45 - Sunday, December 18, 1988 - North Shore News

LOCAL BUSINESS

Scottish journey is

tour with a di

WHAT HAPPENS. when someone becomes so hooked on a foreign country that he returns again and again?

He either goes broke paying for airline tickets or staris up a tour company and tums an obsession into a business.

And that’s how ‘‘The Fraser Connection’? began bringing Ca- nadian tour groups to Scotland.

Andy Fraser was the managing editor of the North Shore News when I joined the paper I! years ago.

I handed out my usual dose of travel advice when Andy made his first visit to Scotland and then watched as he began to add ap- preciably to Air Canada’s profits.

Luckily, he met the perfect business partner — an employee of the Scottish Tourist Bureau, Jo Frazer — and a business was born. Jo’s encyclopedic knowledge of the country and Andy's enthusiasm gave the venture a head start.

Another bonus was that they bor" hated the idea of group tours as they are usually conducted — 50 people roaring from city to city at a screaming pace, 14 days of power sightseeing and exhausting hours.

They did their homework, spen- ding weeks exploring the places that tourists rarely find. The hotels they chose look more like highland castles and are often just large enough to accommodate the 25 tour members.

Andy also stresses that the food is excellent, with many of the chefs award winners.

One of the worst aspects of most group tours is early mornings. Often, bags must be in the halls no later than 7 a.m. Call that a holi- day?

Always the skeptic, I asked An- dy, “And what time of the day does the Fraser Connection get under way?’’

“Fennish.’*

it seems that a lot of partying goes on in the evenings — Andy has rounded up many focal enter- tainers at each stop to give the visitors a taste of the real music and dancing rather than the T.V. version.

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The Fraser Connection has printed their schedule for 1989:

© “Follow Prince Charlie,’?’ May 1 or 15, $2,995

* “Celtic Kingdoms’’ (includes Ireland), May 8 and Sept. 4, $3,295

“Tartan and Tradition,’ July 31 and Aug. 14, $3,195

All tours are 16 days and are personally guided by Andy or Jo (sometimes both). Practically everything is included except lun- ches, but Andy explained, ‘‘With the huge breakfast and dinner every day, most people aren’t in- terested in a formal lunch. We carry all sorts of snacks aboard the coaches and always stop about noon so that anyone who wants to can get a bowl of soup.

“Most just grab an apple and go for a walk.”’

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I like the itineraries Andy and Jo have chosen, especially because in most cases you get to spend at least two nights in one hotel.

They also have made Edinburgh the last stop — that’s where most people want to shop and it saves carting parcels all over Scotland.

ad

If you would like to have a look at the brochures: 1114-1124 Lons- dale, North Van V7M 2HI (mail- ing address, only) or phone Andy at 980-3227,

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I hope that anyone who has never taken a cruise will certainly consider doing so. I have never been able to figure out why some people are so hard to convince that cruising is great.

travel

wise

Barbara McCreadie

The American Association of Travel Editors (AATE) just com- pleted a survey, comparing Euro- peans and Americans and their vacation patterns.

According to the AATE, Euro- peans travel more than Americans but like it less.

The difference? Cruises.

fferoance

Cruises have become the number one vacation choice of Americans and have a much higher ratio of satisfied customers than any other kind of holiday.

I’ve taken more cruises than I can count and I have never had anything less than a wonderful time. There, Mrs. B — think I’ve convinced him? I hope you get that ticket in your Christmas stocking!

eat

Speaking of Christmas stock- ings, keep the traveller in mind.

For those who do a lot of automobile travel, car accessory shops have a lot of little gimmicks that can make life easier, especially for those who head for the moun- tains with ski racks.

I particularly like window Scrapers with mitts attached — even if the driver has gloves, the ice he scrapes off sticks to them and as soon as he starts to warm up the car it melts.

You may only need a lock de-

See Keep Page 50

weekend.

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