Time Out

Volume 6 Issue 1 March 2007

Eastcoast Member Services

Manager: Anne Burns

Office Hours – Monday through Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm

Telephone: 03 5985 6166 Fax: 03 5985 6155

E-Mail: eastcoastms@bigpond.com

What’s been happening?

Happy New Year to you all and I hope that your 2007 holidays will be relaxing, exhilarating and memorable.

Having recovered from school holidays, Christmas and New Year I thought to take a breather. I looked at the calendar and saw that it was March 5^th 2007. Where did February go?

New Software at Member Services

We have installed new software at member services. The “Viewpoint” software is written specifically for timeshare resorts and clubs and I am very happy with the new program. Conversion took place in early February and I have been busy verifying the data transfer in addition to learning how to navigate a new system. You will notice some differences with confirmations and levy notices but otherwise all is steady as she goes.

Eastcoast Timeshare Group Board of Directors

The Eastcoast Timeshare Group Board of directors meets once a month. The Board consists of eight Eastcoast Timeshare Group (ETG) members who each own one or more shares. The Board plans for the future of the group – budgets, setting maintenance fees, complaints, debt collection and works in conjunction with the ETG Administration Manager, site managers and member services to ensure members’ interests are maintained and services are provided. The ETG recently had to foreclose on some bad debtors and we have shares available for resale to existing or new owners. If you have been thinking buying an extra week or have friends who would like to become members this is an offer not to be missed. Shares are very competitively priced right now. For more information contact Anne at member services.

Security Deposits

ETG now requires all residents at Bayview, Golden Leaf and Manly leave a security deposit of $200.00 per apartment upon check-in. A minority of guests have left the apartments in a less than satisfactory state upon departure which has resulted in extra cleaning and /or replacement of contents and/or repairs being required. The Board feels that the cost of extra cleaning, breakages and damage should be borne by the individual responsible rather than by all members. As such members and guests are required to fill out a form that includes credit card details (just as you do for hotel accommodation) with approval to a $200.00 limit. The manager will inspect apartments whilst guests are checking-out and providing there is no damage to the apartment or contents and the apartment is left in a state that does not require extra cleaning the form will be destroyed. All confirmations now include a “Priority Check-in Form” that can be completed prior to your arrival and help speed up check-in.

Golden Leaf Apartments are COOL!

Air-conditioning has been installed in all apartments at Golden Leaf. Comments have been very favourable and let’s face it us southerners need to escape from the humidity sometimes!

How should I leave my apartment before I head home?

To assist cleaners and to help keep maintenance costs to a minimum, guests should complete the following tasks prior to leaving:

1. Strip all beds and place sheets and pillow cases, along with towels and tea towels into the bathroom.

2. Empty all bins.

3. Wash dishes (or place in dishwasher and turn on) and replace in cupboards. Wipe down benches.

4. Sweep and/or vacuum floors.

5. Complete final check of all cupboards, wardrobes and under furniture to ensure you have not left anything behind.

Australian Timeshare and Holiday Owners Council (ATHOC)

2006 Conference

The conference was the first to incorporate the annual meetings of the Australian, New Zealand and Fiji timeshare associations. It was fun meeting people with whom I had previously only had telephone contact with. The general feel within the industry is one of excitement and expansion. Several large companies are now building and selling quality properties as timeshare interests. There remains concern about the image of the industry held in the wider community but it was encouraging to hear that surveys revealed a greater acceptance of the concept in recent years. All conference delegates pledged to spread the good word about timeshare. It’s not hard – I have had some of the best times of my life on our many timeshare holidays.

The Burns Excellent Adventure (Part 1)

I look forward to my next holiday later in the year but have to tell you all about the family trip to New Zealand in September last year. It was fabulous! The opportunity arose for a trip to the “Land of the long white cloud” when ATHOC scheduled its annual conference in Christchurch. We had not holidayed in New Zealand before and could not pass up the opportunity to see the country that my parents had been “waxing lyrical” about for many years. Mum had always said that, geographically, New Zealand was the world encapsulated. Wow! New Zealand is indeed a beautiful country. Add great hospitality, friendly “natives”, varied activities and delicious wine and one really has it all.

We had just over 2 weeks to explore as much as we could. There is always difficulty securing timeshare accommodation in the South Island (the demand exceeds supply) and so, given it was also school holidays, we decided to “backpack” our way around the South Island for 10 days. Now don’t get too excited, my version of backpacking does not involve me actually donning a backpack. My version includes a hire car (16 days), accommodation at YHA Hostels (private rooms) and some wining and dining. We had a ball meeting people from all over the world, staying in clean, warm and friendly accommodation and seeing some of the most beautiful countryside.

