AFRICA
JULIAN HARRISON, PREMIER TOURS

We are avid readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine and want to tell you about our experiences with Julian Harrison of Premier Tours.

We planned on going to Africa and looked to your magazine for help in identifying an agent who would be knowledgeable about the area. After calling and discussing our plans with a few we decided on Julian Harrison.

We initially spoke to Julian in late 06 and finalized our plans in January of 07.

In net, we found Julian and his company exceptionally professional and helpful. He assisted us in all aspects of our planning from when and where to go, to following up with all aspects of the logistics of such a trip. We spent a total of 15 days in Africa in May and they were truly amazing.

Both my wife and myself feel blessed and touched by the magic of Africa and wanted to acknowledge Julian's assistance in making this happen.

Wilbert and Blanche Sutter

ITALY
ROBERTO AGOSTINI, CONDEROBERTO

I have been a subscriber to your magazine for over a decade. Every year I pull out your Annual Travel Specialist list in hopes that I will plan a trip worthy of a specialist. This year for my husband's 50th birthday in June, we decided to travel to Italy and used Roberto Agostini. As we had not traveled much out of North America, this was a big adventure for my family, and I wouldn't have done it any other way. Roberto's contacts in Italy were superb. The trip was perfectly planned to our specifications (including lots of shopping time for our 14 year old daughter), the English speaking guides made the sites we visited come alive and the accommodations were beyond our expectations. The big birthday dinner at the recommended La Giostra in Florence was amazing. We will truly cherish the memories we made for the rest of our lives. Please continue to upate the list yearly so that we can plan our next special vacation.
Lisa Rosenfeld, Tucson, Arizona

SOUTH AMERICA
MICHELLE SHELBURNE, LADATCO TOURS

i want to recommend Michelle Shelburne (you gave us her name) with ladatco tours of florida. she planned our trip to brazil, argentina, and chile for nov. '07 and everything went smoothly. her choices were excellent and there no hitches. we will use her again on our trip to patagonia in the near future.

jesse and carol kahn,carmel, ca.

CROATIA
WANDA RADETTI, TASTEFUL CROATIAN JOURNEYS

I just wanted to take a moment to add my comments about Wanda Radetti an expert in Croatia. In September 2008 my husband and I spent 2 weeks in Slovenia and Croatia, a wonderful journey planned with the advice of Wanda. She helped us plan our time most effectively and led us to destinations we may not have found on our own. She arranged for car rental when necessary and arranged for guides and drivers when that would be more efficient. Without exception, the personnel she recommended were knowledgeable, courteous, and downright fun. Each accommodation was was wonderful, ranging from large and well known, to small and relatively hidden. Wanda's restaurant recommendations, along with suggestions for markets, shopping, cultural attractions and sights, enriched our trip immeasurably.

I can't think of a downside to Wanda's service. Communication with her was excellent and she took the time to understand what we needed from our trip. She was happy to work with our budget while maximizing our experience. I would recommend Wanda and Tasteful Croation Journeys without reservation to anyone planning to travel to this wonderful part of the world.
Jamie Ney, Lafayette, CA 94549

TANZANIA
MARK NOLTING, AFRICA ADVENTURE COMPANY

We had a wonderful trip. I went to be amazed and I was!

The quality of the lodging was more than we expected. Our favorite was the tented camp experience. The food was always good, the coffee excellent and the staff was accommodating and helpful.

As an Interior Designer, I was interested in the construction and detailing both of the exterior and interior of all the lodges. My experience will undoubtedly influence some of my future designs.

All the guides knew their business, were great drivers, and answered most of our questions. Firoz, our primary guide, was particularly outstanding. We had asked for a guide who was proficient in many things including birds, reptiles, plants and animals because we are interested in everything and Peter is a biologist. Firoz was the perfect choice for us. He was also willing to stop to watch any bird or animal and share information about them.

Firoz offered to identify a few birds from our photos that we may have trouble naming. I am hopeful that our email with photos reached him so he can reply.

We are most appreciative of the planning Africa Adventure Company did in making this a most memorable trip!

Linda and Peter

AFRICA
MARK NOLTING, AFRICA ADVENTURE COMPANY

Ladies and gentlemen,

When planning our African Safari adventure that my daughters and son-in-laws and I completed in August 2007, we relied in part on the Conde Nast Traveler ratings for our choice of US travel agent and for some insight into the African based outfitters. Armed with that information and Fodor's "African Safari" we picked out some travel agents and outfitters and set about planning our trip. We soon settled upon Mark Nolting and his staff at The African Adventure Company as our travel agents. It turned out to be an excellent choice and we thank Conde Nast for being one of the guideposts that led us to Mark and TAAC.

