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Meet the Boss: Will Bolsover, World Big Cat Safaris

Monday, March 8th, 2010

world-big-cat-safaris MD will bolsoverworld big cat safaris lion trio Meet the Boss: Will Bolsover, World Big Cat Safaris

Our editors at 101 Holidays conduct regular interviews with the people behind the UK’s finest travel companies. This week we meet our newest member, Will Bolsover, owner and managing director of World Primate Safaris and World Big Cat Safaris.

After a university gap year spent teaching and travelling in Eastern Africa, Will switched courses from European Studies to African and Asian Studies with French. He then worked in Africa, in development, teaching and as a safari guide, before setting up as a tour operator. He now lives in Brighton with his wife Ciara, their son Oscar and dog Sprokit.

* Where did you go on holiday last summer, and why? Any plans for next summer?

We decided to have a bit of a change from permanent African travel and hired a car for a 2 week trip island hopping around Croatia. Fantastic food and culture and not related to work, which was a pleasant change for both my wife and myself. This year we have an extended family holiday on the Greek Island of Spetses and then I am climbing Mt Kilimanjaro (again) with my father to celebrate his 60th birthday.

* What is your favourite bolthole in the UK, and why?

Definitely the north coast of Cornwall. We have a small house on the cliff-top overlooking the sea. Great walks, fresh air, swimming and is there any better nourishment than a pastie and a pint?

* If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

I tend to stay away from cities, so tricky question. If I was pushed then I would have to say that I was quite taken by Dubrovnik. Fantastic old town with views out to sea, a weird and wonderful jazz café where you can meet the locals, great restaurants and fresh seafood dining. Even I didn’t get bored spending a few days wandering the winding streets, browsing the galleries and eating out every night.

Whenever I travel I try to stay as close to the sea as possible. I appreciate the feeling of space and the variety that it offers you and this is exemplified when walking the walls of the old town of Dubrovnik as you look out across the ocean. Dubrovnik has a sense of history to it that keeps you on your toes; only recently has Croatia come to the fore as a holiday destination and with such a turbulent past history I am amazed at what it has to offer.

* Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

Whenever I travel I take my Nikon camera (and a variety of lenses) my laptop for work, and my iPhone on which I keep music to keep me going when inevitably being stuck at an airport.

* What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

More time, and for this reason a tour operator. People underestimate the value that a good quality tour operator can offer when tailoring individual itineraries. These guys should have walked the walks and slept in the beds; this makes a huge difference for clients that have no past experience of a destination, saves them money and - more importantly - time, which in my opinion is of the essence when travelling these days. People have limited holiday leave and therefore they want to make the most of it. This is where we come in.

* What has been your worst holiday experience?

As a child I got stuck on the mud flats in France when exploring and the tide was coming in….stupid and a good lesson to learn early on.

* Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

My favourite hotel in the UK is Claridges (not that I stay there). I love the Englishness of it and the tradition. Europe I am not really qualified to say as I have never stayed in hotels in Europe…only camped. Zarafa Camp in Botswana is one of my favourites … opulent luxury with only four tents, private plunge pools, indoor and outdoor showers and views overlooking a private concession where some of the best game of Botswana abounds.

* What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

You mean aside from joining 101 Holidays?… We are currently working on a variety of projects which will result in bringing more destinations to our portfolio for both our brands World Big Cat Safaris and World Primate Safaris. Some of these destinations have been out of the spotlight for a number of years due to political issues.

I love exploring new destinations, seeing what they have to offer and helping (in our own unique way) to encourage money back into a previously struggling economy. We are also looking at introducing an entirely new brand that will specialise in safaris to see bears in the wild in Alaska and Canada.

* Thank you, Will.

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Meet the Boss: Kerry Golds, W&O Travel

Monday, January 25th, 2010

kerry golds western orientalvatulele 300x176 Meet the Boss: Kerry Golds, W&O Travel

Each week at 101 Holidays we interview one of the people behind the UK’s finest tour operators. This week we meet Kerry Golds, Director of Tour Operations at W&O Travel.

