Day job keeping me busy but it’s not all bad

So I have been very busy at work preparing presentations. When I say preparing this is in Phd. territory, I have been working with designers to solve both all the new feature problems and then explain all the KPI’s.. the formulas for the statistics (KPIs) have been updated, everything needs evidence…  So one hour presentations haven’t been long enough. I have another one coming. I activate my feature again hopefully in a week or so and then I’ll have to analyze and present the results. Presenting the increase in capacity and improved customer experience is going to be worth it.

I should say what company I work for because its not relevant to my own company Holiday Nova. Another things is I’ve been asked to go to Japan. That’s a whole new story. I’ve only realised that the reactors in Fukushima actually exploded and radiated over 20km!!! There are Geiger counter results showing there is definitely radioactive Iodine and Cesium in Tokyo… the uSv/hr were 7 times background levels.. now that the iodine has decayed they are constant at 3 times the normal background level. I have guidelines from Australia and WHO that have reports of Chernobyl and recommended levels… The delta in the normal levels to new levels is very large and therefore it is equivalent to Chernobyl. What WHO found for Chernobyl was that there was a very large increase in thyroid cancer not just 20km from the reactor but 500km !!! Fukushima is only 200km from Tokyo. So I probably won’t go there.

So back to business. I have had a few meetings and offers for partnership. I haven’t followed up on them and the deals I have with playboy Macau, Radisson Blu, Sofitel and the smaller travel groups need to be contacted for updated prices. I still need money for employ sales people. I’m also interested in connecting to a database but I’m in no rush… if I don’t get investors and I slowly get a database on the site I won’t need investors!. Imagine I’ve had 3 bookings this last 3 months and I only have about 10 products. Only two of the products were booked and not suprising they were the ones with that had the best and most organised content. With a content guide I’m sure the other will convert more. So content guide and a lot of content is needed. If I had sales staff then an ipad app is needed for updating products directly to the site. A good ipad app will manage the content rule and upload all the details including photos, descriptions, pricing and availability.

Signing off for now. I wish people had some questions about what I’m doing in Croatia. Any requests for different places to be added to the site. Throw them my way. I bet I can get a holiday that’s better then you can plan and cheaper then you can ever get anywhere else or by yourself test me.

Next adventure

Coming soon. I will be traveling to Japan. If I can get the tools and time I will be adding a lot of new places to the site. I also will take the opportunity to try to raise capital from Japan and visit Beijing with to visit an interested VC firm…

No updates for a while, here’s why:

I haven’t updated the blog for a few months but I believe it’s time to continue with the updates.

I’ve been looking for investors to take the site to the next stage. I’m also in talks going through requirements with iOS and android developers to build a tool to help speed up adding new accounts to the site. The accounts will be able to manage everything from their eg ipad 2 including photos, videos, pricing and availability. Instead of a sales person having to revisit an account they can add their products on the first meeting. This means we can have over 10 additions to the site per day.. additions that aren’t from a data warehouse like every other site has. What the gives customers is the cheapest prices with still reasonable margins for us.

Remember right now if you’re planning a holiday to Croatia and want to have a great time. Check out http://www.holidanova.com  You’ll need to click on the activities an tours.

If you’re interested we also have a price for cooking tours and walking tours in Greece. 

Culmination of years of development

Finally after many years of development of both relationships, procedures and a great website… I’m looking for a partner that can help me take this to the next level.

On the 27th June I’ll be attending an investment meeting with many VC’s and angels and I will have my own display. This is very exciting. Finally an audience that has success in business and is looking for great opportunities.

Old photo from Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

 

Chilling out in a café in Hanoi’s capital.

Quick updated using picasa

watching Ace Ventura. Classic !!!

First Holiday Nova Promotion

Okay it’s time for our first exclusive promotion. This maybe the biggest promotion we will ever have and it this will definitely never happen again. It will likely pay mean a lot in the next few years and you’re getting a holiday that is the cheapest online. 

Holiday Nova has different types of memberships and they are by invite and special request only.

 

 

Certain rooms and tours are visible to certain members.

Some will show up to people that have a specific email address but that is aimed for corporate and special requests.

The highest and most elite membership is BLACK. To get BLACK you have to be in the league with Richard Branson or Alicia Keys of status.

Below BLACK level there is Blue and Platinum.

Think about special promotions like fantasy island and space tourism or exclusive invites to events that may include movie stars etc.

Sounds unaffordable or unlikely, it is but not for the BLACK members. BLACK members are the elite.

That’s why I will only give away 5 memberships to the first 5 bookings of over ONLY $1000 in either currency you are charged in; AUD,USD or EUR.

We have had one large booking so there are only 4 memberships left.

