This issue: Karijini Rocks Report * True North Savings * Caravan Wildflower Safari * Exquisite India * Photo Tour * Outback Travel Tips & more!

Our recent Karijini Rocks Caravan Safari was a huge success! With 10 caravans and camper trailers of various shapes and sizes tagging along behind our escort vehicle through Karijini National Park in northwestern WA, we must have looked like a giant mobile caterpillar! The trip was so much fun that we’ve decided to organise another caravan/motorhome/camper trailer tag-along safari in September!

Led by Global Gypsies Directors Jeremy & Jan, the 10-day self-drive, self-catered tour in May began in New Norcia & ended in Kalbarri. En-route we traveled almost 3000 kms stopping off in Meekatharra, Point Samson, Barridale and, of course, Karijini. We arranged the itinerary, booked & paid for national park entrance fees & caravan park accommodation, held a Pre-Departure Workshop, distributed a comprehensive Pre-Departure Kit, gave a towing seminar & treated everyone to Welcome & Farewell Dinners. We traveled in convoy communicating by two-way radio & had some top adventures!

Highlights included guided walks through the magnificent gorges (Karijini is Australia’s answer to the Grand Canyon!); an optional 4WD outing to Millstream National Park with a special bushwalk led by indigenous Tour Guide Aaron Hubert; stargazing evenings; group ‘sundowners’ each night; a stay at the delightful and recently refurbished caravan park at Point Samson; a ‘crazy games night’ & ‘pot luck dinners’ when everybody made something different for a group meal. Plus, we raised $240 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service through a series of fun ‘fines’ for such crimes and misdemeanors as being late, getting flat tyres, losing things & snoring!

Rigs on the safari varied from robust 4WD camper trailers to luxurious motorhomes & ranged in size from 14 ft to a whopping 46 ft! The safari was co-sponsored by Crikey Camper Hire of Osborne Park who provided Jan and Jeremy with a brilliant Jayco on-road Expanda van with which to lead the convoy.

The roving band of gypsies included Jim & Liz Gerritzen, Mal & Jill Kent, Moira & Ron Macdonald, Alan & Sandy McGregor, Milton & Maxine Maisey, Bill & Marion O’Neil, John Webb, Nigel Wright, Cynthia & Cliff Wynn & Bruce & Christina Yeo. Thanks for a great time everyone, it was magic!

Did you know that you can make BIG savings on the fabulous Kimberley cruise ship True North when you book your cruise through Global Gypsies? So if you’re thinking of seeing the Wild Wild West by water & in TRUE luxury, remember to give us a call first – we’ll keep your savings liquid as well!

Nomads rejoice! We’re running another Global Gypsies’ caravan safari! We were so delighted with our caravan safari to Karijini in May that we’ve decided to run a second tour this year for caravans, motorhomes & camper trailers. Once again it will be sponsored by Crikey Camper Hire – an ideal option if you don’t own your own rig & want to ‘try before you buy’.

This time the tour will be all about Flower Power! Our fabulous Wildflower Caravan Safari will take place in spring from September 1 – 10, 2010, & we’ll visit all the ‘blooming hot spots’ - Kalbarri & Coalseam National Parks, Mount Magnet, Cue, Payne’s Find & Western Flora Wildflower Farm. The itinerary will be well paced with several two-night stops & plenty of time to ‘smell the roses’ – or, in this case, the everlastings!

Included in the price will be Welcome and Farewell Dinners, lots of fun activities, national park entry fees, guided bushwalks, stargazing evenings, caravan park fees, Pre-Departure Workshop & Kit, traveling in-house wildflower expert & a complimentary WA wildflower book.

The price is just $1600 per caravan/camper trailer (self-catered) and convoy numbers will be strictly limited. Oh! And some famous celebrities will be joining us, too! Floral & Hardy, Matt Stamen, Gorge Bush, Eucalypt Humperdinck, Cate Branchett and, of course, Pollen Newman……eeuuww!

On a more serious note, we came across an article that anyone interested in animal welfare absolutely must read. It’s about the illegal wildlife trade in Asia and is disturbing but compulsory reading. Please take the time to check out this website: - national geographic. If you’re motivated to take some action afterwards, click on to www.naturealert.org & do the animals a favour by getting yourself on the mailing list.

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In just a few weeks, our small & fortunate group of intrepid travelers will be flying off to China for 18 amazing days! Think of us tackling the Great Wall, checking out the Terracotta Warriors, cruising on the Yangtze, patting the pandas, exploring the western province of Yunnan for the first time & queuing with the masses at the World Expo! Not to mention competing in daily chopstick tournaments!

We’re really looking forward to our second visit there – our first was in 2007. And having the chance to see the Expo is a real bonus. Roll on September - we can hardly wait!

And while we’re on the subject of exotic overseas destinations, we’ve been talking about our Exquisite India Tour for ages. Well, the great news is that we finally have details & prices! Our magnificent 18-day tour will take place from February 2 – 19, 2011 and we are taking bookings NOW! If you’ve always wanted to visit India but have been a bit hesitant to go there on your own, here’s the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!

