What does your role entail? Speaking to clients wishing to travel to areas I have visited, giving my unbiased thoughts and ideas about the area. Planning and costing itineraries for clients. Managing the day to day running of the sales team, including product quality, staff training and overseas trips.

What do you always take with you on your travels? A phrase book. I think it makes such a difference if you can at least say a couple of words in the native country language.

Most memorable experience? Walking the Inca Trail in May 2005. Along the trail we managed to visit the Inca site of Intipata and had the site all to ourselves! The whole trail has the most amazing scenery and magical Inca ruins. A once in a lifetime experience!

Worst travel experience? When I visited Mongolia in 2002, I visited a camel breeders ger. Goats milk was passed around to be tried, I knew I wouldn’t like it as I hate cows milk, but it is customary in Mongolia to never say no if offered. So I took a mouthful and then felt I would be sick, I had to pretend to the local family that I was ok! To make matters worse they then passed around what I thought was sweets, I took it straight away to take away the horrible taste and it turned out to be made of the goats milk. Moral is to make sure you always have a couple of your own sweets with you.

Favourite travel book? I don’t normally take books with me on my trips, however a great book that I recently have been given is Unforgettable things to do before you die by Steve Watkins and Clare Jones, its given me some great inspiration of where to travel to next.

I first developed my passion for travel and in particular for India and the Far East, whilst taking a gap year backpacking in India for 3 months, before then undertaking a degree in Politics. After graduating, I raised funds so that I could pursue my quest for seeing more of the world and then embarked on a 12 month trip travelling to see wonderful and varied destinations such as India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, North Sumatra, Bali and ultimately Australia.

Having returned to England and unsure what to do next, I then decided a career in travel would be an exciting way to visit other countries and therefore joined Bales, where I have now been for 6 years, and am currently a Sales Supervisor. During my time here at Bales, I have been fortunate enough to travel to many remarkable countries. For example, Ecuador, with the highlight being swimming with sea lions, Japan, China and most recently Nepal where I walked part of the Everest Trek. I now specialise in India & the sub-continent and the Far East and this has allowed me to travel back to my favourite destination, India, numerous times. Therefore, thanks to Bales and my previous travelling experience, I now have a vast knowledge of my specialised area, that in-turn, I can pass on to our clients in order to ensure that they have as much of a wonderful experience in these countries as I have had.

My passion for travel, and in particular Latin America, began in 1998 when I visited Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for the first time. The Islands were instrumental in fostering a love of the fantastic wildlife to be found on this continent. I have been fortunate enough to have many great wildlife encounters, including blue-footed boobies in Ecuador, condors in Peru and caiman in Bolivia – although working with capuchin monkeys in a Bolivian animal sanctuary stands out the most!

My second visit to South America triggered another keen interest in the pre-Colombian civilisations. Machu Picchu in Peru was just as awe-inspiring on the third visit as the first! Its location in the Cloudforest at the end of the Inca Trail encompasses what for me is the true appeal of the continent – the combination of fascinating history, an array of outdoor adventures and breathtaking natural beauty.

In more recent times, I have been developing two new areas of travel knowledge speciality in Canada and Australia - both of which also offer extraordinary natural scenery and of course plenty of wonderful wildlife. In Canada I have particularly enjoyed taking in the landscapes from the excellent trains that run through the Rockies: there is something quite surreal about spotting black bears roaming around as you trundle past on the rails! The stand-out moment in Australia would probably be my frst scuba dive; something with which I definitely hope to continue. And no matter how many you see, there is something hugely endearing about watching those marsupials hop about!

Having been with Bales for many years I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively to destinations I would never have imagined. It is very difficult to pick just one place as a favourite as they all meant so much in many different ways.

My introduction to travel was Egypt – a country which still fascinates and intrigues me today. Each time I have been I get caught up in the mythical world of Egyptology, the enormity of the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians and the beauty of the Nile. Other areas that inspire me are the Himalayas and hill stations of India, The Rocky Mountains in Canada and the mighty thunder of Iguassu falls. However, my newest love is the plains of Africa. Having visited both Kenya and Tanzania I have become completely absorbed in the thrilling world of Safari. To see such majestic animals in their natural surroundings has topped all my experiences in travel and my ambition is for my children to share this wonderful experience firsthand.

Since leaving Brittany in my teens, I began my exciting travel career journeying through France and the rest of Europe.

