Safaris Of A Special Kind

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday August 25, 1998

By GAY MACKIE

While many travellers preferred the comfort of staying in motels on their trips, there was a great amount of fun to be had in the literally more down to earth safari holidays.

Kay Blanch, co-owner with her husband of Craig and Kay's Australia, said the major client base of the company was with the over 50s.

``People around that age usually are on long service leave, semi-retired or maybe fully retired, and they have the time and money to travel as well as an interest in seeing more of our great country," she said.

``We like to take our clients to places a little out of the way and it's far easier to do that with safaris than with accommodated tours."

Mrs Blanch said many other operators offered only accommodated trips often for large groups but she and her husband preferred to concentrate on small groups on ``different" types of tours.

Safaris could be from a weekend to 21 days in duration.

And while many used the designated areas of caravan parks to set up their tents, there were some which headed for the great outdoors and improvised facilities.

It's not too rough though as travellers are sheltered in tents, sleep on mattresses and not the hard ground, and enjoy four meals a day prepared in the camp kitchen.

A glass of wine around the campfire after a three course dinner creates the perfect atmosphere to end a day's exploring.

For those not really keen on bush showers and finding an isolated tree or bush for more personal duties, the country pubs tours were far and away the most popular.

``We have found some really great pubs and guesthouses around the state, which are ideal for our small groups, and they are so friendly," Mrs Blanch said.

Charter tours are also a specialty of Craig and Kay's Australia, allowing tourists to go exacy where they want without the hassles and details of travelling solo.

© 1998 Illawarra Mercury

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