All eyes will be on this mysterious continent as India prepares for the Commonwealth Games in September. Then, once all the hoopla is over, we’ll embark with a small group on one of our most exciting adventures ever.

After conducting a ‘rekkie’ there last year, we decided to spend most of our time in colourful, vibrant Rajasthan. Situated in the northwest of India, the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ offers the ideal combination of scenery, culture, crafts, history & wildlife with the minimum of overland travel.

We’ll visit the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Ghandi's Tomb & Museum, stay in ancient forts & palaces, shop in local bazaars, learn about the different religions, sample the cuisine, and if you’re game, even take a cooking and tie-dye lesson! And – how special is this! We’ll also go on a three-day jungle safari in a tiger reserve in search of these marvelous endangered creatures! As the poet William Blake said back in 1794, “Tiger, tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry?...”

Jeremy & Jan will personally escort the tour in conjunction with experienced Delhi-based tour operators, Format Travel & local English-speaking guides. Transport will be in comfy coaches, trains, rickshaws and even an elephant! We'll stay in quality accommodation on a twin/share basis with most (delicious) meals included.

The price is just AUD$5950 per person (plus air fares) & our corporate travel partner, RAC, will organise group air fares at special rates. So stop Delhi-ing around! Call us ASAP for a brochure or download it here!

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Our first ever outback photo safari with Master Photographer Dale Neill of Wild Heart Adventures took place in May. Over 10 days, participants took some FANTASTIC shots in Karijini National Park & learned some great tips from Dale and his wife Margaret. To see a selection of photos, check out karijini-wild.blogspot.com – they really are spectacular!

Our thanks to Tour Guide Phill Witt of Remtrek & to ‘snappers’ Brent Armanesco, John Crute, Carol Darby, Mike & Margaret Gibson, John O’Donnell, Noelene Papaelias, Larry & Anne Rindfleish, Jenny Rose, Diane Schudmak & Nicola Spagnolo.

We plan to run another outback photo tour next year with Dale & Margaret but will make some changes to the itinerary to improve comfort & give participants even more time to take photos. For example, instead of driving all the way to Karijini in the coach, we’ll begin the tour in the Pilbara. We’ll also spend more time in each location & stay longer at each campsite.

But some things will stay the same – there will be lots of one-on-one tuition from Dale & Margaret, the scenery will be just as awesome & we will again only take 12 lucky clients. So if you’re keen to join us, get snapping & express your interest now!

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Life is certainly never dull in the Gypsy camp! Following our annual Kimberley Explorer Tour this June, Jeremy & Rebina will escort a 12-day catered tag-along-tour through the pristine Kennedy Ranges in July.

Then Jeremy will lead a huge motorhome safari through Kakadu National Park organised by the national Winnebago Club. Meanwhile Tour Guide Charlie Gilbert will be leading a 20-day expedition along the Canning Stock Route. Then in October there’s our four-day Holland Track Expedition – the ideal ‘test-drive’ tour for new Gypsies & yes, there are still places available!

We’re also finalising the itinerary for our much anticipated motorhome safari through Southwest USA in September 2011. Yep! It’s finally going to happen!

We’re also planning a Tracks of Len Beadells Adventure for the first time next year along with several other exciting outback tours. And we’ll be expanding our 4WD training capacity to meet growing corporate demand.

And remember folks, you save $100 on a 4WD training course if you book it when you book your outback tour!

With so many travelers going on self-drive holidays, we thought it might be helpful to provide some outback travel tips to keep you safe & sound when venturing into remote areas. Here are the most important things to remember: -

• Never travel alone. Go with friends, a club, or a professional ‘tag-along-tour’ operator.
• Don’t go off the bitumen with a 2WD vehicle, or with a caravan, camper or any other vehicle that is not specifically designed for challenging off-road travel
• Tell a friend or family member where you’re going and when you’re expected back.
• Let the police in the remote area know your travel plans – and remember to check in with them when you get back.
• Have your vehicle/van checked thoroughly before you leave.
• Carry extra spare parts & tyres for your vehicle and your van.
• Plan your route carefully taking into consideration such aspects as road conditions, weather forecasts, overnight stops, fuel stops etc. Safe remote area travel is all about good preparation!
• Carry detailed maps, GPS, EPIRB, UHF two-way radio, sat phone & tool box & know how to use them!
• Check out unfamiliar tracks or river crossings before you tackle them.
• Drink plenty of water while you travel.
• Carry extra water and moist tinned food for emergencies.
• Learn basic bush survival & mechanical skills.
• Complete a basic first aid course and carry a first aid kit.
• Take a 4WD training course and carry appropriate recovery gear.
• Don’t travel at night when wildlife or livestock may be on the road.
• In tropical areas, avoid driving in the wet season – roads can become impassable within hours and you could be stuck for days!
• Travel slower & allow more time for your journey than you would on the bitumen.
• If you do get stranded or have a breakdown or other emergency, stay calm & work out a plan. Call for help and stay with your vehicle until assistance arrives. Do not leave your vehicle!

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Until next time, happy travels from –