Mark Nolting's personal advice and counsel in planning the trip and the venues to be visited was invaluable. His and TAAC's expertise and local African contacts and knowledge became doubly so when we decided about two weeks before departure that, based on State Department and media reports, we didn't want to spend the bulk of our time in Zimbabwe. Mark and his colleague Andre worked tirelessly to completely rebook our trip at the height of the season so that we were able to maintain the same travel dates and international flights and were able to enjoy the same luxury level of accommodations at comparable sites in Zambia. While the trip ended up costing a bit more since Zimbabwe's prices are generally lower than those in its neighboring states, the quality of the experience and the peace of mind the change offered were well worth it.

Upon our return I wrote Mark, Andre and their colleagues at TAAC an email letter describing our adventures and thanking them for arranging them so well. I have included a copy of that letter below.

Sincerely,

Alexander Jordan

________________________________________
From: Alexander Jordan
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 10:04 PM
To: 'Africa Adventure Company'
Subject: Our recent safari

Dear Mark, Andre, Svilvia, Kathy and the rest of the African Adventures and
Wilderness staffs that helped plan and execute our trip,

Thank you for your guidance and skill in putting together the trip of a lifetime (although we all hope to do it again). It exceeded our greatest expectations in all respects.

The transportation arrangements were flawless from the time we left Boston and Portland, Oregon and Patrick met Tim and me on August 11th at Johannesburg airport until our departures and safe arrivals home on August 25th and 26th. The only delay that we experienced in the whole time was a 2 hour wait in the Kasane airport while we waited for our scheduled charter flight aircraft to arrive from Lusaka where it had been prevented from taking off because of the security arrangements attendant to the departure of the various southern Africa presidents who had been meeting at a conference of country leaders held in Lusaka. That couldnýt be helped and because of the slack that you built into our schedule the delay had no affect on our activities in South Luangwa except to postpone lunch. Tim took advantage of the delay to teach Tai Chi to some of the natives on a patch of grass just outside the Kasane terminal. Wilderness agents and transfer van/range rover drivers were always at the appointed place on time to ease our way through customs and immigration and to whisk us on our way to our next destination. The charter flight pilots were all friendly and highly skilled and added to the greatly to our enjoyment of the air transfers. Likewise the ground transfer drivers and guides at Kasane, Mfuwe and Livingstone were on time and most helpful and informative.

The accommodations were excellent at all of the venues with only the Zambezi Sun being a little less quality than the others. It was very nice to be able to enjoy the comfort and luxury of the Emperor Hotel [at Johannesburg airport] after the 20+ hour journey from Boston and Portland. (Theyýve dropped the ýCaesarý from the name due to objections from Caesarýs Palace). The Chobe Game Lodge lived up to its reputation and the Impalila Island Lodge was charming, scenic and very comfortable. However, the Royal Zambezi and the Mchenga tent chalets and main lodges were even better in terms of the accommodations, intimacy and the warmth and attentiveness of their staffs (although the frogs in the open air bathrooms at Mchenga were a little disconcerting at first).

The food at Chobe Game Lodge was buffet style and provided a variety of choices and preparations at every meal. The BBQ with warthog and impala roasts was memorable although overall the food was not as outstanding as that at the Royal Zambezi or Mchenga where the meals were prepared and served at table for smaller groups of guests. The Impalila Island Lodge food was not as satisfying as that at those two camps and guests were served at individual tables which cut down on the interaction among the visitors. The meals at the Royal Zambezi and Mchenga were much enhanced by the presence of the hostesses, managers and guides at the meal tables with the guests. Not only were they all entertaining, they were able to better help us plan our days and to learn more about the animals, the environs and the flora while dining with them. We also enjoyed being seated at family style tables with the other guests who all proved to be entertaining and interesting companions. The twilight dinner BBQ on an island in the middle of the Zambezi hosted by the Royal Zambezi lodge was a magical night equaled only by the lunch on the Livingstone Island at Victoria Falls.

