Newsletter Issue 9 - 6th March 2002

Hello and welcome to the first newsletter of 2002 from Karibuni!

Greetings to those first time readers - we hope you will enjoy the mix of news, competitions and travel features coming up - all aimed at helping you get the most from your travelling time and keeping you informed of some of the latest offers for short breaks and getaways.

We are now only a couple of weeks away from the start of Spring (21st March) and the nights are starting to get lighter which is great news for our Adventure Weekends which are back in full flow after the winter break. It won't be long before the long balmy evenings of summer appear and we have some special trips for you to enjoy.

Coming up in this exciting issue: -
Karibuni News
Snow Capped Adventures - 2003 to build upon success of this year
Independent Travellers World - and the competition winner is…
Lonely Planet Competition - win free Italy guidebooks
Britain News
Exciting news on some top attractions
Travel Feature
Which Italy do you want to visit?
Global Quickies
News and tips from around the world

Karibuni News

Snow Capped Adventures
Following on from the success of our skiing and snowboarding trips this year we are pleased to announce that we will be offering our Snow Capped Adventures again in 2003.
Despite some difficult snow conditions (i.e. not enough of it!) in most of the French Alps in January, we were lucky enough to have at least 90% of pistes open every day, and some good snow conditions throughout! The resort proved ideal for beginners and improvers, with loads of people enjoying the wide pistes and lack of people….lift queues were conspicuous by their absence, and the pistes were always very well maintained. So it's a big thumbs up for La Clusaz - a resort so far avoiding the hit-list of the big UK tour operators…and long may it stay that way!

Our philosophy of small groups, a flexible and relaxed approach combined with a high level of personal service was very well received and certainly adds that something special to your time in the mountains. So why change a winning formula…
Details and prices of the week and long weekend trips for 2003 will be coming soon and will be on the website along with all the details of the resort, chalet and great skiing to be enjoyed. Don't wait too long before reserving your spaces!

To view photos of past groups enjoying the pistes and scenery of La Clusaz then visit www.karibuni.co.uk/roguesgallery.htm and find the Snow Capped Adventures section.

Independent Travellers World
A fun and busy weekend was spent at the popular ITW show in London - and its time to announce the winner of our free Adventure Weekend competition that we were running there.
The lucky winner is Jenny Robson - so congratulations to Jenny, and we will be seeing you at some point over the summer to enjoy your free Adventure Weekend.

Don't worry if you didn't win or missed us at the ITW show as we will have another free Adventure Weekend up for grabs in the next edition of this newsletter due out just after Easter. So keep tuned for your chance to win another fabulous FREE weekend break…

ITW extra competition
We have an extra competition for you first time readers who we met at the ITW show. Thanks for dropping by and saying hi, and if you can answer the question below you could win a Lonely Planet Travel Pack - containing a travel journal, a guidebook and phrase book of your choice!

Answers by email to info@karibuni.co.uk with the answer to the following question. The 5 winners will be picked at random from all the correct entries on Monday 18th March.

What does "Karibuni" mean?
Tip - If your Swahili is a bit ropey, then visit www.karibuni.co.uk to find out.

Lonely Planet Competition
Thanks once again to our friends at Lonely Planet who have given us 5 copies of their Italy guidebooks to give away. So if you are one of the 5 lucky winners you could whet your appetite for Italy with our feature coming up below, and then find out all the details to plan your trip with the latest 5th Edition of the Italy guidebook from Lonely Planet www.lonelyplanet.com

To enter this competition, answer this simple question below and send an email to info@karibuni.co.uk by the Monday 18th March - when we will be picking the 5 winners from all the correct entries.

Britain News

Commonwealth Games
This year Britain is lucky enough to stage one of the worlds top sporting events, and competitors will be coming from all over the world to compete in the Commonwealth Games. They are being held in Manchester from the 25th July until 4th August 2002 - and tickets are now available for many of the events. So whether you're cheering for Britain, Australia, New Zealand or any other nation - the games promise to be a great chance to watch some top competitive sports - from Rugby 7's to Athletics.

