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Shop 2/70 Nicholson Street PO Box 116, Bairnsdale Vic. 3875Phone: 03 5152 6533 Fax: 03 5152 2984 Web: www.cooperstravel.com

TO OUR SUMMER ED IT ION

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On behalf of the team at Coopers Travel we would like to wish all our clients a very happy, safe & healthy festive season and welook forward to assisting you with your future travel plans. Our thoughts go out to those who have lost loved ones throughoutthe year as Christmas is a very reflective family time.

Welcome

We look forward to welcoming you to our

03 5152 4141

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Group DeparturesINCLUDING FREE TRANSFERS

Our office will work to restricted hours and limitedstaff to allow them a much deserved break over

the main Christmas/New Year period.

Christmas Trading Hours

Fri. 23 Dec. Closed from 2pm Open for restricted hours with limited staff:Wed 28 Dec. – Fri 30 Dec. 9.30am to 3.30pm

Normal trading hours resume Tuesday, January 3Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pmSaturdays 9am to 12 Noon

2017 GIPPSLAND DEPARTURES18 March Lord Howe Island - Sold out18 March New Zealand Cruise - Princess Cruise. Limited availability remaining18 March Uluru, Ayers Rock & Ghan Rail Journey featuring "Field of Lights"25 March Japan In Style - Cherry Blossom Time5 April South Pacific Cruise - Princess Cruise29 April Coral Expeditions Broome To Darwin Cruise - Subject to availability3 May 20 Day New Zealand Rail, Cruise, Coach - 4 seats remaining13 May Ghan Rail Tour - 5 cabins remaining21 May Papua New Guinea - Sun Princess Cruise26 May Canada & Alaska - Small group tour including the Yukon. Last 2 Seats16 June Europe River Cruise - Sold out18 June Grand Asia Cruise - Princess Cruises6 August Cape York Small group safari9 August East Africa Small group safari with optional Gorilla Trek13 Sept Romantic Rhone & Seine APT River Cruise28 Sept Murray River, Kangaroo Island & Adelaide13 Oct Honolulu To Sydney Cruise - Norwegian Cruise Lines

2018 – REGISTER YOUR INTEREST TODAY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT11 Feb New Zealand Princess CruiseMarch Coast To Coast - Cruise & RailMay Broome & Kimberley Small group tourMay Coral Expeditions Small Ship - Darwin to Broome (Register early)May Dixieland & Rhythms - Chicago To New OrleansMay Grand Canada & Alaska - Small group tourJuly Sri Lanka - Small group tourSept Gardens Of England - Small group tour (combinable with below cruise)Sept Azamara Cruise - London To Lisbon

DESTINATIONS OF DIFFERENCEWe invite you to join us for two very informative Film & Information Sessions

Our two Gippsland Departures in September which wereescorted by Bill & Lynne Cooper, were operated in reversedirection to accommodate just a maximum of 14 per group oneach tour. Both tours were fully sold out, and it was extremelypleasing that all travellers enjoyed wonderful weather for theduration of the touring. Backroads offer a range of touringthroughout UK and Europe and certainly offer a premium serviceand product. All members of the touring group paid tribute tothe tour operators for the standard of service offered by the tourleaders and all were extremely pleased to find the diversity in theitineraries offered, whilst not travelling the main tourist routes.

Tour leaders are at liberty to personalize the tour based on theirexperiences. Bill’s tour were delighted to be taken to visit theirtour leaders’ parents home in Ireland for afternoon tea and aninsight into their lifestyle. Whilst Lynne’s group enjoyed anevening at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to witness aperformance of Cymbeline.

For the more independent minded traveller, who enjoys having alocal knowledgable guide and is happy to travel with a small

group of likeminded travellers, a Backroads Tour should certainlybe considered.

For those in the group who extended to take the 7 Night Cruiseonboard Fred Olsen Cruise Ship "the Balmoral", the weather wascertainly not so kind,but given we werevisiting the ScottishIsles in October theweather encounteredcould be expected.The cruise itinerarycertainly provided agreat opportunity forthe group to revisitsome vastly differentsites and attractionsof what seemed tobe the most populardestination of thetour, SCOTLAND.

