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The World’s First Solar Eclipse Marathon

November 10th, 2011 by admin
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As the rays from the sun re-emerge from behind the shadow of the moon, the world’s first solar eclipse marathon will begin. The tropical seaside village of Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia will host 2000 runners and their friends and families in the largest event ever seen in the region.

Two thousand runners will be poised and waiting on the pristine Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, about to participate in the most unique sporting event in history. An intergalactic start gun will mark the start of The Solar Eclipse Marathon on 14 November 2012 in Port Douglas, Australia.

At 6.38am local time, a total solar eclipse will occur and its path of totality will pass through Far North Queensland. Totality will last just over two minutes and the sun’s re-emergence from behind the moon’s shadow will get runners off to a flying start. Almost immediately, the route turns away from the beach and passes through the outskirts of Port Douglas towards the Mowbray river.

Runners will be taken on a challenging and scenic Adventure Marathon course through sugar cane fields, old mining roads, and incredibly lush tropical areas. The region is known for two World Heritage listed sites, the Great Barrier Reef and The Daintree Rainforest, one of the oldest living rainforests in the world.

The idea for this race came about on a snowy afternoon in February 2009 when Race Director Rune Nortoft from Adventure Marathons, Albatros Travel was out for a run. “Running is my creative thinking time and we’d just organised an eclipse-viewing tour to Shanghai and while I was trudging through the snow that day, it suddenly came to me,” he says with a grin.

That was 2009 and the seeds of The Solar Eclipse Marathon were planted. Mr Nortoft and his colleague Mr Lars Fyhr, International Sales & Event Manager, discovered that the total solar eclipse in Australia in November 2012 would be the perfect time for a marathon. They contacted Travelling Fit, Albatros Travel’s partner in Australia and plans got underway.

The result will be the largest event the region has ever seen and a marathon in exceptionally beautiful surroundings.

Event ambassador and top Australian endurance runner, Steve Moneghetti, who will also be at the starting line, states: “As a distance runner, I love the connection with nature when I run and what better way to enjoy this than to be able to do it in synch with the sun at a solar eclipse,” and adds, “Port Douglas is such a beautiful place to enjoy this experience.”

You can follow them on Twitter at @SolarMarathon and check out the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/solareclipsemarathon
Website: www.solar-eclipse-marathon.com
Email: marathon@albatros-travel.com

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Western Australian Seeking Britons

September 7th, 2011 by admin
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Standard Life recently put Australia in second place for top retirement hotspots outside the UK.  Anglo Pacific International plc, the UK’s largest independent international removals company, places it even higher at number one with 43% of its container shipments of household effects going to Australia in 2010.  And, with Western Australia’s current campaign to woo British brains, expect this trend to continue.

At a recent Working In Expo held in London, Hon Peter Collier MLC, Western Australia’s Minister for Training and Workforce Development, put forward a strong case for skilled Brits to migrate to the State that he calls “God’s given country”.  Anglo Pacific’s International Migration Manager, Noel Glavin, was in attendance, “Western Australia comprises one third of Australia’s entire land mass, larger than the whole of Europe, yet has just 10% of the population – some two million.  Resource rich, there are huge prospects for agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, the automotive industry and more but also a vast labour force shortage of 150,000 workers.  Western Australia has 225 billion Australian dollars’ worth of investment opportunities on the table, around 150 billion pounds, yet if they don’t correct this labour deficit, then these investment opportunities will simply be lost.  Western Australia’s recruitment drive is a serious matter.”

Noel continues, “The local labour supply is maxed out – if they want to work, they are working.  Australians don’t tend to migrate state to state, so Western Australia must find its skilled workforce elsewhere with Brits heavily favoured.  Migration is nothing new for Australia, 34% of its population was not born there.  Statistics from Working In reveal that there are more than 1.2 million UK-born people living in the country, making the UK the main source of new migrants to Australia.  If interested Britons have an occupation on the Western Australia Skilled Migration Occupation list, visas are currently taking between nine and 12 months to process.  Visa applications with State Sponsorship nomination are given higher priority – perhaps four to six months.”

Hon Peter Collier MLC concluded his London seminar by highlighting Western Australia’s gorgeous beaches, sunny Mediterranean-style climate, outdoor lifestyle and fantastic education and healthcare systems.  He said – “I have one unambiguous transparent message – you are welcome.”

About Anglo Pacific – Anglo Pacific is a specialist mover to the Southern Hemisphere and handles around 20,000 consignments of personal and household effects annually.  A known market leader for Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and South Africa, Anglo Pacific has been established for more than 30 years and has an unrivalled reputation for friendly, professional and reliable container shipping and international relocation services. What’s more, as a fully bonded member of the British Association of Removers, clients’ belongings could not be in safer hands.

