Sydney... Australia's Iconic ciy is a must do!

Oprah's been there, now you can too!  From stunning Sydney Harbor to the Opera House you will enjoy the magic of this city and beyond the city there are world class wineries and natural wonders to take your breath away.

Soak up Sydney's gorgeous harbour, seductive outdoor lifestyle and great natural beauty.  Kayak under the Sydney Harbour Bridge or wave the Opera House as you ride a ferry across the harbour to Manly.  Learn to surf at Bondi Beach or swim in the calm waters of Coogee.  Lose yourself in the cobblestone cul-de-sacs of The Rocks or in the markets, boutiques, cafes and pubs of Paddington.  As well as a world-famous harbour and more than 70 sparkling beaches, Sydney offers fabulous food, festival and 24-7 fun.

Here are five can't miss Sydney experiences
1. Explore the historic Rocks
Discover Sydney's colorful convict history in the harbour side quarter where it all began.  Just five minutes from Cirular Quay, you can hear stories of hanging and hauntings on a ghost tour, wander the weekend markets or climb the span of the Harbour Bridge.  In amongst the maze of sandstone lanes and courtyards, you'll find historic workman's cottages and elegant terraces, art galleries, hotels with harbour views and Sydney's oldest pubs.  See people spill out of them onto a party on the cobblestone streets when the The Rocks celebrates Australia Day on January 26th, Anzac Day on April 25th and New Years Eve.

2. Hit the wold -famous harbour
Sail past the Opera House on a chartered yacht or paddle from Rose Bay in a kayak.  Take a scenic cruise from Circular Quay or Daling Harbour, past waterfront mansions, national parks and Shark, Clark, Rodd and Goat Islands.  Tour historic Fort Denison or learn about the life of Sydney's first inhabitants, the Gadigal people, on an Aboriginal cultural cruise.  Watch the harbour glitter from the green park lands of the Royal Botanic Gardens, which curves around its edge.  Or take in the view from a waterfront restaurant in Mosman, on the northern side of the bridge, or Watson Bay at South Head.  Walk from Rose Bay to Vaucluse or Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay,  on just some of the 16 spectacular routes hugging the harbour foreshore.

3. Visit Manly on the ferry
Travel across Sydney Harbour on a ferry to Manly, which sits between beaches of ocean surf and tranquil inner harbour.  Wander through native bushland on the scenic Manly to Spit Bridge walk, learn to scuba-dive at Cabbage Tree Bay or ride a bike to Fairy Bower.  Picnic at Shelly Beach on the ocean and sail from Manly Wharf round the harbour.  Hire a scooter and do a round trip of northern beaches such as Narrabeen and Palm Beach  Explore the shops, bars and cafes along the bustling pine tree-lined Corso and dine at world-class restaurants with water views.

4. Enjoy cafe culture and top shopping in Paddington
Meander through the Saturday markets, browse fashion boutiques on bustling Oxford Street or discover the antique shops and art galleries in upmarket Woollahra.  Visit the 1840s Victoria Barracks Army base, open to the public once a week, and see restored Victorian terraces on wide, leafy streets.  Ride or roller-blade in huge Centennial Park, then stop for coffee and lunch on Oxford Street or in the mini-village of Five Ways. Catch a movie at an art-house cinema or leaf through a novel at midnight in one of the huge bookstores.  Crawl between the lively, historic pubs.  They hum even more after a game at the nearby stadium or race day, when girls and guys arrive in their crumpled track side finery.

5. Walk from Bondi to Coogee
Take in breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean as you walk the winding, sea-sculpted sandstone cliffs between Bondi and Coogee.  Swim in the famous Bondi Icebergs rock pool or just watch the swimmers with a sunset cocktail from the restaurant.  See wild waves in Tamarama, nicknamed Glamarama for the beautiful people who lie on its golden sand.  From mid-October to November, the stretch here to Bondi is transformed into an outdoor gallery for the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition.  You can surf, picnic on the grass or stop for a coffee at family-friendly Bronte.  Or swim, snorkel or scuba dive in Clovelly and tranquil Gordon's Bay.  See the graves of poets  Henry Lawson, Dorothea Mackellar and aviator Lawrence Hargrave in Waverley Cemetery, on the edge of the cliffs.  Finish your tour in the scenic, backpacker haven of Coogee.

 Sydney is a year round destination, with warm summers and cool winters. 
 Join the Aussies for the trip of  a lifetime!!! 
Call today for more details 248-269-9721 or visit us on our website at www.travelexchangemi.com

Info provided by the Australian Toursim

There's Nothing Like Australia!!!

There is Nothing like Australia.   Have you ever thought about traveling to Australia...... 
We have some fun interesting facts on Australia that will entice you to take advantage of our great promotion that we have currently running....

Australias Famous Animals; most of which we have only seen in a zoo; include the Koala, Kangaroo, Kookaburra, Lyrebrid, Tasmanian Devil, Dingos, Wallaby, and Platypus.