The first animals we saw were a giraffe feeding right outside of the Livingstone Airport and a herd of elephants and pack of baboons at the Kasane town dump; not the most esthetic settings. The game viewing went rapidly up from that with the afternoon game boat ride with our guide, Kelly, at Chobe which introduced us to large numbers of elephants, buffalo, hippos, crocs, impala, and giraffes in a gorgeous late afternoon and sunset setting. The morning boat drive with Kelly and evening and morning game drives with Sky added feeding lions and lions stalking buffalo (to no avail), kudu and sable to the mix while the evening boat ride added a hyena and many more buffalo with river fording elephants to add to the entertainment. The morning game drive added a hyena stealing a kill from lions, jackels, zebra, many more elephants and kudus in the bush and the ubiquitous impala and baboons, standing sentry for them high in the trees. The transfer to Impalila Island was accomplished without a hitch including a pleasant river boat ride. The lodge is spectacular and the chalets very comfortable and nicely furnished. Tim and I immediately went fishing for tigerfish with Victor as our guide. Tim using a spinning rod and lure caught a 2.5 lb tigerfish. I flyfished and was skunked. But it was very pleasant and Victor, our guide, was knowledgeable and friendly. We were accompanied by hippos as we returned to the lodge and fished the rapids right alongside the site. The following morning Victor took us on a botanical and culture walk which was very informative and interesting. Tim is an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner so the guideýs information about the native healing arts and use of plants was most interesting. [Victorýs] descriptions of current village life and the carrying on of age old traditions even today was also most enlightening. We visited a schoolyard at recess filled with scores of soccer players who used a ball fashioned of plastic shopping bags and string. We visited the villages they lived in and saw how they lived a subsistence lifestyle virtually identical to their ancestors supplemented by few of the amenities of modern life. That afternoon we went on an afternoon boat drive to Chobe with Victor and saw the evening animal show along the Chobe River near the Chobe Game lodge. The two hour transit time on the river and Impalila Island channel was enjoyable although the fast ride back in twilight/darkness did not leave much opportunity for sightseeing.

The transit back to Livingstone by boat, van and charter flight was uneventful. We met up with Jennifer and Stephanie and Adam at the Zambezi Sun for lunch and a visit to the Falls for sunset. The water flow was down but that actually made the whole scene more striking since there was less mist. The next morning we had a tour of the falls and the Chief Mikuni village. The tour of the falls was OK but not essential to enjoy them. The visit to the village was not so informative to Tim and me since we had visited somewhat more ýauthenticý villages on Impalila Island but it gave the others some insight into how the natives live outside of the cities and gave all of us the opportunity to see the inside of a typical village family dwelling compound. We all bought some souvenirs at the village market but I frankly dislike these types of tourist set ups. We got back just in time to catch the boat to Livingstone Island for our lunch on top of the falls. This was spectacular. We saw elephants on the way out on some of the other islands as well as hippos and crocs. The vistas and photo opportunities on the island at the top of the falls were special as was the luncheon. We were fortunate to have as luncheon mates a Zambian farmer/entrepreneur and his American wife whose business is outfitting celebrities on safari as luncheon tablemates. They were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary having been married on the island 10 years before to the day. They were very interesting and attractive luncheon companions. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this event and felt it was well worth the price. It was capped off when we got back to the Royal Livingstone by the presence of about 10 zebras lounging around the pool.

The next morning we flew to the Royal Zambezi Lodge. We were delighted in the flight to look down on the river and see what seemed like hundreds of hippos swimming in the river looking like a fleet of small submarines. Tony, the manager, met us at the airstrip with Royal Zambezi cocktails and drove us to the lodge; encountering elephants on the road along the way. We went on an afternoon/evening game drive with Leonard as our guide. He was an excellent guide and conversationalist. We saw elephants, hippos (our favorites, especially the six or so on an island just off of our tent chalets who acted like a choreographed Rockettes kick line whenever a passing boat rose them from their slumber and frightened them to one after another dance to the waterýs edge and dive in like so many synchronized swimmers), impala, kudus, bushbucks, buffalo, baboons and vervet monkeys. The following morning we enjoyed a game drive with Leonard. After lunch Adam, Steph and I fished for about an hour with Paul as our guide. No luck except for Adam and Steph each catching a chaser [fish] for bait. That was followed by a delightful afternoon canoe trip to view game up close from the water along a river braid. That evening we enjoyed a brilliant BBQ on the hipposý island in the middle of the river. The next morningýs game drive with Leonard introduced us to Douglas, a huge male lion, who posed like a Hollywood pro, along with the other 11 lions in his pride. That afternoon I fished with Adam and Stephanie who nearly landed a 9 lb tigerfish. We had a pleasant evening game drive spotting a leopard and afterwards sat around the fire enjoying homemade pizza made with our preferred toppings in the lodgeýs brick pizza oven. The whole time there was made more enjoyable by the staff and guides who joined us for meals and for quiet convivial evenings with drinks by open fires after the evening meals. The chef was exceptional.

