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Your
partner in Travel around the world
Newsletter
No. 5 December 2006
Hi There,
We are pleased to enclose the fifth issue of our Newsletter for you to
view.
Offering destinations worldwide! The world is your oyster, we have
listed a mix of different vacations to suit all tastes; we can also
offer many more.
All tours and destinations are available for 2007; we recommend that
you book early so as to avoid disappointment as tours are filling up
quickly.
If you prefer a customized tour we will be happy to assist, we work
with suppliers worldwide and welcome the opportunity to assist you with
your tour of a lifetime.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy
Holiday season and look forward to working with you on your plans.
If there is anything you would like to see added in our newsletter
please let us know we will happy to include it.
Visit our site at http://www.a-ztours.com
to view additional tours around the world.
Newsletter Contents
Featured
Tours – Thailand and Costa Rica
Egypt
Tour - Travel with Avril and Khaled on the “Flavor of Egypt” tour
Airfare
Specials – Charters to Europe and more
Tour
Specials – Switzerland, Rome and more
Hotspot
Destinations – Fiji, Cook Island’s, Cuba and more
Travel
Tips for Thailand – Safety, do’s & don’ts and more
Personnel
– The A-Z Tours International team
Featured Tours
 Kingdom of Thailand
14 Days
Prices as low as $749 US land only.
Save $50 USD per person on certain departures.
Travel through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, the Teak Forest, Ayutthaya, and
more.
Whether you’re exploring the beautiful countryside in Chiang Mai, or
colorful cityscapes in Bangkok, you’re sure to find the ancient beauty
of Thailand eye-opening. It is a land of enchantment, with a temple at
every corner, colorful spirit houses, and long-tail boats traveling the
canals and rivers. Throughout the country, shopping is pure pleasure
with great bargains among the many local crafts and woven goods. This
exciting tour includes six nights in the captivating city of Bangkok
and six nights in rural Chiang Mai.
 COSTA RICA: NATURE'S MUSEUM
10 days • 18 Meals
Prices from $1599 US land only.
Save $50 per person on certain departures.
This Smithsonian Journeys Travel Adventure includes San Jose, Poas
Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest and more.
Journey to Costa Rica, a land of rich natural wonders and friendly
people. Travel beyond San Jose, Costa Rica’s colorful capital city, to
explore the outstanding variety of flora and fauna in three important
nature reserves: Braulio Carrillo National Park, Cano Negro Wildlife
Refuge and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Enjoy the many pristine
natural wonders of Costa Rica through exclusive excursions and special
presentations, as well as unscheduled time for personal discovery.
Previously Featured Egypt Tour
Remember we have our special Egypt tour as listed in our previous
newsletter - Travel with Avril & Khaled “Flavor of Egypt” Escorted Tour
from Vancouver Jan 18th – 4th Feb, 2007
Cairo/Alexandria/Oasis/Nile
Cruise/Abu Simbel/Hurghada/St. Catherine’s
A tour you will never forget. This is a trip of a lifetime, an
opportunity to see the famous historic sites, the History of
Christianity, A Nile Cruise, and time on the Red Sea to relax, it is
ALL OF EGYPT.
Air Fare Specials
Charters
to Europe
- spring 2007 book early and save service fees.
London from $499 + taxes
Glasgow from $ 549 + taxes
Amsterdam from $ 749 + taxes
Book now Martinair flights for 2007at 2006 rates!
Call us for information on incentives for Groups, Corporate and
Non-Profit.
Tour Specials
 Imperial Jewels
8 days from $850, land only
Prague, Vienna, Budapest
 Scenic Switzerland by
Train
9 days from $1,480, land only
Zurich, Lucerne, Lausanne, Zermatt, Gornergrat, St. Moritz
 Rome, Sorrento &
Capri
9 days from $1,090, land only
 Spring 2007 Cruise
&
Las Vegas on “Zaandam” from $ 728 (double, inside) plus taxes.
TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS – Save
5% with some tours.
