MARCH 2009 ISSUE

Report from the Road: South Pacific Islands

Upcoming President's Tour: Magical Himalayan Kingdoms

Images of South India

Persia

Hidden Treasures of Japan

News: Spring 2009 Series

QNT Founder and President Barry Griffiths is just back from leading a group on our “Pearls of Polynesia” voyage. As Barry tells us, this was a trip filled with dramatic sights and colourful experiences. Here’s is report:

When the M.V. Spirit of Oceanus anchors off one of the tiny, remote islands that dot the South Pacific, and we board the Zodiacs for the short trip to the beach, we are all eagerly anticipating what new experiences are awaiting us.



When we sail through the surf to the tiny Cook Island of Atiu, a well-armed and fierce warrior is there to challenge us and then permit us to disembark on the island. Although there are less than 600 people living on Atiu Island, it is known for its gourmet coffee and its unique geology and flora and fauna. For those of us who are birders, Birdman George is waiting with his bush van to take us around the island to spot some of the rarest birds in the world – Kakerori Flycatcher, Rimatara Lorikeet and Atiu Swiftlet. Other voyagers take a tour of the island in bush vans or hike on the historical Captain Cook Trail. Then we all gather together at the local lodge where a marvellous Polynesian lunch has been prepared for us by the islanders, followed by traditional dances.



Perhaps one of the most dramatic arrivals for us takes place when we take our Zodiacs through a narrow reef channel and land on a beach, lined with coconut palm trees, that is right out of the movie “South Pacific”. Magnificent! This is Palmerston Island, an atoll that is less than two square kilometres in size with only 51 inhabitants – all descendants of William Marsters, an Englishman who arrived in 1863 with his three Polynesian wives. As we sit in the shade of the palm trees, with a fresh coconut drink in our hands, the island families greet us warmly with prayers, songs and dances. After a tour of the village, the end to a perfect day comes with some fine snorkelling on the reef that lines the beach.



When we anchor off the village of Kioa, on the Fijian island of Taveuni, the islanders paddle out to our ship in their outrigger canoes and serenade us with Polynesian songs of welcome. When we arrive at the beach for our visit, we are greeted with beautiful and aromatic garlands for our heads, and are quickly invited to the community hall, a very short walk away. This is where most of the 300 villagers have gathered to entertain us with some of the most harmonious and rhythmic choruses we have ever heard.



Finally, we visit the ancestral home of the Fijian firewalkers on the island of Beqa. We arrive on this lush, green island quite early in the morning where the Sawau people, in their colourful clothes, help us disembark. For generations the tribesmen of Beqa, whose mystic gift of walking barefoot on hot rocks is legendary, have been performing this fire walking ceremony. Those of us who were skeptics at the outset quickly become converts when we observe the actual fire walking take place. Yes, the rocks are super-hot and yes, the firewalkers are barefooted!



During our two week voyage in the South Pacific, the islands in Polynesia and Melanesia, with the amazing diversity of their ethnic populations and age-old traditions, provided us with a small window into a part of the world that is known by many but visited by so few. For our Quest group, it was a trip of a lifetime to be sure!

That might seem obvious, but we think it’s essential. As a leading Canadian tour operator, we’ve been travelling by land or sea for over 30 years to some of the world’s most intriguing destinations. One of the features that makes us so different from other travel companies is our staff’s on the ground travel experience. This starts with our President’s Tours lead by Barry and Lewie.

Between the two of them, they’ve journeyed by jeep across the Sahara, met the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, ventured forth on icebreakers in the Antarctic and on small vessels on the Rio Negro, climbed the Himalayas and even been to the North Pole.

Every year our President’s Tours take a small group to explore a region particularly close to the heart. This month, we thought we’d share some signature moments of these tours with you.

Lewie began his career as a Himalayan trekking guide, so he returns with a special feeling to the Himalayan Kingdoms as often as he can. This September, he’s starting the trip in the green hills of Darjeeling and ending with the fabulous train trip from Lhasa to Beijing. This journey visits some of the remote monasteries of the region which have a particular spiritual and historic significance. The blessings along the route are many and Lewie's insights add a special dimension to the trip.

Lewie’s always looking for new ways to explore the road less travelled. Most people travel first to North India (which we love) but we’re just as enthusiastic about the less crowded and equally authentic experiences of the south. Lewie’s roots go back to Goa and he’ll take the group to his favourite palm fringed beaches, quaint bungalows, and fascinating markets and make sure you taste his favourite spicy curries. We have a bone to pick with the folks who decided on the “Modern Wonders of the World”. The Meenakski Temple in Madurai, dedicated to Lord Shiva, was one of the front runners and Lewie’s hoping to convince you to join a write in campaign to get this stunning example of temple architecture with its 'hall of a thousand pillars' included on the list! We hope you’ll agree once you’ve seen this amazing site.

Part of our self imposed mandate for President’s Tours is to take you to places you would never get to on your own. But we never take you to places we’ve never been, so Lewie is off to Iran next month on a reconnaissance mission. He’ll be reporting back on what he’s seen, the accommodation, the food and what it’s really like to visit Iran. The country has been almost completely hidden from the west since the 1979 revolution but the timeless landscapes, the evocative images of turquoise domes and rose gardens and the magnificent cultural heritage of the great cities beckon us to explore this place where few Westerners have been. We invite you to join us.

Barry is leading our third small ship cruise to Japan in September 2009. Past travellers have called this trip “spectacular” and we have to agree! On our recent trip to Japan, when our ship the M.V. Spirit of Oceanus served as our floating luxury hotel, we visited some of the most amazing cultural sites in the country. 

However as Barry tells us, it’s the memories of the Japanese people that remain as a genuine highlight of the trip.  Who will forget the enthusiasm of the traditionally-clothed drummers, residents of a nearby retirement home, welcoming us on the docks of Miyajima?  Or the kindergarten children entertaining us, in their beautiful costumes, with wonderful songs and dances?  Or the High School orchestra who serenaded a farewell to us as we departed from the Port of Nagasaki? 

The Hidden Treasures of Japan voyage proved to be a wonderfully balanced travel experience where we were not only introduced to the astounding cultural treasures of the country, but also to its human treasures.  It was a privilege to be there and we hope you’ll travel with us in September!

We’re highlighting some of our upcoming trips in a new series of get-togethers this spring. We’d love you to join us at our King Street East office. Please mark your calendars for these evenings:

Tuesday, April 14: Thailand and Angkor

Tour leader Dr. David Brown is just back from Thailand and will share his insights in preparation for our November 2009 trip.

Tuesday, April 28: Chile: Magnificent Landscapes

Join tour leader Marguerite Low to learn about the fantastic landscapes of Chile from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia and Easter Island and get ready to travel in January 2010.

Tuesday, May 12: Persia

WQ President Lewie Gonsalves will be just back from Iran and ready to tell us all about it. He’ll be taking a small group back in April 2010. This trip is sure to fill up fast...

Monday, May 25: GastroNomad India

Cookbook author Linda Stephen will share her tips on creating the perfect samosas. She’s getting ready to take our group to North India in February, 2010.