The next morning after some post breakfast target shooting with a pellet gun we flew out with Louie as pilot for Mfuwe and South Luangwa. We were met by a driver from the Norman Carr camps who took us on the two hour ride to Mchenja camp, another spectacular setting on the river with many hippos, monkeys, baboons, impala, pukas and warthogs as daily companions in camp. The tent chalets were on a par and similar to the ones at Royal Zambezi although the rest of the facilities were not quite as grand, albeit just as well sited and picturesque and comfortable. We enjoyed an afternoon/evening game drive with our guide, Levy, and Godfrey, our rifle armed park service tracker, during which we spotted two male lions and a pride of about 12 lioness and young males and cubs.

We enjoyed a morning game drive with Levy highlighted by a pride of lions feeding on a dead hippo in a swamp. After lunch and a siesta we had afternoon/evening game drive with Levy and Godfrey that featured a searchlight lit ýhuntý with two lions and later a leopard stalking impala. There followed a morning game walk with Levy and an armed tracker which was very informative and a great learning experience for all of us. That evening we saw Thornycroft giraffes, many buffalo and zebra and watched a pride of 18 lions devouring a buffalo that they had killed. After sundowners with popcorn over an open fire and hors dýoeuvres and drinks in the bush by the river, we continued our spot lit night stalking and watched a leopard unsuccessfully stalk impala and sighted many different night animals including our only African porcupine. The next morning game drive took us back to the lion pride still feasting on the remains of the buffalo although most of them were on their backs with distended stomachs sleeping off the effects of their gluttony. Godfrey and Levy were a great team spotting game at night and pointing out birds and small rodents and even a python in the dark with the aid of a searchlight. Their skill was truly remarkable. After breakfast the next day Adam, Stephanie and I drove the two hours back to Mfuwe to start our 30 hour odyssey home and Jennifer and Tim went on to Kakuli camp for another day in the bush.

As I said at the start, our trip greatly exceeded our expectations. Thank you!

Al Jordan

FRENCH POLYNESIA
KLEON HOWE, THE ART OF TRAVEL

I had the great fortune of finding Kleon Howe once I recognized creating a French Polynesian vacation for my friend and his family was not for a novice.

In one sentence: Kleon Howe is one of the most meticulous, gracious, sensitive human beings I have ever met and worked with.
That he puts his persona to work helping people delight in a dream vacation is a gift to those who travel.

This is how I feel about my experience with him along with my friend's review below:

I have been fortunate to have a 30 year, close friendship with one of America's Rock and Roll legends; a gentleman hugely private and profoundly dedicated to beauty and PERFECTION in life. Late last year he spoke of a deep desire to take his wife and family to French Polynesia and then said he wished I could help. Loving a challenge and with 20+ years of intensive film industry research experience, I began my new project based on decades of understanding his very specific needs and values.

Digging into foreign travel can be difficult - which island, which SIDE of the island, hotels, logistics, privacy, excursions, food, wind currents, bugs, bathrooms, etc. and I began to realize the stakes were too high to do this on my own. I could not suffer the pain of something going wrong, thousands of miles away. I began to search for a professional and during one of my scores of calls a representative suggested I contact a Kleon Howe. The universe does watch over us. Our first conversation was mostly an interview - my friend remaining anonymous along with the amount of information I had begun to store. I probed Kleon, listened for his authenticity, the depth of his knowledge and his ability to handle the difficult task of working with someone who does not easily accept mistakes.

Following our twenty minute discussion of 'the dream trip' including the number of travelers and their eccentricities, I knew Kleon was the ONE; gave him a telephone number to call, a first name and called my friend to say I had passed along my research to someone who (I had learned) was listed as a 'Best In The World'. My friend needed to understand my decision and concur with my choice. I crossed my fingers.

The following day my friend phoned: "This Kleon fellow is the one of the most detailed persons I've spoken with. What a pleasant manner he has. He seems to be able to answer ALL of my questions. He seems to understand exactly what I'm trying to achieve here. I hope it's not too good to be true."

Other conversations included details and more praise including, "Kleon seems to have uncovered and covered everything. You did a good job!" Not too prideful yet as the holiday hadn't begun, Kleon worked his magic. He dug and discovered a conference at the very special hotel he had chosen, which might interfere with his clients' solitude and privacy. This could upset the perfection of his plans but with clear communication between the hotel and then my friend, it was all smooth.

