Newsletter Issue 25 - September 2006

Hello and welcome to the autumn edition of the Karibuni newsletter. We have been enjoying an Indian summer of late, which has been great for allowing us to get out with our guests and enjoy the mountains on foot and bikes.

But, reality now strikes for us all - the kids are back at school, the nights are drawing in and the super organised amongst you may even be thinking about Christmas and winter holidays. How depressing it all is when summer’s over! But worry not; here at Karibuni we can give you several things to look forward to.

Whatever your plans in the lead up to Christmas, take 5 minutes to read through our newsletter and see if we can’t tempt you with a quick Karibuni ski trip to blow away those winter blues!

Coming up in this issue:

Karibuni news
- Karibuni team news – what we’ve been up to!
- Christmas skiing trips – let us do all the cooking while you relax
- Don’t miss out! Last chance to take advantage of our Early Booking Discount
- Half term reminder
- WIN weekday tickets to the Metro ski and snowboard show, plus discounts on all adult tickets
- You are invited to our ski show party! Plus buy great value skis from us.
Travel news
- Hong Kong to get new budget airline
- Get away in the UK – ultra cheap nights away
- Luxury camping breaks – one for the kids!
- New Xscape real snow slope opens in Braehead
Environmental news
- Flights – Take a leaf out of Richard Branson’s book and find out how to offset your carbon emissions
Global Gossip
- More bizarre tales from around the world

Karibuni news

What we’ve been up to!
Summer in the French Alps makes you want to get out and about and make the most of your surroundings – and that is exactly what Paul and Trudie did in August by partaking in the 27km Belier Mountain Run. They assured us that the camaraderie of running with 2000 others as well as the stunning mountain views more than made up for the 1000 metres of climbing they did over the 27km – hmmm – personally I’m not convinced! However – well done them! If you want to take them on and challenge their amazing times of 2hrs51 and 3hrs01 respectively then mark it in your diary for next August Bank Holiday and start training now.

In the press!
As Karibuni continues to grow the press are beginning to notice us! We are pleased to have been listed in Snowboard UK’s September edition under the top 5 places to learn to snowboard in France and have also had a tip off we may be appearing in The Times weekend travel section over the next few weeks in relation to full moon skiing – keep your eyes peeled and let us know if you see us!

Orphaned this Christmas? Then let us provide all the entertainment you need to make this Christmas memorable.
Christmas is a very special time but also incredibly hard work if you’re hosting it, not to mention having a flat big enough to accommodate all your guests! And if your family is abroad then it can be tricky knowing who to celebrate with or it may be a slightly lonely time. So, why not do something a bit different this year - persuade all your friends to come to France, leave the work to us and focus on spending time with your friends and family whilst also enjoying yourself on the slopes this Christmas.

Running from Wednesday 20th December to Wednesday 27th December our Christmas special will include a sumptuous buffet dinner on Christmas Eve followed by several drinks during a lively themed party night in the bar. Christmas Day celebrations will begin with a relaxed breakfast after which you can spend the day out on the pistes or join us on our exciting and unique snow shoe walk, spiced up with mulled wine and mince pies – don’t forget your camera. Return home for Christmas cake and tea but make sure you leave room for a traditional turkey Christmas dinner later, ending with local cheese and port.

We’re looking forward to decorating the lodge with a couple of trees and lots of tinsel, so bring all your pressies with you to put under our trees – we may not have a chimney but Santa always arrives somehow! The package will also include all the usual –– airport transfers, comfortable en-suite accommodation, your full Aravis regional Ski Lift pass, breakfast, afternoon tea and 3-course evening meal with complementary wines, all in addition to our Festive celebrations. If you would like to come for Christmas, prices start from £600 or for full details visit www.karibuni.co.uk/ski_holidays/shared/specials/christmas_week.htm

Coming skiing? Book now and save £20 – last chance!
If you’re keen to come skiing with us this winter then book now! Why miss out on £20 per person when you can save by booking straight away! We’re holding open our Early Booking discount for just one more week – until Sunday 8 October – so don’t miss out! Chase your friends now for their available dates and let us know within the next few days – we’re looking forward to seeing you this winter. Email us now on info@karibuni.co.uk

Half Term skiing
Just a quick reminder – half term weeks are filling up fast but we still have some limited availability. Midweek breaks for both half term weeks are now quite full so book straight away if you would like a ski midweekeer break. However we still have good availability for the weekends of 8-12 February and the 15-19 February. Our kids ski team will be running ‘Kids Club’ throughout the Half Term fortnight to keep the kids entertained with activities such as snowman building, sledging and fireworks – allowing you time for a quiet drink in the bar!
Book now and take advantage of the Early Booking discount too! For more details visit http://www.karibuni.co.uk/ski_holidays/shared/specials/half_term_week.htm

WIN tickets to the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show!!!
It’s that time again – the UK’s largest ski show – the Metro ski and snowboard show – will be running from 18-22 October at Kensington Olympia and it promises to be bigger and better than ever! Scale the Crystal Ice Climbing Wall for the perfect view of the World Resorts Village where you can get the low-down on everything snow related whilst enjoying a free glass of wine and food from around the snow sports world. Enjoy the delights of the Brand Arena and Fashion Show with labels such as Burton, Salomon, Oakley and Peak Performance gracing the catwalk and then catch some serious action at the Orange AIM British Quarter Pipe Championships and the London Ride freeskiing competition.

