Dear Kumuka Traveller

As I write this I am looking outside my window at trees bending in howling winds. I have to admit, spring isn’t my favourite season. It’s a tease. You are greeted with sniffs of glorious warm weather one day, only to wake up the next and be belted by a reminder that winter wasn’t that long ago and not to pack the woollies away just yet. I’m sure those of you in the northern hemisphere are getting raw tastes of winter looming with teasing reminders that not long ago you were basking in long hot sunny days.

Its days like this when I dream of tropical places, where it’s glorious one day and stunning the next, where one can just getting away from it all. What exciting place are you dreaming of?

Happy travels
Meg Hall

Plan, play it safe and venture a little further

With all that has been happening lately in the global financial market, it’s not surprising that we’re all suffering from news fatigue. Its times like this when you feel like jumping ship for a while and loosing yourself. Though it certainly is interesting times, isn’t it time for a royal wedding to lighten the mood a little in the press?

While none of us claim immunity to the global crisis, we at Kumuka, interestingly, are finding an influx of new people joining our tours to ‘just get away from it all’ as one of our clients said this week.

So why are we getting an uptake when the world is talking downturn? We find that when things are unstable, travellers realise more than ever the importance of pre paying for their adventures and securing the price, leaving the financial woes and currency fluctuations well and truly behind. Thanks to Kumuka’s price pledge, meaning that providing you have paid in full, we won’t increase the price of your Kumuka tour; no matter what the fuel or currency is doing, there really isn’t much guess work left for when you arrive, apart from the obvious: latte or flat white, gin and tonic or beer?

It is also the best time to travel with a reputable travel company like Kumuka Worldwide, having been around for over 25 years and having survived through the ups and downs of volatile markets past, gives us the advantage of many years experience in weathering storms such as this one. We are also financially protected by the Travellers Compensation Fund, ATOL and TICO rendering your payments secure.

Add to that, the highly inclusive nature of our itineraries, meaning that what you see is what you get; you pay for most main attractions upfront in your local currency, not on arrival. Forget about juggling currency fluctuations.

Imagine yourself in the middle of the Serengeti, there are no phones, no internet, no sms updates. The roars you will hear will be from lions not trading floors. The news will be delivered from your tour leader, telling you of your adventures the next day. The sighs you will hear will be from your fellow travellers as they gaze upon Mt Kilimanjaro for the first time. Traffic jams will be from heard of migrating wildebeest. Gin and tonic will flow as the sun sets over the savannah, not as a result of a hard day at the office and deadlines will consist of departure time for your next game drive.

People will always travel, its times like this when they simply plan a little more, play it safe and seek a value for money product. If this is you, then click here and Venture a little further.

See you out there in the big wide world!

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Meet Meghann Fallon, Tailor-Made tour consultant

Having travelled for months on end both independently and on adventure tours throughout North America, Asia, Australia and Europe, it would be fair call to say Meghann is a travel junkie. She was even lucky enough to have her now husband propose to her on the Cho la pass, near Mt Everest, in the Himalayas. Now as the tailor made tour specialist with Kumuka Meghann spends her day planning amazing itineraries, researching new destinations and reminiscing about the places she has been.

In her own words:

Favourite destination? Nepal.

Why? The people are beautiful and the landscape is amazing - absolute life changing destination.

Best Bar? Any that are on the beach in Koh Tao Thailand.

Best Restaurant? Everest Steak House in Kathmandu - not sure that the food is actually all that good - but the steak will cure any carnivores ailments after 30 days trekking eating only Dhal Bhat and rice!

Favourite foreign saying? Com Com Ding Ding – You’re crazy in Vietnamese.

If you could invite a celebrity over for dinner who would it be, why and what would you serve? Gordon Ramsey - think we would get on well. And I would make him cook!

If you could jump on any Kumuka trip tomorrow, which one would it be and why? Antarctica - definitely!

Right now, what are you looking forward to most? My cousins wedding in New York in a few weeks - we will be there for Thanksgiving - Aunt Mary-Lou's Sweet Potato Pie! Mmmm…

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• Special Offers - fantastic discounts available.
• Late Deals - last minute offers.
• Early Deals - the early bird gets the worm.

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This Month's Facts

• Mosquito repellents don't repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you're there.
• In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies .
• A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
• You can’t lick your elbow.
  

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Dear Kumuka,

Greetings from Cambodia, I am reeling from the most breath taking experience.

When I came to Cambodia, I wasn’t expecting to be in such good hands as I was with our guide Bun. He has been incredible and so knowledgeable. The best thing about him is he knows how to get us into the back streets away from the 10,000 other tourists visiting Siem Reap. Imagine watching the sunrise over Angkor Wat and you are the only ones there… yes that’s what happened to us! On the other side of the temple were literally thousands of people! What they didn’t realise was that Bun’s view was just as good, albeit different! This morning we went again to look from the other side where the masses were, to make sure we covered all angles. It was stunning but the crowds took away the magic.

We’re currently having a rest in the middle of a hot day before we head out for sundowners over this magic city. I have fallen in love with Cambodia and can’t wait to see more.

Cheers
Mary Swindle

Mary wrote to us from her Temples of Angkor tour

Send your post card to Kumuka

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Having travelled the world since a very young age, and having dealt with many tour & travel agencies, I have never encountered such an incredible team as we experienced with Kumuka. We dealt with many different people at Kumuka, namely Sam, Patrick, Phylis, Noah, Rose, Minah, and a few more who I'm sorry don't come to mind, but whoever we dealt with, was so obviously there to assist us and to ensure that our plans were taken care of.

The extra attention to service and details for our tour, including the arrangements of our beautiful "wedding vow renewal" ceremony with the Maasai Mara, was one of the most beautiful experiences of our travels, this tour has changed our lives, and as it was my dream holiday to visit Africa, I cannot thank you enough for making my every wish come true.

I look forward to using Kumuka for any and all our travel arrangements in future, and in recommending them to anyone who may be interested in travel, especially to Kenya. Once again, I cannot thank you and praise you enough for the amazing job the team did, the memories will be with us forever.

Thank you sincerely from the Atterton Family

The Atterton Family travelled on the Giraffes, Elephants & Warriors Tour

For the full story on the Atterton wedding vow renewal, look out for your next copy of Venture Magazine delivered free to your door

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Budgeting for your tour

Now more than ever people are watching their pennies and budgeting for life’s little pleasures, none of us want to give up travelling, so here are our tips to help you “venture a little further” and have fun at the same time.

• Cut down on your coffee from the local vendor and drink from the office supply instead. After a year this alone can save enough money to pay for a 7 day tour in Africa with Kumuka Worldwide.

• Bring your lunch to work, a homemade sandwich costs less than a ¼ of a bought one and tastes just as good, in one year you could save enough to go on a 21 day tour in South America with Kumuka Worldwide.

• Don’t go to the gym, instead, run on the beach, through the park, meet with friends and go for a walk or buy an aerobics video and exercise at home and you’ve just earned yourself a place on a 9 day tour in Thailand with Kumuka Worldwide.

• Entertain at home. Dinner, drinks, taxi, club entry etc are very expensive, by partying at home and at friends places you could find yourself on a 30 day tour in Europe with Kumuka Worldwide AND pay for your flights and spending money and souvenirs!

• If you are really keen and your parents are happy with this, move back home. Rent can cost a fortune! The world is your oyster with this brave move!

Do all of the above and you have your flights, a few tours, insurance, camera, spending money, and money in the bank to come home to.

So what’s stopping you? – Go on, Venture a little further. Memories last forever.

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