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Air Passenger Duty Tax hasn’t deterred Brits

August 16th, 2011 by admin
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Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax is a bone of contention for many across the UK who long to travel to far-flung destinations.  Despite the latest changes having taken effect more than 9 months ago APD still manages to make the headlines; for example Malaysian based airline AirAsia X, which flies from the UK to Australia via Kuala Lumpur, has recently announced its move from Stansted to Gatwick.  The main reason?  APD.  CEO of the airline Azran Osman-Rani stated that with the rise in APD taxes it just wasn’t economical to continue a budget flight service to Australia from Stansted.  By moving the service over to Gatwick the airline hopes to attract customers from a bigger catchment area who are prepared to pay slightly more for their air fare.

This is an interesting strategy in response to previous speculations about the willingness of UK passengers to fly to the most expensive “Band D” destinations.  Original comments suggested that families would no longer be able to afford holidays abroad; however, it seems much more likely that families and couples are still prepared to travel, with the increase in taxes being seen as a minor inconvenience as opposed to a major deterrent.

This theory is reinforced by information received from the over-50s insurance experts Staysure.  Their research has shown that the sale of their travel insurance policies from the UK to Australia have remained consistent for the last several months of 2011 compared with 2010, despite APD tax being much lower in 2010.  What’s more, this doesn’t take in to account customers who purchase an annual multi trip policy, allowing worldwide travellers to frequent Australia multiple times throughout the policy period.

This research coincides with the year-on-year tourism figures for Australia, which state that there was a 3.8% increase in visitors for the year ending June 2011 compared with June 2010.  It seems that if people want to travel they will do, regardless of extra taxes and price hikes that are added on to their bill.  Hopefully, however, this won’t be viewed as an easy revenue stream that is likely to increase in the future!

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Great Australian Drives

July 25th, 2011 by admin
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An Advertising Feature

Many flights to Australia land in Sydney, so it makes sense to do some car hire comparison before you get there and have a car waiting for you when you arrive.

From Sydney you can drive a little way north and explore the Blue Mountains which take their name from a bluish tinge that hovers above them, believed to be caused by a reaction between the Gum trees (Eucalyptus trees) and rays from the sun.

There are drives from Sydney to the Glenbrook National Park site here with numerous bushwalks, sites of significance to the Aboriginal community as well as diverse wildlife, plus the odd kangaroo is frequently sighted. Norman Lindsay Gallery is also part of the Blue Mountains area. It is here that the Aussie writer, boxer and multi-faceted artist, lived in a cottage that is now open to visitors.

The Wentworth Falls area is another part of the area. There are numerous viewing platforms where visitors can take in spectacular views of the Jamison Valley, with its waterfalls.

One of the most popular places in the Blue Mountains reserve is Katoomba which is home to Scenic World. Here visitors can choose from four exciting ways to see the Blue Mountains close up and with ease: the Scenic Walkway, Scenic Railway, Scenic Skyway and Scenic Cableway.

The Great Ocean Road is probably the most famous drive in Australia. From Sydney, take a coach or fly to Avalon airport, which has great transport links to both Melbourne and Geelong. You’ll be heading in the direction of Geelong to get to the Great Ocean Road, so take the shuttle and pick up a car there.

The road winds around the coast and passes many spectacular beaches, rainforests and cliffs. The most noteworthy landmark on the drive is the Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are huge freestanding limestone stacks jutting from the water. There were never actually twelve of them, but nine, and in recent years one has fallen to make that eight. Originally having been part of the cliffs, they were slowly eroded to become arches and eventually individual stacks.

Adelaide is further to drive to from Sydney than driving to Poland from the South of the UK. There’s a train from Sydney that travels to Broken Hill, from where it is possible to take a bus down to Adelaide, but it makes sense to book an internal flight from Sydney to Adelaide. On arrival, pick up a car and make your way to the wineries of the Barossa Valley. There are four scenic drives recommended by the tourism board: the Barossa Scenic Heritage drive through Bethany to Tanuda, the Gawler tour, the drive up Mengler Hill, which goes through the Barossa Valley sculpture park and the drive along Seppeltsfield Road, which has palm trees at its edges and goes past the wineries you may have heard of, Torbeck and the Barossa Valley Estate. Remember to spit as you’re supposed to at the wineries as you’re driving.

All of these drives promise breathtaking views of Australia’s landscape.

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Wine Tours in Australia: An Unforgettable Experience

June 30th, 2011 by admin
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There are many reasons to visit Australia. It is home to some of the southern hemisphere’s finest cities, most stunning beaches and friendliest people. And the weather isn’t bad either. Australia is a long way to travel but look around for the cheapest flights possible and it can work out as an affordable and unforgettable holiday.

Of all the great reasons for heading ‘Down Under’, one of the fastest growing is the wine. Winning international awards for both quality and value, Australian wine has taken the more established wine producing nations head on and now regularly scoops awards in recognition of its quality.

Australia produces many styles of wine. From full-bodied reds right the way through to crisp and fruity whites. They are sold in over eighty countries around the world and found on the menus of some of the world’s finest restaurants. Even so, the best way to experience Australian wine is first hand.

Wineries are found in all the states and territories in Australia but the principle regions are in the south. Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia are home to some of the most beautiful wine growing areas on earth. South Australia’s Barossa Valley is world-renowned as a source of great wine but it also makes for a fantastic vacation. Take a tour of the region’s wineries, sampling some of the produce at its source and learn about viticulture from expert wine makers. Stay in excellent hotels or camp out under the Southern Cross to make the most of your journey.

Of course, as well as world-class wine, Australia has a lot more to offer. The great cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are all within striking distance of wineries. From the Hunter River region you can travel to Australia’s two largest cities. See the iconic Harbour Bridge or Opera House in Sydney, two of the most recognisable landmarks in the world. Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city with great restaurants and vibrant nightlife. From the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, make the trip to Adelaide to see why the city always crops up in lists of the world’s best cities to call home.

With over 55,000 km of coastline, Australia is also home to some of the most beautiful beaches imaginable. The majority of Australians live within 20 km of the beach, and once you’ve seen these shores for yourself, you’ll understand why.

Australia is an enormous country, so travelling around can be time-consuming. But plan your route well and you can fit in much more than you imagine. It also has some of the finest roads in the world so the drive is never dull. The Great Ocean Road between Adelaide and Melbourne is a must, with spectacular coastal views.

A wine tour is a great way to see Australia and also to learn about wine. Be sure to take some back with you, and whenever you open a bottle, each pour will bring back memories of an unforgettable trip.

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East Coast adventures in Australia

June 23rd, 2011 by admin
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An Advertorial Feature

Soaking up the sun, relaxing on the beach and drinking with the locals are definitely among the things any visitor to Australia should expect to be doing. For those with enough time on their hands (and enough money in their pockets) driving down the east coast is another. Car hire comparison websites have made it easy to find a suitable vehicle ready for this incredible journey. So what are you waiting for! Let’s see what the land ‘down under’ has to offer! Here are a few top destinations not to be missed on the east coast.

Cairns

A visit to Australia without snorkelling over the Great Barrier Reef would be like going to Ireland and not trying a pint of Guinness, or going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel tower – there are some things that just must be done! Cairns is the gateway to this amazing structure, the largest living organism in the world. Measuring in at over 2,600 kilometres it can be seen from space. The best way to see it, and most eco-friendly, is simply to go snorkelling. There are many companies that can provide you with all the equipment necessary and serve up the best spots. Best thing to do is search around for the smartest deals, or ask the locals.

Fraser Island

Fraser Island, as with the Great Barrier Reef, is a designated World Heritage Site. It’s also the largest sand island in the world, home to tropical rainforests and many crystal clear lakes. It is separated from the mainland by wetlands deemed of international importance. So, all in all, Fraser Island is a nature lover’s paradise. The sand, combined with miles upon miles of coastline, provides idyllic beaches for those wanting to take it easy and let time pass slowly. The island’s tropical rainforest is home to many species of animal and plant life – guided tours are a very popular, and an insightful way to experience this beauty. There are a hundred or so lakes dotted around this island, so no matter how hard you try, you’re not going to see them all – perhaps just pick your favourite; each has its own personality, and no two are ever the same. Take a walk round some of the biggest, or go for a dip on a scorching day. Whichever way you decide to explore Fraser Island, you’re guaranteed not to be let down.

Byron Bay

At the eastern most point of Australia lies Byron Bay, a haven for new age hippies, wandering travellers and almost anyone else you can think of. This is not surprising, really, as Byron Bay has it all. Consistently good weather, golden, sandy beaches, perfectly pitched waves and above all, friendly, happy people. The town can get quite busy during the peak summer months, but the locals don’t seem to mind and everyone makes the effort to welcome outsiders into their lives. Although, if you prefer your paradise a little less crowded, then it’s wise to visit in the off-season!

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