And now, allow me to jump to the holiday, many days into the trip my phone rings. I answer to hear my friend calling from his Bora Bora hotel room to say that he has NEVER walked into a more perfect situation or environment. The rooms were gorgeous; the water and light are pristine but mostly, to me, for the purpose of this conversation, was about the brilliant work done by Kleon Howe: every last decision: hotel, room configurations considering the variables, with his supreme attention to detail including having cribs in two rooms so his baby would be comfortable in the multi-party housing. He was even amazed with the size of the bathrooms and views and the kindness of the staff and the seamlessness of all the logistics. He was ecstatic enough to want to share it, right then.

I expect he will talk about this trip for some time and share Kleon's expertise. I find it profoundly important to pass along this information to a magazine that has put its reputation on the line by describing Kleon's talents as the best in the world. He is.

Generally reticent to do things of this nature I was delighted at my friend's response when asked, based on the level of excellence Kleon achieved, if would like to review his holiday. He replied in an instant. "Yes, I'd be glad to give this as a quote. Write it down:

"In that indefinable thing called "taste," Kleon Howe is supreme." --Art Garfunkel

EAST AFRICA
NINA WENNERSTEN & DAN SAPERSTEIN, HIPPO CREEK SAFARIS

My husband and I returned in 2007 from a 2-week safari which Nina Wennersten/Daniel Saperstein of Hippo Creek Safaris of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey put together for us.

I was provided with the name of Hippo Creek through a travel agent/friend who I have worked with in the past. In doing some research on the internet and from previous general knowledge I contact Micato and A&K as well as Hippo Creek.

I had a long talk with Nina before she put an itinerary together for us. We discussed timing, where we wanted to go, how long we wanted to be in Africa and, in general what we were looking for. Nina sent me two itineraries to choose from. I called both of the other companies and asked them to put an itinerary together for me. I sent them both the Hippo Creek itinerary (without pricing or identification) and asked them to just give me an
apples-to-apples comparison. Neither company was willing to work with me, but, in speaking with a representative from Micato she basically told me that they could put the pretty much the same itinerary together for me but
pricing would be based on going with a group of 18-24 people. Hippo Creek was offering us our own personalized safari vacation.

Once we made our decision, I started working on using mileage for the air. I am telling you this because I basically screwed up the two itineraries and then Nina had to make some quick moves so that she could make the safari dates work with our flights.

Dan and Nina were there for us the entire way. They provided us with contact information and letters for the Consulates. They also provided us with very valuable packing and tipping guidelines.

Our only level of insecurity came from not having confirmations or tickets for when we landed in Africa, but Nina allayed our concerns in talking us through the "Africa" system. I will say that both companies which they used were there for us all of the way.

The safari experience itself was absolutely wonderful. The lodges and camps we stayed at provided a great variety of experiences and each safari location was so very different both in regard to game viewing and living experience. We stayed at the fabulous Sasakwa, the more simple Sayari Camp, the luxurious Ngorogoro Crater Lodge (where I had a fabulous birthday celebration), Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in the jungle, and the simply elegant Cottar's Camp. In Nairobi, both coming and going we were put up at the lovely House of Waine.

I can't speak for others, but our experience using Hippo Creek was wonderful and our safari exceeded our expectations.

Thank you for this opportunity to tell you about Hippo Creek and our safari experience.

