This issue: Brilliant Bight Tour * Double Happiness in China * Bush Christmas Gift Ideas * Rudall River Report * Christmas Wishes & more! and more.

Would you like to visit China, Kenya and India without leaving home? Or maybe you’ve been on tour with us, or are thinking about coming on a tour with us at some time in the future, and would like to see the highlights of our wonderful adventures to these exotic destinations?

It’s easy to be an armchair traveler! Just join us for a fabulous “Gypsy Journey” presentation in words & pictures at Murdoch University on a balmy summer night in January! We’ll be reliving our experiences in China & Kenya & giving you a sneak preview of our upcoming tour to India. We’ll also provide some light refreshments & there will be time to chat to Jan & Jeremy & to other clients who’ve joined us on previous tours to hear about their experiences.

Bookings are essential & places are strictly limited (a big thank you to our loyal sponsor Murdoch University for providing the venue!). Folks on our mailing list are hearing about this presentation first, then we’ll open it up to the general public so we suggest you book early! Here are the details:

To book your place, please phone us on 08 9341 6727 or send us an email. And yes, we’ll be around over the Christmas holidays & would love to hear from you! Oh & no need to BYO armchair – seats are provided!!!

We are looking forward to an optimistic and upbeat 2010, and can’t wait for our first outback adventure! If you’d like to kick off the New Year on a high note, too, why not join us on our fabulous “Brilliant Bight Tour” from February 26 - March 11.

A few places are still available on this terrific 14-day self-drive ‘tag-along-tour’ which will explore the wild & wonderful white beaches of the Great Australian Bight along the pristine southern coast of Western Australia.

Global Gypsies Director Jeremy Perks will lead the safari and experienced Safari Hostess Rebina Criddle will provide her famous ‘thousand-star’ al-fresco catering. Admiring the Baxter Cliffs, Cape Le Grande, Fitzgerald National Park, Woody Island & more at the best time of the year - how can you resist? No previous 4WD experience is necessary and convoy numbers are strictly limited. We’d love to have you along!

Bookings are rolling in now for our Secrets of China Double Happiness Tour in September 2010. Our first tour to China in 2007 was full of surprises for us – it SO exceeded all our expectations, and the 2010 (slightly longer) expedition promises to be even more memorable - if that’s possible.

Jan & Jeremy will personally escort a small group of lucky gypsies to one of the world’s most intriguing & impressive countries. The scenery is knockout, the food delicious, the people welcoming, the culture & history fascinating, the hotel accommodation of a very high standard, and the entertainment & activities world-class. We just can’t say enough about China as a top tourist destination – plus it’s so affordable & the similar time zones mean no jet lag!

We’ll visit Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Giant Pandas; Beijing, Shanghai & we’ll cruise the Yangtze River for 3 days in regal fashion! For the first time we’ll also visit Kunming in the west, on the border with Nepal. We’ll use local English-speaking guides & the coach transport, accommodation, activities & most meals will be included. Once again RAC will be our travel partner organising our group air fares.

This will probably be our last group tour to China as there are so many other exciting places we have on our wish list so we really hope you decide to join us!

For ages clients have been asking how they can upload their favourite gypsy travel photos onto our website. Well, now we have the answer! We've created a page on facebook called GYPSY TOURS. Just click onto www.facebook.com & search for GYPSY TOURS in the search box in the top right-hand corner of the screen (you may need to register if you’re a first-time user).

Once on our page, check out our photo album ‘wall”.

To add photos, you may need to ask to become our 'friend', but once we respond to your request, you can upload your favourite Gypsy photos at your leisure.

We're hoping folks who've joined us on previous tours will add say 6-12 of their best pix so we can share our memories together. If you aren't used to using facebook it can be a bit tricky at first but please be patient - once you get the hang of it, it's well worth the effort!

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Socks, jocks, soap-on-a-rope for Christmas? Not for your favourite bush baby! Here are some creative last minute gift ideas for those with a passion for the bush!

