Going local isn’t always smooth travelling, but Intrepid’s Nicola Gibson explains why bouncing from Thailand to Cambodia can be such fun…
“Some people complain about the “dancing road” from Poi Pet (Thai border) to Siem Reap, but my groups so often say it was a fantastic experience of a life time. Yes, the road is bumpy, but have you taken a good look outside and noticed the countryside that you’re passing through?
The country only celebrates its 20th anniversary of independence on 21 March this year, but as Intrepid’s Gill Leaning discovered, Namibia is an ancient land of dramatic deserts and stunning landscapes…
“Golden quiver trees burst proudly out of the dusty ground, reminding the clumps of dry grass and black skeletal tree frames surrounding them that it is possible to thrive in this harsh environment. Sociable Weaver nests weigh heavily on the branches of camel-thorn trees like giant haystacks hanging out to dry in the midday sun. Ostrich show off their impressive plumage as they parade along the roadside, whilst agile Springbok skip lightly across the road in front of us.
Little did Darrell Wade, Intrepid CEO and co-founder, know that an impulsive journey 26 years ago would lead to an Intrepid Travel adventure that’s been going strong now for over 20 years…
“In 1984 I headed out from Kathmandu on a 3-month adventure that would change my life. I was in a 4 wheel drive overland truck operated by Encounter Overland. There were 19 of us and we spent the next 14 weeks crossing India and Pakistan into Iran, Syria, Jordon and Turkey. Amazing landscapes, diverse cultures and a brilliant group. It’s no exaggeration to say that every day was an adventure and it absolutely changed the way I looked at the world.
If you are in search of an adventure of Ben Hur proportions, then Intrepid’s Across the Sahara, from Cairo to Casablanca, is one of the great epic journeys. There are so many highlights en route, but as Intrepid Express reader Tori Salman discovered, Tunisia sets the scene for an out-of-this-world adventure…
“A trip to ancient land of Tunisia seemed like something that I just had to experience. During my time in this fascinating country I enjoyed a camel safari in the Sahara Desert, wandered around tiny oases, and spent a day lazing along the Mediterranean coastline near Tunis, but it was the unexpected sightings of some film locations that caught me by surprise.
Since Jacquie Burnside joined Intrepid as a group leader many moons ago, she’s seen the company grow to be one of the world’s most respected adventure travel operators. You can pack of whole lot of amazing real life experiences into twenty years, and as Jac has just discovered on her latest adventure, it’s amazing how much fun you can cram into 26 days in Ghana and Mali…
“In 1988 on my very first big trip overseas, I took a five month overland safari from Egypt to Tanzania and then up through Central Africa and across the Sahara to Europe! This was at about the same time that Darrell and Manch were travelling with friends on the southbound route from London to Nairobi, when they conceived the business idea that was to become Intrepid Travel. I joined this fledgling company some 5 years later.
World Cup Fever is sweeping Ghana this week! Ghana has become the first African country to qualify for the 2010 Football World Cup, joining England and Australia in qualification.
Ghanaian Captain Michael Essien summed up the country’s passion for the beautiful game, “The people of Ghana wanted us to win and we did not let them down. What a fantastic feeling to be the first African country to qualify for the first World Cup to be staged in Africa.”
When surrounded by impressive ruins of bygone eras, you can’t help but wonder who has stood there before you. Remarkable cities that have been reduced to remnants of the past still tell a memorable tale, as Intrepid traveller Cameron Rose discovered on his Istanbul to Tehran adventure…
“Our journey through Anatolia in Turkey was filled with many highlights. It felt so good to see places that are barely touched by tourism and western exposure. Inspiring landscapes, ancient buildings and ruins, pure Turkish hospitality and an abundance of Turkish tea drunk are the predominant images and thoughts that come to mind. But what made a special impression on me was the visit to Ani from Kars. For others Ishak Pasha’s Palace outside Dogubayazit was more imposing, but there I still had the overwhelming memory of Ani, with its beautiful buildings in a majestic setting close to the Armenian border.
Vietnamese New Year, or Tet, is a bright display of blossoms, fruit offerings and red envelopes carrying lucky money. As the chant of “Chuc mung nam moi” rings out around Vietnam this week, wishing friends and family happy New Year, we join Intrepid’s Sarah Moore on her recent Reunification Express adventure…
“Last night I met the eleven travellers I would spend the next 14 days with. A mixture of Kiwis, Aussies and Brits, we are (amongst other professions) a doctor, hairdresser, lawyer, two school teachers, a semi-retired courier driver and a diesel mechanic, ranging in age from eighteen to fifty-six years.
In the northwest of China you will find a wild part of the world surrounded by Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu provinces and no less than eight bordering countries – Russia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India and Mongolia. Intrepid’s Tina Gerets loves her Silk Road adventures through this extraordinary region…
“When I think about ‘wild frontiers’ the first place that comes to mind is the barren landscape of China’s remote Xinjiang province. The name literally means ‘new frontier’. Home to one sixth of China’s total landmass and a third of the country’s natural resources, Xinjiang is like nothing you expect China to be.