Their Landscape is a wide, brown land, it is the 6th largest country in the world. 
It's about the same size as the US and 50 percent larger than Europe, but it has the lowest population density in the world.

The Island is their home.
Australia is the only nation to govern an entire continent and its outlying islands. 
The mainland is the largest island and the world's smallest, flattest continent.

Australia Exports  opals, gold, and wool.  
They produce 95% of the worlds precious opals and 99% of its black opals.  
The world's lagest opal is in the opal capital town of Coober Pedy in South Australia.
 Kalgoorlie in Western Australia is Australia's largest producer of gold. 
Australia 85.7 million sheep produe most of the world's wool. 

Australia has Broken Records. 
Queensland's Great Barrier Reef is home to the world's largest oyster.
 The world's longest earthworm is was found in Gippsland in Victoria. 
The heaviest crab was found in Bass Strait near Tasmania. 
Australia tallest mountain is Mt Kosciuszko. 
Australia is also has the world's longest straight road and the longest fence called the dingo fence.

Australia's Hopping Icon.  
The iconic kangaroo is unique to Australia and one of their most easily recongnized mamals. 
There are over 40 million Roos in Australia!

Unique Wildlife and Flourishing Flora.
Austalia has over 800 species of birds, half of which are unique to its country.
80% of Australia's southern marine species are found nowhere else in the world.
It supports over 25,000 species of plants, includes living fossils like the Wollemi Pine and the Grass Tree.

People and Culture.
Australia is an ethnic melting pot more than 6 million people from across the world have come to Australia to live.
More than 20 percent of Australians are foreign born and more than 40 percent are of mixed culture.
In their homes they speak 266 languages - after English, the most popular are Italian, Greek, Cantonese and Arabic.

Big Country Big Ideas.
Australians invented notepads, Surf Lifesaving Reel, Asprin, Pacemaker, Penicillin, Hills Hoist clothesline, Plastic deisposable syringe, Wine Cask, Bionic Ear, Dual-Flush Toilet Fluh, Anit Counterfeiting Technology for banknotes, Long Wearing Contacts.

NEXT TO COME IS ADVENTURES IN AUSTRALIA....What is there to do? Where to go? What to see? Where to stay.

10 Reasons to Use a Travel Consultant

Are you debating whether to use a Travel Consultant to book your vacation or to go it alone by using the Internet......

Here are 10 Reasons why a Travel Consultant is the way to go:

1) You've Googled "Mexico" vacation, and came up with 17.8 million responses.  Need a little help editing those choices?

2) Remember when you used that obscure website to book your hotel, and when you got there you spent your beach vacation overlooking a parking lot?

3) How many hours were you on hold with the airline when your flight was canceled because of a snowstorm?

4) Did you really mean to spend your honeymoon at that resort whose one tiny pool was filled all day with 12 screaming children?

5) Who knew that when you booked that "villa" in Tuscany, it would be a small room with a kitchenette and no air conditioning?  Funny, it looked much better on your computer screen.

6) No one explained to you that in July,  it's winter time in Rio, and so you showed up there with nothing but five Hawaiian shirts and three pair of swimming trunks.

7) How about the time you really needed a restful vacation, and you ended up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and someone threw up on your shoes?

8) Yes, I guess that hotel must have used a telephoto lens when they took a picture of those guest rooms that you saw on their website.

9) I suppose contacting the Attorney General to resolve the fact that, that Internet site has billed your credit card three times instead of once is the only route to take at this point.

10) It was definitely odd that there were no cab drivers at the airport at 3 o'clock in the morning when you FINALLY landed in Costa Rica, but booking a transfer to your very remote hotel would have been a good thing to remember when you purchased your airline ticket and hotel online.

So the question is Who Are You Going to Call?   Our Consultants know what it takes to coordinate a great vacation that is the best value for you.   We are a one stop shop, we can handle every aspect of your trip from  airline tickets to hotels, ground transportation, activities, tours AND MORE!!!


Parts of this Article has been taken from Travel Agent Central - Top Ten Reasons to Use a Travel Agent by Ruthanne Terrero.

Spring Break

If you haven't made your Spring Break travel plans yet, DON'T DELAY.  The good news is that if flights to your chosen destinations are available, you may find good value in accommodations. We at Travel Leaders in Troy are finding that hotels and all-inclusive resorts are still offering deals to attract Spring Break travelers.

Here at Travel Leaders of Troy the cruise options that many of our clients have selected are in the warm waters of the Caribbean.  Cruises of the Western Caribbean - included those that may offer stops in Cozumel, Cancun and the Riviera Maya followed by the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

Some other Spring Break travelers are choosing to travel outside the U.S.  International travel to Europe is very popular.  For those staying in the U.S. are heading for the sun and fun of Florida, California, and Hawaii.

Making Spring Break travel plans as soon as possible will not only give you the best selection of remaining flights, hotels or cruises, but the best available values, too.  Keep in mind that overall prices for 2011 Spring Break trips will be higher than last year, prices tend to increase as travel dates edge closer, so making reservations now will help you make the most of your Spring Break.