"Those who teach shall also learn and
those who learn shall also teach".
The subjects tackled vary with each U3A and the number offered will depend on the size and enthusiasm of the group
U3A National Office
18 East Street
Bromley
Kent
Tel:020 8466 6139
EMAIL: national.office@u3a.org
Web Site: www.u3a.org.uk
Current Travel Network Tours - April 2006
PLEASE DRAW THIS LIST TO THE ATTENTION OF YOUR U3A FRIENDS
The U3A National Travel Committee consists of U3A members and is a sub committee of the U3A National Executive Committee. It is either currently taking bookings or about to take bookings from all U3A members for the tours that are listed below. The tours, with their study content are listed in groups, such as Europe 2006. Each tour description gives the name of the U3A National Travel Committee Member that is arranging the tour and their contact particulars are also listed below, as is a short note about membership of U3A National Travel.
Contact the Chairman by next Wednesday 2nd of May and I will see if anything can be arranged on 772533
EUROPEAN TOURS IN 2006
France, Paris 2 August, from £350 for 6 days
Art galleries, Museums and Historic Buildings
We travel by Eurostar from Waterloo and stay in a hotel in the
centre of Paris on a B&B basis. The hotel is within easy access of
the main attractions. This tour consists of four full days in Paris
with the opportunity to visit the world famous art galleries and
museums. Details are available from Mike Bakall. Please send a SAE.
Spain, Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela 4
September, from £766 for 7 days
Architecture, Art and Walking
We fly
to Bilbao before travelling by coach along the pilgrimage road to
Santiago de Compostela where we shall visit the medieval cathedral.
On the way we will take optional (short) walks on the pilgrims road
and explore the historic towns along the way. We shall stay in good
hotels on a half board basis. Details are available from Ron Gate
with a SAE please.
Poland, Krakow - 24 September, from approx £590 for 6 days
Architecture, Medieval Architecture and History, WWII and the
Holocaust (Auschwitz)
We
take a flight from Luton to Krakow for a city break to this
interesting city, with excursions out to surrounding places of
interest. The price includes five nights HB and one night B&B in the
same hotel. Included in the tour is a walking tour of Krakow, a ride
to the top of the Gubaloka Hill by funicular, excursions to Jasna
Gora, Zakopane, Wieliczka (salt mines) and optional visit to
Auschwitz. Full details from Ron Gate, please send a SAE.
Russia, St Petersburg 4 October, from £799 for 6 days
Rococo St Petersburg, the Romanovs and Russian Culture
We fly
from either Heathrow of Manchester to St Petersburg where we stay in
a good hotel on a half board basis. We have a full inclusive
excursion programme with a local guide and visit the Peter and Paul
Fortress, the Hermitage Museum, the Church of the Spilled Blood, the
Russian Museum, the Catherine Palace, the Pavlovsk Palace, the
Chinese Palace at Oranienbaum and Peterhof. We shall also see one of
the wonderful folklore shows and hope there is time to visit some of
the interesting Orthodox churches. Please send a SAE to Tom Warren
for details.
Luxemburg 5 October, from £350 for 6 days
Historical Heritage and Scenery
We travel by Eurostar from Waterloo and proceed by train and local
buses to Vianden where we stay on half board at the Hotel Petry for
5 days. There will be day excursions to Clervaux, Luxemburg-Ville,
Bastogne (on the list of recent war sites) and Echternach. The City
of Luxemburg is a tiny principality that plays a significant role in
European affairs. Luxemburg is a mixture of wild-forested
countryside and old castles. For more details please send a SAE to
Beryl Strong.
Madeira 11 December, from £275 for 8 days
Parks, Gardens and Llevadas
We fly from Gatwick and some regional airports. We shall stay at the
4* Hotel Monumental Lido on half board. The resident courier will
have a range of day and evening tours on offer which will be
supplemented by our own arrangements to visit the Monte Palace
Gardens and walks lead by a leader from a small travel company.
Frequent low cost buses pass the hotel. Please send for further
details to Mike Bakall, enclosing a SAE.
WORLDWIDE TOURS IN 2006
Iceland
and Greenland 10 August, from £1699 for 15 days
Glaciers, Iceberg, Birds and Wildlife
This is a cruise to Iceland, Greenland and the Arctic Circle with
full board included. Calling at Torshaven (Faroes), Akureyi and
Reykjavik. Transiting Prins Chritiansund, Narsaq, Nuuk, cruising
Eqip Glacier and calling at Illusat and Sismut (Greenland).
Departing from Tilbury and Gatwick and flying back to Gatwick.
Return coaches are available from various pick-up points in the UK
at £15 extra. Full details are available from Vivien Lawrence.
Please send a SAE.
Central Asia, Silk Road to China - 5 September, from £2360 for 18
days
Central Asian Culture and History
We fly from Heathrow to Beijing. This tour is on full board with all
sightseeing included. We have three days in Beijing visiting Tian
An Men Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Temple of
Heaven. We fly on to Kashgar with its famous Sunday market. We
travel along the Karakoram Highway to the Karakul Lake that offers
fabulous mountain scenery. We fly to Urumqi from where we go to
Turfan and on to Dunhuang to visit the Magao caves with one thousand
years of Buddhist history. We have three days in Xian to see the
terracotta warriors and other site, then back to Beijing for our
return to Heathrow. There is an optional five-day add-on cruise on
the Yangtse River to see the Three Gorges. This extension includes
full board, flight transfers and an extra night in Beijing, for
£560. Further details are available from Vivien Lawrence. Please
send a SAE.
