Newsletter Issue 6 - 3rd October 2001

Hello and welcome to another update from Karibuni

Although summer now seems long gone and the dark nights have returned, we are still running the Adventure Weekends, and satisfying our taste for adventure. Instead of sitting outside watching the sun set after a hard day of outdoor pursuits, it's now a case of warming round the open fire - but we reckon that whatever the season you still can't beat that feeling of having had a good fun day in the great outdoors.
Which is why we have been looking ahead to the winter months with anticipation…

Coming up in this exciting issue: -

Karibuni News
- Festive Trips - details now available
- Snow Capped Adventures - ski and snowboard holidays
- Lonely Planet competition winners
Short-break city guide
- Copenhagen - Scandinavia's Confident City!
Gadget Corner -Gore-Tex gets better?
Global Quickies - news and tips from around the world
- Foreign Office travel advice
- The strangest animal laws

Karibuni News

It's been an exciting month or so, as we have been working to offer you some great new destinations and trips. We can now introduce our plans for the Festive Period in the UK, as well as our Snow Capped Adventures (skiing and snowboarding) in the French Alps.

"Christmas Orphans Tour"
Are you a Christmas Orphan, who wants to avoid being left home alone in the flat over Christmas? Well, now we have the prefect solution with our 5-day festive trip to the mountains and beauty of Snowdonia, North Wales. Leaving on Saturday 22nd December, and returning on Boxing Day (the 26th) this 5 day trip is sure to be the most fun and relaxing way to celebrate Christmas.
Included will be Shrewsbury, Mountain Biking, Slate Caverns, Conwy and its castle, Christmas Day walk (maybe up Mt Snowdon itself in the snow?) and Boxing Day horse trek. Not forgetting the full traditional roast turkey dinner and the legendary small group atmosphere. All for just £250…places are expected to go fast for this one, so don't delay in saving your space on this trip. View full details here

New Year
An alternative to Hogmanay, this short break trip will be a simple affair (partly because everywhere is closed except for the high street sales!) but a relaxing break none the less, and of course will feature the time-honoured tradition of drinking too much and hugging complete strangers as we welcome in 2002! Full details will be available soon on the Weekends page of the website

Snow Capped Adventures - long weekend and 7-day chalet trips to the French Alps
If you have been frustrated by the mass-market ski trips, but could not face the hassle of going independently then we may have the answer!
We will be offering fantastic small group skiing and snowboarding trips to La Clusaz in the French Alps - which includes everything you would expect from a fully catered chalet package - but with the flexibility, relaxed attitude and personal touch that you have come to expect from Karibuni.
And lets not forget the value - with a weeks fully catered chalet from just £235. Add to that the cheap flights available and a reasonable cost in resort, and you can have a luxury trip with similar minded people for under £500 all in (including flights, lift pass and equipment hire)
We are also offering a couple of ski-weekends that are ideal for those with limited time. Enjoy 3 full days of skiing with convenient travelling to fit around your work from just £140.

The resort of La Clusaz is a hidden gem - maintaining the full charm of a mountain village. It is popular with the French, but has avoided the crowds of Brits and unsightly developments. It is ideal for beginners and intermediates with over 220km of piste to choose from, and our dedicated Karibuni team will make sure you get the most from your time with us and ski the best routes!
Visit our Snow Capped Adventures website to find all the information you could need about the resort, chalet, dates, prices and what we have to offer.

Lonely Planet competition winners.
Congratulations to Karen Watson, Alice Mathews, Amy Eaton and Emma Milam. They all correctly answered that Brussels is the capital of Belgium and will be enjoying their new editions of the Lonely Planet guidebooks to the region.
Keep an eye out for more competitions coming soon…

Copenhagen - Scandinavia's Confident City
Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, was always known as a quiet and quaint chocolate box city with such attractions as the Tivoli Gardens and the Little Mermaid statue. This is still true, but recent developments in the previously industrial and working-class areas have given the city an edge - and have drawn parallels with a user-friendly Amsterdam!