We have 5 pairs of weekday tickets for you to win, all you have to do is answer this question correctly and let us know the answer as soon as possible!

From what height will Europe’s best skiers and snowboarders be dropped into the quarter pipe at the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show?

Answers can be found online at: www.metroskishow.co.uk

When you know the answer email us at info@karibuni.co.uk, calling your email ‘ski show tickets’. Closing date is 12pm on 10 October. We will notify winners as soon as possible and send the tickets to you by post. For terms and conditions see below.

Discounted Ski show tickets
The Metro Ski and Snowboard show is also offering Karibuni guests discounted tickets. To take advantage of this special offer and get £2 off all adult tickets to the show go online at www.metroskishow.co.uk , click Book Online, click the ‘special password’ option and enter the password ‘KARIBUNI’ in the box before progressing with your purchase. You can also call the booking hotline 08705 90 00 90 and quote ‘KARIBUNI’ to receive your £2 discount.

Come to our ski show party and you could win a pair of Salomon Scrambler 5 skis!
The Metro Ski show always heralds the start of winter for all keen skiers and boarders, so if you’re in London on Saturday 21 October between 5pm and 9pm then come along to our Ski Show Party at the Crown and Sceptre pub, 34 Holland Road, just 3 minutes walk from Kensington Olympia station.

This is a great opportunity to have a chat with us – if you’ve got any questions about Karibuni, would like to know more about who we are and what we do then come along! Our friendly and experienced team will all be there waiting to answer your questions, give you lots of information on La Clusaz and the surrounding ski areas and have a beer or two with you!

Freebies! Another reason to come along - take some goodies off our hands. Plus the 20th person through the door will receive a surprise gift from us – so come early! We will also be offering you the chance to take part in our prize draw to win a pair of Salomon Scrambler 5 skis. Everyone who turns up on the day will be entered in the draw – it could be you! For details of where the party will be held see http://www.karibuni.co.uk/ski_holidays/shared/specials/ski_show.htm

So come along and bring your friends too – everyone’s welcome! See you there!

Buy quality skis at incredibly low prices
For those who aren’t lucky enough to win the skis at the party we will also be offering the chance to buy some brand new, last season skis at incredibly low prices. We will have several pairs of skis with us for you to look at, including Salomon Scrambler 3, 4, 5 and 8 freeride skis, Streetracer 5 and Streetracer 8 carving piste skis, Salomon 1080 Thruster twin tip park skis as well as some Salomon Flyers. All these skis are brand new but in last season’s colours.

You are also able to purchase these skis from us online in response to this newsletter – just drop us an email with your requirements to info@karibuni.co.uk titled ‘buy skis’ and we will mail them to you as soon as possible.

For more information about the skis we will have for sale, go to http://www.karibuni.co.uk/ski_holidays/shared/specials/ski_show.htm

Travel News

Hong Kong to get new Budget Airline
October 25 will see the very first flight by Oasis Airlines from London Gatwick to Hong Kong. The new airline will be offering flights from Gatwick starting from only 1000 Hong Kong dollars - £75. Passengers will be able to enjoy 2 hot meals during their flight and complementary tea, coffee and water as well as 16 movie channels and 12 audio channels. After London, Oasis hopes to be able to expand routes to Chicago, San Francisco and other European cities too. Check out their website on http://www.oasishongkong.com/gb/en/home.aspx

Closer to home – get away in the UK
If you have birthday’s or anniversary’s to celebrate or if you just fancy a few days away during the Autumn why not try the Old English Inns Autumn deals: http://www.oldenglishinns.co.uk/autumn_deals-new.php From as little as £18 a night you can choose from a variety of hotels and pubs in some beautiful settings all over the UK. A great opportunity to explore a city you’ve always wanted to go to and maybe get in some early Christmas shopping too!

Great breaks for Kids
If the weather is still good over October half term, why not check out a new style of holiday that is sure to appeal to the kids! The brainchild of the man who started Centre Parcs, Feather Down Farm holidays offer luxury camping on real working farms. The tents all have solid wood floors, proper beds with duvets a kitchen area and a separate loo. The children are able to get really hands on with the animals and roam all over the farm exploring ‘famous five’ style. A holiday sure to appeal to the ‘Jamie Oliver’ generation, check out their website on www.featherdownfarms.co.uk or call them on 01420 86922.