Nepal
22 October, from approx £1782 for 18 days
Buddhist Culture, Mountain Scenery and Wildlife
This
is a tour for the reasonably fit and active as there is some
walking. We visit Kathmandu for 3 nights, Chitwan National Park and
Tiger Reserve for 3 nights and Pokhara for 3 nights. We then fly to
the north of Nepal to Jomoson and Kala Gandhaki Gorge (the deepest
in the World) between Annapurna and Daulaghiri. Full board is
provided. Flying from Heathrow. Please send a large SAE to Vivien
Lawrence, for further details.
New Zealand
17 November, from approx £2803 for 22 days
Maori Culture, Thermal Activity and Mountain Scenery
We fly
from Heathrow directly to Auckland and stay in first class hotels,
on B&B with one lunch and ten dinners included. On this escorted
tour, excursions are included. We visit Auckland, the Bay of
Islands, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, the Franz Joseph
Glacier, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Dunedin and Mount Cook.
There is an optional extension to Fiji. Full details are available
from Vivien Lawrence. Please send a SAE.
Egypt, Nile Cruise - In the Footsteps of Belzoni,
20 November, from £699 for 15 days
Ancient Egypt
We fly
from Gatwick or Manchester (£40 extra). The cruise is between two
centres, Luxor and Aswan, on full board. This tour offers 5 full
days in Luxor and 5 full days in Aswan. All cabins are en suite. We
will visit the Valley of the Kings, Western Valley, Valley of the
Queens, Medinet Habu, Deir el Medina, Deir el Bahri (Hatshepsut),
the Ramesseun, Merenptah, Valley of the Nobles, Luxor and Karnak
Temple. From Aswan we will visit the unfinished Obelisk, High Dam,
Nubian Museum, Tombs of the Nobles, as well as take a felucca ride
to Kitchener's Island, visit Elephantine Island and Sound & Light on
Philae Island. For further details please contact Dawn Zeffertt and
send a SAE.
Tunisia - 18 December, from £1079 for 2 weeks or £1398 for 3 weeks
More than 3000 Years of History
We will fly from Gatwick and stay at the 5* Corinthia Khamsa Hotel
in Gammarth, which is 15 km from the centre of Tunis. It is set in a
quiet area. The tour is on a full board basis with a free bar.
Included excursions to Sousse and Tunis, Carthage, Nabeul and
Hammamet with other optional excursions. Discover over 3000 years
of history, French colonial architecture, a wealth of Roman ruins
and a good sunny climate. Gammarth is a chic town with a long sandy
beach and many traditional Berber villages nearby. Please contact
Dawn Zeffertt and send a SAE.
EUROPEAN TOURS IN 2007
Belgium,
Flanders - 7 May 2007, from £259 for 5 days
All
Quiet on the Western Front (WWI)
This
tour is by coach (Executive Standard). The main pick-up points are
Euston and Victoria with a possible Midlands pick-up. The hotel will
be based in the region on a B&B basis. There will be fully guided
tours to the Great War battlefields of Ypres and The Somme and Vimy
Ridge areas. Full details are available from Mike Bakall. Please
send a SAE.
Cyprus, Limassol - 9 May 2007, from £495 for 8 days
Graeco-Roman Sites, Pre-historic Artefacts and Culture
We fly
to Paphos from Gatwick (in-flight meal included), there is a
possibility of flights from some regional airports, (no
supplement). We will stay at the 4* Atlantica Bay Hotel, Amanthus,
Limassol on half-board. Amanthus is about the island mid-point which
makes access to the archaeological remains in Paphos, Curium and the
capital of Nicosia, very convenient. Coach packages will be arranged
for the visits to Paphos, Curium and Nicosia as well as a visit to
the hill regions for the small villages and monasteries. Cyprus is
an island with great classical history, Greek, Roman, English and
Turkish components. Full details are available from Mike Bakall.
Please send a SAE.
Portugal,
Oporto - 24 September 2007, from £520 for 8 days
History, Architecture and Culture
We fly from Stansted to Oporto where we are based on HB terms. This
is an opportunity to explore a quiet part of Portugal with its
rugged countryside and the towns and villages bordering Spain. We
shall also have a full day cruising on the River Duoro. Details are
available from Derek Robbins. Please send a large SAE.
WORLDWIDE TOURS IN 2007
West Africa,
Gambia - 14 January 2007, from £550 for 8 days
History and Culture
This
is an ideal Winter Warmer. We fly from Gatwick and
Manchester. We will stay in a good hotel on the coast, on half
board. Gambia's temperature is mildest along the coastline and
peaks consistently around 32°C. It is a former British Colony so the
official language is English and the currency is Dalasi. Excursions
will be arranged to visit places inland and cities. Please register
your interest with Mike Bakall and send a SAE.