A party of five or more friends – Travel with 5 to 8 friends or family
members on the same tour and everyone will receive a discount of 5% off
the Land portion of the tour.
A party of 9 or more friends – Further significant savings are
available for larger groups of friends and families traveling together.
Contact us for full details.
IMPORTANT: Space is limited to one group per motor coach, so book
early! These discounts cannot be combined with any other roaming or
Young Traveler discount. Names of all passengers traveling must be
advised to the travel agent at the time of booking in order to qualify.
These discounts do not apply to extra night accommodation, are not
combinable with our Frequent Traveler offer and are not available on
Winter Breaks tours. Conditions apply.
EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT –
Save up to 10% with some tours.
Many tours sell out months before the departure date, so book NOW to
avoid disappointment. The earlier you pay, the more you save! If you
book and pay in full you’ll save up to 10% off the Land-only portion of
your trip. Below is our Early Payment Saving options – pay between:
4-6 months SAVE 2.5%
7-9 months SAVE 5%
10-12 months SAVE 7.5%
1 year or more SAVE 10%
All tours must be booked and paid for in full for this discount to
apply. These discounts are itinerary specific; please ask for exact
details. Conditions apply.
YOUNG TRAVELLER AGES –
SAVE 10% with some tours.
Share your holiday memories with your family and take advantage of a
discount on the Land-only portion of your tour. Young Travelers must be
under the age of 18 years old on the tour departure date, and MUST be
accompanied by and adult (limit of one young traveler per room).
On all escorted tours, children under 5 years old are NOT accepted. The
Young Traveler must be the specified age at the time of travel to be
eligible for this discount. This discount cannot be combined with our
TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS DISCOUNTS, and is limited to one young traveler
discount per room. Conditions apply.
Hotspot
Destinations
5 Nights from $1,698
Featured in
LA Times “Travel in Style”
Shangri-La's
Fijian Resort is
Fiji's most ideal holiday destination. Situated on our own private 109
acre Yanuca Island, the Resort is surrounded by pristine white beaches,
blue lagoons and swaying palm trees offering the vacationer of any age
a truly tropical escape. Conveniently connected to the mainland by a
causeway bridge, the Resort's layout sought inspiration from a
contemporary Fijian theme. Our refurbished rooms are modern in design
with earthy colors and soft lighting creating a serene ambience within.
All this is complemented by our people, who are among the friendliest
in the world.
Cook Island’s
Castaway Beach
Villa Getaway! – 7 nights from $1349 per person.
Found
amidst tropical gardens,
on the west cost of Rarotonga, on a white sand beach, near the village
of Arorangi. Rooms feature ceiling fans, a patio, TV, hair dryer,
tea and coffee making facilities and more! Enjoy a meal at Crusoe's
Restaurant or a drink at Crusoe's Bar!
Belize Barefoot
Adventure -
Journey's End Resort - 6 Days from $498 per person.
Journey's
End Resort is secluded
on over 50 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, yet they are only
about twelve minutes via water taxi from the resort town of San Pedro
on Ambergris Caye just off the coast of Belize. Ambergris Caye is the
largest of a series of barrier islands that line Belize's coastline.
Belize's 180-mile-long barrier reef, the second longest in the world,
is just one-half mile off the shore of Ambergris Caye. Renowned for the
tremendous abundance of life, the reef offers some of the world’s best
diving and snorkeling. An important part of Belize's history is the
ancient civilization of the Maya. As part of the Mundo Maya, Belize
boasts several incredible Mayan sites including the oldest known Mayan
site; the longest occupied site; and the largest carved jade object in
all Mayandom.
At Journey's End Resort you can
find a tour or activity for almost everyone. Choose to either snorkel
the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere or travel deep into the rain
forest to explore ancient Mayan ruins, with their magnificent temples.
No matter what your preference is, you'll have a most memorable
vacation at Journey's End Resort.
Dominican Republic
and Cuba 1
week all inclusive from $1098CAD + taxes based on double occupancy.
The
Beaches of the Dominican
Republic is a special place where nature's treasures remain unspoiled
and the simple joys of easy living are still easy to find.
