Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Nothing could have prepared me for that moment when when we arrived at the Sun Gate and had the first glimpse of Machu Picchu.  A truly memorable and unforgettable experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Packet of dynamite - could not have asked for a more competent, inspirational and knowledgeable person - Flam was brilliant and her co-leader too was just incredible.  Always ready to assist and to deal with the most challenging of situations, such as the night that we were due to leave for our return to Cuzco and the trains got delayed.  Flam made sure that we all arrived back safely and amidst the chaos of the 100's of travellers at the station she stayed cool, in control and was ready with a contingency plan.  I cannot praise her enough for her leadership and guidance throughout our trip.  Always friendly and approachable she lead with great confidence and knowledge about the places and its people that exceeded my expectations.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take your time - nobody is doing this trip to compete.  If you make your own travel arrangements and join the group in Cuzco, try and arrive a few days in advance as this may help you to adjust to the climate and altitude. Opinion on the use of walking poles varies, but I for one found them incredibly useful (because of old knee problems) and would not have been able to complete the trip without them.  I chose to walk with high quality hiking sandals (and was the only person in the group to do so) and was really pleased that I did just that - dried quickly and kept my feet cool whilst some of my fellow group members complained of wet boots and feet that were on fire. Take a good insect repellant, you will need it at some point.  A good supply of wet wipes will come in handy too.  As for clothing, I wished I had taken an extra set of thermals and a fleece - was slightly underprepared for how cold it got on the mountain at night.  An inflatable pillow too would have been rather nice.  Make sure that your gear is genuinely waterproof!!  It rain quite a bit on this trip, but that did not dampen the spirits or enthusiasm of the group.  

Suggestions

And finally, if you are not sure whether this trip is for you, just take the plunge, it was well worth the expense and exhaustion that at times set in. Not just a little walk in the park for sure, but then the reward and satisfaction that you get on completion makes it an unforgettable experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the poverty of Cambodia but feeling the country's resilience and sense of hope as it improves from the decades of horror and misrule.  The youthful population is looking forward, not back.  In Phnom Penh's  Genocide Museum are photos of many victims.  In their eyes you see fear but also defiance, innocence and, occasionally, hope.  Those people are gone but the strength of their spirit lives in the new generation.  May it find the leadership and community spirit to accelerate the current progress.   

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wasan was a very capable and upbeat leader, always smiling and always on top of the details.  He had to handle several traveler emergencies and illnesses and always did so with poise.  A good source of information, particularly about Thailand (his home country).  His English is good.  One suggestion: replace the small electronic megaphone (used by Wasan and the local guides) with something more robust!  Or just speak up! That megphone, unless used well, distorts rather than clarifies.  

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be ready for some fairly demanding first days of cycling, several covering 70 to 90 kilometers.  Though flat, it is a lot of time in the saddle, and our group was often battling a strong wind.  Retiring to the "sag wagon" is no dishonor and can be a smart move to avoid stressed muscles or joints.  I second Katy's wise advice to test your anti-malarial before you go -- if it is a bad fit for you, the side effects can be disabling.  Be prepared with plenty of sunscreen.  This is the tropics, after all!  I was surpised to see my fair-skinned British companions exposing themselves, unprotected.  Admittedly, as a redhead, I am a bit paranoid about melanoma.  

Suggestions

The local guides are all enthusiastic and helpful but vary in level of English proficiency and ability to be heard.  All could be more useful by giving a more organized overview of their country and culture.  Some are too repetitive, lacking sufficient prepared content.  With some focus by the leadership, this can all be fixed.  

Most Inspirational Moment

Excellent landings on Petermann Island and Danco Island which gave good photographic opportunities and just about adequate time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She spoiled the trip with excessive over-caution with regard to Health and Safety, and inflexibility with regard to landing times. We were not allowed out on deck if the decks were wet or the sea was even a little rough, thereby preventing us from experiencing the full atmosphere of the Antarctic. On our previous Exodus Antarctic trip the leaders did their utmost to allow us the genuine Antarctic experience, but with this one we might as well have been in an enclosed capsule for much of the time. Often only half the ship's zodiacs were deployed for landings, when to deploy the full complement would have given us significantly extra time on land.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Inevitably there is a huge of travelling involved on this trip - from the UK or wherever to Ushuaia and thence to the Pole side of the Antarctic Circle. Be prepared for long roughish days on board ship across the Drake Passage and don't expect too much in the way of wildlife sightings, though we did have very good views of whales (particularly humpbacks). Leaving late in the season (late February) means that there is a good chance of achieving the objective of crossing the Antarctic Circle but does mean that the penguin breeding is completely over apart from a few stragglers and the majority of penguins seen will be moulting.

Suggestions

The Ioffe is not the ideal polar ship. The layout of the Vavilov with an open deck behind the lounge/bar on deck 5 is much more conducive to the polar experience. Do try to travel with the ebullient Paul Goldstein - wherever - Svalbard is a very good option. The odds against Paul may have been just too great this time for him to ignite the trip, but he will always try his best to maximise the viewing and photographing experience and he's an annoyingly good photographer to boot (not that I'm jealous).

