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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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'Mrs Bales calls them the 'Magic' boats and I whole heartedly agree.' MANDY NICKERSON, MD UPDATE
My goodness– when I was being chased about my now monthly blog I thought surely it was only last week and then I recapped on what I had been doing and thought, actually it seems like a year ago rather than a month ago. What do I start with…? well my last visit to the gym was some two months ago– and yes it shows and those that have seen me recently try to find something obscure to comment on, such as what a nice pair of shoes or a nice shade of lipstick when they really are thinking hasn’t she put on weight!!! Fitness goes so quickly. For those that read my blog you will know that I have a couple of fitness friends and clearly they are on a mission to get me fit again– enticing subjects like would I like to go swimming tonight .. or when shall we start running together? I want to say never but I know I can wangle it to go and have a good natter and that the fitness will soon be forgotten– my how time goes, we never did get that run in!!! In all seriousness I know I have to start again and will do so at weekend. I think! I guess you are more interested to know what I and Bales have been up to in the past month. Well after a week of appraisals (including my own) and meetings, I hosted a press trip on the Zahra, one of our dahabiyyas. We had to condense a 10 day trip into 5 days because of time restraints. My goodness. Like so many of you, I have cruised on the Nile before but this is just such a different experience. The boat only takes 12 guests in 6 individually decorated cabins. We have private moorings, and do things that I have never done before– went to a nature reserve by boat, had a grand dinner on the banks of the Nile and stopped whenever we wished to. The food– well there it is, I blame the cook for making me eat such delicious food not something that Egypt is renowned for, but honestly it is delicious! Mrs Bales calls them the 'Magic' boats and I whole heartedly agree. Something happens as soon as you board, any stress is lifted and you just know it is going to be such a trip of a lifetime. I whole heartedly recommend it, well I would wouldn’t I, but really it was so good that I am booking a departure next year to go along with some of my closest friends (yes, yes I know I will be the only one on the boat.) I have been to Egypt about 70 times but I am so lured to go back to it and if you haven’t yet done this, I thoroughly recommend you to consider it. When I came back, it was again some very enjoyable and good meetings. I was invited to a female entrepreneur’s lunch; well someone has to serve the guests!! There are so many hugely gifted and talented people in our country and I do not think we celebrate success enough in the UK. People that inspire have such positive effect on those around them and it is a gift. I can honestly say that I have always come away from such occasions, not only with a wealth of knowledge but with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. Well,it is a fact that we all learn something every day and a sad life it would be if that stopped. My Father died when he was nearly 89 and I would say that part of what kept him alive so long was his thirst for knowledge and his passion for learning… plus of course a good dose of humour. Our HR Director booked all the Directors, Managers and Supervisors on a 4 day leadership course done in three stages. We did the first two days last week and again learnt so many valuable things, sometimes things that are so obvious but you don’t do them. We don’t just want to be the best company for you to travel with, we want to be the best company for people to work with and for and aspire to be better leaders if not the best. The Terracotta Warriors exhibition at the British Museum opened last week and we had the opportunity to host a few of you to visit the exhibition and then join us for canapés and drinks and a lecture by the renowned Frances Wood, who lived up to her reputation as an inspiring lecturer. I defy anyone that came to her lecture, not to want to jump on a plane to China in the next year. Another week of eating too much as well as Taj Hotels invited me to lunch with them at the Quill on Restaurant in Buckingham Palace Gate, London. It is very important to have good and convivial working relationships with all hotels, ground operators etc and that is why the following day I had lunch with our agent from Costa Rica. We need to keep emphasising the ethos of Bales and knowing that we share our real passion for our customers with all the suppliers we work with, the end result is hopefully we not only meet but exceed your expectations. So as it is our 60th birthday and not mine as I keep having to remind so many people– worse when they actually meet me and congratulate me on being 60, has life really treated me that badly?! Back to the story, we have had a week of celebrations. We entertained press and some of you repeat clients to an evening at a Babylonian restaurant. It was such a happy evening and so worth doing– 60 years as a successful family company has to be worth celebrating. The finale is on Friday 28th September (tonight), when we will have a party for our staff. Mrs Bales is coming along to talk about 60 years at Bales as despite what some people say about me she is the only one that has lived her 60 years at Bales. I am so looking forward to it, I know she is my Mother and I may be bragging but I have heard her presentation and it is fascinating. We will follow this with a jazz band. I know a lot of you know, but many of our staff have been here for many years. Well, not quite as long as Mrs Bales or me for that matter- now notching up 30 years but you get my drift. Our loyal staff are to me part of the Bales family and without them we would not be able to offer you such a first class product delivered with enormous attention to detail and pride.. Enough about me... I am off to try and find that elusive gym!!! Mandy |
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Rediscovering Egypt… DAN WENT ON A FAMILIARISATION TRIP TO EGYPT
My first experience of Egypt was at the age of 12, travelling on a Bales tour with my family. I was therefore thrilled to be given the opportunity to return and rediscover the country that triggered my love of travel. My journey retraced the steps I had made 16 years ago, starting with a stay at the historic Oberoi Mena House Hotel opposite the Great Pyramids of Giza followed by a cruise along the majestic Nile from Luxor to Aswan on board the elegant Oberoi Shehrayer. However this time my journey led me away from the main tourist destinations, with a visit to the second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria, known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean". Alexandria is only a relatively short distance from Cairo, perfect for a two or three night extension to your holiday. The city is a fascinating mix of colonial and modern architecture, entwined with Mediterranean influences and Egyptian culture. Once you have seen the sights, it is important to spend some time exploring the city at random and absorbing the atmosphere. I would certainly recommend visiting one of the many famous colonial patisseries that line the corniche. Egypt is a fascinating destination for young and old alike and surely a place that I will visit again. In fact I can’t help but wonder what hidden gems await my next visit |
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'Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay' STEVE WENT ON A PLANNING TRIP TO COLOMBIA
This is the tongue-in-cheek slogan recent adapted by the South American country in its latest attempt to woo tourists. And, following a recent visit, I can vouch that there is no greater risk in travelling to Colombia than anywhere else I’ve been to. I was recently in Colombia, to attend a Travel Industry event called Travelmart Latin America, where many Latin American suppliers (hoteliers, ground agents, cruise operators) meet buyers from around the world. This year it was held in Cartagena. Prior to the travelmart, I spent some time in Bogota and also visited Villa de Leyva, covering the ground on our “Return to Colombia” itinerary which is featured in our 2008/9 Latin America brochure. I had visited Bogota briefly last year, but spending more time in the city enabled me to orientate myself better. With 8 million inhabitants Bogota is spread out in a valley. The hotel that we use on our tour is the Sofitel Victoria Regia, and this is well situated in the thriving Zona Rosa – an area with many fine restaurants and bars, and also large modern shopping malls. The area is safe to walk around and the accommodation here is good. It should be worth remembering that most hotels in the city are geared towards the business market rather than leisure, but with a number of hotels in this area, this keeps hotels on their toes, so standards are good. The most well-known attraction in Bogota is perhaps the Gold Museum which has a priceless collection of items, all heavily guarded. Overlooking the city is the church of Monserrate, located just over 3000 metres above sea-level and reached by either funicular or cable-car. Needless, to say views of the city are superb, and on our tour we include a typical Colombian lunch at one of the restaurants here. My travels also took me to Villa de Leyva, a colonial city 177kms north of Bogota. I thought this was a gem, and at its centrepiece is one of the largest plazas in South America. All the old buildings are painted in white and green and the streets in the centre are all cobblestoned. Although traffic is not banned from the streets, if you love your car, you wouldn’t want to drive on these streets. The hotel I stayed at – Duruelo – overlooks the town and the hills beyond. I have never stayed at a property with so many flowers; it is a really colourful place with bougainvillea all around. The hotel also has a number of very tempting swimming pools. Our tours will take different return routes from Bogota to Villa de Leyva, to offer a variety of sightseeing stops including the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira, the pottery centre of Raquira and the lagoon at Guatavita. The roads, in the main, are very good. Both Bogota and Villa de Leyva are relatively high up – on this part of the itinerary you will travel at elevations of around 2,200 metres to 3,200 metres above sea-level; the climate is temperate year round. This was to change on arrival at Cartagena, where on the coast the humidity is high, although a sea-breeze can make life more pleasant. Cartagena is the “must-see” in Colombia and has a beautiful historic centre with narrow streets containing some wonderful buildings, churches and hotels, many draped with colourful flowers, and also some pleasant plazas where the locals relax in the shade provided by the trees. Some buildings are in the process of being restored and in the years to come, I am sure that many will become boutique properties. Our tours of Cartagena stay in this historic centre (it would be wrong to stay anywhere else!) at the historic Sofitel Santa Clara Hotel. This hotel has a number of restaurants but if you don’t wish to eat in the hotel, there are a number of restaurants close by. Naturally, we include a tour of the historic centre and the fort of San Felipe. Music and the arts plays a large part of life in the city, and one memorable sight was catching a glimpse of a dance class with around 30 or 40 girls under 10, all wearing their elegant dresses practising their routines with their maracas, something that seems to be a dying art in the UK. At no time did I have reason to feel unsafe in Colombia; true, there are some additional security measures when entering shopping malls or hotels and at Bogota airport on departure, security is tight, but this should not make anyone fearful of travelling to a country which has turned the tide and is ready to welcome the traveller with warmth and passion. If you would like to know more about this itinerary then please contact one of our Latin America specialists on: 0845 634 5118. |
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'Egypt in Style' RICHARD WENT ON A FAMILIARISATION TRIP TO EGYPT
Egypt is a place you can visit time and time again, and I have done, many times when I used to drive and lead overland expeditions from the U.K. This time however, I discovered that there is an easier and more relaxing way to see this intoxicating country: ‘The Bales Way’. After a few days in Cairo inspecting hotels and making sure that the swimming pools were up to lazing beside and that the Pyramids were still as amazing as the first time I saw them- I flew down to Luxor to join my first cruise of this trip which took me down the Nile in what I can only describe as.. a standard I have definitely become accustomed to! Following my goodbyes to the crew, I disembarked and took my transfer straight to the next cruise ship ‘the Eugenie’ which sailed effortlessly with style and grace around Lake Nasser before ending with the remarkable view that is Abu Simbel. Combining the two cruises meant leaving with a complete (and thanks to my excellent guide) in-depth knowledge of the history and culture of the land where the Pharaohs Lived. |
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