North India - 15 February 2007, from £1850 for 18 days
Hindu Culture and Architecture
Depart
London Heathrow for Delhi. Visiting Delhi, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur,
Agra and the Taj Mahal, Khajuraho and Varanasi. There is an optional
seven day extension, approximately £275, to Nepal visiting Kathmandu
and Pokhara or return to Delhi and onward to the UK. For further
details please send a SAE to Vivien Lawrence.
Egypt, Alexandria - mid or late March 2007, from £800 for 8 days
Ancient and Roman Sites plus El Alamein
Flying
to Egypt and staying in Alexandria and El Alamein, based on B&B with
some lunches included. The tour consists of the usual historical
sites in Alexandria. We will visit to the new Library, a whole day
visit with an archaeologist to her sites in the Delta area, a study
of the area of the Battle of the Nile and a visit (if requested) to
the war cemetery near El Alamein. For further details please write
Dawn Zeffertt and send a SAE.
Nepal
10 March 2007, from approx £1650 for 20 days
Mountain Walking, Rhododendrons, Wildlife and the Heritage of the
Khatmandu Valley
THIS TOUR IS ONLY SUITABLE FOR FIT & ACTIVE MEMBERS AS THERE IS A
LOT OF HILL WALKING. We fly to Khatmandu and spend a few days there
to see the World Heritage sights in the Khatmandu Valley. We drive
to Pokhara for a 10 day trek through the foothills of the Himalaya
when mountain visibility is good and the rhododendrons are in
flower. We have sightseeing in Pokhara, then two days at Chitawan
National Park to see the wildlife. We fly to Khatmandu for our
flight home. We stay in good hotels, (mainly on full board), other
than when we are trekking or at Chitwan when we stay in lodges.
Please send
a SAE to Tom Warren for details.
Canadian Rockies and Hawaii 15 March 2007, from £1265 for 17 days
Geography and Natural Scenery
We fly from London or regional airports to Vancouver. The
accommodation only is included in the price of this tour. We stay in
Vancouver for a few days and visit Vancouver Island. This is
followed by a coach tour through the Rockies, Jasper, Icefield
Parkway, Lake Louise and Banff. The tour to Canada ends when we fly
to Hawaii for 6 nights where we have optional excursions to Pearl
Harbour and other islands. Details are available from Vivien
Lawrence. Please send a
SAE.
Peru 17 April 2007, from £2343 for 14 days
Inca Culture
We fly
from London or regional airports to Lima. This tour offers B&B plus
eight dinners. We will visit Cuzco, Macchu Picchu, the
Sacred Valley, Ollantytambo, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Paracas, Ballestos
Islands and the Nazca Lines. Details are available from Vivien
Lawrence. Please send a SAE.
Red Sea, Nuweiba 13 May 2007, from £459 for 8 days
Coral Reef
We fly from Gatwick or Manchester (£20 supplement) and stay at a
good hotel on half board. The hotel has its own private beach
overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba, is in a quiet setting and in an area
famed for its magnificent beaches. There is an optional excursion to
St. Catherines Monastery and opportunities for snorkelling, and
scuba diving. Details are available from Vivien Lawrence. Please
send a SAE.
North West India 8 September 2007, from £1500 for 15
days
Buddhist Culture and Mountain Scenery
We fly to Delhi from Heathrow where we have time to see the sights
before taking the train to Chandigarh and then the toy train to
Simla. We have 4 days viewing the mountain scenery before driving to
Dharamsala, the seat of the exiled Dalai Lama, with the possibility
of meeting him. We then drive to Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple
before returning to Delhi and home. We stay in good hotels
throughout on B&B. Details are available from Vivien Lawrence.
Please send a SAE.
TOUR ORGANISERS
Michael Bakall, Milcrest, Manor Lea Road, Milford, Godalming,
Surrey, GU8 5EF
Ron Gate, 32 Porthill Gardens, Shrewsbury, SY3 8SQ
Yvonne Gutsell, Bryntirion, 56 Savage Lane, Dore, Sheffield, S17
3GW
Vivien Lawrence, Cove Cottage, Sharp Rock, Morthoe, Woolacome,
Devon, EX34 7EA
Derek Robbins, 21 Schofield Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6FW
Beryl Strong, Flat E54, Du Cane Court, Balham, London, SW17 7JL
Tom Warren, 69A Freshfield Road, Formby, Liverpool, L37 7BG
Dawn Zeffertt, 125 Ruskin Park House, Champion Hill, Camberwell,
London, SE5 8TL
U3A NATIONAL TRAVEL
U3A National Travel offers educational and cultural tours for members of the U3A. All U3A members are entitled to join U3A National Travel by paying an annual subscription of £5.00. If you wish to join, please send a SAE and £5.00 for your membership to the Membership Secretary: Margaret Ward, 33 Masons Ryde, Pershore, WR10 1JG. Cheques should be made payable to U3A National Travel. Quarterly newsletters are sent to subscribing members giving early notice of new tours.
U3A members are notified for free by email when the tour list changes if email addresses are sent with such a request to u3atravel@btinternet.com