Honouring composers such as Haydn, Brahms and Schubert in this superb setting are the renowned Doric String Quartet, soloist Bartholomew LaFolette and viola player, Simon Rowland-Jones, who will also present a series of pre-concert talks. The holiday also includes a visit to the breathtaking National Trust gardens at Trelissick as well as plenty of free time to enjoy other local attractions such as the Maritime Museum and fascinating art galleries of nearby Falmouth.

Departing 2 February, this treat for the senses costs £1,035 pp (two sharing) including three nights’ accommodation with breakfast at the Hotel Tresanton, dinner each evening, a programme of concerts and talks, an excursion to Trelissick Garden and the services of a Kirker tour leader.

Book now and receive a £100 voucher, redeemable against a future short break or longer itinerary with Kirker Holidays - choosing from an array of destinations that includes Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, the Middle East, the Far East, the UK, the USA and Cuba.

Call Kirker Holidays 020 7593 2284, email culturaltours@kirkerholidays.com or visit www.kirkerholidays.com

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So breathtakingly beautiful is Tanquary Fjord that the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in conjunction with the Discovery Channel has chosen to film wildlife during this 16-day High Arctic expedition for a segment of the sequel to the award-winning “Planet Earth”.  “Frozen Planet,” is a six-part series that explores the Arctic and Antarctica.  Travelers aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov will have the opportunity to watch dailies of just-shot footage of elusive Arctic wildlife.  The BBC film crew will deliver presentations aboard about their work when they are not filming.  BBC crew members use a Cineflex camera mounted on a helicopter to film from a long distance. This revolutionary technology permits close-up views without disturbing the animals.

Tanquary Fjord: Western Ellesmere Island embarks in Resolute, Nunavut, high above the Arctic Circle. The expedition includes: a visit to Devon Island; an exploration of the archaeological remains of the Thule people (ancestors of the Inuit); a transit through Hell Gate, seldom navigated by passenger vessels; a helicopter reconnaissance to see a petrified forest on Ellesmere Island’s western coast; and a flight over Axel Heiberg to search for musk oxen, wolves and Arctic hare.  A visit to Mac Dougall Sound will provide potential walrus and polar bear sightings.  The final day of the trip will be spent visiting Beechey Island, where members of Sir John Franklin’s crew were buried during their tragic quest to discover the Northwest Passage.

“Tanquary Fjord - Western Ellesmere Island” will take place from August 3 - 18, 2009.  The   price ranges from $13,390 to $22,990 per person in US dollars.

For more information, call Quark Expeditions at 800-356-5699 or visit www.quarkexpeditions.com.

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On this 4WD sightseeing and hiking trip, an experienced guide will demonstrate how to use glacier equipment before guiding the group through the ice sculptures, ridges and crevasses of the glacier and  on to the breathtaking Skogafoss and Seljalandfoss waterfalls.

A full day tour including guiding, glacier gear and safety equipment costs £119 pp. Call Icelandair on 0800 988 9989 (www.icelandair.co.uk).

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Catering exclusively for adults, Warner Leisure Hotels’ have 13 properties across the UK. As well as offering a wide choice and style of accommodation, each with its own personality, the hotel chain is renowned for its Experience Breaks, offering over 600 additional activities from hot air balloon trips and antiques with tv’s Eric Knowles to a Mini Cooper Treasure Hunt and numerous dance breaks.

The hotels range from the majestic Thoresby Hall Hotel and Spa in Nottinghamshire and the historic Littlecote House Hotel in Berkshire, where Henry VIII courted Jane Seymour, through to the Victorian character of Alvaston Hall Hotel in Cheshire with its own golf course and the Lakeside seaside resort on Hayling Island in Hampshire which offers relaxed accommodation in a pretty traditional seaside location.

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For martial arts enthusiasts, it will come as no surprise that the ‘chi’ or ‘energy flow’ coming down from these peaks gives this area some of the best quality chi on Earth. Perhaps more surprising is that among these mist-shrouded mountains lies a brand new training camp that promises to deliver the ‘kung fu dream’.

Aimed at people wanting to become martial arts instructors and at travellers looking for a traditional kung fu experience, the Nam Yang Tat Moh Training Camp promises the height of kung fu training from ‘the roof of the world’.

The brainchild of Britain’s two times world kung fu champion and chief instructor at Nam Yang’s UK branch, Iain Armstrong, the camp provides two and three year instructor training courses as well as short-term training for travellers.

