Aroma Tours Newsletter - February 2000

THIS ISSUE
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- Welcome
- 90 new pictures on our website
- Lavender harvest down under
- Thyme
- A Turkish rose story
- Bali Women's Retreat
- Time to make your bookings
- Protecting your privacy
- Arranging your travel
- Previous bulletins
- Thought for the day

WELCOME
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A warm welcome to the 500 plus readers of our Aroma Tours newsletter.

Being the first issue for the new year/century/millennium Robbi and I would like to extend our warmest wishes to everyone and hope that the up and coming year will be successful and full of fun and adventure.

Since our October newsletter the response to our tours and our web site has been outstanding. Our already healthy stream of enquiries has more than doubled, and most pleasing for us, is knowing that a number of you are returning to journey with us again this year.

90 NEW PICTURES ON OUR WEBSITE
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During our many travels with our groups, and reconnaissance trips for future tours we have taken 1000's of photos, some of which will be appearing in upcoming books. Jim has found the time to put a sampling or over 90 new images of Turkey, Provence, Bali and Australia on our website and we invite you to
enjoy them at http://www.aroma-tours.com/picture-gallery.htm

LAVENDER HARVEST DOWN UNDER
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Several Sundays ago, we enjoyed a wonderful lavender harvest day just outside Melbourne at Lavandula Farm. Each year in this delightful country setting we set up a small stall and spend a fabulous day talking about our Aroma Tours and meeting people who share a love of lavender and fine country produce. The day is punctuated with wandering minstrels, local food and wine provenders and folk playing petanque and to cap it off the lavender is harvested by hand.

We always enjoy attending the harvest because it reminds us that in a few short months it will be time for us to return to the sunny aromatic heartland of Provence.

THYME
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There is no plant more vital to the people of Provence as the "farigoulo". It is used daily in herbal teas, seasoning and in medicine, as a powerful antiseptic and hearty stimulant. In Provence when you want to declare your love, you attach a bouquet of thyme on your beloved's door. In Haute Provence a distinction is made between red thyme, found in the lower altitudes and the white or lemon thyme growing high in the hills or on plateaux.

We will encounter wild thyme and many other aromatic plants as we follow the fragrant trail in Provence.

A TURKISH ROSE STORY
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One of the most tantalizing experiences imaginable is to visit a Turkish rose distillery while it is in full production. The heavenly smell of Rosa Damascia petals - hand picked before dawn - fills the air. We see them by the tonne, arranged in fermenting rooms and being loaded into huge copper stills before being transformed into pure rose essential oil.

The fruit of all of this labour is a pale yellowish oil with a heavenly aroma, which is carefully decanted into waiting flacons. To experience first hand the distillation of this most exquisite treasure of nature is a total feast for the senses.

The water that exits the stills is saturated with a rich rose fragrance, some of which is retained as finest rose water. What an irony it is to see 1000's of litres of this glorious warm rose water flowing past in a viaduct with bees searching in vain for the flowers their instinct tells them must be there.

Close by one of the distilleries we visit, is a small town to which the viaduct flows, transporting the warm and fragrant water. Just perfect for a ultimate indulgence, a luxurious warm rose water bath or shower - I don't even think Cleopatra ( who used to frolic with Mark Anthony on the Turquoise coast near where we will journey ) could conceive of a more decadent experience.

BALI WOMEN'S RETREAT
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The Bali Women's Retreat is still a way off but once again the response is very encouraging.

I think this quote below from Claire Knight beautifully captures the essence of the program and explains its popularity.

"I cannot keep the smile off my face or stop my heart skipping for joy; deep reflection, beautiful surrounds, aromatic food and fun have made this time out for me a wonderful pampering journey."

The response to our tours and retreats this year has been wonderful and it has been so exciting to see so many of you joining us again, with many new bookings already confirmed.

TIME TO MAKE YOUR BOOKING
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The response to our Aromatherapy Retreat has been outstanding - we already have one fully booked - with the Heart of Provence Tour and our second Aromatherapy Retreat bookings well underway. Our Turkish Rose Tour is creating a lot of interest with a steady stream of enquiries and bookings already confirmed.

It has been so exciting to have a few folks joining us for a second and even a third time round as well as the many new bookings already confirmed.

Bookings for the Bali program in September are going well. For a preview of the delights of the program please review the September newsletter at http://www.aroma-tours.com/newsletters/sep99.htm which details many of the highlights of the retreat.

If you are thinking of joining us this year and have any questions please contact us at info@aroma-tours.com and if you would like to have a chat, just let us know how to get in touch and we will give you a call.

Turkish Rose Tour                            Half full
Provence Aromatherapy Retreat   Half full
Heart of Provence Tour                   Third full
Australian Aromatic Tour                 Now booking
Bali Women's Retreat                      Quarter full

ARRANGING YOUR TRAVEL - repeat
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Once you have decided to join us, you will need to co-ordinate your travel arrangements to meet us at the appropriate rendezvous point at the appointed time. We provide all of the necessary information for you and your travel agent, to make this a simple matter. We are happy to assist you further as necessary.

PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY - repeat
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We consider the protection of your privacy to be a very important issue and have created a privacy statement at http://www.aroma-tours.com/privacy.htm which outlines our policies regarding the protection of your personal details both
on our website and as our clients.

PREVIOUS BULLETINS
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If you would like to read our previous bulletins, they can be viewed on our web site at http://www.aroma-tours.com/newsletters/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
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"Life is a daring adventure or nothing"

Helen Keller

We look forward to welcoming you to one of our delightful tours or retreats and if you have any questions or need help please contact us at info@aroma-tours.com

Fragrant regards,

Robbi and Jim

ITALY

TURKEY

PROVENCE

BALI

AUSTRALIA