Here, in the head of the
Caribbean, you will discover more than 1,288 km of Coast line with the
most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean in all different styles. Find
white sandy beaches, diving attractions and unspoiled nature all around
the island.
The largest Caribbean island,
Cuba offers breathtaking beaches and scenery; fascinating history; rich
culture; ecological wonders and more.
Mexico - Puerto
Vallarta 1 week
all inclusive from $1138CAD + taxes based on double occupancy.
In
Puerto Vallarta, you can live
a world of outdoor adventures, enjoy the most exclusive or the most
extreme sports, do business, relax in luxury hotels and dine in
first-class restaurants. All of this in a picturesque setting that
combines traditional small-town Mexican charm with an outstanding hotel
infrastructure.
The combination of climate,
beauty and fun along with the warmth of the people of Puerto Vallarta
has made this the most satisfying and revisited beach destination in
Mexico.
Travel Tips for Thailand
Thailand
is a safe country to visit from both the health and personal
safety aspects. The following notes can help you prepare but we do
recommend a visit to your doctor if you are in any doubt.
Before you travel, evaluate
whether you are fit to travel and check to
see if your inoculations are up to date and visit a doctor if you are
either unsure or in need of booster "jabs".
It is a good idea to consult
your doctor as to his recommendations on
anti-malaria pills although only a few of the most remote border areas
are considered malaria zones by local health authorities.
Safety
Violent crimes against tourists are so rare in Thailand that they make
international news. Most crimes are petty such as pick-pocketing,
credit card fraud and bag snatching. Even these do not pose a serious
problem with a vast majority of the visitors.
Solo women travelers should avoid beaches at night and take general
precautions to ensure that they are not left exposed to attack.
Jewellery frauds are common, esp. in Bangkok and, whist good value,
gems are not "half, a quarter, etc" price than your own country. If you
are not an expert avoid the temptation of trying to become an immediate
jewellery mogul by spending large sums of money on phony stones. Scams
involve touts mentioning "Buddhist holiday specials" or the like mainly
turn out to be little more than out of the way stores with inflated
prices. Be polite but firm if approached.
Hotel tuk-tuk's and taxi touts are to be avoided at all costs as there
low fares are nearly always offset by trips to fraudulent jewellery
shops. Do not use either of these to take you on tour as there is a
chance of being left in the middle of nowhere while your camera travels
back to the driver’s home.
There is no need to be paranoid and saving every possible Baht whist on
holiday is hardly the objective. Prices are cheap and great value, even
if you are probably not going to get the very best bargain in the
Kingdom. Relax and enjoy the country which is really a shopper’s
paradise.
One last pointer, avoid the cheapest possible price, whether it is a
tour, air ticket or boat trip. If there is a marked difference between
one seller and the rest of the group then there is good reason to be
suspicious. Better to pay the middle-price and get a reliable deal than
go for rock-bottom.
Do’s &
Don’ts
The Monarchy: Thai people have a deep, traditional reverence for the
Royal Family, and a visitor should be careful to show respect for the
King, the Queen and the Royal Children.
Religion: Visitors should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They
should never go topless, or in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable
attire.
It is acceptable to wear shoes when walking around the compound of a
Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the principal Buddha
image is kept.
Each Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a
sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph or do anything
which might indicate a lack of respect.
Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to
accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anything
to a monk, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it.
Social Norms: Thais don't normally shake hands when they greet one
another, but instead press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture
called a wai. Generally, a younger person wais an elder, who returns
it.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and
figuratively. Therefore, avoid touching people on the head and try not
to point your feet at people or an object. It is considered very
rude.
Shoes should be removed when entering a private Thai home.
Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon.
Although almost all year round in Thailand has a hot weather, walking
shirtless on the street, especially in Bangkok, is generally regarded
as impolite - tank tops are acceptable.
Tipping:
Restaurants often put a 10% service charge on meal bills, in which case
a tip is not necessary. Some say that if there is no service charge,
10% of the bill is an appropriate tip, but this can be expensive if
your bill is quite high already. Many Thai people just leave the loose
change.
