Funkyfogey Holidays

Whatever You Want from Your Holiday!

Article

Personal Service Travel

At Personal Service Travel, we know that at times you have very particular requirements for your trip or holiday and a brochure itinerary does not always fit the bill. Don't despair. We can either arrange your holiday from scratch, booking air tickets, ferries or trains and hotels direct or, often we can help you adapt a holiday you have spotted in one of our tour company's brochures. After all, not everyone wants the usual 7 or 14-day trip, so it makes sense to be able to add or take away nights to suit you. Having been around for over 50 years, it is not surprising that PST has excellent relationships with the best tour companies in the business, such as Qantas, Cresta, Kuoni and First Class all of whom will always put themselves out for a PST client. All these companies have hosted PST staff all around the world. So our team has first hand knowledge, or knows of a colleague who knows whether a certain hotel will fit your requirements, whether the town or area is really what you are looking for and how easy - or not - it is to get from one destination to another.

Juliet's Balcony, Verona

Tailor Made Holidays

We can arrange tailor-made diving holidays, safaris or Grand Tours. If you are a member of the 'Barmy Army' we can get you to wherever England is playing, book your hotels and of course your tickets for the match. We can sort you out a whole package for the Rugby Six Nations or just one away weekend. We can send you to every Grand Prix in the calendar or you can pick just one or two. If you fancy some deep sea diving or ballooning over the Outback - no problem, but if you would rather lay back and be pampered in a top spa, again - no problem.

At PST we believe it is very important that we sell you the holiday or trip that you want rather than just a pre-determined package which is only part of what you want. Of course many of the package holidays we offer do fit the bill and represent real value for money. But the option should always be yours. That is another reason why we insist on our staff having as much personal experience as possible of the holidays they offer you, so that they can help you make an informed choice. So, whatever you want - PST will pull out all the stops to make sure you can have it.

A Kiwi in Prague

As we look out from the Sussex coast, most of us probably can't imagine what it would be like having the Pacific Rim on our doorsteps with easy accessibility to the likes of Hawaii and Australia. But flip the coin and Janet Cole, a client at PST's Hailsham branch is overwhelmed to have Britain and Europe suddenly on her doorstep. Janet moved to England from New Zealand just over two years ago, and in those two years has become something of a connoisseur of short break holidays, particularly city breaks. So far she has visited Edinburgh, York (and of course London many times), Berlin, Malta, Paris, Florence, Prague and Eindhoven. She says:

'Many of us in New Zealand are only second generation and there is an emotional, cultural and heritage pull to come to Europe, especially Britain. Sometimes I still can't believe I am actually here and can just take off to cities that are so full of history and culture that I have a physiological reaction to where I am: 'Did Henry VIII really walk down this path', - it give me such a buzz'.

Last August Janet headed for Prague on a Travelscene beak. Here she gives us her impressions of the city.

'Prague is stunningly beautiful. It's Art Nouveau architecture blends perfectly with the earlier and colourfully ornate Romanesque and Gothic buildings and I just find cities built around rivers and with beautiful bridges, such as the Charles Bridge, straddling the water, somehow so peaceful. The colours of Prague are pink, green and red, giving the city a real Renaissance feel and the buildings are wonderfully decorated in frescos and carvings. The Kinsky Palace castle towers above the Old Town Square and St Vitus's Cathedral with its magnificent rose window and tomb of St Wenceslas is part of the castle. We spent two days looking around the castle and cathedral and still didn't see it all; there are palaces, incredible galleries displaying Titians, Raphaels and Reubens and lunchtime concerts featuring music written by Vivaldi, Mozart, Dvorak, and Bach whilst they were staying in Prague. You should also take time to wander down the little streets that lead off the Old Town Square. You will discover quaint and quirky buildings, many of them ornately decorated and some of the most wonderful doors in the world. To sum up New Zealand style - Prague is seriously neat!'

Sit back and enjoy the view

Coaching is the new 'going out!' Whether it is rediscovering Britain, or discovering parts of it for the first time, or nipping across the Irish Sea or the Channel, more and more of us are opting for the all-inclusive holiday where the coach literally does take the strain. These days, you book a coach tour almost anywhere, but if you want to stay closer to home, you can choose from a trip to the Yorkshire Dales, (even taking in the Emmerdale locations!), or a tour around historic houses of England or a visit to Cornwall taking in the Eden Project and the 'lost' Gardens of Heligan.

Those who have become coaching converts speak lovingly of having their 'chariot' constantly to hand, of being able to sit back and enjoy the views without having to wrestle with maps and sign-posts, of an on-board courier who looks after everything at the hotels and knows all the best coffee stops and tours and, wait for it - the sheer luxury of today's coaches. Many have air-conditioning, reclining seats, tables, coffee-making facilities and that all-important loo. More often than not you can pick up the coach very near to your home, and, once your luggage has been loaded into the hold, you can just forget about it. Coaching is also the perfect holiday for those travelling on their own.

