Travel

Talk

Cheaper Than Staying At Home

A New Guinea reader, Mr. Owen G. Nott, who has re cently returned to the Territory after a European holiday, con tributes a couple of ideas for travel bargain-hunters. The prices he quotes seem fantastic but we have his assurance that this is no dream.

HIS number-one “find” is Chalet Vagabond, at Leysin, at the eastern end of Lake Geneva and about 35 miles from Lausanne. It is right in the middle of the best ski ing areas of the Bernese Ranges.

The Chalet Vagabond is run by a Rhodesian, Mr. Ken Tait, and a Can adian, Mr. Allan Rankin; it has ac commodation for 80 in two and three-bedded rooms. It has a fully licensed bar, hot showers, central heating, and customers can either cook for themselves or have their meals provided by the establishment.

The tariff—believe it or not—is £2/10/- per week per person for room only; £5 per week with break fast and dinner included. In sum mer a room is only £2 per week, with meals available on request.

There are nine ski-lifts in the area —for which you can get a special sports card which allows you to use them at low cost; there are also faci lities for hiring skis and learning how to use them. As well as skiing, skat ing, sleighing and ice-hockey are also available.

During the summer there is golf, mountain climbing (the Matterhorn is within a few hours’ drive), horse back riding, fishing and swimming—

all in with a fine alpine climate (the Chalet is at 4,700 ft.).

Says Mr. Nott: “The Vagabond is one of the few English-speaking chalets in this French-speaking part of Switzerland, a feature which tends to make it a language oasis for Aus tralians. A multilingual staff who keep the conversation going at night over the log fires or nightly dances help to make the chalet a real find in an expensive foreign country . . . it is a meeting place for globe-trotting Australians, Canadians, South Afri cans and New Zealanders but a host of guests of other nationalities keep it interesting. It can be reached by car or rail in all seasons.”

Intending guests should write direct to the owners: Chalet Vagabond, Leysin, Switzerland.

Mr. Nott’s other find was at Ali cante on the south-east coast of Spain. Called the Casa Campello, this is run by an Australian couple.

Hostel type accommodation is pro vided and costs only a few shillings a day. Cooking facilities are avail able and the attractions are Spanish- Mediterranean scenery, good climate, sunshine, fishing, swimming and cheap living.

European Snow

Season is On ONOW is becoming just as profitable a selling gimmick in Europe as sunshine and France has them both. The French Tourist Dept, recently has been boosting its re

sorts in Savoy and visitors to Europj who want a snow holiday might gs further and fare worse than b settling for this most beautiful pa:t of France.

The ski resorts in this area have as the ski-lifts, cable cars and othei mechanical aids demanded by tH modern skier; and the hotels come i the full range from luxury to modes; From this High Savoy countri even in winter, it is easy to put yoin car on a train, pop through a tunnr in the Alps into Italy and be dowv on the Mediterranean within hoursz

Kuala Lumpur's 1963 Pacific Cruise Programme WHILE the Kuala Lumpur, 12,50 c ton vessel owned by the Chiii Navigation Co., has just her first Pacific-Far East cruise-3 Australian ports, Rabaul, Manilii Hongkong and Bali—the cruise pm gramme for next year has been as nounced. This will allow prospectih travellers to make their plans well I advance.

This vessel is normally in tit Malaya-Middle East service but it t

anned to detach her each year for aising in the Pacific.

Two cruise round-voyages will be ide next year, the first originating Singapore August 10, calling at emantle, WA, Melbourne, Sydney mgust 26-27), Rabaul (Sept. 2), )kohama (Sept. 11-14), Kobe (Sept. -18), Hongkong (Sept. 23-26), anila (Sept. 28-29), Port Moresby »ct. 7), Sydney (Oct. 12-13). The yage will terminate in Melbourne October 15.

The vessel will leave four days er on her second cruise. This will ;lude the following ports: Sydney »ct. 21-22), Auckland (Oct. 26-27), va (Oct. 31-Nov, 2), Apia, West moa (Nov, 4-6), Vavau, Tonga k)v. 7), Nukualofa, Tonga (Nov. >), Auckland (Nov. 14), Sydney iov. 18), The vessel will then re ft to base at Singapore via Mel anie, Sydney and Hongkong, This ship carries only first-class ssengers and not more than 200 in mber. All cabins and public rooms - air-conditioned; there is a large imming pool; a hair-dressing shop i all other amenities. The vessel 5 European officers and Chinese w.

Sydney booking office is Swire and ill Pty. Ltd.; enquiries may be de through this company or ough Islands agents of the China vigation Co. w, What and

lere by PATA

COLOURFUL wallet of informa • tion prepared by the Pacific sa Travel Association and distri ed through travel agents, etc., luld prove popular with American fists to the Pacific.

As well as the usual brochures of each country in PATA’s orbit, there are separate booklets dealing with such subjects as shopping and the best buys in each of the countries; the food and drink specialties; a guide to airline and shipping; and what to take along in the way of clothes and other gadgets.

In addition there is a “Pacific Ex plorer’s Log Book”, maps and, finally, a Pacific area “Currency Converter” that painlessly turns £’s, pesos, CPF francs and other troublesome items into US dollars and cents.

Intending North American visitors to the Pacific should ask for these little booklets—they contain a wealth of useful information.

New Way to

Holiday by Road

SOMETHING new in drive-yourself ideas has recently been intro duced in Sydney. It’s called a Travel van and is, in essence, a more com pact way of caravanning.

The Travelvan is a Commer panel van converted so that three adults and a child are provided with bunks at night while by day it has interior seating, cooking and eating arrange ments for up to eight people. Petrol consumption of the van is approx, 25 miles per gallon.

The vans are hired out complete with all gear, including blankets and sheets and cost £A7 per day. This sounds expensive but less so when you consider that you are hiring transport plus accommodation.

Bookings are through the NSW Government Tourist Bureau, 8 Mar tin Place, Sydney. The Bureau will also send you brochures which give all details of the scheme.

The 12,500-ton liner "Kuala Lumpur" which will be seen in the Pacific next year.