| I recently had a chance to talk to Chris
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| | 7. What type of accommodation is offered?
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| Ronneseth of Trek Holidays (see interview
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| | We offer generally speaking anything from
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| preview) who gave me a good overview of
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| | 2 star budget accommodation to 6 star
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| adventure travel, an area of travel I
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| | lodge experiences in Africa and
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| definitely would like to explore sooner
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| | everything in between. However what is
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| than later...
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| | common to all places we stay is that they
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| 1. Tell us how you got into the adventure
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| | must be clean, comfortable,
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| travel business.
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| | centrally-located and most important have
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| I grew up around travel. My father, Allan
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| | character that is reflective of the
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| Ronneseth founded the company in 1972 and
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| | destination.
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| with a passion to see the world in a
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| | 8. How do these tours work for single
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| different way than the norm, we had the
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| | travellers? Do you provide a travel-mate
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| opportunity to travel to countries that
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| | matching service? What happens if I
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| were considered exotic at that time and
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| | prefer single accommodation?
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| to some extent still are today. Venturing
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| | Our tours are designed with single
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| out on my own traveling while attending
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| | travellers in mind. In fact 50% of all
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| University I became more and more
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| | our travellers come by themselves. We
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| passionate about the world beyond North
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| | match people up of the same gender and
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| America. With a degree in marketing, I
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| | like age to share and avoid charging them
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| ventured off first to New York and later
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| | a supplement. If clients prefer their own
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| to Toronto working in sales and marketing
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| | room, we can do this on approximately 60%
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| for technology companies during the tech
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| | of the tours, usually the more upmarket
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| boom. Having learned the skill of sales
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| | ones, but at a rate that is fair and
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| in an industry outside of travel but
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| | affordable.
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| backed with an upbringing rooted in
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| | 9. What about meals?
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| adventure travel, I made the progression
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| | Depending on the trip we generally
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| to heading up sales in Eastern Canada for
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| | include breakfasts and some dinners but
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| the family business where I now provide
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| | almost never lunch as many people like to
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| support to our network of travel agents
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| | be out at midday making their own
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| across Eastern Canada as well as
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| | discoveries. However when trekking or in
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| compiling our monthly newsletter on
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| | the countryside or where alternatives do
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| adventure travel trends.
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| | not exist we will always include meals.
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| 2. What countries have you traveled to?
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| | 10. What are the unique benefits of
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| Africa: Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho,
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| | adventure tours as compared to other
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| Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia,
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| | types of travel?
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| Egypt, Morocco
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| | A sense of achievement, quality of
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| Europe: UK, Greenland, Netherlands,
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| | experience, traveling with a small group
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| Belgium, Germany, Austria
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| | of just ten people on average, generally
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| Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,
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| | better value than comparable bus tours,
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| Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Hong
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| | camaraderie with individuals that share a
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| Kong
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| | passion for this type of travel.
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| South Pacific: Australia, Cook Islands,
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| | 11. What type of activities are offered
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| Tonga, Fiji
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| | in your tours?
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| Americas: Canadian High Arctic, USA,
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| | Sightseeing is a major part of every tour
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| Mexico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands,
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| | but beyond that we want to include as
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| Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua,
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| | many cultural experiences as possible
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| Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia
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| | such as homestays with local families,
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| 3. Please share with us your top three
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| | village visits, etc. We also have many
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| travel memories of all times.
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| | optional activities available such
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| A. Peru -The last descent into Machu
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| | rafting, sailing, jeep safaris, day
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| Picchu on the famed Inca Trail from the
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| | treks, etc.
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| Sun Gate after seeing sunrise over the
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| | 12. Is there such a thing as adventure
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| site, being the first to enter the site
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| | tours for families?
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| at daybreak and having a feeling of
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| | We now have tours built especially for
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| peace, harmony and strong magic in the
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| | families to travel with other families
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| air.