Kerry has worked in travel since the age of 17, starting on the shop floor of a travel agency. In 2007 she joined Western & Oriental as head of tour operations and in 2008 was promoted to her present post, managing the introduction of a number of newly-acquired brands including Rainbow Tours and Tropical Locations. Kerry has two boys, aged 8 and 11.

.       Where did you go on holiday last summer, and why? Any plans for next summer?

I spent two weeks in one of the W&O Travel villas from Villa Select in Pollenca in Majorca, surrounded by friends and family and a whole bunch of children. I decided on the villa as I love the independence that it offers and I never have to worry about how loud my children are. There was maid service during our stay which was a nice luxury and our local representative gave us lots of great advice on good restaurants for the kids.

.       What is your favorite bolt hole in the UK, and why?

Anywhere I can get away from the rat race. No TV, no gadgets, nothing but a good pub and some peace and quiet.

.       If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

I love Rome.  Everything about it makes me smile - the food, the drink, the ambience, the sights.

.       Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

An iPod (to drown out the noise of my children when they really turn the volume up), a corkscrew and an umbrella (it rains everywhere I go).

.       What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

The comfort of knowing that someone has really thought about the itinerary and has offered everything that can be arranged before they go, such as babysitting services and table reservations.

.       What has been your worst holiday experience?

In 1985, I walked for four hours in flood water up to my armpits after our coach broke down in floods driving from the coast back to Bangkok. I have never been so frightened and hope never to be so again.

.       Tell us your favorite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

I’ve been lucky enough to stay in some beautiful places and I find it difficult to choose. My favourite hotel in the UK is Dalhousie Castle near Edinburgh. My favourite worldwide hotels are the Four Seasons in Bali, Le Meridien Royal on Jumeirah Beach in Dubai (a brilliant family-friendly hotel) and Vatulele Island Resort (pictured above) in Fiji.

.       What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

We’ve just completed the main elements of a major rebranding exercise which saw most of our brands brought under the single branding of W&O Travel. It was a huge task but I’m really proud of what we have achieved.  Our new website and collection videos really capture the mood of what we are and what we do and we’re getting some great feedback from our customers.

.       Thank you, Kerry.

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Meet the Boss: David Atkin, ITC Sports

Monday, January 18th, 2010

anassa Meet the Boss: David Atkin, ITC Sportsdavid atkinbears paw hotel 300x199 Meet the Boss: David Atkin, ITC Sports

Each week at 101 Holidays we interview one of the people behind the UK’s finest tour operators. This week we meet up with David Atkin, Director of Sports at International Travel Connections, which owns and operates ITC Classics, Property Owners Travel Club and ITC Sports. David lives in Chester with his wife, Aimée, and their children Beth, three, and one-year-old Joe.

* Where did you go on holiday last summer, and why? Any plans for next summer?

Southern Spain. We stay near a small village 35 minutes north of Marbella called Tolox, where my mother-in-law has a villa. The kids love it and there are some very nice little restaurants nearby. We’ll be back there again this year, no doubt.

* What is your favourite bolthole in the UK, and why?

A lovely little place called Warmingham, near Sandbach in Cheshire. We escape to a hotel there called the Bear’s Paw every now and then – the rooms are contemporary (pictured above, right) and comfortable and the food is excellent. A roaring fire in the winter for an afternoon with the papers and a good old-fashioned English fry up – highly recommended.

* If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

Paris. It’s just brilliant for a short break and there is so much to do that we manage to experience something different each time, plus my wife speaks fluent French, which helps. This year we’ll be going for the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in October.

* Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

My iPod, a must when sitting in airports watching the world go by. I’m never without a camera and lastly a note pad and paper, in case I figure out how to re-invent the wheel.

* What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

If hotels could be more intuitive with understanding clients’ needs it would go a long way to upgrading the experience. There is nothing more impressive than arriving somewhere and the property having an instant understanding of your needs. We notice this even more now as we travel as a family – anything the hotel does to make our lives easier is much appreciated.

* What has been your worst holiday experience?

Holidays have been pretty good on the whole … but my worst travel experience was a contracting trip in Zermatt when I managed to break my collar bone on the slopes. I was airlifted off the mountain and had to make my own way from Visp hospital back to the hotel in all my snowboarding kit. Then I had to get back to the UK lugging my bags with one arm.

* Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

Turnberry Resort in Scotland is a wonderful property. Its location is stunning, the rooms and public areas have been beautifully refurbished, there is a very good spa and plenty of activities, including the extremely challenging golf courses!

Anassa in Cyprus (pictured above, left) is a lovely place to relax and has all the key ingredients of a luxury property. It’s the kind of place you don’t want to leave – the rooms, service, food, facilities – everything is wonderful.

The Rest of the World is tough. There are so many superb properties across the world. The Oberoi in Mauritius comes close but my favourite would have to be The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. It surpassed expectations on all levels, I would go back in an instant.

* What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

There are several exciting projects ongoing including the development of a skiing programme and horse racing in the UK but our most prominent future tour is The 3 mobile Ashes Series 2010/11 which will take place in Australia from November 2010 – January 2011. We will be running a series of tours taking in one, two, three or all five Test Matches and will be joined by former England captain Michael Vaughan and regular hosts Paul Allott and Gladstone Small.

* Thank you, David.

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Meet the Boss: Annabel Lawson, Andante Travels

Monday, January 4th, 2010

annabel lawson andante Meet the Boss: Annabel Lawson, Andante TravelsRome archaeology tour

Our editors at 101 Holidays conduct regular interviews with the people behind the UK’s finest travel companies. This week we meet up with Dr Annabel Lawson, the founder and director of Andante Travels, which specialises in archaeological tours across the world.

·    Where did you go on holiday this year, and why?

I went to Port Isaac in Cornwall with my labrador and family and friends. It’s where I love the best – we have a small family place on the cliff top and all my old LPs are there, together with Scrabble, much wine and loads of weather. Here be cliff-top walks, fish-pie at the Port Gaverne Hotel, here I can watch the lobster pots coming back or do a spot of dolphin watching, reading in the sunshine or safely tucked behind a window separating me from the wind and the spray. It’s very “here and now”, the perfect antidote to foreign travel and planning life away years in advance.

·    If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

Oh, this is impossible. I really love Rome and know enough about it to mean that whatever else new I learned would be meaningful. There’s just so much there, history built over and on top of and all around in a satisfactory way. There is scarcely a street in which Roman Rome doesn’t put in an appearance somewhere - and it’s all so accessible.  I had done my Ph.D. and had babies and started a business before I finally got to Rome for the first time.  It was with one of the earliest Andante groups. We put Pavarotti on the coach speakers, and I cried.

But then, of course, there’s Barcelona, where I once rented a student flat for three months in a really grotty area next to the Ramblas. Prostitutes and the lottery ticket seller lived in my block and people peed in the doorway, but everything happened there and you were right in the middle of it all, watching hundreds of different (very different) lives as if some completely detached observer.

Or there’s Cologne. I would love to stay longer in Cologne. Years ago I lived as a young academic in Germany and it is still my real second home. I can slip into it unnoticed and live a German life. People seem to have fun there – there’s always lots on and good food and beer and wine and the museums and galleries and theatres are full and lively and the Rhine just ploughs its way past, dividing Europe as it has always done. Andante parties are usually really taken with Cologne. I might like to live there for a while. Hmm…

·    Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

An iPod. I need my music with me. Occasionally on long journeys on tour, I sneak off to plug in. One gives a lot when travelling with a group – from breakfast to last thing at night – and whilst I love every minute of it, one needs time to recharge too. I’m never quite sure whether guests might disapprove – as if people who own tour operations ought to be above listening to music! – but somehow it just transports me emotionally and the passing landscapes seem different, as if given a different character and seen through different eyes.

I usually take some Werther’s Originals in case of anxiety. It used to be cigarettes, but I gave those up. Now I need to give up the Werther’s Originals.

Not on tour with guests – no time for such a thing – but always when travelling alone – a good book.  I never get impatient about delays, just park myself somewhere comfortable and get lost in a good story until it’s time to move on.

·    What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

Patience.  A willingness to see the good in what there is, rather than disappointment in what there is not.

·    What has been your worst holiday experience?

