The spectacular humpback whale migration is underway, with animals heading north from Antarctica, stopping off at Augusta and Dunsborough before heading north to the Kimberley

Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) had already received several early reports of whales along the coast including a pod of killer whales off Rottnest Island last month.

Be prepared for your whale cruise, the season usually takes place this way:

Late April: The whales travel to warm water

August: they return south

Early June: Augusta is the place to be

September: Dunsborough and Busselton for the Blue whales

September to December: they finally reach Perth

July to October: Albany

June to November: Kalbarri

Contact us for your bookings =)

Australia is one of the most expensive places to visit for business travellers, according to a report by Concur, a provider of integrated travel and expense management services.

Concur’s second global report on corporate travel and entertainment (T&E) spend, based on $50 billion in travel and entertainment spend around the world, found that four Australian cities are in the top 10 most expensive for business travel.

Perth came in at 3^rd place, followed by Sydney (4th), Brisbane (7th), and Melbourne (9th).

Other key findings of the report include: Sydney ranked 14th in the list of the 25 most visited international cities for business travel

Top spend categories:
Dining – Australia had the costliest average dining at A$62.17
Airfare – Hong Kong had the highest average airfare costs at A$1,064.19
Lodging – The U.S. had the least expensive average cost at A$85.17
Globally, airfare and lodging revealed the highest increase from 2010 to 2011, while average dining spend decreased more than 4% over the same time period

You’ve got to love the Canadian sense of humour.

West Jet is an Airline with head office situated in Calgary. West Jet airline attendants make an effort to make the in-flight “safety lecture” and announcements a bit more entertaining.

Here are several real examples that have been heard or reported by passengers from real flights:
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On  West Jet Flight with a very “senior” flight attendant crew, the pilot said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”
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On landing, the stewardess said, “Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.”
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“There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.”
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“As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at the Vancouver airport, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: “Whoa, big fella. WHOA!”
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After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Ontario, a flight attendant on a West Jet flight announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.”

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“In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling, stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite.”
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“As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.”

The first whale sharks of 2012 have been sighted in the Ningaloo Marine Park and tours offering the chance to swim with the world’s largest fish are underway in Exmouth and Coral Bay.

Growing up to 16 metres long, whale sharks are attracted to Ningaloo’s warm, pristine water after the mass spawning of coral in March each year.

Whale sharks migrate to the area to feed on krill, while tourists from far and wide visit to experience the incredible thrill of swimming alongside these gentle giants.

The Ningaloo Marine Park in Western Australia’s Coral Coast has recently been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list and is considered one of the best places in the world to swim with whale sharks.

Whale shark tours are offered between mid March until early August and sometimes into September if whale sharks are still in the area. Don’t miss out an experience of a lifetime and contact us for your booking!

We have a wonderful bunch of clients here, clients who often become friends and raconteurs of travel experiences that make us laugh, cry and learn.  One of our favourite raconteurs is Frosty.  (For privacy reasons, we can’t divulge any further information about him.)  Frosty travels a lot for work, to places he perhaps wouldn’t necessarily travel to, given the choice.  His returns from his travels see him sharing his experiences with his favourite travel consultant, who kindly passes the stories on to us.  With permission from Frosty, we would now like to share an exceptional travel story of his with you all.  In Frosty’s words….

“Greetings from monsoonal Laos.  I stand here soaked through to the skin as it is persisting down.  Currently have heart palpitations having earlier put my hand in my pocket and pulled out a dirty great big and extremely poisonous (so I am told) spider, thinking it was a large lump of rag in there.  I have to admit it, I squealed like a girl.  Didn’t mind spiders previously but I think arachnophobia will be the order of the day from here on in.  Luckily I pulled it out curled up and he/she was on his/her back presumably taking 40 winks before launching at my wobbly bits with lascivious intent as I looked to see what the hell it was.  After launching it into partial orbit, and slightly before its salivating mandibles could latch on to digits, a close inspection after its reentry to earth showed fangs 8mm long and it jumped at one of the Operators that came to see whether I had severed an arm or not, such was the wussy* scream I let out.  The bloody thing was 4″ across.  The things you do to make a quid these days ……………..my wife was almost a merry widow instead of an impecunious angry scouser ”

WILD LIFE Sydney today introduced their newest Golden Brushtail Possum to be born at its Darling Harbour home.  Adorned with huge dark eyes, a little pink nose and a bright yellow fluffy coat, Bailey – WILD LIFE Sydney’s newest resident – is settling in as the attraction’s golden child. 

Golden Brushtail Possums are one of Australia’s largest arboreal (tree-dwelling) marsupials yet are rarely seen in the wild, being found mostly in small pockets of Tasmania. These brightly-coloured, rare possums have been able to survive due to the lack of wild predators in Tasmania. Their unique appearance is result of low levels of melanin in their skin.

 As the third Golden Brushtail Possum born at the attraction since 2008, the birth of Bailey is yet another testament to WILD LIFE Sydney’s breeding program.  Bailey will join the ever-expanding group of baby Australian animals at WILD LIFE Sydney including baby koalas, Frill-Necked Lizards and quolls.

March 2012 – One of Sydney’s most sought after waterfront locations – the Park Hyatt Sydney is ready to reveal a spectacular rebuilt residence, pairing an unrivalled location with an

unrivalled hotel.

Park Hyatt Sydney closed its rooms, spa, restaurant and bars for most of 2011 to undergo a complete rebuild. Park Hyatt Sydney now features three rooftop suites built on a new fourth level.

The hotel has commissioned a number of Australian artists including sculptors, painters and photographers for artworks designed especially for the new hotel. The 21 years that Park Hyatt Sydney have called their Circular Quay pier home is respected and celebrated throughout the hotels’ redesign.

According to UK’s Tatler magazine, the top three of the 101 Best Hotels in the World for 2012 included Queensland hotels Hayman Island, Lizard Island and Noosa’s Makepeace Island

The Blue Mountains Private Safaris and Deux Belettes at Dalwood both made it to the top of the list for New South Wales, while Northern Territory’s Wildman Wilderness Lodge, Hobart’s Mona Pavillions and the Lake House at Daylesford, Victoria, were all rated as the world’s best hotels.

This is great news – AirAsia X is to start services between Kuala Lumpur and Sydney commencing April 2012. Let’s hope this new DAILY service will  increase tourist numbers to New South Wales and onwards.