Most Inspirational Moment

Tiger's Nest Monastery and the Paro Festival.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was very knowledgeable and helpful

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check that the categorisation of the trek is correct and assess your own level of fitness honestly.

Suggestions

I think the number of guides for the number of people was not sufficient.... given the wide range of fitness levels. I was at the rear of the middle group and  at times we had to follow arrows marked on the path by the lead guide and at one point we even followed the camp dog as we felt sure he would know where he was going!This is my second trip with Exodus but I'm not sure I will use you again.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking through Old Trinidad which felt a bit like something out of an old Clint Eastwood movie- very Mexican with so little traffic and fabulous buildings. The local musicians playing with such fire and passion and the people watching opportunities. The army of enormous black shelled crabs marching across the motorway was a wonderful sight.

Thoughts on Group Leader

OK

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't leave anything of value in your hotel room (unless it's locked away) as I had a decent pair of cycling sunglasses stolen.Although Cuban healthcare is free you may want to bring some everyday medicines with you as they are really expensive for local people to buy at pharmacies. Soap is a very welcome gift as it is also a bit of luxury.Try to speak to local people (if your Spanish) is good enough to get a greater understanding of the country and its culture. You may want to try the "Dirty Havana Trilogy" books by Pedro Jaun Gutierrez for a taste of gritty urban realism! I would definitely try to stay on in Old Havana for a few days at the end of the trip as it's absolutely full of beautiful old buildings such as the Barcadi HQ   

Suggestions

The food isn't as bad as the trip notes might lead you to believe! Bland yes but saved by an abundance of fresh fruit and excellent grilled fish.Do bring energy bars as with the heat you can burn off calories really easily!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking around the crater of Vesuvius, visiting Pompei and Herculaneum (optional), any number of beautiful towns/villages on the Amalfi Coast, the views around every corner, the fantastic landscape and the italian cafes...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Barbara was great, we couldn't have asked for a better guide to keep all of the group happy; enough breaks and stops and well-managed pace on the walks for all the different-level walkers (with plenty of local knowledge) and assistance on organising the 'free days' activities (Herculaneum and Ravello for the majority of the group, bus info etc for the others who wandered off in other directions). A very good guide indeed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Walking poles could be useful for a couple of the days - the walk to Amalfi and the Walk of the Gods to Positano have 'quite a few' steps down... there are a fair few steps up too on the walks.

Suggestions

Book it and go!Good as a first walking holiday.I had a great time :~)

Most Inspirational Moment

The sense of achievement on our last day, skiing in glorious sunshine through superb scenery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

David was knowledgeable about both cross country ski-ing and the local area.  As an instructor he knew when to encourage the members of the group and allow people to develop their skills at their own pace.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For those travelling alone your fellow travellers will contribute to the overall enjoyment and success of the holiday.

Suggestions

Roll on Winter 2011-12!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking around the colourful streets of Havana; the magnificant architecture, music floating on the balmy breeze, the ambience, the history and of course the friendly, smiling Cubans.  Santa Clara; the history and of course, the Revolucion!  The battles fought in and around Santa Clara  were the turning point of the Revolucion the city belongs to Che Guevara - he is everywhere.  Unfortunatley we didn't spend enought time to walk the streets of the city and absorb the ambience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mariella (not sure of spelling) was an brilliant tour leader/guide.  Her historical knowledge was second to none and her passion for all things Cuban was wonderful and her sunny disposition made us feel relaxed when we arrived in Havana after a long day of travelling.  Our driver Eduardo was fabulous and very accommodating.  The tour ran smoothly; our hotels were very comfortable and well located (except the location of the hotel in Miramar, fabulous hotel but too far out of Havana). All our meals were very good - contrary to what all the guide books say -  the food was really tasty and varied.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Cuba, despite all the really positive things is a poor country.  Take lots of colouring pens for the children, cheap automatic umbrellas (£1 shop) for the elderly ladies to use as parasols and any spare summer clothes you don't need.  Trinidad is a fabulous preserved Spanish colonial city sandwiched between beautiful mountains and the Caribbean Sea.  It is also touristy and locals ask for pens and clothes mostly.   DO NOT GIVE TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE.   Give your donations to your tour leader who will distribute to the people who need it the most.

Suggestions

Visit Cuba whilst it is still under communist rule. The political climate is changing some of it good but no one knows if it will become commercial/capitalist - if it does -  Cuba will never be the same again.

Most Inspirational Moment

watching the sunrise over the wadi rum

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was superb, showing excellent knowledge of the sites and even providing great dramatic effect in petra, he made an effort with everyone in the group and even got on a bike for us.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The tour trip advises that there was 10% off road but in fact the cycling is all along tarmac roads of which only a small portion was poor quality. I had taken my road bike with spare cross country tyres for off road but these were not needed. Also they were not expecting me to turn up with my bike at the airport but managed to cope - if any others had turned up with their own bike it would have been interesting so make sure they are aware.