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DECEMBER 2008 ISSUE

Report from the Road: Peru

Private Journey: Family Travel — Galapagos & Safari

Feature Trip: Magical Himalayan Kingdoms

GastroNomad: Spain

Expedition Cruising: High Arctic

One of the favourite parts of my job is the chance to get away and experience a trip with my travellers. I’ve just come back from Peru with our group in November and wow! - what an experience.

I’ve always heard about how amazing Machu Picchu is and of course it doesn’t disappoint! But there is so much more to Peru than that one outstanding site. My favourite moments came as we drove through the Sacred Valley. The big, jagged peaks of the Andes were all around me and the views were truly spectacular.

And the people we met along the way were as warm and vibrant as the clothing they wear. Our local leader Genaro is a star – he really made everything come alive and moved our little group effortlessly through all the sites. I’m looking forward to telling you all about what I’ve seen and helping you plan your own trip. Please get in touch with me by email or by phone…

Kerry Tattrie

Don’t give up on travel with the kids!!!

There are lots of great places that the kids will love that don’t involve your being trapped in a theme park. Family travel has special requirements – keeping everyone entertained, informed and safe. It’s hard to do this on a prebuilt tour; they simply don’t give you the flexibility that a family needs.

And let’s face it; no family is alike. So we custom design our Private Jouneys to your own particular needs. We ask you what your family’s interests are and what gets your kids excited. We consult with our ‘been everywhere’ staff (many with kids of their own) and our experts in the field to create those magical moments that make this a family trip everyone can enjoy.

Two of the destinations families are asking for are the Galapagos and East Africa. Why? They have excellent infrastructure for family travel and they involve animals – the number one fail-safe attraction for kids of all ages (and adults too!).

This winter we’ve arranged Private Journeys taking families on a cruise to the Galapagos and on safari to Kenya and Tanzania. To get a taste of what these tours looked like click the links below:
Galapagos: Enchanted Isles
Kenya and Tanzania: Wild Kingdoms

If you would like to start planning a family vacation, please contact Kerry.

Note: Our editor Laurielle Penny is off to India over the holidays with two teenagers. She’ll report when she gets back on what makes India a great family destination and maybe share a photo or two.

Recent events in Mumbai and Bangkok have emphasized to us the importance of having great staff on the ground, around the world. For almost 40 years, WQ has been building relationships with our local staff so that our travellers are well taken care of wherever they go. Not only does this mean we can deliver the signature moments that you have come to know us for, but it also means that we are uniquely placed to address any unforeseen circumstances. Our staff in India quickly adjusted the itinerary for our QNT “Temples, Tigers & the Taj” and our people on the ground in Thailand moved our group efficiently out of Bangkok and home. We know that travel is all about people and together we look forward to introducing you to people all over our world.

What is it about going to the top of the world that is so uplifting? The incredibly inspiring scenery, the remote monasteries, the warm welcome along the way… These are just some of the features of Lewie’s trip to the roof of the world. What stands out on this trip? The Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan, the incredible sacred stupas in Nepal, and meeting Tibetan pilgrims in Lhasa. We’re also taking the spectacular new train journey from Llhasa to Beijing passing through the Tanggula Mountain pass.

Lewie is particularly knowledgeable about the Himalayas and has based this trip on his many visits to the area. This means we introduce you to some very special, and very personal, experiences. This trip is filling up quickly, so please call us now to register.

Our GastroNomad series of fabulous food and wine tours continues with our fall offering to the north of Spain. You’ve been hearing the buzz about Spain and it’s all true – it’s the new ‘old world’ place to be. Whether this is a first trip or a return to a place you haven’t been in a while, you’ll be amazed by where we take you.

Our tour leader, Chiara Gai is a multi talented sommelier with inside connections to some of the top producers in the area. She’ll take us to her favourite Cava maker who combines dyed-in-the-wool traditionalism with some pretty daring avant-garde techniques. We’ll also get to the dazzling Ysios estate – you’ve seen the photos of this one with its aluminum titanium-esque roof, the most beautiful winery in Spain designed by Santiago Calatrava.

Chiara is a huge fan of all things Spanish (can you believe an Italian who would move to Spain – that says it all!) and she’ll make sure we get to taste the most authentic flavours and experience the real charm of this part of the country.

If you haven’t yet experienced our expedition cruises (or if you’ve come to love this way of travelling) – this is the one for you. Our classic Quest “Journey to the High Arctic” is your best opportunity to see the amazing sights of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. You will be enthralled by this voyage whether you’re keen on the extensive history of exploration in the Arctic, the cultural developments that have taken place over the centuries, the wildlife that thrives in this polar environment, the rich variety of wildlife that grow on the tundra or if you just want to hike across an apparently barren landscape.

Join our senior naturalist Jim Coey and travel to the midst of the pristine Arctic wilderness of pack ice, towering mountains and enormous glaciers and icebergs as we sail through Canada’s eastern High Arctic and the northwest coast of Greenland on board one of our favourite research vessel, the R/V Akademic Ioffe.
Contact Pamela for information on this vessel and its route and why this is simply the best trip of its kind. This is the quintessential exploration to add to your portfolio of epic journeys.

Make sure you’re on the list to receive our new QNT Land and Expedition Cruise brochures to be mailed in early January. We’re taking you from Argentina to the Yukon by land with our roster of the best naturalist leaders in the business. By sea we’re covering almost all the waters of the world from the North Pole to a new South Orkney Antarctic Odyssey. Please contact Joel to make sure you get your copy.

Our ‘Pho Fever’ GastroNomad trip to Vietnam still has a few places available.
Hai’s new restaurant at 1135 Queen Street East in Toronto has opened to great acclaim, but he’s ready to take you away in March to his own Vietnam. Please call Kerry at 1-800-387-1483 or email her at kerry@worldwidequest.com for details.

JUST IN: Due to a scheduling conflict, we've had to postpone Holly Dyment's "India by Design" trip to November 2009. We're sorry to disappoint our enthusiastic shoppers who were already planning their purchases, but the good news is that a November trip means next year's holiday gift shopping should be a breeze! We're working on the new dates now and we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, please call Kerry at 1-800-387-1483 or email her at kerry@worldwidequest.com for any further information on this trip.

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