PST, putting you first

Unique Ideas for you

PST even has the answer if you are scratching your head to come up with a new and original way of celebrating a special occasion. Why not just pile all your friends and family into a luxury coach and nip across the Channel for the day, for the night or for the weekend? PST can organise an executive 60-seater coach configured with just 30 seats for that extra comfort will speed you through the Tunnel as you make a good breakfast of Buck's Fizz and croissants. There are a number of delightful and small chateaux within 30 minutes drive of Calais where you can spend two or three hours over superb lunch and no one has to worry about driving home. Or why not stay overnight at very reasonable prices and enjoy the leisurely return journey that can take in a supermarket or Cité Europe to stock up on essential supplies?

This year PST has five tailor-made coach tours, all with local pick-ups. There is a five-day Chester-based tour leaving on May 9th and costing £299. One of England's best-preserved medieval cities, Chester still possesses much of its Roman walls, and, of course, The Rows, which were probably the world's first shopping mall. The trip also takes in a full day excursion to Snowdonia and a visit to the renowned Wedgewood Pottery museum.

In July there is a five-day break in Derbyshire, the Dales and the Peak District. Based at the beautiful Chesterfield Hotel, famous for it crooked spire, the trip includes a visit to Chatsworth House and the Royal Crown Derby factory. Prices start from £249.

This year there is also another trip to Southern Ireland - Connemara, the land of mountains, lakes and waterfalls. Departure is June 19 and the tour includes an overnight stop each way in Wales. Prices from £409.

In September there is five days in Wales, also taking in Chester, prices £299 and yes, I know Christmas is more than six months away, but there is a four-day trip to a German Christmas market leaving on December 3. Prices from £149.

All the PST special tours depart from several points in Sussex, (with none of the dreaded 'interchanges' to join your touring coach) so you can relax from the moment you step on board.

Cruising with a difference

As more and more people catch the cruising bug, and cruising is now the highest growth area within the holiday industry for British holidaymakers, so more and more diverse cruises enter the market place. These days you can choose between party orientated cruises, sports orientated ships, middle of the road formality, lap of luxury ships, destination and information led cruises - indeed the list is almost endless.

Pat Arrowsmith

Far Flung Destinations

Caribbean and Antarctic cruises and other far-flung destinations obviously involve a flight; some ships can carry up to 3,000 passengers whilst others market themselves upon their smallness and intimacy with passenger numbers from 40 upwards. One such cruise line is Windstar Cruises, which claims to sail: 'the most romantic ships afloat'. Certainly Windstar's fleet is special in that they actually have sails and look more yacht than ship. They are small, carrying between 148 to 308 guests. Indeed the impression is like travelling aboard your own private yacht, as PST's Pat Arrowsmith from Bexhill, who recently inspected Windstar's 'Surf' discovered. 'The biggest problem, as on any travel, was what would I wear? One quick phone call to Windstar's Heidi and the problem was solved. 'Wear what you would on your own private yacht', she said. 'Now, why hadn't I thought of that? Call myself a travel agent?' Pat is a 'seasoned' cruiser and was very impressed with her cabin. She says: 'Our cabin number was allocated at the top of the gangplank and it was perfect - a good size with more drawer and cubby hole space then I have ever encountered on a ship and with the added bonus of a CD and VCR and over 500 titles to borrow from the ship's library'.

Relaxed Atmosphere

'The atmosphere on board was very relaxed, dining when and with whom you choose, although there were set times for the restaurant. Dress code in the evening was casually elegant or elegantly casual! The choice of menu for lunch and dinner was very good and the barbeque on our day at sea was exceptional. Dinner can be taken in the main restaurant or in the bistro where no added charge was made - both extremely good. With only 260 passengers on board, with a capacity for 300 and a crew of 150, service in the most part was excellent. Most of the passengers I spoke to were on their third or fourth Windstar cruise and I think that speaks for itself. The fact that a ship of this size, 15,000 tonnes, carries so few passengers means plenty of sunbathing space with loungers of excellent quality. The Jacuzzi wasn't bad either!'

Windstar cruises the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Belize, the Baltic and French Polynesia.

The Funkyfogies of Travel?

Personal Service Travel is the Southeast's largest independent travel agency network. Enthusiastically run by the sons of the founder, Eastbourne resident Kenneth Wellings, just over 50 years ago, PST has its Headquarters at recently restored 'Cortlandt' in the heart of Hailsham. They have local branches at Battle, Bexhill, Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Hailsham, Haywards Heath, Heathfield, Reigate, Seaford and Uckfield.

Whilst catering for every type of travel and holiday and budget at home and abroad, PST's specialities are Long haul holidays, cruising, coaching, and above all 'tailor-made holidays. PST's size and long association with leading holiday operators ensures very competitive prices, particularly in the specialist areas. With an average service time with the company of over 8 years, (and many nearing 20 years), the PST sales team boast massive experience. They believe an essential requirement for real service and advice.

Simply call into your local branch or call 0870-6000 414 to automatically connect to an enthusiastic member of the PST team at your nearest branch - there are no infuriating recorded messages on PST telephones!

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