BACKROADS OF UK & IRELAND AND FRED OLSEN SCOTTISHISLES CRUISE:

2017TravelExpo

- full featureenclosed.

5.30pm

AFRICAIncluding an overview ofCoopers Travel EastAfrica Small GroupGippsland Departure,with optional Gorilla Trek

Thursday, March 9, 2017Upstairs Bairnsdale Club – Nicholson St, Bairnsdale. RSVP by Monday, March 6, 2017

6.30pm

Trans Siberian Railway,Mongolia, the Silk Roadand the CaucasusOffering Asia & Central AsiaOverland differently.Learn of the many touring optionsavailable to suit your needs.

These roads are fondly referred to byBackroads Drivers as a "Dual Carriageway"

I was lucky enough to win a trip for two to Broome, WesternAustralia. and after much deliberation, chose my husband overanyone else, much to his delight. Broome completely exceededour expectations with the trip including 4 nights' accommodationat Cable Beach Club Resort, a Willie Creek Pearl Farm tour and afull day tour to Cape Leveque.

On arrival into Broome airport we were instantly delighted withthe balmy temperate climate. We were greeted at Cable Beach

Resort with a glass ofchampagne and friendlystaff, along with our wellappointed rooms. Theresort offers the perfectlocation to take in CableBeach itself, beinglocated right on thebeach, allowing idealopportunity to wanderdown to the beach,watch the Camel ridesand take in the amazingsunsets over the IndianOcean whilst enjoying adrink in hand at theSunset Bar & Grill, whichis part of the resort.

Transfers into Broome township are offered by the resort, howeverwe decided to hire a scooter for a day to explore Broome andwhat it has to offer, including seeing a Princess Cruise dock intoport, enjoying a mango cider and a beer at Broome's Matso'sBrewery, which overlooks Roebuck Bay.

The next day we were given the opportunity to understand theworld of pearling and how they are harvested at Willie Creek PearlFarm. This took me by surprise. with the progress of how natureworks coupled with the pearl technicians to produce the perfectpearl. Although, my pockets weren't deep enough to purchase theperfect set of pearls at $35,000. Quite apart from pearls, the dayoffered us beautiful waters, a boat trip, optional helicopter rideand a bite of morning tea.

After much grumbling about an early morning "wake-up" call fromthe other half, he soon became content to be on our Cape Levequetour. Again another amazing day which exceeded expectations.Whilst it is a long 12 hour day, it didn't appear so with numerousstops from Beagle Bay to One Arm Point to Cape Leveque. Whilstat times it is a rough journey on these outback roads, it wasbroken up with pit stops and our tour guides knowledge. Therough drive was all worth it with the amazing site of CapeLeveque.

The rest of our time was taken up with long soaking dips in thepool at Cable Beach, drinking an array of beverages, eating finemeals and walking along the beach. What more could you ask for!

BROOME - OCTOBER 2016 – By Kathleen Taylor

P & O Cruises Sea Breaks are the perfect option to help youescape. Squeeze a lot of fun into a 2, 3,4 or even 5 night cruise.Days filled with action packed activities, world class dining andentertainment are even easier to enjoy with departures now fromMelbourne. Why not indulge in a foodies delight on the Wine &Food themed departure in November, or perhaps grab a group offriends and laugh along with side splitting action on the ComedyCruises in February and December. Visiting friends interstate, whynot incorporate a one way cruise or just test out your sea legs.Cruises start from as low as $349.00* per person for 3 nights.

Come and chat to our consultants about the benefits available toyou by securing your own group rates on these cruises.

* costing based on quad share inside cabin as at 30 November 2016.

LOOKING FOR A QUICK GETAWAYTO CELEBRATE WITH FAMILY ORFRIENDS OR JUST TO ESCAPE?

I was fortunate enough to visit Western Canada and the RockyMountains in October 2016 courtesy of Travelmarvel/APT touring.It is some 30 years since I was last here and my memories arefaded so it all felt brand new to me. I travelled with Air Canadawho offered prompt good service on our flight to Vancouver. Onarrival it was straight onto Whistler, some 2 hours north ofVancouver. Home to the 2010 Winter Olympics and all roundadventure resort. With more summer activities than yourtraditional winter snow sports, this resort town is a hive a constantactivity. A Zip Lining adventure through the mountains for about4 hours was a great experience, and a memorable part of my trip.We even managed to watch live the mighty Bulldogs win theirsecond AFL premiership, on our second night in the town.

Continuing ourclimb into theRocky Mountains,we travel through"Rogers Pass", thecoldest part of therange, and thenonto "Kicking HorsePass, before arrivingat Craigellachie or"Last Spike". It ishere that theEastern Railway metthe Western Railwayduring the coast tocoast constructionof the CanadianRailway.

This evening westay at Quaaout

Lodge in Chase where we experience and learn all aboutCanada's First Nation people.

Crossing from British Colombia to Alberta we visit the verypicturesque Emerald Lake before arriving at Lake Louise. A walkaround this lake and an early morning wake up call to view thesunrise is a must at this beautiful destination. We visit MoraineLake where we see snow for the first time along with the firstsign of a lake begining to freeze. We continue onto Banff, theheart of the Rockies, where we enjoy a gondola ride up toSanson Peak, which is the highest point on Sulpher Mountain. Ahelicopter ride through the mountains gave us amazingoportunties for great photos. Banff is alive with great cafes,restaurants and shopping and activites.

Snow starts falling in Banff on our departure for Jasper. We climbthrough the Icefields Parkway, visiting Athabasca Glacier andFalls. It is very beautiful with a lot of snow and amazing scenery.After a quick overnight stop in Jasper, we board the iconic RockyMountaineer Luxury train for a 2 day/1 night trip back toVancouver. We travel in a Silver Leaf carriage which is allinclusive with great food, wines, commentary, views and the oddtrivia game or two. Truly a marvellous experience.

Back in Vancouver, which lives up to its name of the rainy city,we visit Stanley Park and Grouse Mountain. We have breakfastwith the bears at Grouse Mountain, which was our onlyencounter with bears on this trip. Wildlife has been sparse onthis trip as many of these creatures have already settled down inhibernation for winter. An encounter with an elk chewing on agarden hedge in the main street of Banff was very amusingthough.

This destination certainly has the "WOW' factor for scenery. Thesnow capped majestic mountains, the torquoise rivers and lakes,vibrant green trees and autumn colours will live in my memoryfor many years.

CANADA & ALASKA REPORT – By Jen Kater

Whilst initially slow, bookings to Europe are back on track.Industry feedback is showing that destinations such as TheBalkans, Northern Spain, Iceland and Scandinavia are the hotdestinations for 2107. Coach tour operators are noticingincreasing numbers, believing that as a result of recent unrestin Europe, consumers are seeking the confidence of travellingwith a group and with a well established company that arewell equipped to assist in any event.

The evolution of the coach touring companies such asTrafalgar Tours has shown that the demographic of coachtravellers has changed dramatically since 2013 , attractingmore younger travellers and families with specifically designeditineraries. The introduction of slower paced tours which

include two night stays, offering Special Interest tours, SmallGroup Tours and the combination of Cruise, Land and Railoptions, now offer something for everyone. Certainly with thelarge buying power, coach touring is a very cost effective wayto travel and is reaching new audiences with theircommitments to promoting sustainability.

Europe river cruising and small ship cruising continue to provean extremely popular means of travel and again the coachtouring companies are packaging up options for shortduration guides stays pre and post cruise that include transfersto & from the port, all making ease of convenience andpeace of mind for travellers.

EUROPE TRAVEL UPDATE:

What do you call a kid who doesn't believe inSanta? A rebel without a Claus.

What do you call an elf who sings? A wrapper!

Why does Santa Claus go down the chimney on Christmas Eve? Because it soot's him