 | There's been a lot going on in this past month! Grab a cuppa or a glass of your favourite after-5 beverage and let me fill you in! | We flew on a plane! I'm sure I'm not alone when I tell you I'd almost forgotten what air travel was like! How good to be looking out that window at the world below! Worried about what it's like to fly? We will be sharing some travel tips (the first in a long time!) on our Facebook Page over the coming weeks, so keep your eyes out. The kids and I are headed to South Australia this weekend, so we will be sure to let you know how Virgin compares to Qantas in the air travel experience at the moment! Make sure you follow SJT on Instagram too for the latest from our travels. | Speaking of flying... Mystery Flights are back! Remember the good old "Mystery Flights" of the nineties? You bought a ticket, turned up at the airport and found our where you were headed? Welcome to Mystery Flights 2.0! Our wonderful partners at Adventure by Air have launched luxury one and two-day "mystery" adventures all across Australia. Your journey includes travel by private aircraft to your mystery destination, at least one exclusive dining and a local touring experience that is specifically related to the region you are exploring. Will your journey be an outback station experience, a coastal farm stay, a dazzling city experience or a remote Indigenous encounter? With departures from all major airports as well as a handful of regional ones, this is the ultimate adventure for a special birthday, anniversary, celebration or "just because". You pick the date, and we'll do the rest! |  Pumpkin Island | Queensland Islands are HOT! Australian beaches are among the best in the world... so with the likes of Fiji, Hawaii and the Maldives off the cards, why not consider a local island instead? Don't know your Lizard from your Pumpkin? Your Magnetic from your Moreton? Your Long from your Lady Elliot? Don't worry, we have you covered.
Think about whether you'd rather...
* Fly or Drive?
* Barefoot or Butler? (or both!)
* Do nothing or Do everything?
* Weekend or Week away?
* Self-cater or all-inclusive? (or somewhere in between?) We have some fantastic stay-pay deals and VIP amenities for so many Queensland island resorts! |  Elysian Retreat |  Hayman Island | | |  Meet Outback Dan | Brand new Outback packages Hot of the press yesterday are a range of brand new packages for Longreach and Winton. We have negotiated special weekender flight packages ex-Brisbane, scenic flights to the Dinosaurs and Carisbrooke Station ex-Longreach, plus a fantastic range of short breaks with Outback Aussie Tours, ranging from 2 to 4 nights stays. Everything is included, so all you have to do is book and go! For prices, itineraries and more details, drop us an email or phone us. |  Sonia & husband Garth on the Thomson River |  Welcome to Longreach | | | All masked up Reusable masks have arrived! These comfortable, washable and resusable face masks are made from three layers of 150GSM protective cotton material. Some of our Victorian clients have been road-testing them for us and the feedback has been great. Want one of your own? They cost $10 each plus postage and can either be collected from our office by appointment or we can send them out to you. | Got a Future Cruise Credit? If you, like so many of us, had to miss out on your much-anticipated cruising holiday this year, no doubt you hold some kind of future cruise credit. With minimal international travel looking likely for next year, all eyes are on the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Many of our preferred cruise partners have now released sailings, so I would encourage those of you with cruise credits to start planning. After all, there will be two years' worth of travellers trying cram into these seasons! We will be sending more information and offers out to our cruise clients in coming weeks. If you haven't booked a cruise with us before but would like to know more about 2022/2023 offerings for the small and luxury cruise lines please let us know and we'll add you to the list. | TOP TRAVEL TIP! Are you in two minds about booking flights? Most domestic flights in Australia are non-refundable once you purchase them, so it makes sense that some travellers are reluctant to book a flight at the moment. However, most frequent flyer bookings, carry more flexible restrictions when compared to a normal flight booking. In most cases, if you cancel, the points get returned to your account and the taxes popped back on to your credit card. Some fares even have the standard points cancellation fee waived at the moment. So if you have points to spend with Qantas or Virgin Australia, maybe consider using them for your next local flight booking. If you're unsure how to navigate the points and frequent flyer system, we can help. We offer a points booking service as well for those who would prefer to leave it to the professionals! | Looking for ideas? Not sure where you can go, but dying to plan SOMETHING? Give us call. We are rapidly becoming experts on border passes, travel exemptions, last-minute travel, pet-friendly stays, air safaris, unique accommodation, local luxury getaways and more. Queenslanders, don't forget our triangular agreement with South Australia and Northern Territory - so trade Kingscliff for Kangaroo Island, or Byron for the Barossa! South Australians, our islands are open for business if you need warm weather and sandy beaches! Queenslanders are also in the unique position to access Norfolk Island! We have some great 7 day packages that include flights, accommodation, car hire and more for this South Pacific jewel. Think food trails, colonial history, gorgeous beaches and a photographer's paradise! |  Kangaroo Island |  Norfolk Island |  Ballooning over the Barossa | | | Thank you Amy! Don't worry, she isn't going anywhere! But I wanted to take a moment to thank Amy for her incredible efforts during COVID. She has rapidly become queen of the spreadsheets and a terrier with suppliers when it comes to chasing refunds. I'm sure many of you have had regular emails from her with credit notes, insurance letters, updates on refunds and the good news when the money is headed your way! Thank you Amy for rising to the challenges thrown at you these past seven months. You're a champion! | SJT is here for you And on that note, I wanted to reassure you all that we are not going anywhere anytime soon! Our door is open and we are ready to help you in whatever capacity you need. After travel advice for a loved-one overseas or interstate? Keen to re-ignite those postponed travel dreams? Looking for a local luxury getaway, even just for a night or two? Just want to say hello? We're here - either in person, via Zoom, on email or over the phone. So whatever you need, reach out! We love hearing from you!
We miss you! Email sonia@soniajonestravel or amy@soniajonestravel, or phone 0450 154 478. Yours in travel,
Sonia, Amy & Sandi xo | | |