Twenty baht is usual for hotel porters, while you may feel that the
maid who has cleaned your hotel room all week deserves substantially
more. Pizza delivery boys should get at least a dollar (approximately
40 baht). You can pay the exact amount of a taxi fare, but it is now
common to round it up to the nearest 5 baht. You should always tip a
private excursion driver; around 100 baht for a day’s driving is fine.
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A-Z
TOURS
INTERNATIONAL – personal
travel
services – http://www.a-ztravel.com
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OUR PERSONNEL:
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 Avril Betts,CHA President
Partners Avril Betts
originally from England and Khaled Azzam originally from Cairo, Egypt,
both now residing in British Columbia, Canada, opened A-Z Tourism
International in partnership in 1998 and went online in March of 1999.
Since then they have developed strong customized programs in Egypt and
have added Jordan, Canada and Asia to their specialty tour destinations
.........while at the same time, selling tours Worldwide for all
destinations.
They recently purchased a retail Travel Agency (Euro World Travel) in
Richmond, BC, Canada specializing in Europe, Cruises and Discounted
Flights.
Avril Betts – Owner/Partner has been in the Travel Industry for
many years, having worked 7 years as Vice President for another Tour
Operator before opening A-Z Tours with Khaled in 1998. Avril owns a
Vacation Rental Property in Nova Scotia, and holds an internationally
recognized CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator) accreditation. She
worked on the G7 conference in 1996, hosting the President's wives
luncheon, co-chaired an Atlantic Canada Showcase an International
Travel Trade Show, managed 450 volunteers for the Tall Ships Visit in
July 2000, and was previously awarded Entrepreneur of the Year Award by
the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia. Avril founded the
Country Inn Association in Nova Scotia in 1988 and has been a volunteer
on numerous Tourism Committees on both a Local and National basis. avril@a-ztravel.com
 Khaled Azzam – Owner/Partner is a Civil Engineer an Egyptologist and an
Archaeologist, and is a licensed guide when in Egypt. Khaled brings his
expertise to A-Z Tours, specializing in customized, personalized tours
to Egypt. Khaled has worked on protecting monuments in Egypt and has
designed many of the Company websites. Khaled is currently working on
several building projects in Egypt to add to their Tour Assets
including Vacation Rental Villas in Cairo for use as short and long
term stays for our clients. Khaled and Avril own A-Z Tours
International and Euro World Travel and Azzam Properties jointly in
partnership. Khaled@a-ztours.com
Khaled Azzam, Eng.
 Theresa
Freeman is originally from England and worked for 13 years with
a Travel Agent in the UK before moving to Nova Scotia, Canada. Theresa
joined the A-Z Tours International team as Travel Consultant in 2001.
She now specializes in International and USA Destinations and can
service clients from anywhere in the World for both escorted group and
independent programs. Please don't hesitate to contact Theresa; she
looks forward to assisting you with all of your International Travel
plans theresa@a-ztours.com
 Carol Lomond Hirtle originally from
Port-Aux-Basques, Newfoundland. Carol now lives in Nova Scotia and has
worked in the hospitality industry since 1979. Carol joined the A-Z
Tours International team as a Travel Consultant in 2001 and now
specializes in custom programs to Egypt and Jordan as well as other
North African and Middle Eastern destinations. A-Z Tours has become
renowned as specialists and experts in Egypt and Carol looks forward to
helping you plan and book your custom program to Egypt, which for many
is a trip of a lifetime. Please contact Carol at carol@a-ztours.com
 Nicole Corkum originally from
Newfoundland, now lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. Nicole joined the A-Z
Tours International team as a Travel Consultant in 2003 and now
specializes in Programs to Canada, Cruises and Hot Spots. She offers a
unique, customized, Vacation Planning Service to Canada in addition to
the normal escorted tours. Nicole looks forward to working with you on
your trip to Canada, your winter getaway or a Cruise - please don't
hesitate to contact her at nicole@a-ztours.com
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