But is this comparison fair? - Well it does now have some of Scandinavia's best designer cafes and bars, clubs and restaurants alongside some developing modern art museums and probably most significantly a fairly liberal attitude to cannabis! But this is not a small Amsterdam - it just has a cool, relaxed vibe which is a recent (but welcome) addition to this city. Oh and it also has bikes!
The city bikes are an ideal way to explore the compact city centre area…just pay your deposit of 20Kr for the solid wheeled bikes which allow you to go anywhere within the city centre. To go a little further a field you can rent bikes for about £4.50 a day from the Cykelcenter near to the station.

But enough of the comparisons with Amsterdam! Copenhagen has its own flavour and style, which is a vibrant mix of Scandinavian and modern sophistication.
There is plenty to see within the city itself, and particularly so in the run up to Christmas with the legendary Danish festivals and events. Don't miss the popular Tivoli Christmas Market when the gardens transform into a magical place - the fantasy land at night created by 100,000 special soft-glow lamps.

Also top of the list for many visitors is the Little Mermaid statue that is perhaps best seen from a relaxing, gentle cruise through the canals of Christianshavn. Other must-sees include the fabulous Rosenborg Slot (home of King Christian IV and now the crown jewels); The Free State of Christiania, a radical hippy commune where soft drugs are sold openly like market produce; the glorious churches of Marmokirken and Vor Frelsers Kirke and Queen Margrethe's palace, Amalienborg Slot.

For art lovers there are many spectacular displays of contemporary art and sculpture in the fantastic scenery just outside Copenhagen city centre - all easily accessible with the efficient suburban train system. At Arken (10 miles from city centre) an art gallery built on a sand dune has a range of exhibitions housed in a great architectural structure. Closer in is Lousiana with sculptures and graphic art, set with the sea and Sweden as a backdrop.

Copenhagen claims to have the longest pedestrian mall in the world with Strøget. It is an amalgamation of 5 streets, and the whole length is packed with opportunities for shopping fused with pleasant street theatres and cafes etc.
If it's serious clothes shopping you're after, then head across the Nyhavn canal to the trendy districts which are ideal for serious retail therapy or just browsing in the many boutiques that have spread into this revitalised area.

Moving on into the night and the city takes on a cosmopolitan feel and an air of recently found confidence. For nightlife, a choice of hip bars and restaurants can be found in 2 districts to the north of the traditional city centre. The regions of Norebrro and Vestboro (the old red light district) are where to see the best of café culture Scandinavian style.

The "Ungdoms Huset" is a famous bar for radical politics, or try "Pussy Galores Flying Circus" for a huge choice of schnapps as well as great food. Although Denmark is famous for its Akvavit (schnapps), it's not a taste that all foreigners take to - still there's always the country's premium grade Danske Vodka.
Into the Vestboro region, "Bang and Jensen" is an ex-pharmacy that is always buzzing at weekends, and Denmark's celebrity clubbing hangout is "Vega" (look out for regulars Bjork, and Helena Christensen). Also popular is "Rust" and the largest club in Scandinavia - "Base Camp".

Being the largest city in Scandinavia with a thriving business market, Copenhagen is an affluent region spending its money in practical and visible ways. Take the airport for one - it has the quickest airport-city centre journey of any capital in Europe - only 12 minutes thanks to the state of the art fast-link railway (good value at only DKK 18.00)

The new 16km Øresund bridge (linking Denmark to the Swedish mainland) is likely to have an even greater impact on the economy, as well as making Sweden's third largest city, Malmö, just a 35 minute train ride away.
For so long Copenhagen's little cousin, Malmö still retains a distinctly Swedish air. Highlights include the magnificent bath house and sauna at the end of a wooden pier, the little market square and an impressive 16th century castle. Malmö is well worth a visit and if you plan to spend a night here you will not be disappointed - a lively student scene keeps things fresh and always busy. The Scandinavians know how to enjoy themselves, and create a welcome atmosphere which is just great to share.