Going on a group tour with another company.  I hated every minute and couldn’t change things!

·    Where would you most like to go next?

Bhutan. I have become increasingly interested in Buddhism and Bhutan strikes me as a wonderful place which I would very much like to see. I am very fickle and usally fall hopelessly in love with whichever place I’m setting up a new tour, but Bhutan wouldn’t be for the archaeology or the business or the other people.  It would be for me.

·    Thank you, Annabel

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Meet the Boss: Paul Milsom of Milsom Hotels

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Maison Talbooth christmas paul milsomMaison Talbooth poolhouse

Each week at 101 Holidays we interview one of the people behind the UK’s finest hotels and tour operators. This week we meet up with Paul Milsom, managing director of Milsom Hotels in Essex, a small group that includes one of our favourite places to stay in the English countryside, Maison Talbooth (pictured above).

• Where did you go on holiday this year, and why?

Carlisle Bay Hotel in Antigua – we went in March. It’s perfect for total relaxation and to get some all-important sunshine after a long winter.  The room we had opens out onto the beach with the Caribbean Sea 20 metres away. Our two boys adore it there and always make friends as there were plenty of other kids of their age.

• What is your favourite bolthole in the UK and why?

The Hoste Arms in Burnham Market. The North Norfolk Coast is beautiful and Paul and Jeanne Whittome, the owners of the Hoste are great friends and run a very laid-back hotel that focuses on great food and warm hospitality. The team are always so friendly and it has a clubby atmosphere that puts you at ease. We try to stay there two or three times a year.

• If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

I’m not a massive fan of city breaks and would probably be just as happy to spend time in London as go abroad. However, I think Milan is great. Italian food and wine is superb and the shopping is fabulous which would please my wife Geraldine.  I’d probably also be able to sneak in a game of football at the San Siro!

• Please tell us three items that are always in your hand luggage.

Bose headphones for the flight, a good pair of sunglasses and a good action-packed novel by someone like Robert Ludlum. Reading on holiday is still a fantastic luxury to me as day-to-day life rarely affords me the time.

• What one thing would most improve people’s holiday experience?

It always comes down to the staff and if hotels and restaurants only employed ‘Merchants of Happiness’ we would all have better experiences.

• What has been your worst holiday experience?

Getting robbed in a restaurant in Puerto Banus and losing all our money and passports on day two of our holiday. It put a real dampener on the whole trip. The lesson to learn is don’t leave handbags under the table even in smart restaurants.

• Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

In the UK it’s currently the St Moritz Hotel on the cliff between Polzeath and Rock, which is a great surfing destination. In mainland Europe – the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, its location above the Grande Plage is fantastic and we love it there. The grandeur of the Hotel, the buzz of Biarritz which is a super town and the views over the Atlantic Ocean is a compelling mix, especially if you love surfing.

In the rest of the world it has to be The Carlisle Bay in Antigua.  It’s a super cool retreat and without doubt one of the world’s best holiday hotels.

• What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

We are looking at developing a cookery school and a further 4 bedrooms at our luxury Maison Talbooth hotel, although it’s very much in the planning stage at the moment.

• Thank you, Paul.

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Meet the Boss: Robert Kidd, See Scotland Differently

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Robert Kidderi sunset Meet the Boss: Robert Kidd, See Scotland Differentlyvsp 2 Meet the Boss: Robert Kidd, See Scotland Differently

Robert Kidd, with his wife and business partner Heather McKinlay, started the travel company McKinlay Kidd in 2003, having had over 20 years experience working for some of the biggest names in the UK travel industry. Their See Scotland Differently holidays offer tailormade self-drive, independent holidays and experiences the length and breadth of Scotland and the islands. They live in Glasgow, but spend as much time as possible exploring Scotland to find new, authentic experiences. Robert is from Northern Ireland and is looking forward to the launch of See Ireland differently in 2010.

• Where did you go on holiday last summer, and why? Any plans for next summer?