CAMBODIA AND THAILAND
ANDREA ROSS, JOURNEYS WITHIN TOUR COMPANY

During the first two weeks of 2008, my family and I traveled to Thailand and Cambodia using the services of Journeys Within travel company. I had received the name of the company on the list of preferred travel companies via Conde Nast magazine in August, 2007. Journeys Within specializes in trips to Southeast Asia. I contacted Andrea Ross by email and laid out an initial itinerary that we wanted to follow. Andrea was prompt in my initial response and thereafter conducted the remainder of our business simply by email. Andrea was excellent in offering suggestions as to where to stay in Bangkok and she offered use of her B&B when we traveled to Siem Reap.
I couldn't have been more pleased with the arrangements that Andrea made for the hotel we stayed in in Bangkok and provided an excellent speaking guide who accompanied us to the temple complex, and to the additional temples of Wat Pho and Wat Arun. Andrea also suggested that we visit the Sunday market in Bangkok which was very interesting, also accompanied by Natalie, our local guide. Natalie made sure that she accompanied us to the Bangkok airport on our departure to make sure that we made the flight to Cambodia successfully.
When we flew to Siem Reap, we were immediately met by one of the staff members from Journeys Within and promptly drove us to the B&B that Andrea and her husband, Brandon, operate. The B&B consists of three modern villas each with two floors. The villas are located behind the main house where Andrea and Brandon live with their two small children. They also use the main house for their business and use the outdoor patio to serve the guests. The villas are immaculately clean and decorated very tastefully. Between the villas is a beautiful salt water pool to enjoy when the weather is hot.
The staff at Journeys Within was amazingly friendly, always eager to help whenever they could. The meals that we ate were delicious and plentiful.
The tour guide that Andrea arranged for us in Siem Reap accompanied us to Angkor Wat for three days. The guide was excellent, speaking fluent English. He was patient as he guided us through the different complexes of Angkor Wat. He was incredibly patient whenever we stopped to take pictures. He was excellent in explaining carefully the history of each different temple we visited. He arose early one morning and accompanied us out to Angkor Wat to witness the sunrise over the main temple complex. That was a highlight! He also took us out to a remote temple complex, Beng Mealea, located three hours outside of Siem Reap, which is much less crowded than the Angkor Wat complex. A visit to Beng Mealea was suggested by Andrea during the initial phase of organizing the trip. I glad that she suggested the visit to these remote ruins, complete with a pyramid that would rival the ones in Mexico. All of the traveling we did was in the comfort of a large, air conditioned van with a separate driver. Cold bottles of water were always available in the van.
Other aspects of what Andrea and Brandon have done during their experience in Siem Reap is to set up a humanitarian organization to which guests are invited to participate (absolutely no pressure to participate). The fact that this B&B offered a humanitarian experience is one of the main reasons why I chose Journeys Within. My family and I were able to accompany the Journeys Within staff to a Buddhist monastery and help teach the young munks how to use computers. The two storey building where we met was constructed through donations made via Journeys Within Our Community, (JWOC), check out the website, the humanitarian branch of the B&B. We also were able to go to another school in Siem Reap and help teach English to the eager Cambodian students. We had an amazing experience with these two teaching opportunities. This experience has made me rethink my perspective with future travel sites. I want to be able to connect with a travel company, such as Journeys Within, that can offer a way to volunteer the services of my family in a worthwhile cause.
The other aspect of Journeys Within consists of several programs whereby Journeys Within is helping to raise the social and economic condition of the local Cambodian people. They have developed a scholarship program to help several of the students attending the university in Siem Reap. Additionally, they have actively helped a nearby squatter's village by digging 14 deep water wells througout the village to help bring fresh water to the local people. Brandon escorted my family and me through the village, and it was obvious how well liked Brandon and his coworkers are throughout the village.
I was so impressed by what a difference that Journeys Within is making in Siem Reap that I enthusiastically offered to help sponsor three university students for the coming year in addition to making a financial contribution to the operational aspect of the business.
I would highly recommend Journeys Within to any traveler who is even remotely interested in visiting Siem Reap and the nearby ruins of Angkor Wat. Andrea and Brandon are an amazingly down to earth young couple who are accomplishing wonderful things for the local community.
I would also highly recommend using Andrea who would be happy to help organize a personal trip to not only Thailand and Cambodia, but she also offers trips to Vietnam and Laos. They have offered trips to Myanmar in the past. One would have to contact her for current status of trips there.
Todd Johns, Silver Spring, MD

RUSSIA
GREG TEPPER, EXETER INTERNATIONAL

For a trip to Russia, August 2007

Another Conde Nast Top Travel Agent success!

Last year we went to Russia and the arrangments made by Greg Tepper simply could not have been done by any other!

Russia as many of you know is not an easy place to visit( although getting easier)and so we wanted a special hassle free trip and we found that with Exeter International.

Greg and Alex ( who our trip was given to) are dreams and know everything there is to know about Russia. They are extreme professional and we felt taken care of from the planning process tright through the trip itself. Our trip was planned for Moscow and St Petersburg. In each city our hotels were outstanding and we were treated grandly. At the Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg were were fully upgraded way up to a balcony room with all of St Petersburg spread out before us.

Special treatment included a visit to the Amber rooms of Catherine Palace, a backstage visit for the ballet and I got to sit in Catherine the Great's seat!

Our guides were great and hand chosen by Exeter. All in all Exeter made our trip seamless and effortless; just what you want when
you are on vacation.

Without hesitation, I would highly recommend Greg Tepper and his team at Exeter for your next trip to Russia!

Robyn and Allan Webb
Alexandria, VA

BALI
DIANE EMBREE, MICHAEL'S TRAVEL CENTRE

It was an absolute pleasure to work with Diane Embree on planning my honeymoon to Bali. She got us special access to everything, we played with the gamelan, saw a village dance class, and (my favorite) went to an amazing medicine man. We were looking to really experience the true culture of Bali, not just lay on the beach, and Diane made that happen. My husband and I both agree we had the perfect honeymoon. Additionally, Diane was always available and willing to answer my questions. She really went above and beyond in helping to plan our trip.

