LOUISA
My parents have always been big travellers, constantly researching off-the-beaten-track destinations, which made family holidays very exciting, but did also mean they were quite unrelaxing! We were always getting up at the crack of dawn, jam-packing in as much as we could into our days, never returning to the same destination.
I love meeting new people, love being outside, always game for new experiences, and happy to taste any new and colourful foods, so I guess this job is pretty perfect!
The Ultimate Travel Company was my first real job and I’m not sure I’ve ever looked back; I seem to have been here for years! I’m incredibly lucky as my job is so varied – I get to lead some incredible Escorted Tours all around the world, planning quite a lot of them too, focusing mainly on horse-riding trips, but I also get to sell a lot of Tailor-Made trips too, mainly focused on North Africa and The Middle East, as well as Australasia. It’s not bad staring at holidays all day every day, it gives you a lot of inspiration but does mean all you want to do is go away the whole time.
MY FAVOURITE PLACE
Always changing my mind, and that’s an impossible question, as experiences are so different. Maybe Nepal, or India. Both vibrant in colour and rich in history; you’re forever getting lost in the charm and stories of the people and the country. I am obsessed with wildlife too so can somewhere in Africa come into the mix?
MY FAVOURITE LODGE
I can’t choose just one place, so I have four: Genghis Khan Retreat in Mongolia for a totally wild, adventure-filled riding experience, Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan for the most spectacular bathtub views and excellent service, Kwessi Dunes near Soussusvlei in Namibia for the perfect blend of adventure and tranquillity, and the Al Moudira in Luxor, Egypt, where the interiors are utterly, utterly beautiful.
MY MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE
I note how ridiculous this sounds, but I was on a zodiac somewhere in Antarctica…
Over a period of half an hour, we’d noticed that thousands of Adelie penguins were emerging all around this one area, bobbing up and down on the water. Inevitably, we had to investigate what all the commotion was about. Within minutes of reaching this sea of penguins, we were encased by over 30 humpback whales. The air was filled with this overpowering fishy smell, and we got sprayed with misted sea water as they blew water from their blow holes. The engines were turned off so we could marvel this spectacle and out of nowhere, two metres from our boat, two whales propelled themselves into the air, mouths wide open, and with a huge gulp, and extraordinary noise, they disappeared under the water. We all froze, hearts in our mouths, thinking we were going to be swallowed up. We were also totally soaked by the splash back from these gigantic beasts. And then, it happened again, and again, and again. All around us, these majestic giants leapt out of the water.
After regaining some form of consciousness, and slight assurance we weren’t about to be thrown from the boat or swallowed up, we learned that they were bubble netting – a hunting tactic where the whales work together to feed. They work in sync blowing bubbles underwater, disorientating the small fish and krill beneath forcing them up to the surface of the water. The whales then propel themselves, mouths agape, throats extended, catapulting out from the water, it’s absolutely astonishing to watch. I was in so much shock and so blown away, I couldn’t stop crying, it really was one of the most incredible phenomenon’s I’ve ever seen.
MY TOP TIPS
- Invest in a good camera. Although phone’s have evolved so much, taking pictures of things far away is always a bit tricky and you end up with a very grainy photo. A camera with a good lens is a game changer!
- Buy everything you want to buy. And haggle! it’s amazing how much they come down to with a bit of charm.
- Relax! Things go wrong and don’t always go to plan. There’s nothing you can do but accept it and go with the flow. It also normally makes for a better story anyway.
- Say yes to every experience – wake up early and fill in as much as you can into your day, otherwise you’ll regret having missed out.
- Keep a diary of where you are and what you do. Friends will always ask you for tips and tricks when you get home.
- Learn some basic words or phrases in the local dialect. It’s always appreciated.
- I’m guilty to this but try not to overpack your suitcase. You only end up wearing half your clothes anyway, and means you can buy more.
LOUISA’S TRAVEL JOURNAL