So - Copenhagen is not another Amsterdam.
It is full of its own Scandinavian character and attractions, but there is a confidence and laid-back feel which does seem familiar….if only I could think of where from?

Getting There
You can fly direct to Copenhagen from about £120-160 with British Airways or Virgin Express, but the cheapest option takes advantage of the new Øresund Bridge.
With Ryanair, you can get a weekend flight from Stanstead (leaving on Friday and returning Sunday night) for just £60 inc taxes. You may miss out on the ultra sleek Copenhagen airport, but you also get to see Sweden and Malmo - which has to be a bonus.

What's On in Copenhagen
12th October Cultural night
Churches, theatres and historic monuments throughout the city open their doors till midnight for this annual event encouraging visitors to join in the Night of Culture in Copenhagen. The festive spirit and relaxed atmosphere engulfs the city allowing you to sample one enriching experience after another all night long.

10th - 14th October Copenhagen Choir Festival
Concerts at Tivoli concert hall, the university and churches throughout the region.

24th November Christmas Parade
The streets of Copenhagen come alive with the festive spirit as Father Christmas leads the parade through the city. Following him in hot pursuit are trails of children, jazz music, angels and fairy tale characters.

Web resources
As ever Lonely Planet has excellent information for the background and logistical details.

The city's tourist organisation Wonderful Copenhagen has a really useful site with lots of information about the city, plus some videos and clips to watch.

"Gadget" corner - The New Gore-Tex!
After long being regarded as the ultimate outdoor fabric - the research bods at Gore-Tex have been busy taking waterproof technology further! Since breathable and waterproof fabric came on the market Gore-Tex has been the mark of quality. But now comes XCR Gore-Tex which looks like it will be setting new standards in comfort and performance.
So what makes it so good?
It is mainly due to its very user-friendly feel. XCR Gore-Tex is lighter than normal 3 layer Gore-Tex, and does not require the mesh lining or internal protection. So you have all the waterproof protection you would expect from the thicker fabrics but without the weight or bulk. The fabric also feels very natural and with the enhanced breath ability it is exceptionally comfortable.
These features lend themselves very well to the sports and leisure markets so we can expect to see a new range of smaller breathable items offering the legendary water resistance. XCR Gore-Tex will surely be a hit!

Global Quickies
A few quick snippets of news from around the world…

Travel Advice
Following the terrorist tragedy in the USA, we would like to extend our sympathy to anyone who has been affected or involved in the terrible event. As well as the tragic human cost, the implications on global travel could be serious for some time to come, and with this in mind we recommend that all travellers should refer to the UK Foreign Office for advice on any countries in which you are planning to travel. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website is easy to use and contains full and up to date advice. Don't simply assume that you should not travel at all - know the facts and make informed decisions!

Crazy Animal Laws
I happened to stumble across some crazy laws to protect animals. You can see the origins of some of them - like that in Temple, Texas it is Ok to ride your horse into a bar…but its hard to imagine the circumstances when some of the laws below came into being.

· In Oklahoma it is illegal for humans to pull faces at dogs. Even more bizarrely - groups of more than 3 dogs meeting up, must have permission from the mayor!
· In Fairbanks, Alaska it is forbidden to serve alcohol to a moose.
· Animals in downtown Los Angeles are not allowed to mate within 1,500ft of a school or church.
· Kansas has laws to prevent you hunting ducks while riding donkeys.
· Baltimore, Maryland have banned lions and all big cats from their cinemas
· In Minnesota you are not allowed to cross the road with a duck on your head
· In Tennessee frogs are forbidden to croak after 11pm

And just to prove it's not only in the US
· In New Brunswick, Canada it is illegal to kill a yeti.
· In France, pig farmers are forbidden from naming any of their pigs Napoleon.

Well, that's all for this time…I hope that you found it an interesting read. Despite the end of summer - there's still a whole lot of travelling and exploring to be done!

Many thanks, and happy travels

Paul