Hanoi Spa and massage updated

 

I’ve included the cheapest prices for this amazing massage in West Lake. I have had a massage at this place and it has very professional staff, the best equipment I’ve seen compared to any other place in Hanoi and great ambient music and fragrances.

http://www.holidaynova.com/vietnam-hanoi/santal-spa-massage-aromatherapy-massage-60-minutes_en.html

If you do book a session you can leave a review afterwards, that can include photos and videos. It’s unlikely you’ll take photos and videos though   but at least you get a chance to leave comments and ratings.

the best way to book Holiday.... NOVA Holiday

Video of trip to Halong bay

If you want to know what to expect in Halong bay in February, here;s  a video of my trip today. It was great fun doing a group tour. I swapped price of the tour information with friends I made on the tour, for the first moment I was happy telling them I only paid US$37 until the next moment when they told me they paid $25. They also said that all site they tried to book with were asking for US$70 plus… If I get anything on http://www.holidaynova.com I will make sure I have the US$25 price. I did however get the special benefit of having a dedicated taxi take me back to Hanoi, this is a 4 hour trip! so it was very much worth the extra $12 to not be squashed in a bus.

Here’s a video from today

Your link text here.

Near Mercure Hanoi La Gare

It’s Friday 11 Feb, 2011 and I’m in Hanoi in central and most exclusive location called Hoan Kiem.

My plans today are to organise a tour to Halong Bay. I can’t wait to see it. The past 2 months have been very cold during the day but the last week including today it’s getting toasty. I’m sure it’s in the mid 20’s plus some extra humidity compared to what I’m used in Melbourne Australia.

I’m visiting and organising my trip to Halong bay with the Mercure La Gare. I think it’s best to organise with them because I’m here for another day and I know I don’t have to worry.

http://www.holidaynova.com/vietnam-hanoi/mercure-hanoi-la-gare-hotel-superior-delux-room_en.html

I’ve just had breakfast in Ngon

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d1124698-Reviews-Quan_An_Ngon-Hanoi.html

and I’m chilling in a Highland café across the road. I’m only around the corner from Mercure La Gare. above me is a new bar called the roof top. Very classy. Around the block is the most popular club in Hanoi called 17 cowboys.

Here are some photos I took moments ago

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Athens walking tours hits #1 on tripadvisor and you can book here

 

An article hit the news this week “Athens tour company ranks No 1”

 http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite8_3_07/02/2011_377115

The trend is that many people actually end up booking these tours once then get off cruise liners… What if you could book the highest rated tour online. Well now you can. Here and at the cheapest price online!

http://www.holidaynova.com/greece-athens/athens-walking-tours-private-tour-little-known-athens-up-to-4-persons_en.html

Quote

“Athens Walking Tours employs 10 guides, all of whom have backgrounds in history, archaeology or languages, while the company has also branched out from the original five tours of attractions around the historic center.

Newer features include the “Athens Food Tour,” which takes groups to street stalls, small shops and eateries that serve up traditional Greek staples that diverge from the usual moussaka. “Athens by Night” is a short coach tour that shows visitors the best of the city after dark and reaches Mikrolimano and Marina Zea in Piraeus, where it culminates in dinner at a taverna with live traditional music and dancing.”

So book before there are now spots left this year. 

Sapa, Vietnam update

Excellent news, we have Bamboo Sapa on the site.

http://www.holidaynova.com/vietnam-sapa/bamboo-sapa-hotel-hotel-suite-dimond-view_en.html


Here is some interesting information! This hotel has competition that is very cheap so they have matched the cheap prices. Don't judge the quality of this place on the price, this hotel I would personally rate as 4 star while the next best competitor would be 2.  If your going to go to Sapa and want to be comfortable after a hard day or mountain climbing then book this before the price goes up. The hotel has only been open for 1 year. Check reviews on tripadvisor! Disregard reviews about construction noise because that's finished. Please take lots of photos and videos when your in Sapa if you book with Holiday Nova and include some of them in your reviews on our site. Thank you and I hope you have the time of your life like I did :)

Sapa, Vietnam

Please visit my other blog http://holidaynova.wordpress.com and my main site http://www.holidaynova.com

We are a new travel company and we're aiming for the savvy traveler that is looking for the best price online but more importantly for people that are looking for something different. Make your next holiday not so average by NOT travelling to the top 10 known travel destinations. I've traveled all over the world and even now I'm in Hanoi Vietnam. The best value and most interesting trips are when I go somewhere less known. Something important I have noticed is that people only want to know about my trips when it's to somewhere others haven't been to. People are naturally curious of survival stories but trusts me, it's easier to survive with less money in less know places then say in Paris. Although to contradict myself, you must visit Paris :)

Here are some photos from Sapa in Vietnam.  To stay here at the center of the main city in the mountains you really need to stay at the Bamboo, it is the only place with 24/7 heating and in these cold and damp mountains you will definitely need it. Until the damn is completed (in many years from now) regular power cuts happen and you will regret not having the ducted wall heating. We have the best price online with Bamboo and it' going onto http://holidaynova.com soon. Until then you can stay at Royal View Hotel which I stayed in. Great tours and slightly more central then Bamboo. Royal View is also closer to the markets.

Here is how you book. Make sure you ask for more then one heater!

http://www.holidaynova.com/vietnam-sapa/royal-view-hotel-sapa-hotel-deluxe-double_en.html

Please check regularly for when we add Bamboo.