CAMBODIA
ANDREA ROSS, JOURNEYS WITHIN TOUR COMPANY

We recently used Journeys Within for a trip to South east Asia. I subscribe to Conde Nast traveller and am so pleased that I found their website in the magazine! There were five of us travelling - two adults, my husband's two older children, aged 21 and 23, and our 8 year old daughter. Despite the fairly diverse "interests" of the group due to the age spreads and the fact that we were not all together all the time, Andrea and her team organized an excellent trip and helped us enormously along the way as we encountered a few glitches (none of which were to do with them at all). It was great to actually meet Andrea and her family in Siem Reap. I felt that that part of the trip was particularly special since (to me) they have a unique perspective about the community there. All the guides they provided us with were wonderful and the activities in each area were made all the more interesting because of their knowledge and charm.

Andrea was fabulous to work with in arranging the trip. I found her to be very sensitive to our needs and preferences as well as to the costs and she worked well within our budget.

I throughly recommend Journeys Within to anyone who is organizing a trip to South East Asia.

Melanie Ferrandi
Vancouver, Canada

CROATIA
WANDA RADETTI, TASTEFUL CROATIAN JOURNEYS

I recently completed a wonderful, although time-challenging trip to Croatia. Wanda Radetti of Creative Croatian Journeys did a marvelous job of developing and executing an itenerary that I could have never have done on my own. Our various guides and transportation agents could not have been better and what impressed me most was the fact that Wanda was in continual contact with each of these various entities throughout the entire trip. Her attention to detail is exceptional and I would definitely recommend her to anyone travelling throughout this area.

THE MALDIVES
LINDSEY WALLACE, LINARA TRAVEL

I found Lindsey Wallace at Linara Travel through the top travel specialist issue and I could not have been happier. Lindsey spend so much time answering all of our questions, listening to what we wanted to do and he matched us up with a resort that was simply amazing. The Maldives was gorgeous and Lindsey made it truly special.

Thanks for recommending Lindsey. We had no idea travel specialists could do such a fantastic job.

SOUTHERN AFRICA
RYAN HILTON, ADMIRAL TRAVEL

We are very happy to see Ryan Hilton named once again as one of your top travel specialists, and designated the recommended generalist as well.

We were fortunate to have Ryan plan and accompany us on our trip this April to Phinda and Singita in South Africa . We had long conversations last year about what we were looking for on this, our third, safari (your Tip #3!) and Ryan helped us decide where we should go and made all the arrangements. There were 8 of us, 5 with serious photographic equipment. Ryan's expertise as a photographer, coupled with his knowledge and love of Africa, made for an incredible experience. His relationship with the game lodges secured special activities (private wine tasting dinner, late night game drive, extraordinary cocktail party in the bush) which enhanced the spectacular game viewing.

Congratulations to Ryan Hilton and Conde Nast! And thank you for all the timely and useful travel information, advice, and recommendations.

Melinda Manchester
Camarillo, California

RUSSIA
GREG TEPPER, EXETER INTERNATIONAL

CAMBODIA
ANDREA ROSS, JOURNEYS WITHIN TOUR COMPANY

CAMBODIA, LAOS, THAILAND, VIETNAM
SANDY FERGUSON, ASIA DESK

After a fantastic trip to Russia in 2007 courtesy of Exeter International Travel (another of Wendy's travel specialists), we expected that we would experience the same excellent level of service and attention from the travel specialists for Asia, Andrea Ross (Journeys Within) and Sandy Ferguson (Asia Desk). Sadly, that was not our experience.

Both are very knowledgeable and Sandy seemed especially so, but our attempts to plan a trip well in advance met with weeks and months of delays until we gave up in disgust and hired a local travel agency recommended by friends who provided the service and responsiveness we had sought from Andrea and Sandy.

Andrea was particularly frustrating, standing us up for more than one call, late for another, and when we were cut off on a call the night before Thanksgiving, we never heard back until we wrote her and asked what happened, after waiting for her call back. She said the circuits were busy but didn't bother to call again or email, just saying that we could talk when she got back to the US in January, two months later! PS We never heard back from her. We were disgusted and frustrated by her.

Sandy, too, was hard to get prompt answers from. At one point he said there was a family emergency and he'd be back to us in a week. Three or four weeks later when we tried again to reach him, we finally heard back, but essentially waited for two months for some information. Some of this was new price info, but long silences and lack of specific communication and check-in dates, left us frustrated.

For these reasons, I cannot recommend either.

However, if you go to Russia, Exeter International is the best.