Ian says: “When I was an up and coming martial artist I would have given my eye teeth for an opportunity like this. The courses are a great alternative to university or a boring desk job and are perfect for ex-military personnel looking for a civilian career”.

Named after ‘Tat Moh’ or ‘Boddidharma’, the Indian Monk who founded the Shaolin kung fu tradition and, in many people’s opinion, martial arts, the camp bases its training on the traditional Chinese style whereby students are responsible for their own practise, with the ‘master’ giving periodic input.

Training is carried out in the morning and evening in one of two large training grounds with bamboo poles, ‘stone lock’ weights and other equipment designed to replicate those used by the famous martial artists of legend. Along with Iain Armstong, training is delivered by Nam Yang Singapore Instructor Dougal Simmons and Master Tan Soh Tin, who at 65 embraces the ‘old way’ of teaching and offers the sort of wisdom that students strive so hard to find in a kung fu master.

As well as covering a wide range of skills including Shaolin Tiger-Crane Art, Sun Frost White Crane Internal Art and Iron Shirt Chi Kung, the syllabus gives students direct responsibility for running classes to develop their instructor skills. For those looking to set up their own school, an optional extension course also provides training in business skills.

Ian says: “At the end of the course, students get a certificate issued by Nam Yang and a level 2 coaching course issued by BCCMA, which qualifies them to teach independently anywhere in the UK. The two-year course costs £12,000 and the three year course £16,500, which includes training, accommodation and breakfast and dinner five days a week”.

Surrounded by stunning scenery, the accommodation consists of three large bungalows with twin rooms, en suite bathrooms and a spacious living room terrace. Delicious Thai-style meals are provided by the camp restaurant and are cooked on site using fresh, healthy ingredients from local farms and forests.

Ian says: “Prior to acceptance onto the course, students will go through an induction test in either the UK or Thailand to allow them to try us out and demonstrate their commitment. They can also visit the camp for a short time to see if the course and lifestyle is right for them before committing.

“The camp presents students with the ultimate opportunity to live the true kung fu lifestyle. We all encounter opportunities to completely change our lives and for those brave enough to follow their dream, the Nam Yang Tat Moh Training Camp is only a step away”.

For further information on the Nam Yang Tat Moh Training Camp email mountaintrainingcenter@namyang.co.uk, contact 0800 0350536 or Thailand 00 665 306 4303 or visit www.namyang.co.uk.

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Modica, Sicily – August 13, 2008 – For the first time, U.K. travellers will
enjoy luxurious complimentary perks this October as Italian Connection –
Italy’s most exclusive and intimate walking, cooking and cultural tour company
– unveils three tours featuring the new Complimentary Smooth Arrival®
service. The company’s Piedmont Vineyards and Lakes, Savoring Sicily and
Splendors of Sicily tours will each feature the new Complimentary Smooth
Arrival® service providing U.K. visitors with free airport transfers and free
pre-tour hotel stays at 4-diamond properties.

“For the first time, we are delighted to offer our guests from the U.K.
complimentary airport transfers and free accommodations in luxurious 4-diamond
hotels in Catania, Turin, and Palermo,” said Anita Iaconangelo, founder and
CEO of Italian Connection. “Our exceptional, personalised service and superb
attention to detail set our tours apart from all others in Italy - thereby
creating the most authentic local Italian experience available.”

Italian Connection’s Splendors of Sicily tours are October 10-18 and October
20-28, and include complimentary Catania airport transfer and free stay at a
4-diamond hotel in Catania. Guests will be among the first to experience the
Roman mosaics recently unveiled to the public at the Villa Tellaro on this tour.
This particular tour was selected by National Geographic Traveler as one of the
“50 Tours of a Lifetime.” Cost is £2745 GBP.

For those seeking culinary decadence – including fresh truffles - coupled
with dazzling countryside walks, Italian Connection’s Piedmont Vineyards and
Lakes tour is October 17-23. It includes complimentary Turin airport transfer,
and a free stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Turin. Cost is £2285 GBP.

For U.K. explorers interested in the authentic sights, sounds, and tastes of
Sicily - far removed from the hurried bus tour concept - the Savoring Sicily
tour from October 29-November 4 provides a rare look at the area’s distinct
past and diverse culinary present, with hands-on cooking lessons and visits to
archaeological sites. Tour includes complimentary Palermo airport transfer and
free stay at a 4-diamond hotel in Palermo. Cost is £2135 GBP.

Visit http://www.italian-connection.com for detailed itineraries or to book a
tour.

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