Another year has passed without seeing any of our Australian friends and guests over here in Europe and we all hope that these long lockdowns and separations will soon come to an end. We miss you and life is not the same without our Walkabout Adventures over here. Graeme certainly enjoyed walking with our loyal guests on some of our favourite Australian trails and working out some new walking tours.
Exciting new walking itineraries
Japan
Our 10th MaySpirit of Japan tour was quickly booked out after our last newsletter was sent. As we had a few guests on the waiting list, we decided to introduce a second departure commencing on 27th May. We really hope that by May the Japanese borders will be open - Gabriela is looking forward to accompanying you on this exciting new tour, together with our local Japanese guide.
The Spirit of Japan 16-day Walking Tour of discovery from Tokyo to Hiroshima, Japan
After having been forced to postpone our New Zealand Gateway walk yet again, we have introduced two new dates for October 11th and 27th. Let’s hope by then New Zealand will be open for travel again.
New Zealand Gateway 16-day Walking tour through Abel Tasman NP, Franz Josef / Waiau Glacier, Queenstown, Routeburn Track, Mt Cook NP
Don’t forget that we have an additional departure date also for our new Mallacoota & Croajingolong tour
5-10 March, 2022
I was so thrilled just to be able to book on the tour to Mallacoota after endless lockdowns so I was happy to just get there. I had never been to Mallacoota before and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. I loved Karbeethong lodge, Jennifer and Graeme, the hosts were just delightful and we felt welcome as soon as we stepped into the lodge. The delicious dinners prepared by Jennifer and Graeme were just wonderful. The walks were lovely and the company of all on the walk as usual was a delight. So many laughs and happy memories. Thank you Graeme for looking after us all so well and thank you to Trish too for popping in for 2 nights to say hello and walk with us. I look forward to the next adventure with you." Sandy from Benalla Vic.
Mallacoota & Croajingolong 6-day Walking tour in Mallacoota and Croajingolong National Parks, Victoria, Australia
At the end of November Helmut, one of our team members, joined Gabriela on the Ligurian Coast to get to know all the tracks on the Walk to the Stars tour. One week of brilliant sunshine - our walks took them to the most picturesque and quaint towns and villages along the Ligurian coast and hinterland. Our base is in Sestri Levante, formerly a fishing village and perfect for discovering the wonders of Liguria. It is not too far away from the well-known sites like the Cinque Terre and Portofino.
The hills and mountains in the backdrop make it a spectacular setting. This stretch of coast belonging to the Imperia Province is also known as the Riviera dei Fiori, the Flower Riviera, characterized by bays, ports and coves. At a short distance from the coast, behind the hills are valleys and pristine woods with many great walking tracks. We look forward to showing you this walk next year commencing on the 20th June in Florence and ending on the 3rd July in Aix-en-Provence.
Liguria boasts some of the best food in Italy - including pesto Genovese, minestrone and focaccia. Because Liguria is on the coast, seafood and fish are a big part of the diet. Provence-Cote d'Azur has a rich blue Mediterranean coastline and delicious sunshine food like tapenade, omelette aux truffes, Ratatouille, Aioli, Tarte Tropezienne or Fromage de Chevre." Angela from Carlton, Vic.
Walk to the stars 14-day Walking tour through French & Italian Riviera
With both of our children now living in Italy, Gabriela spent a lot of time there this year and she could almost call it her “second home”. There was finally time to travel to the southern part of Puglia and work on a potential new itinerary. It has been on the list for a long time and we are very excited to walk with you here in the future.
Salento has earned the name the “Maldives of Italy” thanks to the paradise-like landscape of its coast. It boasts a rich cultural heritage influenced by a blend of cultures which have left their mark over the centuries. It sits between the Adriatic Sea in the east and the Ionian Sea in the west and even though it is a relatively small peninsula, the two coasts are wildly different and perfect for walking. Stay tuned!
Gallipoli, Puglia
VIP travel service!
While Graeme has been busy with our various tours and working out new itineraries in Australia, we have also been busy in Europe with new ideas and plans. Over a recent lunch with our team member Gilles, whom many of you know, we came up with the idea of aVIP travel service.
It originated this summer when Gabriela took guests from ourrental apartmentson a few day trips into the countryside here in Provence like the Gorges du Verdon or the Luberon Valley. This could of course start in many different regions to take 2-8 guests on a personal private tour and explore the countryside outside of a city or around where guests are staying without the stress of hiring a car.
In October, Gabriela took a private group of 8 to the Piedmont and had a fantastic time, enjoying the magnificent autumn colours, Villa Susti, walking, cooking classes, gourmet dinners, wine tastings and a hunt for the very sought-after white truffles.
Speaking of which, our apartments in Provence have been well occupied this year and we enjoyed having the film crew from the French television channel TF1 staying for 3 months while filming a six-part drama mini series in and around Forcalquier.
Many in the town got involved and we are all looking forward to seeing the series called "Visions" when it comes out in 2022/23.
From short airbnb bookings to longer stays, we once again met many interesting and wonderful people.
All our four apartments are located in one of the nicest streets in the old town, rue Saint Mary - a charming, cobblestoned street leading up to a hilltop park. One of the unique aspects of the location is the fact that rue Saint Mary is a "cul-de-sac" and extremely quiet with no traffic noise. The main square with its lovely cafes and restaurants is just around the corner. It is certainly convenient to be able to wander down in the evening, have a lovely meal with a bottle of wine and not have to worry about who is driving!
Three of the apartments have delightful terraces with stunning views of the old town and surrounding Provence countryside, while one apartment has the use of the courtyard. On top of the hill, overlooking the old town, is a 19th century chapel set in a wooded cemetery, marking the site of the former citadel.
In the past, Forcalquier was a favourite residence of the counts of Provence and an internationally renowned cultural, political and economic centre. Today, Forcalquier hosts one of the liveliest and most colourful markets in the region.
Forcalquier is almost in the heart of Provence and all major points of interest can be easily visited in a day. Travelling time to nearby cities - Nice 2½ hours, Aix-en-Provence 1 hour, Avignon, Marseille and French Alps 1½ hours.
Artemisia Museum, Forcalquier
Apartments' Courtyard
Dinner table, Apartment Eleonore
Wall Calendar 2022
Encouraged by your positive feedback in the past 6 years and to help you remember all your important dates for the upcoming year we are attaching our2022 Walkabout Wall Calenda. The calendar includes: Scenic landscapes of upcoming Walkabout Gourmet tours, Major sports events around the world, Foodies events and Australian public holidays.
As for us, Graeme will spend his second Christmas with his family in Australia and the remaining 3 Clarkes will be in Italy with Choco and Luca - the new canine additions to the family! Gilles is with his family in Brittany, Helmut and Nina are in Norway while Pascal and Carole are on another whirlwind tour from Sardinia to Iran. Our other guides will be spending Christmas closer to home!
We wish you all a peaceful festive season and a happy and healthy New Year, full of nice surprises and adventures but most importantly… We hope to walk with you again very soon.
