Newsletter Issue 23 - May 2006

Hello and welcome to the latest update from Karibuni.

We have been a bit quiet on our newsletter front over the last few months as we have had a very busy winter ski season where we have enjoyed seeing a lot of you in person! More people than ever made return trips, which was fantastic – it’s always nice to see familiar faces. We also enjoyed a fun festive season, with the Christmas and New Year weeks celebrated in style as usual, whilst our new Half-Term week kids-activity package seemed to go down well with parents and kids alike.

But as the primroses replace the snow in the mountains we are now looking ahead to an action packed summer programme in the UK as well as our new Walk Weekender and Bike Weekender trips in France, with the multi-activity Alpine Thrills trips ready for booking in the Autumn.

Read on to learn more about our revised summer tours packages as well as lots of other exciting news, views and ideas……..

Coming up in this issue:

Karibuni news
- New website
- French summer tours
- UK summer tours
- Thinking ahead to the 2006/7 ski season
Travel news
- World cup cheap getaways
- Low cost airlines cheap insurance
- Easyjet winter flight info
- Birmingham Snowdome news
Environmental tips
- Top tips on how to save water in the current UK drought
- News on our charity, WaterAid
Global Gossip
- More bizarre tales from around the world
Fathers Day
- Unusual ideas for the perfect gift for your Dad this Father’s Day

Karibuni news

New Website
Check out our new website which has just gone live! We are very excited that we now have a fresh and contemporary website easy to navigate around and outlining all our revised trips and packages – both in the UK and France for summer and winter. We like to think we’ve got something for everyone – from you adrenaline and speed junkies to those of you who enjoy a sociable day out at the races! Visit us now on www.karibuni.co.uk and let us know what you think – we’d love to hear from you.

New French summer tours
For the first time we are now able to offer our programme of summer tours in France with both Bike Weekender and Walk Weekender trips available to book now. Staying in our fully-catered lodge we will look after you from the minute you arrive at Geneva to the minute you leave again. We have a new range of mountain bikes for all levels of experience in our fully-equipped in-house bike room and can help you discover all the best routes and trails for both biking and walking in the beautiful Aravis region. Spend a couple of days being guided by our experienced team who can show you the best views, the fastest downhills and the choicest mountain refreshment stops, or take our maps and navigate your own way round the peaks for a rewarding and exhilarating weekend away. Find full details at
www.karibuni.co.uk/france_adventure_weekends/france_adventure_weekends_index.htm

UK summer tours
As the trees turn green and sun comes out we are looking forward to getting out and about in Britain with you this summer. Our 3 peaks challenge and multi-activity trips are booking up fast, although we do have a few spaces left for the 3 peaks challenge weekend leaving on Thursday 29 June.

We also still have limited space available for Royal Ascot Racing with the glamorous Ladies Day on Thursday 22 June and the Ascot Saturday on 24 June. The International Cartier Polo on Sunday 30 July still has some availability too. So if you fancy rubbing shoulders with celebrities and royalty over a glass or two of champagne contact us now on info@karibuni.co.uk Book your place on these fun days out – at only £75 for the Ascot Days and £50 per person for the polo it really is a great way to spend a summer’s day – let us look after you from beginning to end.

Details of the UK summer trips at www.karibuni.co.uk/uk_adventures/uk_adventures_index.htm
3 Peaks Challenge at http://www.karibuni.co.uk/uk_adventures/adventure_weekends/three_peak_challenge.htm
Ascot Ladies Day and Saturday at www.karibuni.co.uk/uk_adventures/day_events/royal_ascot.htm
Cartier Polo day trip details at www.karibuni.co.uk/uk_adventures/day_events/cartier_polo.htm

Thinking ahead to the 2007 Ski Season

Although the garden is in bloom and we’re hard at work on the summer tours in France and the UK, we aren’t neglecting our plans for the 2007 ski season. As well as putting together exciting festive celebrations for the Christmas and New Year periods and an itinerary for our popular Half-Term kids week in February, we have also extended our range of hotel and self-catering accommodation to ensure we have the perfect ski trip for everyone.

To find out more visit our new website on http://www.karibuni.co.uk/ski_holidays/ski_holidays_index.htm or to book now email us at info@karibuni.co.uk

Travel News

World cup – cheap getaways
If you’re dreading becoming a World Cup widow then why not gather a group of friends and escape the football with a cheap break this June. After the cooler weather of May, before the schools break up in July, June is a perfect time to go away. Prices are never normally too high in June anyway, but this year in particular with the onset of the World Cup, many people are opting to stay home in June so there are some particularly good deals to be had. Check out the following for some great discounts: Mallorca Farmhouses – www.mfh.co.uk, villas in the Algarve – www.villaselect.com, villas in Greece – www.flioxenia.co.uk and quiet tavernas in Corfu – www.meonvillas.co.uk.

Multi-trip travel insurance
Why pay on a per trip basis for travel insurance when for just a few pounds more you can get cover for multiple trips throughout the year, allowing you to pop over to Europe (maybe even for a Karibuni weekend break!) whenever you feel like it. We are often asked about insurance cover for ski trips and recommend that people take out an annual policy that covers them for winter sports, but will then also cover them for all other trips they may take over a 12-month period – including weekends away in the UK.

So rather to be safe than sorry, click on the following link to see the best deal to be had:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1083570446,24889,

EasyJet Winter flight price releases
Easy Jet are just about to release their winter prices – so if you are planning a winter break keep an eye out for their special deals on www.easyjet.com.

Alternatively you can register for e-mail updates here or on their website. This will give you advance notice of the schedule release dates and information on exclusive Internet fare discounts, as well as advising of further promotions and offers.