For information about the games - http://www.commonwealthgames2002.org.uk/default.asp
To buy tickets online visit - http://m2002.ticketmaster.co.uk/index.asp

Flying on "AIR" at Alton Towers
On March 16th Alton Towers in Staffordshire will unveil their latest ride -the world's first flying roller coaster!
To be known as Air - the new £12m ride is a suspended roller coaster that gives visitors the sensation of flying. Seated four abreast in the upright position, the seats tilt forward so that riders face the ground dangling from their seats - and then the ride is off twisting round a number of 360 degree loops, plunging dives and underground caverns.
For all information about the Theme Park visit - www.altontowers.com

Fast-track Passport Renewals
For those of you who have ever booked your holiday only to discover that your passport expired - help is now at hand, and should prevent last minute runs to Peterborough!
From January the passport office has been operating a new fast track passport renewals service whereby existing passport holders can benefit from a same day renewal service for an extra fee of £45 (on top of the standard charge)
New applications will be processed within a guaranteed 5 days for an extra charge of £30 - at present it currently takes 10-14 days.
Further details of this and all application procedures can be found at www.passport.gov.uk

Which Italy do you want to visit?
There's no doubting its popularity as a tourist destination, but Italy can be so many things to so many people. Its diversity makes it an intriguing place to visit but that means there are plenty of "Italian experiences" to be enjoyed…so which one is for you?

Below is a "whistle-stop" guide to some of the most popular regions and destination in Italy, presenting a variety of experiences and tastes of "la Dolce Vita"

Tuscany
Birthplace of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and the whole Italian Renaissance - it spawned the art and architectural gems of the 15th century, many of which are amongst its top tourist attractions today. When its history is combined with pleasant rolling hills covered in olive trees and vines, and great food you start to get a feel for what Tuscany has to offer

Florence must be one of the best cities in the world with so much to see - like the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels to name but a few. Although it does get very busy Florence is compact and easy to explore on foot.
Also check out Pisa - (yes the tower of leaning fame, and an ornate cathedral) - and don't miss the often overlooked city of Siena - with its beautiful medieval history. Italy's finest medieval square - the Piazza del Campo - was finished just before the plague decimated the city, but its many reddish-brown buildings and ramparts are well worth a visit.

Worth hunting down - San Gimignano
Only 14 of the original 72 towers remain reflecting a period in Italian history when a person's house really was their castle, with points scored for the highest tower. Also great art, museums and piazzas as you would expect in Tuscany.

The Italian Lakes

Fresh mountain air and a sheltered climate all add to the appeal of Lakes Garda, Como, Maggiore and Orta. This is a region for getting out and exploring - whether by boat on the lakes, or on foot exploring the shores.

For the last 200 years many tourists (including Britons) have been drawn to this region to wander, tour and visit the lovely villas and their ornate gardens as well as the charming villages. Steam cruising on the lakes paints a picture of yesteryear - with the gentile nature of tourism in the Italian Lakes. For a more active break try water sports such as sailing or windsurfing on the lakes or enjoyable rambles in the Alpine foothills.

Worth hunting out - Villages and Gardens
Isole Borromee - collection of island on Lake Maggiore with some unspoilt Baroque gardens
Orta San Giulio - the main village of Lake Orta known as the "Cinderalla of Italian Lakes".

Sorrento and Amalfi Coast
This is 50km of some of Europe's most beautiful coastline - craggy cliffs and intensely blue water - which is pretty enough to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. All along the windy roads are small beaches and fishing villages clinging to the cliffs, with the hills behind covered in lemon groves.

Amalfi was once a strong naval power and its importance can be seen in its imposing duomo, but even more attractive is the nearby resort town of Sorrento
Close by is Pompei - the Roman resort destroyed in 79AD by the eruption of Vesuvius. Massive ruins give us a glimpse of Roman life, backed by the imposing volcano.

Worth hunting out - Positano
Fabulous tiered houses and architecture next to a wonderful sea view - and now a very cool hang out for the Neapolitans - a place to see and be seen. Top cafés and pizzas made with locally made Mozzarella.

Venice

The most beautiful and romantic city in the world…that's what they used to say, and they are still saying it, so there must be something about this place!!
Despite most of us having seen the images - it still delights visitors, and lives up to its reputation. It's the sort of place where washing hung across an alleyway can be a "quaint" sight and photo opportunity.

