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Newsletter for May 2008

Welcome to May's Edition of the QGuide.com Newsletter. This month we're all about making connections! We've been busy over the last five months connecting all around Canada, South America, USA and Europe. We have our teams overseas working hard, doing what they like best......travelling and connecting with other travellers in preparation for our global expansion.

Want to connect with our team? If you'd like to contribute, share your travels, have your say and become a founding member, please read about our Beta Testing.

We're giving away more weeks at Spartacvs Bali resort!  If you're already a member of QGuide, you'll be entered automatically. If you aren't a member, Join NOW!  And forward this to a friend so they can enter too!

In this issue:

ONE MILLION Gay Travel Connections!

People often ask us why we've spent so much time and energy developing this site. It's simple: for years we've travelled extensively for business and pleasure and found it difficult to meet people who shared our interests! When we occasionally did find them, being able to see a place from a local's perspective made the journey absolutely brilliant. We remember experiences, not tourist stops!

So we decided to "develop a world-wide Network of Gay Travellers where like-minded people can CONNECT." Whether it's finding someone to meet for a coffee or dinner, a driving tour, a shopping tour, a sail, a bar tour, a travelling companion, or a little "romance", we want QGuide.com to be THE SITE that enables your Gay Travel Connections.  In fact, we'd like to create ONE MILLION OF THEM!  With nearly 1 Billion Web surfers in the world, that doesn't seem too hard, does it?

Connections We'll Cherish for a Very Long Time


Shortly before Easter Weekend we received an email from Vincent Rommelaere, Creator and Director of the Gay Online TV Show Follow the Adventure. Telling us he was a fan of QGuide (we were already featuring his videos, so the feeling was mutual), he asked if we had any location or adventure suggestions in our home state of Queensland, Australia. Of course we did!

The next week we picked up Vincent (French), Ben (Kiwi), Stephen (Brit) and Brennan (Canadian) at the Brisbane Airport and whisked them up to the Sunshine Coast for a 4-day break, hosted by our two wonderful friends, Lee and Justin (the only "true blue" Aussies of the bunch). Fun and filming commenced, and we won't give away any secrets here, but suffice it to say, we made four wonderful friends that weekend, and they made four friends that weekend. It seems our connections idea might be working!

Follow the Adventure's 4th Season is now Online -- watch at FollowTheAdventure.com 

Our New Connection in Europe

It turns out that Ben (pictured above, left with sunglasses) was spending his last few days in Australia, about to head off to live and work in Europe "for a few years" to follow his own adventure.

Shortly after his departure, we received an email: "Did we need any help developing QGuide Europe?"  Ben is not only an impressive photographer, but his business CV/resume is rather impressive too, so of course we said YES! We're thrilled that with his help QGuide Europe will soon be a reality. Ben will be heading up Sales and Marketing from London, Amsterdam and wherever else he happens to be.  What a connection!

Connecting You with Great Gay-Friendly Businesses

QGuide is also about connecting you with like-minded Gay-owned, Gay-managed and Gay-supportive businesses.  In this edition we're featuring four of our new partners.

Kanimbla View Clifftop Retreat and Blackheath Motor Inn are both in Blackheath, New South Wales in the stunningly beautiful World Heritage-listed Australian Blue Mountains. In Darwin we feature Darwin Corporate Limousine Services. And in Sydney we present Distinctive Ceremonies and Archbishop Ronald Langham.
Kanimbla View Clifftop Retreat, just outside of Blackheath, is a unique cliff top retreat set on 12 acres of woodland. The property features three self-contained accommodation -- from budget to eco-luxury -- and they can cater for couples and groups up to 22 people. The retreat also has a unique Glasshouse Spa, full-size tennis/basketball court and peaceful walking tracks. Pictured are your hosts Tony and Nigel who will see to your every need. NOTE: Queen's Birthday White Winter Glitter Ball is just around the corner!  click for specials and rates 
Blackheath Motor Inn is close to town and has just undergone a complete renovation. This most definitely isn't your typical "motor inn": the "Swiss Chalet Style" rooms feature all the amenities of home and the brand new "Spa Suite" is totally luxurious. Most rooms have rear doors which open out to the gardens so you can hear the birds, and the property has barbecue facilities and plenty of outdoor seating. NOTE: Queen's Birthday White Winter Glitter Ball is just around the corner! click for specials and rates
Darwin Corporate Limousine Services is operated by Alan Revell, who has been driving in the Northern Territory of Australia for over 18 years.  He'll happily transfer you to and from the airport, cruise ships, and trains, but in our mind Alan's most appealing credential is that he's a registered Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife tour operator. Personal and private tours include: Litchfield National Park, Kakadu and Katherine Experiences, Darwin City Sights and Wildlife tours. click to find out about a special 10% discount!
Distinctive Ceremonies Archbishop Ronald Langham is a Sydney-based Ecumenical Catholic Bishop and the first clergy to partner with QGuide in our Commitment & Faith Guide! Archbishop Ron understands the importance of ceremonies and the role they play in "connecting" our lives,  He understands that not everyone fits into the mould demanded by many churches or contemporary society and believes we should celebrate important events in a way that suits us! Weddings, christenings, funerals, whatever your need, Distinctive Ceremonies will work closely with you to create a special and memorable event. click for more details
Connect with our Members! Are you interested in reaching a GLOBAL audience of Gay travellers? Join our fast-growing list of partners.  We have a unique advertising package featuring 33 WAYS to promote you on (and off) of QGuide.  We think it's the most comprehensive online advertising package available on any Gay (or mainstream) travel site. Contact Jack at SalesOZ@QGuide.com or Ben at SalesEU@QGuide.com

Our Spartacvs Hotel Prize Winners!

As a member of QGuide you know that beautiful Spartacvs Hotel/Resort, a Men's-only exclusive resort in the tropical paradise of Bali, offered QGuide 12 weeks of accommodation to use as prizes!

We're thrilled to finally announce March and April's winners!
A BIG THANKS to our special friends who picked our lucky winners!
We're giving away more weeks at Spartacvs Bali Resort. If you're already a member of QGuide, you'll be entered automatically. If you aren't a member, Join NOW!  And forward this to a friend so they can enter too!

Fun Connections

It's May and in Australia we're in Autumn, heading into Winter. It's a BIG country, though, so while our friends in the Blue Mountains have had their first snowfall, here in Queensland the natives are still sun worshiping on the beaches. This time of the year in Australia is definitely party season! Many events fall on or around the Queen's Birthday....we can think of a more appropriate day to celebrate, can you?

QGuide presents a full Calendar of major events all over Australia. Click here for Best of Gay Australia Events (for a particular city, select from the left).

Get Connected! Join our Beta Testing Team!

In the coming weeks we'll be expanding our site well beyond Australia, into Europe, the USA, Canada and beyond. We'll also be releasing our Profile, Travel and Social Networking tools (with some very unique features) to launch our Travel Community and enable our ONE MILLION connections.

We could really use your help in getting started. If you'd like to participate as a Beta Tester, please drop us a line at Beta@QGuide.com and request to be put on our Beta Testing list! SPOTS ARE LIMITED, so be quick to reply!

We wish you many happy travels, and many happy connections !
Jack & Scollay
Founders, QGuide.com

P.S. PLEASE help spread the word about QGuide and forward this to a friend!  Tell them they'll have incredible opportunities to win prizes, make friends and SAVE on Gay Travel -- up to 10% back at RatesToGo and HotelClub through QGuide's Worldwide Reservations page!