We started the year with a week’s escape to Tobago, staying in the very relaxed village of Castara, catching some winter sunshine (and some unseasonal rain). Of course we travel frequently at weekends in Scotland, combining business with pleasure – it’s a real privilege to have some much glorious scenery on tap. Our main holiday this year was to Italy, where we stayed for a week in an apartment in Venice, researching family history, enjoying the Regatta Storica and Venice Film Festival, then to Bergamo, which we used as a base to take in the Italian Grand Prix.

Next year we will  be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in our favourite inn in the truly remote north of Scotland, in Sutherland. For our main holiday in November we hope to visit friends in Tanzania and also stay on Zanzibar – we lived in Kenya for a couple of years in the 1990s and look forward to our “Africa fix” every 2-3 years if possible.

• What is your favourite bolthole in the UK, and why?

We bought a cottage near the Mull of Kintyre nine years ago and recently had it fully modernised. It is five minutes’ walk from some glorious empty beaches, and we try to be there as often as possible, just about every weekend through the summer.

• If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

Chicago – all the buzz of New York, with much less hassle, and I enjoy the live music scene there.

• Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

A camera – we take most of the pictures on our websites ourselves, a sunhat (due to my receded hairline!), and a waterproof – I never let the weather stop me getting out there.

• What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

Making the most of local knowledge. At McKinlay Kidd we pride ourselves in helping people to find the places you think you might stumble across, but somehow never do. It’s the authentic local experiences that make a holiday special.

• What has been your worst holiday experience?

My only visit to Egypt will be forever tainted by being horribly ill for three days on a Nile cruise ship. However, a weekend in Blackpool a couple of years ago, was absolutely horrific from beginning to end, despite staying in a highly-rated B&B and eating in the so-called best restaurant in the town. All not helped when my football team (Charlton Athletic) were hammered 5 –3.

• Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

Several in Scotland, probably the Isle of Eriska; the Hotel New York in Rotterdam and Shompole Lodge in the Rift Valley of Kenya.

• What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

The launch of See Ireland Differently, which will include holidays in Northern Ireland, where I was born and brought up.

• Thank you, Robert.

Visit the website, See Scotland Differently.

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Meet the Boss: Xavier Schouller, Peak Retreats

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

xavier 300x295 Meet the Boss: Xavier Schouller, Peak RetreatsBoathouse at Steephill Cove

Each week at 101 Holidays we interview one of the people behind the UK’s finest travel companies. This week we meet up with Xavier Schouller, the managing director of Peak Retreats, a specialist in unspoilt Alpine resorts.

After working at the French Embassy in London and for Brittany Ferries, Xavier set up Peak Retreats with his partner Nathalie in 2002. The couple live in Southsea with their two young children.

* Where did you go on holiday this year, and why?

My twin passions are skiing and sailing. I’ve been doing both since the age of five and although I’ve given up the offshore racing, I still need my dose of sailing every year. So we spent a week on the water in the South of France between the Bay of St Tropez and the beautiful unspoilt islands south of Hyeres (Ile du Levan, Port Cros, Porquerolles). I then stayed with my partner’s family and enjoyed a bit of beach and a dose of the French things we miss by living in the UK.

* What is your favourite bolthole in the UK, and why?

The Isle of Wight ,where I first came as teenager on several sailing holidays. I love going back there – it just feels like you are stepping back in time. The pace of life seems so much slower than on the mainland. Ventnor is my favourite place and particularly the Boathouse at Steephill Cove (pictured above). It feels like a little bit of the Caribbean but with UK weather.

* If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

I love the mountains and I love the idea of Kathmandu, a city in the heart of the Himalayas with history and breathtaking scenery . It’s also the ideal base to start some great mountain itineraries. One day I will find the time…

* Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

A Blackberry charger, a plastic carrier bag (in many countries like France you don’t get these any longer in supermarkets whilst in the UK some 13bn are handed to shoppers every year and then take a reputed 1,000 years to decay), and a handheld trekking GPS as I like to know where I am, where I am going and where I have been.

* What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

To ignore price for a short moment. These days too many people start their holiday search by focussing on price or a special offer and forget all the important elements that they should be looking for instead. Who remembers how much they paid for a holiday a few years down the line? Experiences make holiday memories, not cost.

* What has been your worst holiday experience?

