Who are the sales team..?

Our sales team receive all enquiries and reservation calls from direct clients and travel agents for all our product types. They also design itineraries and produce the costings for tailor made enquiries and for independent pre and post tour extensions. Our sales team work closely with clients all through the booking process to create the journey of the clients choice and to ensure a high level of personal service before the file is handed over to our operations department who will send all your documentation.

Sarah Fernie

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.

Paul Taylor

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.

Janice Day

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!

Carly Kubisch

Born and raised in South Australia, I now live and work in the UK where I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to develop my passion for travel.

My first trip with Bales took me to Egypt where I experienced the captivating history and culture of this incredible country. During my time here I was able to visit a number of beautiful hotels and boats we feature, and experience some of the amazing sightseeing excursions we offer, from the great Pyramids and Sphinx to floating in a Hot Air Balloon over Luxor.

After being involved with both the Australasia and the Egypt & Middle East departments, I was able to further develop my product knowledge with a visit to Ecuador. Here I was able to enjoy staying at one of the most remote lodges in the Amazon and loved observing some of the unique and abundant wildlife the Galapagos Islands has to offer.

My travel then continued with an exciting safari in Tanzania, in search of the Big Five. However, most recently I have been fortunate enough to expand my travel knowledge with a personal holiday to Costa Rica.

Dave Orrock

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, and concern for, the fantastic wildlife to be found on this continent. I have been fortunate enough to have many great wildlife encounters, including the cock-of-the-rock 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 created 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 vast variety of sights, activities and natural beauty that is available.

To date, I have spent around 18 months in Latin America and visited 11 countries, almost all of which I would like to visit again. However, there is still so much more I want to see. South East Asia, Southern Africa and India, are just some of the places that I am enthusiastic about visiting, and hope that I will get to experience the diverse culture, history and ambience of all these destinations in the near future.

Sarah Phelps

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.

Chantal Chenede

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.