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Welcome to the Bales blog, where we get a chance to share our thoughts, experiences and future plans with you and hopefully provide you with an interesting insight into what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ at Bales Worldwide.Happy Reading! |
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Happy 80th Birthday Mrs Bales! MANDY NICKERSON, MD UPDATE
It has been quite strange not talking to you every other week but hope you like our new format and feel you are getting to know other people in our organisation. As ever, your feedback would be welcomed - it helps us to make this the blog you want to read.
I have to say I am quite envious of my colleagues at Bales who have been travelling. I do have lack of travel ‘withdrawal’. Not only does it help with our knowledge but it acts as an energy boost on the enthusiasm we all have. So what have I been doing, well it is unfair to say not travelling. Steve (my husband) took me off for a romantic weekend in New York. Very special and if you like steak I would recommend going to the Porterhouse restaurant and ordering one of their speciality steaks. I loved it so much we went back a second night and I will have to wait to return before I have another steak as I have been so spoilt I cannot imagine having anything to match it. We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental – a real wow hotel! You know how we always say it is the attention to detail that makes it special and also you know how much advice you give to your customers you don’t necessarily follow that advice. One such piece is that it is a good idea to pack your clothes in both cases and not have a him and her case. Reason – in case one piece of luggage goes missing. No we didn’t do that and yes my luggage did not arrive. What did the Mandarin do – immediately sent to our room more toiletries and took the responsibility of chasing and checking progress of luggage. They were great and I have ces’t la vie view. It arrived the next day, but it was not going to ruin our break. Went to see the Nixon/Frost interview at the theatre- some of you may recall that interview that was life changing for both David Frost and Richard Nixon. If you haven’t seen it, it is well worth booking tickets (on in UK as well).
Less about my leisure otherwise you are going to think that life as MD of Bales is just one big party. I don’t know whether I have told you, but aside from our core tour operations, we do provide travel for a medical assistance company. When someone is insured and has an illness or an injury when overseas, if the medical assistance company conclude that a Doctor or Nurse should be flown out or if the patient should be brought home earlier it is us they call for the travel arrangements. Looking at the cases we deal with, it makes you really value ensuring you have the right travel policy and cover. There are sometimes people that have not taken enough cover or indeed any insurance at all or do not declare a pre medical condition which means the policy will not be valid. The price they pay is so high in comparison the very competitive travel insurance you can buy; I know some people think it has never happened to me or even it won’t happen to me but even with this attitude I think being covered properly buys peace of mind.
Andy Trussler deals with all this and is on duty 24/7. If that isn’t enough, Andy has also taken on the mantle of looking after special groups, so if you are thinking of taking a party of people on holiday (more than 10), Andy is the man you want to discuss the options with: atrussler@balesworldwide.com
Amongst many meetings we have had we had a presentation on the internal research of Australia and New Zealand and have agreed that we will reintroduce both countries and produce a separate brochure which will be out in Jan 08. I was asked to give a presentation to ABTA industry partners about the challenges of a small and medium sized operator over the last year and going forward. So I duly prepared!! Well, many of you that read this blog are in business and will know that the challenges are endless! Thankfully, a lot of these present many exciting opportunities. It makes you realise how you fill your time in the day job!!!
I am supposed to be cutting down on what I write to make room for all our staff chat but just to let you know two points, firstly I did do the London to Brighton bike ride ..in 6 hours... but I did it. Built for comfort not speed, that is what I am, not the bike. I will have to work at being faster though as they had reopened all the roads while I was still peddling away!!!!
Lastly Mrs Bales (my Mum) our Chairman had her 80th birthday last week. She wanted to have a party and I must admit I expressed surprise as I wondered how many of her friends were still around to celebrate. She does have a lot of friends though so she had a celebration with 80 guests. Imagine she was 20 when she started with my Father and the product and service we offer proves that a small operator can still thrive and endure successfully for 60 years and here’s to the next 60!!!
Speak soon, Mandy |
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Wildlife isn’t the only game in Tanzania… RACHEL WENT ON A FAMILIARISATION TRIP TO EXPERIENCE THE IN-FLIGHT SERVICE OF QATAR AIRWAYS AND SERENA PROPERTIES
‘Jambo, Jambo bwana, habari gani…’ the staff at Kirawira Tented Camp sang in perfect harmony, welcoming us to their lodge, merrily clapping and dancing with beaming smiles, as though they had been awaiting our arrival. This was my first experience of Tanzania, but due to the hospitable and friendly nature of the people, I instantly felt at home. Guests were taking it easy in the colonial style lounge, playing board games whilst the waiters served fresh passion fruit juice and attended to their every need. I stayed in a luxurious, Victorian style, spacious tent, which brought a whole new meaning to the term camping. In the morning, our ranger awoke us with coffee and muffins, which we ate on the veranda, listening to nothing but the tranquil sounds of nature and taking in the stunning, uninterrupted views of the Serengeti, before our morning game drive across these vast plains. Our stay was unforgettable and it was as though we had stepped back in time… and I certainly did not want to come back to reality. |
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Like Many Explorers, I found the Country Totally Charming and Unspoilt.. CHANTAL TOUR MANAGED THE 16 DAY ESCORTED JOURNEY 'VENEZUELA: THE LOST WORLD'
It is a land of variety with beautiful coastline with clear deep turquoise waters; It offers the best birdwatching experience in South America with over 1,300 species. On our group journey Bales visit the Andes and travel on the world’s highest and longest cable-car, stay in a working hato in the plains of low Llanos where birds, capybaras, anteaters, armadillos and many others mammals are prolific. The excitement continues when you fly the opposite side of the country near the Brazil border and explore the Gran Sabana home of the many tepuis finishing in Canaima, home of Angel Falls, a drop of 1,000m ie the tallest waterfall. Canaima is a perfect spot for ending such an exciting journey with waterfalls, tepuis, lagoons and unexplored forests. If one wants to be more active trekking can be arranged and be as challenging as you want. Like many explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Jimmie Angel and the novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I found the country totally charming and still very unspoilt. |
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Get Your Dancing Shoes On and Book a Trip to Cuba CHRIS WENT ON A PLANNING TRIP TO CUBA TO FINALISE THE ITINERARY FOR THE 2008 LATIN AMERICA BROCHURE
What a place. Beautiful sandy beaches, magnificent historic buildings and a soulful rhythm that can not fail to get your feet tapping. There is no doubt that the beautiful buildings of Old Havana, Trinidad and Santiago, and the amazing range of 1950s American cars are a great nostalgia trip, but despite me being aware of the music of Cuba, nothing had prepared me for the wealth of musical talent. Every other Cuban seems to play an instrument and sing and do it very well indeed, but everyone, and I mean everyone, in Cuba can dance. They have rhythm in places I didn’t even know could have rhythm and from small children to cigar wielding octogenarians, everyone has a smile and a swing of the hips. Just be warned though, if you like it, it is going to cost you a bit of beauty sleep, because 10.30 to midnight seems to be the time when the many clubs and bars are in full Latin swing … oh, and you will like it, so be prepared! The only downside that I could find to Cuba, is that although the cocktails really hit the spot – Mojitos and Cuba Libres are almost as cheap as bottled water, the food is not going to be a highlight – there is nothing wrong with it, it is just simple and not quite as imaginative as I had expected, but given the opportunity I would be back in Cuba in a heartbeat. |
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