• Born in the Desert – a new book by renowned WA author & historian Dr Marion Hercock about a nomadic Aboriginal woman living in the WA desert
• A St. Johns First Aid Training Course
• Gift voucher for ARB, Ranger Camping, Mountain Designs or other outdoor shop
• Subscription to RM Williams Outback magazine or Australian/National Geographic
• Gift voucher for Gypsies 4WD Training Course
• A Global Gypsies Caravan Training DVD
• A monogrammed Gypsy cap, t-shirt, fleece or vest
• Slinky Sleeves – an imaginative & practical gift for the woman in your life! Protect her arms from the glaring sun with these stylish and attractive ‘slinky’ cover-ups while adding a touch of Audrey Hepburn glamour to the khaki or denim bush gear! For details contact the WA designer & creator, Chris Silbert, on 0407 479 691 or info@slinkysleeves.com.au or www.slinkysleeves.com.au.

In another first, we've just launched a brand new Outback Skills Training Package! Designed for companies who have employees working in remote areas (mining & resources sector, for example), the new package complements our one-day Basic Accredited Four-Wheel-Driving Course with two new short seminars on Basic Bush Survival Skills & Basic Bush Mechanics. The two new presentations last just three hours in total and can either be combined with a 4WD training course or booked independently.

The seminars can be delivered in Perth or on-site and cover such topics as vehicle capability, recovery and emergency equipment, risk management, typical problems encountered in the bush & how to solve them, emergency communications & basic bush survival techniques.

The content is based on the life experiences and formal mechanical and bush survival courses attended by Global Gypsies’ Director, Jeremy Perks. Those of you who know Jeremy will be aware that he served as an officer in the elite forces of the South African Defence Force for many years, has over 20 years’ 4WD experience in Australia and Africa, is a qualified mechanic (petrol and diesel) and is a former Tour Guide of the Year with national Eco-accreditation. We think the new package will be invaluable – and very popular – with WA companies so please help spread the word!

We’ve just completed our last short, accredited Tour Guide Training Course for 2009. Thanks to everyone who joined us – Lindsay Claudius, Maureen Maggio, Adrian Morrissey, Diana Nason, Carly Scaddan, Bruce Scott & Corina Scott – it was great fun! The next courses in WA are scheduled for Feb. 13 – 14 and April 17-18. We also hope to run our inaugural course in NSW in 2010 in conjunction with Above & Below Adventures providing national accreditation.

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We’re one of the few tour operators who regularly visit remote Rudall River National Park in northern West Australia & it’s always a treat to return. Our July 2009 tour was no exception & as usual there were highlights galore including a memorable visit to Warrawagine Station, an afternoon walk at Carrawine Gorge, sundowners at Mt Augusta & a night at our ‘private’ bush camp in the scenic Kennedy Ranges.

But it wasn’t all Rudall River roses! We had our first puncture on Day 1 (!) with several more to follow, and we had one client ‘missing in action’ when he needed to leave the trip temporarily in order to undertake vehicle repairs in Port Hedland. Still, it wouldn’t be an outback adventure without a few challenges to overcome, would it?

Our thanks to our Safari Hostess, Rebina, for once again filling our tummies so nicely with delicious treats, and of course, we salute our intrepid travelers Jeff & Linda Chilli, Mike & Margaret Gibson, Charlie Gilbert, Peter Neesham, Harry Butt & Mary-Ellen O’Hagan, Terry Donovan & Diane Schudmak for their courage & 4WD’ing skills. It was great to have you along, folks. We had a ball, you all!

With only a couple more sleeps till Santa squeezes himself down the chimney, we’d like to say a big “Thank You” to all our loyal clients. You bravely follow us into remote areas year after year & entrust us with your welfare and it gives us immense pleasure to share our favourite places & experiences with you. We look forward to exploring many more exciting new destinations together including India, South America, Southwest USA and of course, the top spots right here in Australia. We’d like to wish you every happiness for the holiday season & hope you have a safe, prosperous & highly successful new year.

Best wishes & happy travels from