Tamworth Snowdome news
Some of our skiing guests are already familiar with the Tamworth Snowdome, but for those of you who aren’t, the Snowdome is already well known for it’s downhill slopes but has also recently opened a Cross-Country Nordic skiing track. With a 250m-forest track including corners, straights and a chicane, this is a great way to experience an all over body workout, stay fit and enjoy a different skiing discipline. We are already big fans of Cross-Country skiing at Karibuni. Grand Bornand and La Clusaz have over 150km of trails and have also produced several Olympic medal winners in Cross-Country skiing.

If you would like to have a go at Cross-Country skiing the Snowdome has a good deal on a Sunday afternoon. At £15 for 3 hours skiing, including equipment hire and the chance of a one-hour introductory lesson we think it’s a great opportunity to try something new. If you go on to find it is the sport for you, then you can join the Midland Nordic Ski Club free of charge.

To find out more or to book a 3-hour slot call the Snowdome on 08705 000011 or click onto www.snowdome.co.uk

Environmental Update

5 water saving tips
With the current water shortage in the UK, water is the hot topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. As we run a lodge that can sleep up to 40 people it is very important to us to be as efficient as possible with water at all times for the sake of the environment. Consequently we have put together 5 top tips for you to save water this summer and help do your bit in the conservation of the limited water supply available to us on our small island.

1. Think before you flush! Every time you flush the toilet you use between 15 and 20 litres of water. You can reduce your water consumption by placing a brick or Hippo water saving device in your toilet cistern. That way you could save over 3000 litres of water in just one year!

2. Get your family to buy green/eco friendly alternatives to conventional cleaning products. Many cleaning products can contain bio-accumulative chemicals and sulphates, which run off into rivers and water sources, polluting them and causing algal blooms in the sea. Some are also believed to pose a risk to human health.

3. Turn off the tap when cleaning your teeth. 6 litres of water a minute is wasted by letting the water run away whilst you brush.
4. Did you know that one bath is enough for two 5-minute showers? A bath uses 80 litres of water compared to only 35 litres used by a shower. Be careful though, a power shower can use more water than a bath!
5. A dripping tap can waste up to 140 litres of water a week. Click here http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/bq_advice/common/howtos/plumbcarerepair/main03.jsp to learn how to change a washer, courtesy of B&Q and stop your household water torture now.
Charity news – WaterAid
We mentioned in newsletter issue 20 that we would be donating £2.50 to WaterAid for each person who books a ski holiday with us. This winter £1,750 was raised from bookings, with an additional £75 coming directly from you in donations to use the internet in the lodge along with various other donations – thank you.

WaterAid works in 17 countries providing water, sanitation and hygiene education to some of the world's poorest people. This is a charity close to Paul’s heart as he has had the opportunity to spend time in Africa and see the good they are achieving over there.
To see for yourselves the difference WaterAid can make, or to give a donation, go to their website now on www.wateraid.org.uk

Global gossip
A couple of topical snippets from around the world that have kept us entertained!
Over the moon? No, ekoo yareni!
Sick as a parrot or over the moon? For fans who want to express their emotions to foreigners during next month's World Cup in Germany, a new guide might be able to help.
It could also help them reach a greater understanding of their fellow footie fanatics.
It may not be widely known, for example, that the national dish of participating nation Ecuador is roast Guinea Pig or that brandy is the top tipple in Angola, but the free booklet from travel agent Thomas Cook puts those information deficiencies to rights.
Along with historical details of the competition and brief descriptions of the teams and cultures of the 32 participating nations, it offers a few choice phrases that may be heard on the terraces or in the living rooms.
Fans hearing "rozhodci nestaci!" during a match involving the Czech team will be able to understand that it means "you've lost the plot ref!", while the Ghanaian term "ekoo yareni" translates as the well-known phrase "sick as a parrot."
But if favourite Brazil captures the Cup again there may be no need to look up a translation for "sobre a lua" because it will be self-evident that the team and its fans are "over the moon".
Reuters, London

‘’Brangelina" baby holiday for Namibia?
Half of Namibians voting in an informal radio survey believe the day Angelina Jolie gives birth should be declared a national holiday, an honour usually reserved for kings, queens and national heroes.
"We have a tie, it's 50-50," the DJ for popular local radio station Radio Wave announced on Tuesday after listeners were asked whether the "Brangelina" baby should be accorded the honour. She said voting was still going on.
Hollywood stars Jolie and Brad Pitt sparked international media frenzy when they arrived in Namibia with her two adopted children to have their first child.
Reuters, Namibia

The perfect Father’s Day present
With Father’s day coming up on June 16 we have put together a couple of unusual pressie ideas that will keep even the hardest dad to buy for amused!
How about buying him a goat from Oxfam! But don’t worry if he doesn’t have a field to put it in – he only needs to sponsor it for an African family at http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com/
Choose from numerous eco gadgets to keep him entertained, ranging from a water powered multi-function clock to a solar powered racing car from Carbon Neutral. Click onto http://www.carbonneutral.com/shop/results.asp?cat1=Gifts

Or dedicate a tree to your dad, which will stand for tens of years to come, in his favourite secluded woodland area with the Woodland Trust on http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/carbon/

That’s all from us for now, we hope you’ve enjoyed our newsletter. The next one will be coming out in July – look out for it! In the meantime we’d love to hear from you at info@karibuni.co.uk with anything you’d like to update us on or just to say hi!
Enjoy the June sunshine and we hope to see you soon on one of our trips

Paul, Trudie and Jess