I have never had a bad holiday as such but my worst holiday memory was getting a phone call from the office whilst on holiday in Northern Spain to tell me that my house had been burgled. We decided to stay on as there was not much to be done but it clearly spoilt the rest of the holiday. In the end it was a happy ending in that there wasn’t that much stolen (apart from all my best bottles of fine French wine). The burglars were caught and most items were recovered - except the wine which they had drunk!

* Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

I haven’t had a hotel break in the UK for a while as I prefer to stay with friends. Le Normandy in Deauville, Normandy, which is managed by the well-respected Lucien Barrière chain. La Mamounia in Marrakesh, which has just been totally refurbished. The last time I was there a guy called Sarkozy was staying in one of the suites. He has now changed jobs, I believe.

* What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

We are working on a new summer holiday programme to France to complement our Ski Collection winter ski programme. It will be under a new brand but I just can’t say any more right now. Watch this space, as they say.

* Thank you, Xavier.

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Meet the Boss: Fi Lowry, Kudu Travel

Monday, October 19th, 2009

cape town1 Meet the Boss: Fi Lowry, Kudu Travelfi lowry kudu travel1 Meet the Boss: Fi Lowry, Kudu Travelsalt hotel bolivia Meet the Boss: Fi Lowry, Kudu Travel

Each week at 101 Holidays we meet one of the people behind the UK’s finest travel companies. This week we speak with Fi Lowry, Director of the cultural walking tour specialist, Kudu Travel.

Fi’s role at Kudu is very much ‘hands on’, still leading some trips herself. Brought up overseas, she has done ornithological research in Senegal, Israel and Ascension Island, played in the National Symphony Orchestra in Baghdad, taught English in Greece, nursed in Iceland, guided tours to see gorillas in Uganda and Zaire and spent two years in the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces. After 9 years as a freelance tour leader, she set up Kudu Travel to put all this experience to good use. Fi lives in a winemaking village near Lake Orta in Italy.

* Where did you go on holiday this year, and why?

I went to Lake Skadar, which straddles the border between Montenegro and Albania, for birdwatching, wine-tasting and exploring the mediaeval monasteries on rocky islands in the lake.

* What is your favourite bolthole in the UK, and why?

Skokholm island in Wales - for its remoteness, peace and quiet, the sea, walking and birdwatching. It’s also one of only three places in the world (the others being South Africa and the French West Indies) where I have managed to catch the elusive ‘green flash’, the perfect excuse for sitting gazing out to sea at sunset.

* If you could spend a long weekend in any city abroad, which would you pick, and why?

Cape Town (pictured top left) because of its incomparably beautiful setting, the marvellous Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens, fabulous restaurants and wines, good opera and ballet and excellent museums (including the Cape Malay heritage and Nelson Mandela’s prison on Robben Island) - and because you can climb Table Mountain and go whale-watching on the same day and still fit in some live jazz on the Waterfront in the evening.

* Please tell us three items that are always found in your luggage.

Binoculars, my iPod loaded with Handel’s operas, and walking poles (years of mountain walking have given me very creaky knees).

* What one thing would most improve people’s overall holiday experience?

Being clear in their own minds about what they want to gain from their holiday so that they choose a destination, a standard of accommodation and an activity range that will meet, or exceed, their expectations and hopes.

* What has been your worst holiday experience?

Yemen, almost 30 years ago, when during a single month exploring on my own I was shot at twice, arrested three times, narrowly avoided kidnap and ended up ill with Giardia for weeks.

* Tell us your favourite hotel: in the UK; in mainland Europe; in the rest of the world.

I haven’t stayed in a hotel in the UK for years so cannot comment; Schloss Kapfenstein in Austria; the Chedi in Muscat.

* What is the most exciting project your company is working on right now?

A new trip to Bolivia (pictured top right) to attend the Baroque Music Festival in the Mission churches - members of the indigenous Bolivian tribes performing music commissioned by the Jesuits during the Spanish colonial era - plus visiting the reed boat-building villages on Lake Titicaca, witnessing mirages on the extraordinary salt flats and staying in the improbable salt hotel, tracking jungle wildlife and walking in the Andes.

* Thank you, Fi.

Visit the Kudu Travel website.

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