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What Manukau United Travel clients say about their holidays.

Australia Pacific Touring - know how, can do attitude appreciated

Having waited more than 30 years to embark on our OE we felt that we knew enough from other people's reported experiences to know what we wanted our trip to be like and what we did not want.

The did not wants believe it or not are the most important things to consider when planning an extensive visit to the other side of the world.

First and foremost on our list of did not wants, was to spend the entire time (5 weeks) living out of a suitcase and moving in and out of hotels on a daily basis - the first can do from Australia Pacific Touring.

Second did not want, was to be carrying around large amounts of money, or having to ramp up huge credit card bills because of hidden costs - second can do from Australia Pacific Touring.

Third did not want, we did not want to spend days on end speeding along main highways and motorways seeing only fleeting glimpses of small towns, then arriving in major cities late at night only to leave early the next morning - third can do from Australia Pacific Touring AND THEY DID!

Sure the unusual weather event in Germany which caused all river traffic to stop for a couple of days meant a few more ours in the back of a luxury buss that we had anticipated, but event these extreme events were handled by the Australia Pacific Touring staff both on the boat and behind the scenes with seamless professionalism.

If your are still not convinced that Australia Pacific Touring have put together the best of options for Europe then picture this. You can travel through the night pas mostly repetitive countryside, and just before you wake up the ship docks alongside the most enchanting village and you can imagine. You can take time to workout in the gym, or stroll around the deck, then it is time to dress and go to breakfast. Every meal is perfectly produced, your every whim catered for, including marmite for your toast. Then you gather in the ships foyer to collect your quiet boxes (individual sound systems) and either board a bus for a short drive to various points of interest in the region, or you take a leisurely walk with your local guide through the village or town. Lunch is always organised for you either back on board the ship or at a local restaurant. If you just want to do your own thing ore even more important go shopping, you are free to wander off on your own. The organised excursions are perfectly timed to get you back to the ship in time to have a long relaxing shower or enjoy pre dinner drinks with your new friends before an outstanding silver service dinner is served in the dining room. Music and dancing are option most evenings unless there are local groups coming aboard to entertain you or tell you more about the interesting aspects of the region you are visiting. Even though the days on board the ship are perfectly organised, you may feel occasionally that you just want to take a day off from sightseeing and shopping and just relax. You can, breakfast is available until quite late in the morning then there is an endless supply of fresh pastries, cookies, and fruit in case you lay in until nearly lunchtime. The Spa pool on board, the deck chairs and the great range of interesting books in the ships library will help you laze away the day whilst you re-energise.

Because these ships only carry a maximum of 148 passengers they are perfect places to meet new people and strike up long term friendships. It would be fair to say that at the end of the trip we felt like one big family. Best of all they are almost always Aussie's or Kiwis.

Janine Albernethy