Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park - just about 3 minutes walk from closest tube station.   A great concierge that could not do enough to guide, book and advise.   A hotel definitely to be recommended. Absolutely central and just within spitting distance from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.  A lovely Lebanese Restaurant, Fontana, situated 5 minutes walk away and about 10 min walk from Paddington Station. Also Italian and Malaysian restaurants close by.  Even I could find my way there and back.  The Hotel Restaurant itself offers a fantastic a la carte dinner for those wishing to stay in. We did an open-air bus tour seeing the hot-spots of Centre City....which was grand, except for the wickedest, coldest wind straight from Antartica to test us!  But at least no rain!   

Our day Coach trip into the Cotswolds to see Windsor Castle, The Stonehenge and Bath was equally fantastic but also with dismal, cloudy skies and even colder wind. But hey!   We had great fun and survived it. 

Night life was great.  The show Grease was lovely and fun - but I think a Eunice show could match it any day.  But "We Will Rock You" is a show in entirely another category.  Vibrant, slick, LOUD, futuristic, funny, clever - great acting, great singing and the audience let rip with appreciation and delight.   Of course, we joined in.     We got great seats from Half-Price Booth on Piccadilly Square (next to Lilywhites) - very professional booking! 

Another highlight was Buckingham Palace.  It was still open for the Summer Season and we did the State Rooms Tour.  Amazing, fantastic, beautiful, breathtaking!  We all loved it - and to think that darling Lizzie so graciously shares the extent of all these Royal treasures with the world!  Nobody, however, had ever primed us on the magnificence of the gardens - welcoming all the tourists to stroll along the pathway meandering along lush green lawns, shady trees and mini lakes.   I felt so at home there.  In fact, I can see myself being queen and happily living at Buckingham Palace ever after!  We did most of the free Museums - too awesome to recount.    However, Peter in the end warned us that if we drag him off to another museum, he is going home!  

Jersey is a tale for another day - suffice it to say that Peter now has a broad idea of where his daughter lives, works, plays and thrives!   On his 60^th birthday he managed to see TWO castles and he climbed to the highest top at both Gorey Castle and Elizabeth Castle.    He now also understands the true meaning of Inclines ...and Uphills.....  and Stairs...... and Steps ...... and Climbing - which is a daily routine for Jersey people.    His vocabulary at times was inspiring - but for sailors and not for children! 

The Virgin Atlantic return flight from Heathrow to OT on 11 September (arrival 12 September 08h30) was beautifully punctual.   Luggage arrived promptly and intact and we had plenty of time to re-adjust and have coffee before settling in at departure lounge Gate E2 for our Jhb/Bloem connection.   

Thank you again, Tessa, for your job always done so professionally.   Thank you also for having the foresight to confirm the return flight for us - this seemingly tiny but hugely important aspect had slipped our minds completely during our last precious day with Grace.  With a few more people like you, and the rest of Etnique's  competent  guys,   we could run (and improve)  any airline!  

Carlen Yazbek

-----------    0    -----------

Hallo Johann

Net om weer ‘n slag te sê baie dankie vir die sorgsaamheid, kundigheid en entoesiasme waarmee julle my en Urshula se toer na Italië en Israel reël.

Ons sien baie daarna uit en om dit saam met julle te kan doen, verskaf ons groot gerustheid.

Groetnis
Niel Viljoen
Hoofdirekteur Bedryf
Universiteit van die Vrystaat.

CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS ON  

What must I do if my credit card expires before my travel date?

The credit card must be present at the airport and must be swiped as per the credit card authentication procedure. If the credit card number has changed due to the fact that the card that was utilised to purchase the ticket has expired, the following procedure should be followed:

• The cardholder must be in possession of a letter from the bank advising that the old card has expired and providing the information of the new card.

• Should the passenger not be in possession of such a letter, the check-in agent will make a photocopy of the new card and the passenger must sign on the page.

• The passenger must advise the SA Express office prior to travel that the credit card expires before his / her date of travel.

In most cases, it is only the last four digits of the card that change and the check-in agent will compare the numbers of the old card to those of the new card. If there is a drastic change to the numbers, the passenger must provide a letter from the bank. If this is not possible, the passenger must purchase a new ticket and request a refund on the first ticket.

Cocktail lounge, Norway:
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctors' office, Rome:
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok:
DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Hong Kong restaurant:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

In a cemetery in Ireland:
PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel in Siaulai, Lithuania:
THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan:
YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

A laundry in Rome:
LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME.