By Tom Sherlock
 Have
you often wondered about taking the trip of a lifetime to Africa to see incredible
wildlife? Were you put off by the prospect of it being too expensive or too complicated
to arrange?
Well, maybe its time to reconsider as there are
now numerous packages available for the inexperienced traveler, featuring pre-planned
tours that take the worry out of your trip planning. South
Africa, Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya offer unique game-viewing experiences.
And with the growing number of visitors to these places many other activities
are now available including golf, spa, beach and wine tours as well as amazing
gourmet experiences. Soft adventure options in South Africa
include scenic drives along the Garden Route, luxury train trips as well as sightseeing
trips in Cape Town, Durban and great natural wonders, such as the Victoria Falls
in Zimbabwe. You can choose to travel in your own group or
join a group tour and share these experiences with your fellow travelers. Why
not speak to people who know the continent and are experienced in sending people
to Eastern and Southern Africa. Contact Tom, our African expert, 604-734-5494
or email him at tsherlock@travelbydesign.ca
to find out more. Its time for your safari (means journey
in Swahili) to begin! ______________________________
Newfoundland - Fjords , Bays and Tickles
Come sail the coast of the far east of the western world and explore a people whose lives have been shaped by the sea for over 500 years. The Journey begins with a seven day self drive tour from historical St. John’s to Corner Brook where we join our sailing expedition. On the way take time to dance a “jig” and learn our rich traditions that are celebrated through our music, our people and our vibrant culture. Complete information on this tour >>
The Grand Palace Tour of India - 21 days of Pure Luxury. Rajasthan is a land of Kings and with them comes their magnificent palaces. I invite you to the mystical and magical journey to the land of Maharajas and their palaces called Rajashthan. Complete information on this tour >>
Best of Africa - Classic Cape to Kruger
Explore the best of South Africa on this classic itinerary with the small group touring experience. Complete information on this tour >>
Holiday of a Lifetime - Discover South Africa with this small group
This
unique tour will teach about the Animals, Plant Life, Geography, History,
Lifestyles and Native Culture. Complete information on this tour >>
Splendours of East Africa wildlife safari experience
Learn about the lifestyles and native cultures of East Africa and the Rift Valley from caring and professional tour directors and enjoy the best game parks of Kenya and Tanzania. Complete information on this tour >>
The Galapagos Islands
Untouched by human civilization until the early 19th century, and instrumental in the formulation of Darwin’s theory of Evolution. Complete information on this tour >>
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By Sandra Bishop
 You
know you’re in Turkey when even through jetlagged sleep your ears prick
at the sound of ancient Arabic being amplified across a domed skyline at dawn.
It rises like haze from tall minarets, stretching across the city in yawns. A
noise so strange, its quasi-familiar tenor filters through your consciousness
with the same blurred broadcast quality of that old transistor radio.
This
Call to Prayer awakens you to the ancient city of Istanbul and all its wonders.
So foreign. So exotic. So Eastern. Here in this city of 10
million, noise is everywhere. It fills the dusty, crowded streets, 10 rows deep,
like shoes at the entrance to the Blue Mosque. It resonates like the call of the
cherry juice sellers in the flowering courtyard where tulips make their way in
uniform rows like soldiers to Topkapi Palace.  The
sultan’s favourite flower, tulip in Islam has the same numeric
value as the word Allah, their abundance as lavish as the jewels in his
treasury.
You know you’re in Turkey when the heady fragrance
of fresh ground pepper, coriander and saffron fills your nostrils as you enter
the famous Spice Bazaar. You know it the first time you smell apple tea. Or when
the taste of rose-pistachio Turkish Delight melts on your tongue. You
know you’re in Turkey when you arrive in Bodrum to board the luxurious wooden
gulet that sails you away over blue-green waters, a sea you cannot tear your gaze
from, taken captive by its beauty. You know you’re in
Turkey when you find yourself tucked away in a secluded cove, sunning on the Aegean
Sea. When the distant strains of the goat herder’s call tickles your ears
and again, you are startled by the strangeness of a sound so unfamiliar, so completely
unique.  After
a day spent exploring ancient ruins on hillsides that climb high above the limestone
cliffs, dazzled by the beauty of the Turquoise Coast. When laughter at the dinner
table rises over course after course of exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. When
empty wine bottles litter the table, when the first sleepy yawns slip across our
faces. You know you’re in Turkey.
And then when all
the noise recedes and you find yourself trying to process this country of contrasts.
The ancient and the modern. The East and the West. When you’ve
cruised down the same river as The African Queen and the Lycian Tombs
have stood high above you, their ghosts beckoning from the 4th century. Then you
know you’re in Turkey because you’ve come face to face with the seat
of civilization. A country suspended between the past and the present. It’s
fascinating. It’s intoxicating. It’s Turkey. 
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