When I joined Bales, approximately 11 years ago, it gave me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and my love of discovering new destinations. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to travel to some of the world’s most beautiful and remarkable countries, such as China, Syria, Japan, Tibet, Ecuador/Galapagos, Botswana etc. On several occasions, Bales have also given me the responsibility and privilege of being tour manager on a number of our escorted trips.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of being tour manager especially planning the journeys, inspecting the hotels, meeting the locals, tasting the food and wine and experiencing the culture and atmosphere of every destination.

Eleven years on and I am still passionate about travelling. Currently, I specialise in Central and South America and enjoy passing on my vast product knowledge to our clients. Examples of some of the wonderful sights and places I have visited in America are the magnificent glaciers of Argentina, the lonely statues of Easter Island, the bright Quetzels of Costa Rica and the giant otters of Guyana. I am now really excited about my next venture to Venezuela, where I am especially eager to visit the stunning unspoilt National Parks.

My interest in travel began at a very young age when my father’s business meant that my family and I had to relocate to the Far East. After graduating from University with a degree in Travel & Tourism, I then embarked on finding a career in the Tourism Industry. I have now been part of the Bales staff for 10 years and am currently a member of the India & the Sub Continent and the Far East sales team. My extensive travels for business and pleasure have taken me around the globe; particularly the Far East, Middle East and India & the Sub Continent.

However, my passion truly lies in everything Oriental! My most recent trips with Bales Worldwide include Sri Lanka, Vietnam & China. I thoroughly loved renewing my extensive travel knowledge of the Far East as well as experiencing some of the enthralling sightseeing excursions that were available. I also consider these trips to be a perfect opportunity to meet and build solid working relationships with our ground agents, thus ensuring Bales clients are well looked after!

My interest in travel had a slow start in life. When I was growing up in the south-west of England the idea of an exotic holiday was a week in Bournemouth! However after completing my “A” Levels I travelled to Europe to find out about other cultures and languages. I spent 11 seasons working at a seasonal hotel in Germany where a mixture of different nationalities encouraged me to find out more about the World. Working hard in the summer months I was able to spend long periods travelling in the winter. From a person who had only made it to London once in my first 18 years of life I have now clocked up over 50 countries in the next 18 years!

I work in the India and Far East team where there are so many different memorable journeys to think about on every working day. As I can´t afford to do them all myself it is a privilege and a pleasure to work on planning other peoples holidays. My favourite destinations are the north-east of Thailand, southern Laos and Rajasthan. Away from my usual country portfolio Colombia and Brazil are places I love to visit…and then revisit again.

I have pretty much spent the last 14 years travelling. In 1995 I felt it was time to explore the world and so I packed my brand new rucksack and headed off out the door. I started independently in New Zealand and Australia heading up towards Thailand and then via Cambodia to Vietnam before Laos and China, Tibet, Nepal and finally on to India. An incredible journey taking 5 years and me to sites such as Mount Everest, The home of the Dali Lama, The Killing Fields of Cambodia and the Great Wall Of China to name but a few.

This wasn’t enough I needed more. After returning home to see what reality was doing I was fortunate enough to be asked to join an Overland company where after being taught how to use a spanner and a hammer I headed back out in a large 18 tonne truck with some eager passengers ready to explore some more.

2000 – 2002 East and South Africa

I spent the next two years leading/driving expeditions through Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa (east side via coast to Cape Town). These itineraries would include activities such as tracking the Gorillas in Uganda, leading, driving and coordinating game drives through all national parks (Masai Mara, Serengeti, Chobe, etc), and handling inter-relationships between clients and the indigenous people as well as the various tribes (Masai, Samburu etc).

2002 – 2004 Europe, Turkey Middle East and Central Asia

This time it was the UK departures fast tracking through Europe via Sicily to Tunisia and on by way of Libya to Cairo where I led a ten day programme of the pyramids, Valley of the Kings, down too Abu Simbel.

UK to Cairo via Turkey

Ten days through Europe to Istanbul. Crossing from Dover to France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Greece. Before picking up main group and journeying through Turkey via Goreme and the coast heading south into Syria and Jordan, taking in all the famous land marks en-route and finally to Egypt.

UK to Kyrgyzstan via Iran

An exploratory expedition with ten days in Iran before heading north to Georgia and on through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and finishing with a tour of Kyrgyzstan before heading back to the UK with a new group.

2004 – 2005 South America

Ten months traversing throughout Venezuela and Brazil from Caracas to Rio de Janeiro and vice versa including all major land marks and activities such as camping in the Amazon rain Forest, hiking to Angel Falls, dancing in Salvador and carnival in Rio. Rio to Quito three months co-leading through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Again organizing, booking and participating in all activities such as the Inca trail, the Salt Flats of Bolivia and crossing the Altiplano.

I still have and use that rucksack!