Scotland’s newest ski slope
A real snow indoor slope has just been finished at Xscape Braehead in Scotland. With 1700 tons of real snow and the longest indoor slope anywhere in the UK at 200metres it’s well worth a visit if you’re a skier or boarder. Unusually they also offer family tobogganing sessions for those too small to tackle a slope standing up! To keep the atmosphere authentic there is plenty of après ski too in the bar and also a balcony out over the slope so you can appreciate you pint whist watching all the action on the slopes. To discover Xscape Braehead for yourself go to http://www.xscape.co.uk/snow/braehead/whats-inside/snowslope/about-us/

Environmental news

Take Branson’s lead, offset your carbon emissions
Richard Branson has been in the news again this month by pledging £1.6 billion over the next ten years – all profit from Virgin Airways and Virgin Trains – to combat global warming. The money will go into research to replace fossil fuels with new renewable energy sources.

Everyone knows by now the effect that carbon dioxide emissions from transport fumes has on the environment, particularly from the aviation sector, so it’s a very encouraging sign that Richard Branson – who is now almost a byword in the travel industry for long haul flights – should be taking such a step.

Whilst we can’t all donate huge sums of money like Branson we can follow his lead and do our small bit for the environment. It is unrealistic not to fly in this day in age of multi-national business and foreign holidays but it is possible to offset the carbon emissions your flights will cause. Offsetting means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere by the same amount that your activities add. In this way you can 'neutralise' or 'balance' the CO2 added by your activities. One way you can do this is to visit the website www.climatecare.org which will show you how to offset your emissions as well as using the money raised to fund renewable energy projects around the world.

By his own admission Branson wasn’t well informed about environmental issues until a year ago when Hurricane Katrina hit, sending fuel prices through the roof. Branson was about to build his own refinery to keep his transport empire running but realised it would be much more beneficial to look into building a ‘clean fuels’ refinery. Since then his commitment to the environment has continued to grow. Always an influential man, it is good to see such an entrepreneur making such a positive decision.

Global Gossip

'Goat-free roads made me speed'
A Swiss man caught speeding on a Canadian highway has blamed his actions on the absence of goats on the roads. The man was caught driving at 161 km/h (100mph) in a 100 km/h (60mph) zone.
A traffic officer's notes said the Swiss driver had said he was taking advantage "of the ability to go faster without risking hitting a goat". Canadian police spokesman Joel Doiron said he had never found a goat on the highways of eastern Ontario in his 20 years of service. "Nobody's ever used the lack of goats here as an excuse for speeding," Mr Doiron told the AFP news agency. "I've never been to Switzerland, but I guess there must be a lot of goats there," he said.
The driver was ordered to pay a fine of C$360 (£175) for speeding.
BBC news

Three-year-old buys pink convertible on Internet
Jack Neal briefly became the proud owner of a pink convertible car after he managed to buy it for 9,000 pounds ($17,000) on the Internet despite being only three years old.
Jack's mother told the BBC she had left her password for the eBay auction site in her computer and her son used the "buy it now" option to complete the purchase. "Jack's a whizz on the PC and just pressed all the right buttons," Rachel Neal said.
The seller of the second-hand car, a dealer from Worcestershire, central England, was amused by the bid and agreed not to force the sale through.
Reuters, London

Well that’s it for now! Hope there was something in there that took your fancy. As always, if you have any news/views/reviews of your own that you’d like to share with us, or even if you’d like to just say hi then don’t hesitate to drop us an email to info@karibuni.co.uk. Otherwise we look forward to seeing you at the ski show party! Bye for now!

Paul, Trudie and Jess

The Karibuni Team

Ski Show ticket competition t’s and c’s – All entrants must be UK residents and over 18 years old. Only one (1) entry is allowed per entrant. Closing date for all entries will be 12pm midday on Tuesday 10 October. Winners will be notified by email within 24 hours of the closing date. Winning tickets will be mailed to the winners. All entries must be by email and all entrants must provide the following details when entering the competition: competition answer, name, address, telephone number and email address The winners will be drawn at random from all correct entries. The decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The winners’ names will be announced within the next Karibuni newsletter. By entering the competition winners confirm their agreement to take part in any associated publicity. There is no cash alternative. No purchase is necessary. The Promoter reserves the right to cancel the competition at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, or if circumstances arise out of its control. The Promoter will accept no responsibility for lost entries including email bounce backs. Any enquiry concerning this promotion or the winners’ details should be directed to the Promoter. Promoter – Karibuni Ltd, c/o Absolute Aqua, Dorset Lake Ship Yard, Lake Drive, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT.