Get your Billy Cart Ready

The Annual Bangalow Billy Cart Derby gets rolling Sunday 15th May 2011, when theMain Street of the Northern Riversvillage ofBangalow becomes a Race Track, for kids of all ages to have fun on Bangalow’s big day. This annual event is celebrated by the locals, as a showcase of good old fashioned outdoors fun in which everyone can take part, individuals, families, workgroups. The BBCD will continue this year with the ‘Schools Challenge Races’ with $1,500 prize money to the winning Schools P & C.

From 9-00am the Children’s junior races commence with categories for Traditional and Home-Grown Carts for Kids in age groups: 5-7, 8-11, 12-15.

At Lunch-time it is the Grand Parade, led this year led by the local Emergency Services Groups, a collaboration of Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigades and Rescue Team. This is followed by The Pipe Band, Vintage Cars, Motor Bikes, Samba Band, Schools, Scouts, Celebrities, Dancing Classes, Sports Groups and local heroes. After Lunch comes the serious stuff, with the Professional, Tag – Team, Mothers and Celebrity Races.

Safety Information: All drivers and passengers must wear safety helmets, protective clothing is recommended.

Register at the Bangalow Hotel from 7:15am. Carts need to be inspected before registering (next to Fish Heads restaurant )

Volunteers: We always need Volunteers to make this event work. We need to unload Hay Bales in the main street around 6-30 a.m. Cart inspection and Entry Registration 7.00 – 9-00a.m. We then pick up Hay Bales and Clean-up from 3-30 p.m.

www.bangalowbillycart.com.au

Winter Fun Extends Far Beyond North Lake Tahoe's Slopes

(NORTH LAKE TAHOE, California/Nevada) – Believe it or not, black diamond runs and wide-open bowls aren’t the only thing North Lake Tahoe has to offer winter travelers. Whether guests want to enjoy cool, crisp winter air or find cozy refuge indoors, the region’s opportunities for recreation and respite are as abundant as ski lifts.

Visitors can still explore the snow-covered countryside without special gear or strapping on special boots. Bands of Siberian huskies pull guests of all ages and abilities through the backcountry on hand-made sleds. The excursions, which give an exhilarating rush, depart out of Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and the Resort at Squaw Creek.

The Tahoe Cross-Country Center is the ideal place for first-time cross-country skiers, offering free weekly beginning cross-country and skate ski lessons and intermediate skating improvement classes. Located in Tahoe City, the center encompasses 19 trails and more than 65 kilometers with stunning views of the lake, two warming huts and café. Just west of Truckee, the Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort boasts the largest groomed track system in North America and is home to overnight lodges, eight warming huts and three trailside cafes. Tahoe Donner Cross-Country Center offers 62 miles and 51 trails, with a few designated specifically for those donning snowshoes.

Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City sits adjacent to a number of popular cross-country and snowshoe trailheads. Snowshoers can also head to Northstar, Squaw Valley, Spooner Lake, North Tahoe Regional Park in Tahoe Vista and Sugar Pine Point State Park on the West Shore for exceptional areas for snowshoeing. Local rental shops give great advice and trail maps for those venturing away from groomed trails.

The advent of pedestrian villages and destination resorts in recent years has brought numerous activities. The Village at Squaw offers wine tasting at Uncorked, candle-making at Waxen Moon, indoor climbing at Headwall Climbing Wall and a Sky Jump Trampoline right smack in the middle of the Village. For a complete mental escape, there’s Trilogy Spa, pampering those taking a break from the slopes with Polynesian-inspired treatments and soothing massages.

The Village at Northstar keeps guests busy with jewelry design at the Farrah Rale Bead Design Studio, candle making at the Villager Candle Shop and the new All Fired Up Pottery Painting Place, where you can choose from 500 pieces of pottery to paint. Balance Holistic Health offers Tai Chi, Pilates, yoga (for kids, too) and numerous classes (nutrition, essential oils, crystals and sound bowl meditation), as well as massage, acupuncture, manicures and facials. Two new movie theaters, called The Village Cinemas, recently opened in the Village at Northstar on the lower level.

The new Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, located mid-mountain at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, offers decadent diversions at its 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, which opened December 2009. Towering pines and its own private beach surround Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency in Incline Village, and boasts furnishing that are a reflection of Lake Tahoe’s natural environment. Guests choose from more than a dozen treatments rooms, including couples sanctuaries. Those eager for a workout before a massage can use the resort’s snowshoes to trek along the lake.

Both Squaw and Northstar are also home to ice skating rinks. Squaw’s year-round Olympic Ice Pavilion sits amidst the mountain peaks at High Camp (elevation 8,200 feet) along with the Swimming Lagoon and Spa, which opens in early spring. Northstar’s seasonal ice rink (open for roller skaters in the summer and taking on a retro music vibe) sits in the center of the Village and has $5 rentals. The Resort at Squaw Creek’s exhibition ice rink is nestled in the heart of Olympic Valley and is open to the public. The resort also offers cross-country skiing and sleigh rides.

Non-skiers can still fly through the backcountry on one of many snowmobiling tours. The excursions showcase panoramic lake views and give glimpses of popular peaks and hidden meadows. Rental and tour companies can be found in Truckee, Kings Beach and Tahoe City.
North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from San Francisco International Airport. Visitor information centers are located at 380 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village. The North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus, Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, work together to promote North Lake Tahoe as a premier, year-round destination.

From London to Las Vegas; Grand Canyon to Disney World, DestinationCoupons.com delivers worldwide savings on all things travel related

DURANGO, CO – There have never been more ways to save money while traveling on business or pleasure. In fact, the landscape is so cluttered, it’s difficult to navigate. But are these new tools and new ways to save really a savings?
DestinationCoupons.com, a free travel savings website offering worldwide discounts and savings coupons for travel, is set apart by what is missing from the website: no shopping cart. The coupons are completely free. No credit card is required and, while membership is available to receive the company’s monthly hot deals, it’s not required to print a coupon.

Save eighty bucks on a Vegas show? Print the coupon. Meetings end early in New York City? Take a Circle Line Statue of Liberty Harbor Tour and save 50%. Looking for a great deal on a Las Vegas hotel? A tour of Yosemite? A coupon for the Miami Seaquarium or Jungle Island? Great Turkish entertainment at the Orient House in Istanbul? Skip the lines for the Vatican Walking Tour? Vacation planners simply peruse the offers and print a coupon for savings of generally more than 15% and sometimes as high as 60%, or in some cases, access a ticket which is not available anywhere else online.

The twelve year-old online travel company offers more than 70,000 exclusive coupons or discounts for attractions, dining, shopping, shows, museums, attractions and sightseeing services, in addition to the best possible hotel and car rental rates in 7,000 worldwide destinations.

This amount of volume provides exclusive arrangements for even greater savings, promoted by a monthly email to more than 100,000 budget-minded and travel savvy users of the site. The site connects travelers directly with show box offices, major international hotel chains such as Intercontinental, Marriott and Hilton, and car rental companies like Budget, Avis, Enterprise, making it convenient to book travel arrangements, while also checking out deals in that city.

Along with the monthly hot deals, deals are posted daily and many are exclusive to DestinationCoupons.com. The website is a valuable tool when planning to visit a major city and seeing a few of the major highlights. While some pass programs bundle the best of a city for a significant discount for a week’s vacation, for shorter stays, live theatre, hotel rooms and car rental along with sightseeing, DestinationCoupons.com delivers individual deals. And unlike social media sites
requiring a cash commitment in advance or to get to a certain number of participants, DestinationCoupons.com accepts no payments. In fact, the company points out that other sites actually cost travelers money when they leave their paid voucher for a sightseeing tour at home, forget to show up on the only day the voucher is valid, or run out of time with unused attractions on the electronic card. Coupons printed on DestinationCoupons.com are handed directly to the ticket or box office for savings, with no service fees added at the transaction point.

This month’s Hot Deals are just in time for summer travel:

2 for 1 Air Tours of the Grand Canyon
$45.50 off Tickets to Mamma Mia! On Broadway!
2 for 1 Las Vegas Show Tickets – some of Las Vegas’ most popular musicals, variety shows and adult comedy theater.
2 for 1 Admission at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas or in Washington D.C. – Meet all 44 Presidents.
Exclusive Savings with Sixt Rental Car – Save AN ADDITIONAL 10% off Sixt’s lowest rates

For a traveler headed to a specific destination with a set itinerary or a planner looking for inspiration, DestinationCoupons.com is like having a friend in every major city willing to recommend a show, do the city’s tour, and get the local’s deal at the theatre.

About DestinationCoupons.com
www.destinationcoupons.com is the free website offering worldwide discounts for hotels, car rentals, restaurants, shopping, activities, theatre, sightseeing and more through an ala carte, one-click coupon access. DestinationCoupons.com handles no transactions and offers a monthly Hot Deals newsletter. Follow the company on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/DestinationCouponscom/81380490963, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/destcoupons @destcoupons.

Upgraded Online Booking System for Tickets to Machu Picchu

Tourists can now book and pay for tickets to visit Peru’s leading attraction, Machu Picchu, from anywhere in the world thanks to an upgraded online booking system.

From the end of April tourists can now simply go to www.machupicchu.gob.pe, reserve tickets, pay by VISA, print out tickets and go directly to the Historic Sanctuary.

Peru’s Tourism Board coordinator for Asia Pacific, Rosana Guinea comments: “Having an online booking portal where tourists anywhere in the world can plan trips to Machu Picchu does make it a lot easier. It also allows us to understand the visitor profile to Machu Picchu as we capture information such as nationality, age and gender.

We also plan to develop this site further with more information and have other cultural tours and activities available to book.”

Machu Picchu is on everyone’s wish list when booking a trip to Peru and 2011 is a very important year as it marks 100 years since the American explorer and politician, Hiram Bingham, rediscovered this lost city of the Incas for the world to see.

The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu remains Peru’s top tourist attraction and the first quarter of 2011 saw visits to Machu Picchu increase by 33,000 people compared to the first quarter of 2009 to 127,963 visitors (figures are compared to 2009 and 2010 as the citadel was closed between January and April 2010 due to heavy rain and mudslides).

Online booking site: http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/

For more information on Peru, please visit www.peru.info

A Bear in Pyjamas and a Blissful Bed to Snuggle Up in at The Langham, Melbourne

Southbank’s elegant five-star hotel, The Langham, Melbourne is offering guests an enchanting haven this winter with the launch of its new Teddy Bear Package, available until 28 September 2011.

Just like a fairytale, guests can fall asleep in a warm and luxurious Langham Blissful Bed with a beautiful Langham Teddy Bear in pink pyjamas, enjoy a delectable full buffet breakfast in Melba Restaurant, sip on a warming hot chocolate in ARIA Bar & Lounge, and have access to the Health Club and Wellness Centre. The Langham’s Teddy Bear Package is not too hard, not too soft, but just right for guests who want to experience a five-star fairytale escape this winter.

The Teddy Bear Package has been created to showcase The Langham, Melbourne as the most desirable haven to relax and indulge this winter. With five-star service, captivating location, fine décor and innovative hospitality, The Langham, Melbourne is where dreams come true.

By booking the Teddy Bear Package guests will be supporting the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Appeal.

The Langham’s Teddy Bear Package
“Wake in the deepest dark of the night and hear the driving rain. Reach out and take a paw, and go to sleep again” – Charlotte Gray

v Overnight accommodation for two
v Full buffet breakfast for two in Melba Restaurant
v Two hot chocolate beverages served in ARIA Bar & Lounge
v Access to the Health Club and Wellness Centre including use of the gymnasium, conservatory covered pool and Jacuzzi, sauna, signature scented colour therapy steam rooms and therapeutic rain showers
v A Langham teddy bear, Grace and other bear surprises to be delivered to your room
v Late checkout of 2pm
v Valet parking

Package price: From $385 in a Classic Room.

Availability: from 1 May 20101 until 28 September 2011

For more information on Langham’s enchanting offerings for winter 2011, visit melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au

For bookings call 1800 858 662 or email mel.resv@langhamhotels.com

Sailing Season Commences on Niue

'The Biggest Little Yacht Club in the World' on Niue Island is gearing up for the island's peak sailing season which begins this month.

New developments include the deployment of 20 new moorings in Alofi Bay and a new premise at Niue Backpackers where yacht crews can relax and enjoy the use of free Wi-Fi.

The Niue Yacht Club is the only club in the world which has no yachts and nobody on the management committee has ever sailed. However, Niue's increasing reputation as a 'must do' for keen sailors sees the island's mooring field in Alofi Bay fill with boats during the peak season.
 
Niue Island has a number of features which attract sailors including; unique geology, fantastic diving and a very welcoming community. Since the island has started taking accurate records of arrivals since 2004, 28 per cent of all arriving visitors have been yacht crews.

Commodore of Niue Yacht Club Keith Vial says "We go out of our way to help cruisers when they come ashore. We assist with refueling and point out where other facilities are but most importantly of all we try to ensure that cruisers arrive as visitors and leave as friends."

The Niue yacht Club is run by a very small group of volunteers as a not-for-profit organisation.

Niue is one of only twenty SailMail stations around the world which allows sailors to use email communication via radio frequencies and the closer they are to Niue the stronger the signal gets. Niue Yacht Club uses SailMail to offer a unique service that provides important information to potential visitors such as mooring availability.

"We may be small but we are organised" says Vial.

Niue's sailing season coincides with the whale season which beings in June. The humpback whales are a major attraction for boaties as they are often right in the mooring field. Boaties are treated to amazing sights such as mothers basking on the surface with their calves and can drift off to sleep listening to the whales sing to each other in the bay.

Many of the boating visitors to Niue are also divers who are amazed by Niue's incredible visibility and rich marine life.

Yachties who are interested in visiting Niue Island can find a wealth of information at the Niue Yacht Club's website – www.nyc.nu.

www.niueisland.com

 

20 NIGHTS EMBRACES CHILEAN FJORDS, CAPE HORN AND IGUAZU FALLS

AN extraordinary 20-night fly, cruise and stay package down the west coast of South America from Valparaiso in Chile next February, goes through the Chilean Fjords and the Strait of Magellan, around Cape Horn and up the east coast to Buenos Aires in Argentina.

This sensational South American adventure is selling through Cruiseco from $6495pp twin-share – a saving of $500 per person if booked by May 31 this year.

The all-inclusive package includes return international Economy Class airfare from Sydney, two nights pre-cruise stay with breakfast daily in Santiago plus a half-day sightseeing tour of downtown Santiago with Wine Tasting, 14-nights aboard Celebrity Cruises' Infinity, Return Economy Class airfare from Buenos Aires to Iguazu, two nights post-cruise stay at Iguazu Falls with breakfast daily and a full-day touring the Brazilian and Argentinean sides of the Falls. A further two nights stay in Buenos Aires with breakfasts daily and a half-day city sightseeing, transfers between airport, hotel and ship, port charges and on board ship gratuities, hotel and air taxes, offers outstanding value.

Ports of call for the 90,000 tonne Infinity include Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas in Chile, Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn in Argentina, Punta Del Este and Montevideo in Uruguay, and there is a night aboard ship on arrival in Buenos Aires.

Guests will depart Australia on February 10 2012; for a full itinerary and the names of Cruiseco's 200 cruise-specialist travel agencies Australia-wide, visit www.cruising.com.au 

SUN RISES ON ADULTS ONLY BREAKFASTS AT SALT RESTAURANT, FIJI

Couples visiting Fiji for a romantic interlude can now enjoy a peaceful and leisurely breakfast – sans children – at Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa's beachside restaurant, Salt.

The resort's Food & Beverage Manager Alfredo Denage says, "Fiji appeals to families and couples alike, and this is reflected in the clientele we have at the hotel. With that in mind we identified a need to offer a more tailored and exclusive experience catering to couples only, which is where our 'adults only' breakfast concept comes in."

Salt is the perfect location for lovers; situated between the ocean and the resort's long lagoon pool, Sofitel's 'adults only' breakfast is available each day from 08.00am to 10.00am, with limited seating and reservations essential. Sofitel's à la carte couple's breakfast at Salt complements the resort's buffet breakfast with sparkling wine option which is available each day at Lagoon restaurant.

In addition to its romantic 'Magnifique' breakfasts, Salt also offers a romantic candle-lit dinner on the beach under the stars.

'Salt Sensations' is a romantic concept that allows for a more private experience, complete beautifully decorated tables to two located beachside for the sounds of the ocean lapping the shore and feeling of sand beneath your feet.

Available between 6pm and 10pm each evening the 'Salt Sensations' menu offers three courses priced from $145 with wine, or from $180 per person served with additional Moet et Chandon Champagne.

Food is specially prepared by award-wining Salt Restaurant's chef team, headed by the resort's Executive Chef Brendon Coffey, and includes choices such as Kokoda salad with fresh marinated fish and coconut, coriander and bush lemon; pure Angus Beef rib eye brushed with grain mustard and pepper; and decadent desserts including Salt's famous Kaffir lime semifreddo, blackberry sorbet and lemon coconut syrup. For more information or to make a reservation contact the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on +679 675 1111 or visit www.sofitel.com.fj

 

The Vijitt Resort - New Treatments at the V Spa

The extravagant V Spa at The Vijitt Resort, Phukets newest five star luxurious property, has just released three new beauty treatments so guests can be totally pampered in natural yet luxurious surrounds and escape to complete peace and serenity.  

The V Spa, which just like the resort, aims at bringing guests back to nature has been built in the shape of a traditional village with stunning small straw roofed Salas blending totally with the natural beauty of the jungle.

Each lavish Sala has been designed with nature at heart. The four exclusive treatment huts equipped with double beds are mainly used for Body Treatments and Facial Treatments. An imposing open-air four Salas standing around the small valley and canal is home to the Thai traditional massage whilst nearby is the indoor Steam & Jacuzzi bath is available for you to take a dip so as to refresh and cleanse your body before your selected massage treatment.

The Spa's name 'V' has been derived from the Roman numeral meaning of five representing the five senses appealed to in a Spa treatment - sight, taste, smell, sound and touch. These new indulgent Day Spa packages are designed around these senses and the body's well-being and include V Tonifying Treatment with Celestial Spheres, V Relaxing Treatment with Royal Bamboo and V Detoxifying Treatment with Exotic Wood Stones.

V Tonifying Treatment with Celestial Spheres is a true energizing gift from the heavens! It combines two sets of spheres with iridescent spangles that glitter with life and joy. The warmth radiated by the intense orange color of the sun sphere melts away the tension buried in the heart of the muscles fibres. The moon sphere, a deep Indigo blue, provides the relief that allows inner peace. The alliance between the Sun and the Moon symbolically unifies the male principles of power and strength with the female virtues of softness and reflection, revealed within each one of us.

In Asia, the Bamboo tree symbolizes strength and flexibility since it can grow up to 10 meters a month! The V Relaxing Treatment with Royal Bamboo uses the round, smooth and firm texture of the bamboo as an original massage tool, which is rich in different sensations. The three sizes that are used in the treatment perfectly fit the body contours and provide a deep and revitalizing relaxation. Its mineralizing, restructuring and soothing ingredients are well-known in dermo-cosmetics and phytotherapy.

The V Detoxifying Treatment with Exotic Wood Stones uses the Wacapou wood, a noble, solid wood from the heart of Guiana and with a unique pigmentation to provide a massage treatment. This enveloping treatment, rich in variations, goes from sensorial to more intense movements to redefine the body contours using sculpting techniques, frictions, darting strokes, the "thousand and one" facets of the hands and the perfect curves of the wood stones to obtain a slimmer silhouette, a thinner waist, slender thighs, firmer hips and gluteus, toned up arms.

The V Spa offers a range of other treatments from massages, body scrubs and wraps, slimming care packages, facials, steam and Jacuzzi packages to waxing and The V Slaon for all guests hairdressing needs.
 
For booking and enquiries please contact: Tess Willcox on P: 07 5524 5222 Email:  tess@wrd.com.au

 

Carnival Launch. Ann Sherry speaks to Travel Daily