Dear Fellow Traveller,
Welcome to the August newsletter from Discover the World, where holidays come naturally whatever the weather. As Iceland’s film star credentials take a boost, find out about Europe’s largest national park. Think outside the box when planning your New Zealand holiday and discover what’s truly cool in our new Lapland brochure. |
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Europe’s largest National Park
Vatnajokull National Park has always been known as Iceland’s largest national park, but as of June this year it can lay claim to being the largest national park in Europe. This is because the park’s boundary has now been extended to include Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur. This spectacular 12,000 sq km wilderness dominates the south east of Iceland and is named after the vast ice mass at its heart and encompasses dozens of glaciers,
woodland trails, spectacular waterfalls and the incredible glacial lagoon peppered by hundreds of icebergs. Whether you take to the numerous walking trails or drive road 1 along the southern boundary of the park, one amazing view follows another.
You can explore this area yourself on our 8 day Vatnajokull National Park fly-drive holiday » |
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Journey to the Centre of the Earth
A modern version of the classic Jules Verne novel, ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’, launched in cinemas nationwide last month. Though the film largely relies on CGI to create the illusion of an unknown world lurking beneath the surface of our planet, some of the movie’s early sequences were filmed in Iceland as is befitting the subject matter. It was after all the lunar-like landscapes of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula
and in particular the distinctive peak of Snaefellsjokull, that provided the setting for Monsieur Verne’s sci-fi adventure. This area is also heavily featured in the Icelandic Sagas – ancient chronicles of the adventures of Iceland’s earliest Viking settlers – and given this wealth of nature and history it isn’t hard to understand why West Iceland is such a popular visitor destination. Find out more on our 8 day
Journey to the Centre of the Earth fly-drive holiday » |
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Schools Out, New Zealand’s In
Make the most of New Zealand’s infinite charms and enjoy an extended holiday travelling during the ‘summer holidays’. It may be winter on the other side of the world, but if the thought of being too cold has deterred you from visiting New Zealand during July and August, think again. Winter has way more to offer than you may think – quiet visitor attractions, extra seasonal activities, reduced cost accommodation, snow-dusted landscapes and the sort of soft light that is perfect for photo opportunities!
Find more New Zealand holidays here » |
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Brochure out now!
It may seem a little odd to be thinking about winter holidays as we cough and splutter through another British summer, but now is the perfect time to be planning your winter escape into the wilds of Lapland. Our brand new Lapland brochure is out now, with a collection of enticing new itineraries as well as classic short breaks. Read on for three of our top picks…
 Saab Lapland Explorer
Take to the open road in a SAAB 9-3 Sport and drive through the magnificent scenery of northern Sweden to the stunning fjords of Norway on our exclusive 7-night Saab Lapland Explorer for those with a passion for driving. Read more »
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The ICEHOTEL®
is still the ‘coolest’ place for a short break. Once again our exclusive direct flight from Heathrow means you can reach the snowy realms of Lapland in just 3½ hrs so you can make the most of your time away. Read more about the Icehotel »
Iceland & the ICEHOTEL®
You can also combine Iceland & the ICEHOTEL in one memorable holiday that also includes an overnight stay in Stockholm. Read more »
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 Wish You Were Here…
Before email, blogging, Flickr and Facebook took over, sending postcards on holiday was the best way to communicate with those back home. Though electronic communication has made keeping in touch much easier and certainly quicker, there is still something rather special about sending and receiving a hand written postcard. Whether it's the full on gloat to the team at work or the ‘wish you were here’ classic to your nearest and dearest, postcards are fun for both recipient and sender.
 On some of our Polar voyages you can add an extra twist by sending your cards from the most remote post offices in the world. Ny Alesund on Spitsbergen (the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago) is the most northerly post office in the world, while
Port Lockroy on tiny Goudier Island on the Antarctic Peninsula provides the most southerly opportunity to send mail (unless you plan to continue to the US research base at the South Pole!) As the postmark will show, something you wrote standing at the furthest reaches of the earth will eventually be delivered with the morning mail in the UK. Now that’s a nice touch!
 Planning Ahead
When it comes to Polar voyaging, it’s never too early to start planning, especially if you are keen to travel during peak season or on one of the more exclusive icebreaker voyages. Our website is currently being updated with prices for the 2009 Arctic season and 2009/10 Antarctic season and our specialist travel team are on hand to help with the finer details and any queries you may have.
 Special Offer - Emperor Penguin Safari - Save £1,115 or more
Visit our website to see all Special Offers currently running including…
– a breathtaking Antarctic voyage aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov to Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea to witness the awe-inspiring sight of the most iconic of penguins interacting. You can find out more by visiting our website here. or by downloading the tour pdf here.
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Last Orders for Polar Bear Tours
Book now for your last chance this year to see polar bears in the their natural habitat! Journey up to the remote Canadian town of Churchill and watch the antics of these magnificent creatures on the frozen tundra. Join our 7-day Polar Bear Adventure departing on 10 November. This is a highly sought after tour, so call us today to ensure your place.
To find out more please visit our
Polar bear Adventure Tour» |
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Gordon Ramsay in Iceland
Puffins; beautiful, hardy, a symbol of Icelandic ingenuity… food? Well, TV chef Gordon Ramsay was most interested in the latter and recently took his Channel 4 show ‘The F Word’ to Iceland’s Westman Islands in order to sample the local staple.
Read the full blog entry here »
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Antarctica webcams
Although it's pretty dark and bleak at present in Antarctica (being mid-June and all, and the middle of the winter!) I thought I'd share some handy webcams with you for when the daylight hours return again to this icy wonderland - only a few months to go until beginning of November when the austral summer begins, the ice begins its melt, the penguins start nesting, and the continent springs back to life!
Read the full blog entry here »
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We hope you have enjoyed this months newsletter. If you have found a holiday that has inspired you then why not call our specialist team on 01737 218800 (travel@discover-the-world.co.uk) who would be delighted to tell you more and don't forget all our holidays can be tailor-made to your requirements.
Kind regards
Pam
Discover the World
www.discover-the-world.co.uk |
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