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PEOPLE’S CHOICE: REAL TRAVELLERS TALES
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The start of a journey
For some, their fi rst Kumuka trip is not simply a new adventure –
it’s the start of a relationship that will take them around the world.
Robert Sandalls is one such person.
Q
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST EVER Yes. Some of the people I knew who had Well, a diffi cult one. I want
TRAVEL EXPERIENCE? done the Inca trail continued on with to see the gorillas and plan to
I went to France for a week with the school Kumuka to Patagonia, before fi nishing in book a trip to Kenya, Uganda
when I was 13. We stayed in an old French Rio. I didn’t have time to do the full trip – a and Tanzania sometime
chateau a couple of hours outside Paris. We decision I now regret – but I did a week in soon. A lot of the people on
travelled by coach all the time – going out Chilean Patagonia on my own. I’ll be doing my African trip had actually
each day to the likes of Paris and Rouen. It the rest of that trip with Kumuka sometime started their Kumuka
was brilliant and the smell of French cafés in the next 2-3 years. journey in Nairobi, and,
is something that has always stayed in my after listening to them, I’m
mind
Q
WHAT WAS CARNIVAL LIKE? really keen on seeing East
My sister came down to Rio for the Africa. But I loved Bolivia
Q
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST KUMUKA Carnival and didn’t like the city (what is with and Chile and I still desire
ADVENTURE? that?!), which spoilt it a bit for me. I liked to spend a couple of months
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Three years ago I decided to attempt the Rio and the Carnival, so I’ll probably return travelling around Patagonia, s
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Inca trail before I got too old. It’s pretty - again with Kumuka. up to Buenos Aires then the
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demanding, and with the altitude, I saw it as Pantanal and back to Rio. I
a challenge. And I didn’t wish to use 5-star
hotels and luxury coaches – I wanted to get Q
WHERE WAS YOUR LATEST really liked both. But it’s Japan in a week’s
KUMUKA TOUR? time, then off to Mexico at Christmas and
close to the locals and experience it from I went to Africa on their 21-day Southern Star Tibet next year. I’d like to do Kamchatka ROBERT SANDALLS
the ground. I chose Kumuka’s 21-day ‘Peru tour, which took me from Victoria Falls to next summer, and perhaps Indochina in AGE 48
Adventure’, which also visited Bolivia. Cape Town. two years time. So many places – so little PROFESSION Project Manager
time. MOST MEMORABLE TRAVEL
Q
WAS THE TRIP EVERYTHING YOU EXPERIENCE?
EXPECTED? Q
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE AFRICA?
I used to work abroad in China, Pakistan, Travelling across western China
Everything and more. The activities, the other Libya, Saudi Arabia and the USA, but I’d Q
SEEING THAT MEXICO AND TIBET
WILL BE YOUR FOURTH AND FIFTH – from Dunhuang to Beijing
people on the truck… it was all brilliant. never seen sub-Saharan Africa. I’d always TRIPS WITH KUMUKA, WHAT KEEPS WORST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE?
wanted to see the Okavango Delta and YOU COMING BACK TO THEM? Having to go through passport
Q
WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF Namibia and it just seemed the right time. The main thing is the tour leaders and control and customs in LA and
THE TRIP? drivers. Their prices are also reasonable. again in Toronto, just to make
Defi nitely the Inca trail. It rained for the The itineraries are pretty standard among my connecting fl ights from New
four days we trudged through the hills, Q
HOW DID THE AFRICAN
OVERLANDING EXPERIENCE the companies doing these sort of trips, Zealand to London.
which was probably better than gloriously DIFFER FROM YOUR TRIPS TO SOUTH but Kumuka obviously have a recruitment WORST TRAVEL MISTAKE?
hot sunshine given how hard the climb was. AMERICA? selection process that works. And the right Not staying longer in Fiji. I booked a
The trail is actually steps, steps and more We did a lot more camping in Africa and leaders/drivers make such a difference on four day stopover on the way back
steps (those Incan creations seemed to go I really enjoyed it. You get much more a longer trip. It was interesting that many from New Zealand. I should have
on for ever!), rather than a trail in the sense involved in the daily activities… buying of the people I met in South America were spent a month... What a mistake. I
that most people would think of. And the food, cooking, cleaning, helping out, etc. repeat customers. Some of the people discovered the joys of snorkelling
rain made them treacherous – especially on in southern Africa had done the trips and then had to leave.
the way down. But on the morning of the in South America – I actually knew one USEFUL TIPS?
fourth day, when we reached Machu Picchu, Q
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE THING
ABOUT AFRICA? person from the previous year. I’m doing Always learn 20 phrases and be
the clouds broke, the sun shone and we I expected it was going to be the animals the Mexico trip at Christmas following the able to count to 10. It’s amazing
had the view that you see in all the books. – and Etosha and the Okavango certainly recommendation of a fellow traveller on the how well it works when you can
You can’t really give people a sense of how didn’t disappoint – but the thing that sticks Southern Star trip who had visited Mexico a say ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, ‘please’,
impressive it really is. in my mind is just how friendly the locals year earlier. ‘how much?’ and ‘no problem’ in
were, especially in Zimbabwe and Botswana. the local language. Know them and
Q
WHAT WAS YOUR NEXT KUMUKA Yes, many try to get you to buy things that
TRIP AFTER PERU AND BOLIVIA? you don’t really want, but they do it with a Q
DO YOU STILL KEEP IN CONTACT locals will help you all the way.
WITH PEOPLE YOU MET OLD HAUNTS OR NEW
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. smile and it’s never threatening. TRAVELLING? DISCOVERIES?
I’ve kept in touch with a handful of people, I defi nitely prefer new
Q
W

AS IT AN EASY DECISION TO but with most being Aussies or Kiwis (and discoveries.
CHOOSE KUMUKA AGAIN? Q
SO, IS AFRICA OR SOUTH AMERICA
TOP IN YOUR BOOKS? travellers), it’s diffi cult.
CALL US TODAY! UK 0800 092 9595 IRE 1800 946 843 USA/CAN 1800 517 0867 8

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. EMAIL VENTUREMAG@KUMUKA.COM
SUMMER / AUTUMN 2007 Venture Venture SUMMER / AUTUMN 2007
P22-23 PEOPLE'S CHOICE.indd 14 17/8/07 07:40:42
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