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| | where children are age six and up. There
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| B. Vietnam - Travelling the countryside
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| | is a large demographic of 'late-starter'
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| of Vietnam by motorbike and stumbling
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| | families who never had children until in
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| upon a hidden and seldom visited Buddhist
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| | their 30s. Many of these people traveled
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| Monastery resulting in a three-hour visit
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| | with us in their 20s or backpacked
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| with a young Buddhist monk learning and
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| | independently and now want to give that
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| understanding each other's ways.
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| | experience to their children. They are
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| C. Namibia - Skydiving at sunset at
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| | not interested in introducing them to the
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| Swakopmund on the coast where the
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| | 'coca-cola' culture pervasive in today's
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| Atlantic Ocean meets the blood-red sand
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| | society. These have been met with great
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| dunes for as far as the eye can see. One
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| | success.
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| of the most tranquil moments of my life.
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| | 13. Please share with us practical advice
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| 4. What is adventure travel and how has
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| | for someone who's never tried adventure
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| it evolved over the last few decades?
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| | travel.
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| Adventure travel used to mean high
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| | Safety is a state of mind. Most people
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| adventure back when the company was
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| | who elect not to travel to exotic
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| founded in the seventies, it was time
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| | destinations do so because of a fear for
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| when the 'hippie-trail' was hot and buses
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| | their safety while in the destination. If
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| used to travel across Asia from London to
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| | you heed the advice of your tour leader
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| Kathmandu with itineraries that were
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| | and be practical almost any destination
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| largely invented along the way. Today it
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| | in the world can provide a safe, secure
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| is about the small group experience and
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| | and memorable experience. Where we have
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| about experiencing a destination rather
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| | had problems with safety it has almost
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| than simply seeing it. It is about
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| | always been a disregard for common sense
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| participation and understanding of
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| | and advice. Don't be afraid of
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| cultures, history and customs and being
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| | experiencing other cultures, you will
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| able to take that experience away as
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| | almost always find that your curiosity
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| enrichment to your daily life.
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| | will be the best guide though it all and
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| 5. Who goes on your adventure travel
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| | that same curiosity will be reciprocated
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| tours and why? What is the age, gender,
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| | by the people we meet along the way. It
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| nationality and income level of the
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| | is about learning and understanding other
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| people that go on your tours?
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| | people as much as they need to understand
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| Adventure travel is largely about the
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| | us. It really does shrink the world. Our
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| passion to do it. For this reason it
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| | second biggest problem would be
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| crosses boundaries of age, gender and
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| | dehydration, when traveling to hot, dry
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| income since the common goal of the
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| | countries or where activity is involved
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| travelers is the experience regardless of
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| | such as trekking ensure you drink lots of
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| their life at home. However the largest
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| | water!
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| demographic for us and the most important
| |
| | 14. How much time do you travel yourself
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| growth demographic is the baby-boomers
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| | these days?
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| who have experienced the traditional
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| | Generally 5 or 6 weeks a year. It is
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| beach vacation several times over and now
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| | imperative to my sales knowledge and
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| have the time and disposable income to
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| | experience and I owe it to my customers
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| travel to more exotic destinations.
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| | to be the expert in what we do! All of
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| Nationality is generally made up of
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| | our employees are given wonderful travel
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| largely English-speaking nations with the
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| | opportunities which goes straight to our
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| makeup in order of numbers being Brits,
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| | company motto: Expert advice from those
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| Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders,
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| | who have been there!
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| Americans, some mainland Europe, some
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| | 15. Where are you going next?
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| Latin American countries and the odd
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| | I plan this year on escorting a trip back
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| Asian traveler.
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| | to Egypt in April, to South Africa in May
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| We offer more than 120 countries
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| | to experience some of our new properties
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| worldwide generally just about
| |
| | we work with and to hopefully take a side
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| everywhere. However countries currently
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| | trip to Mozambique. Later in the year I
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| deemed to be unsafe for travel (eg. Iraq,
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| | plan to make my way to Turkey and the
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| Afghanistan) are not included but we
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| | Patagonian outdoors In Chile & Argentina.
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| expect they will be in the years to come
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| | Thanks, Chris, for all your information,
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| as the situation stabilizes.
| |
| | and have fun on your trips!
|
