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Off to Africa: First Time. Leaving this Thursday, All Planned by Julian of Timeless Africa! WAHOO!

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Off to Africa: First Time. Leaving this Thursday, All Planned by Julian of Timeless Africa! WAHOO!

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Old May 24th, 2008, 02:05 PM
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Off to Africa: First Time. Leaving this Thursday, All Planned by Julian of Timeless Africa! WAHOO!

Hi all,

We leave this Thursday May 29th for our first trip to Africa!

Having posted on Fodors for many many years ( mostly Europe) I had a most unusual experience in planning this trip. With the exception of posting in the begining to decide on who to turn for assistance in planning, I've done very little posting and asking questions about our upcoming trip, because I had Julian Asher of Timeless Africa of whom all of your know. So it was like having a professional agent AND my own personal Fodorite at hand at all times. So all my questions were actually answered in private with Julian.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know how excited we are and here is our itinerary.

Although Fodors does not allow blatant advertising, I think it is more than safe to say that Julian has been AMAZING throughout this whole process. So many of you know him and all I can say is it has been a more than satisfying experience. In fact, I would venture to say that given that I have worked with some very high end travel agents in the past for some complicated trips to Europe, Julian I think tops them all, And these were Conde Nast Magazines Top Agents. They have nothing on Julian!

Here is our itinerary:

May 29: Departure from DC
May 30: En route through Heathrow
May 31st-June 5: Capetown. Cape Grace Hotel, 5 nights
plans: We have a private guide for 2 of the days. We will in total plan on seeing:
Table Mountain
Township
Cape Peninsula
Tea at the Nellie
Lots of shopping
Robben Island
And more

We have spa treatments already booked on arrival day to unkink ourselves.

June 5-6: Franschoek. Le Quartier Francais. Julian arranged a day of private wine touring with Stephen Flesch. 7 wineries!! YAY!!

We have been invited to a private dinner party on the 6th at the owners home with Chef Margo Janse preparing the meal. Julian arranged for this for us.

June 7th: Johannesburg. Melrose Arch Hotel. Meeting Robin Binckes for private tour of Aparteid Museum and surrounds.

June 8th-June 11: Botswana; Little Vumbura! Julian booked the honeymoon suite for us! No we've been married for 17 years, but we thought this tent would be fun!

June 11: Johannesburg. Melrose Arch Hotel.

June 12-June 15th: Singita Boulders!! This has always been a dream of mine to stay here!

So there you go...

We are all set and ready to go, go , go!!
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Old May 24th, 2008, 04:09 PM
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Have a great trip tripgirl and enjoy it all!

I too have worked with Julian and Timeless Africa and everything went off without a hitch. Both Sharon and Julian know their stuff and are a pleasure to work with.

Post a trip report and photos when you return. Travel safe!
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Old May 24th, 2008, 05:14 PM
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Can't wait to hear your report! Have a great trip.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 06:56 AM
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"Although Fodors does not allow blatant advertising"

but you thought you would do it anyway.

Is this Julian in disguise...I thought your fraud was conducted at a higher level, or are you now running out clients since being banned from various Forums?
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Old May 25th, 2008, 07:28 AM
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Excuse me.. last poster.

But this is Tripgirl and if you know how to use the Fodors site you would find I am a real person who has posted on Fodors for a long time. My real name is Robyn Webb. You need to learn how to use this site before you accuse anyone of anything.

Julian is Julian Asher of whom so many Fodorites on this board know well. You are thinking perhaps of someone else. He is not banned from Fodors.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 08:04 AM
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Obviously humor goes over your head............

Yes, I know quite well who Julian Asher is and how this site works. Maybe his ban has been lifted, but he was effectivley forced out by all his blatant advertising. He now seems to drum up his trade of Trip Advisor of places. As an agent who gained most of his client base through internet forums and highlighting his lack of knowledge in many areas, people just grew tired of him.

Talking of knowing how a site possibly works, I would look back and you would soon find question marks over potential white collar crime, not to mention writing absolute drivel to keep his business afloat and the myths surrounding safari.

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Old May 25th, 2008, 08:17 AM
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HUH???
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Old May 25th, 2008, 08:37 AM
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This is part of the story

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...ccco&fid=4
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Old May 25th, 2008, 10:45 AM
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daoracle--rather harsh to the OP. As she indicated, she has posted alot on other forums, no reason to attack her.

If she is happy with Julian's handling of her trip, she has the right to say so IMO.

tripgirl --have a great trip.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 11:26 AM
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daoracle,

Are you daft or what?

Your thread link is to a bunch of threads Rocco posted on. Not Julian.

What's your problem?
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Old May 25th, 2008, 11:31 AM
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Robyn

Looking forward to your trip report.

Matt
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Old May 25th, 2008, 11:47 AM
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http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35092666
 
Old May 25th, 2008, 11:50 AM
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I think that daoracle is referring to threads like the one above, that were posted here at the back end of last year. It has left a sour taste with concern to agents and in particular the one you mention.

Enjoy your trip!
 
Old May 25th, 2008, 12:01 PM
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Considering tripgirl's long posting here, and daoracle's 3 posts only in the last 3 days, I'll take tripgirl's recommendation as valid.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 12:42 PM
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It seems to me that daoracle knows very well what he's talking about.

I can't say the same of the others involved... also it smells like advertising which I don't like at all.

 
Old May 25th, 2008, 01:18 PM
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Seems to me entirely possible that tripgirl is very satisfied with her experience with Julian, and that Julian was involved in some unseemly activities on this board.

It also strikes me as being almost certain that daoracle is someone who has posted here before under one or more other names, as it would be extraordinary for a newbie to be so well informed about past history.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 01:59 PM
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<b>Rizzuto</b> you get the Sherlock Holmes award!

After reading <b>Daoracle</b>'s posts, I feel like the townspeople in the Lone Ranger. Who was that masked man? (For those not acquainted with 1960s TV in the US, that was meant to be a compliment.)

I'm sure everybody, me included, hopes <b>Tripgirl</b> has a great trip from the spa treatments to unkink all the way through Singita Boulders.

I find it unusual when a post goes on at length about the travel agent, before even leaving home. A few positive words, yes, but gushing is odd.

However, I've written plenty of odd stuff here.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 02:14 PM
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Im with Skimmer on this one...
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Old May 25th, 2008, 02:38 PM
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tripgirl has been posting on Fodors for years. If she's happy with her agent, why shouldn't she say so?

Happy travels, tripgirl.
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Old May 25th, 2008, 02:48 PM
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All right..enough..

Geez.. it did not take long for someone this thread to dissolve into nonsense.

Yes, I gush from time to time, I'm a gusher. Yes, Julian has done an excellent job so far. I have had alot of experience in dealing with agents; for those who know( if you post on the Europe board you can see the history there), I have organized group trips with my friends( about 17-20 of yearly would go away together)for many years ( we stopped just last year)so I have dealt with lots of agents becuase the trips were too complicated for me to put together myself ( and I have done lots of independent planning for just me and DH). So forgive me if I &quot;gushed&quot; before we went on this trip, but really I have been more satisfied so far before a trip than ever before.

Geez.. some of you have nothing better to do than speculate.

Suspicious minds like I have never seen....

So I am going to end it now with a bon voyage to me and I know we are going to have a good time!

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