The city is built on 117 small islands and is criss-crossed with canals and alleyways. You can forget cars…(so don't ask if the ferry ticket allows you to travel on the buses as a friend did!) which means the delightful architecture is set off by water, boats and reflections rather than buses, congested roads and smog! And boy does it make a difference…

The main sights are all conveniently central but its also worth getting lost in the maze of alleys and side streets. "Must sees" include the Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge and St Marks Square - with the Basilica San Marco and Doges Palace (complete with Bridge of Sighs). Also, cross the Accademia Bridge to find a quieter Venice and the Galleria dell'Accademia

Worth hunting down - Other islands
The Lido, Murano (Venetian glass), Burano (lace) and Torcello are all different to the main city and worth investigating.

Rome
Italy's capital is always a bustling and lively city that is steeped in history. In fact - for pure history it's difficult to beat with unexpected sights at every turn…and not just from the Roman period, as throughout time most have left their mark and monuments in Rome.
Imperial temples, early-Christian churches, medieval bell towers, Renaissance palaces and baroque basilicas as well as the amazing 2000 year old sites from Ancient Rome such as the Coliseum.

A big city to explore, don't underestimate the time needed to see it all. Many of the top attractions will take a half day to see - particularly if you time it wrong and end up queuing for St Peters and the Vatican.

Worth hunting down - Roman sights
Probably on the list anyway - but don't miss the Coliseum. The scale and history are astounding, and enjoy your own Gladiator moment in the vast amphitheatre. I am Maximus!!

Sardinia

Sardinia is typified by its rugged and wild landscape and with only small resort developments its attraction is in the history and the natural environment. Sardinia is slowly and carefully establishing itself as a seaside destination with great white sandy beaches and some of the clearest seas in the Med.

The Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Pisans, Genoese and Spaniards have all invaded and colonised Sardinia, and all left their mark with ancient monuments such as standing stones, tombs and circular fortified houses called nuraghi.
The capital Cagliari is fairly attractive with a black and white cathedral, as well as medieval section (and lets not forget the beach)

Worth Hunting down - Grottoes
The impressive Neptune's Grotto - complete with stalagmite colonnades - is found near the ancient town of Alghero.

General Information
Italy is now easier to get to than ever before, with some good value flights on offer from the no-frills airlines. Ryan Air have a wide choice of destinations, and British Midland and Go add other options. As always - keep an eye out for special offers, and move fast for the cheapest tickets!
April and May are considered by many to be the best times to visit…so start your planning now, and look out for any spring or Easter festivals as they can be spectacular.

For information on flights - check out Ryan Air at www.ryanair.com - Go at www.go-fly.com and British Midland at www.flybmi.com

Further information on Italy can be found on the Lonely Planet website at
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/italy.htm

Global Quickies
We again turn to the animal kingdom for some amusing stories from around the world.

Drunken elk on rampage!
Well - its one theory that police in Krakeroy are investigating after the elk went on the rampage in 67-year-old Sonja Arntzen's garden, destroying furniture and her vegetable patch, then attacking her car before fleeing the scene as the pensioner arrived.

Police believe that the animal may have become intoxicated after eating fermented fruit, although another theory is that the elk could possibly be the same one which was hit by a car earlier this year and is believed to have suffered brain injuries. Both of these theories could explain the aggressive behaviour in an otherwise mellow creature!

Lion's unusual play mate!
One lioness stunned observers in the Samburu Wildlife Reserve in Kenya this January, by forming a very close relationship with an orphaned baby oryx - normally a potential ready meal!
Experts are baffled by the bizarre relationship which would see the lioness lying down protecting the oryx as she would normally do so with her own cubs. It appears that the lioness adopted the oryx after its parents were killed by other lions, but this behaviour is unheard of in predator/prey relationships.

Unfortunately, even the watchful eye of her new "mother" could not save the little oryx who was attacked and killed by another lion when the lioness's guard was down at a water hole, after the pair had strayed onto the other lion's home territory.

Well, that's all again for this time - and we hope you enjoyed it. If you have any amusing stories or travel articles to share, then please send them through to info@karibuni.co.uk

Many thanks, and happy travels

Paul