We drove from Christchurch in the Canterbury district to Lake Wanaka (428kms and about 6 hours by car). The scenery is spectacular on route. Starting the trip from the fertile plains and heading south toward the towering peaks. As you leave the plains the roads narrow and become serpentine. The mountains dominate and snow capped peaks are all around. Nearly every turn taken reveals another stunning vista. The area is sparsely inhabited and yes, there a lots and lots and then some more SHEEP. The Wanaka Township is nestled in the low hills surrounding Lake Wanaka and is simply beautiful. The township is thriving and there seemed to be a rather rapid expansion in progress. There were new subdivisions advertised aplenty but prices for property overlooking the lake were expensive. Let’s hope the progress does not harm the natural beauty of the place. We stayed at the YHA for 2 nights. We took walks, played minigolf and shot a few arrows and had an entertaining morning at Puzzle World. Wanaka is close to two great ski areas, Cardrona and Treble Cone. Bruce and I took the opportunity to show Alex the snow for the first time. The drive from Wanaka up to the Cardrona resort is exhilarating – narrow, winding, steep but once again the views are spectacular. Alex tried snowboarding whilst Bruce and I skied for the first time in 13 years. Having booked Alex in for a lesson we prepared to take to the slopes. What had been a sunny albeit windy day suddenly turned into a blizzard. Visibility was limited and snow was gusting from the sky and from the slopes above. We figured that Alex, having already left with his snow boarding class was getting a decent initiation in the sleet, snow and wind that were blowing skiers off the ski tows! We discovered later that the class had in fact taken shelter in the ski school and indulged in a hot chocolate with marshmallows whilst waiting for the worst to blow over. We did get a chance to have a few good runs before the slopes were closed due to the gale force winds. The view from the top of the mountain was awesome.

Upon leaving Cardrona we drove to Queenstown (113kms and about 1.5 hours by car). I had an idea that Queenstown was a small village perched on the edge of the lake – I was wrong. Queenstown is a large and thriving tourist town. We had great accommodation at the YHA in Queenstown with views across the lake from our room. We went on the Shotover Jetboats (a blast not to be missed) walked around the shops and ate in a great Indian restaurant not far from our accommodation. I considered bungy but just couldn’t seem to fit it in prior to us leaving.

Next stop was Te Anau (174kms and about 2.5 hours by car) another town on a lake. This is the region where Lord of the Rings was filmed and I thought I may have spied one of the hobbits but maybe my imagination just ran away. Te Anau is much smaller and quieter than Queenstown but I would imagine tourists would throng during the summer months for bushwalking, fishing and a tour to Milford or Doubtful sound. Once again YHA accommodation good and centrally located. Te Anau was the furthest south we travelled and the main aim was to take a boat cruise on Milford Sound. A friendly local advised us to book on one of the smaller boats rather than the large cruisers which cater for the bus tours and restrict viewing of the Sound. The trip was taken on a day where I swear more rain fell in those 6 hours that I had seen in 2 years at home. It was wonderful. The forests are lush (this is one of the wettest places on earth) and full of lichen, moss and ferns. Primeval and untouched. By the time we got to the Sound the weather had really closed in and we worried that we would not be able to see anything from the boat. As it turned out we were three of a total of 15 on the boat and we had the freedom to wander in and outside. Waterfalls were everywhere – there was water gushing from heights that were clouded from view. The wind was blowing some of the smaller falls back up the cliffs whilst seal lolled in the nooks of rocky outcrops at their base. The tour takes you out of the Sound into the ocean where we rode the waves (great fun) before turning back and re-entering the relative calm of the Sound. We stopped off at the aquarium on our way back to Milford which was excellent. Who would think that all those critters and plants exist deep down in those murky, icy waters?

Photo’s Top to Bottom: One of the spectacular lake/mountain vistas en route from Christchurch to Wanaka; Puzzle World, Wanaka; Alex is “on top of the world” at Cardrona; Rain forest, Milford; one of the 30 plus waterfalls we saw at Milford Sound.

To be continued……we travel to the northern tip of the south island and see the north island for the first time. Accommodation at Lakeside Villas, Taupo (timeshare exchange).

Booking in advance

You can book holidays into the three Eastcoast Timeshare Group resorts up to 2-years in advance. Some members have already booked holidays into 2009 to ensure they get accommodation at the resort and time they want. I recommend that members who want to holiday during peak holiday time’s contact me and discuss how they can secure accommodation.

Planning an overseas trip and want to use advance years entitlement? It is simple: just pre-pay your maintenance fees* and get access to entitlement in advance. You can pre-pay 2008 and 2009 fees right now!

*(Prepayment is a deposit toward future maintenance fees. Any difference between deposit amount and the actual maintenance fee for the year in question will be payable by member.)

Bonus weeks

Call member services for bonus week availability at resorts around Australia, New Zealand and other locations throughout the world. Availability up to 3 months in advance of check-in date. Great last-minute value.

Jetport Security Parking

Don’t forget 10% saving on the cost of Jetport Security Parking (Melbourne Airport) if booked through member services. You can utilise this saving any time you travel – the offer is not restricted to when you are taking a timeshare holiday. Normal rate for 8 days $89.00 – discounted rate for Eastcoast members and guests $80.10.

I want more holidays

Add weeks to your Dial an Exchange, Interchange and RCI accounts for $200 per week. There are a limited number of weeks available for transfer into your DAE, INT and RCI accounts so that you can exchange them for a holiday just as you would use your ownership entitlement. The weeks available for transfer are all 1bdr and holidays against these special deposits will need to be booked within the next 12-24 months.

Need more information? Give Anne a call at your member services – 03 5985 6166

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