Shelley Canter

CRUISES (SMALL SHIPS, MEDITERRANEAN)
RICHARD TUREN, CHURCHILL & TUREN

Just a note to say how much I enjoy your columns in Conde Nast and I also want to give you some feedback on Richard Turen. We have used him on three trips and cannot tell you how special he is. He is very honest and informative and is always available, even on weekends.

On a recent trip to Turkey, our flight was canceled and we experienced a 24 hour delay. This was on a Saturday. He received my "panic" call and immediately rescheduled flights and hotel reservations in Cappadocia. Also on a cruise on the QMII, he was able to upgrade our 500 square foot stateroom to a magnificent 1500 square foot duplex. He's definitely worth his weight in gold.

Thanks again for your columns.

Suzanne Joyce

INDIA, NEPAL, SRI LANKA, TIBET
SANJAY SAXENA, DESTINATION HIMALAYA

My wonderful 'wizard', Sanjay Saxena, has been orchestrating my travels to South Asia for the last decade. I cannot speak highly enough or give adequate rave reviews of Sanjay and his company, Destination Himalaya...His awards speak for themselves: for the last four consecutive years, Conde Nast Traveler has awarded Sanjay "Top Travel Specialist", and in 2008 National Geographic Adventure gave Destination Himalaya "Best Outfitters on Earth Award".

My most recent travels were over a period of nine weeks: December '07-January '08 in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. Each year, I'm blessed to travel in Asia for 8 or 9 weeks at a time, tailor-made private itineraries, crafted every step of the way by Sanjay.

His passion and knowledge of his motherland, India is unique in the travel business. His staff in South Asia are the finest. Never, in my ten years of traveling in Asia, have I had so much as a hiccup. I've traveled the length and breadth of India, Tibet, Bhutan...and delight in numerous visits to Thailand. Whether accommodations are in a metro area five-star hotel, a tent at 16,000 ft. somewhere in the majesty of the mighty Himalaya, a maharaja's palace in Rajasthan, Gujarat or Chhattisgarh, or aboard a houseboat in Kerala - each experience is enchanting. My guides and drivers are superb...each so very highly knowledgeable, caring, attentive and thoughtful. All have the patience of saints, indulging my many hours of photography. One of the joys of traveling privately, I have the daily flexibility to adjust my itinerary and/or my guide might suggest another route/place of interest. All such variables are made with ease and accommodation... and never fail to bring unexpected, wonderful surprises!
In my annual travels, I've had wonderful, up-close tiger sightings... sat cross-legged on the floor of a little cottage in the mountains of Ladakh, watching a wizened-faced oracle go into her trance, then later, tell me about my life...a day spent at the elephant orphanage in Pinnawela, Sri Lanka where I couldn't get enough of these precious pachyderms, my favorite mammals!...unique, wonder-filled experiences visiting the tribes in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh...roamed the grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau... elephant safaris...camel safaris...All utterly magical, sublime, unique and so very, very memorable.

I have an innate passion for India and spend at least five weeks each year moving around this glorious, eclectic, vast sub-continent - where I also now sponsor a child in the western state of Gujarat. Every visit to India brings wonder-filled new experiences and the joy of sharing times with new-found friends.

For anyone wanting to explore South Asia - either for the first time, or going back for more...let me say, there are only four words to send you on your way: Sanjay Saxena -Destination Himalaya....truly the best in the business!

Namaste, tashi delek, kuzuzangpo-la, ayubowan!

ISRAEL
SUSAN WEISSBERG, WYLLY'S TRAVEL

Dear Ms. Perrin,

Recently I wrote you about a Miami travel agent Susan Weissberg and the wonderful advice, service and care she provided my wife and I on our trip to Israel. Naturally, when one is satisfied with a service provider one returns and continues doing business with them, so we called Susan and asked for ideas about what we could do over the upcoming Christmas holiday. The result was that a few months ago we booked a Caribbean cruise on Susan's recommendation for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Planning, decisions and deposits were competed months ago and no longer on our mind .

I am not writing about the long past planning, nor the as yet taken cruise, but rather a totally un-expected act of service Susan provided in between the planning and the trip. Yesterday, a Sunday, I received a call from Susan telling me that the cruise company we have booked had recently instituted a senior citizen discount and that we were getting a $300 reduction in our cruise.

What impressed my wife and I was that the file had been closed on our cruise months ago and yet Susan, when notified of the cruise lines change in policy, took the time and effort to go through her files and pull the ones this change effected. I don't know how many of her clients she was able to save money for, but I do know two she did that really appreciate such professionalism, such caring and such effort. Wow, we got what we expected which is pretty rare these days.

Thank you,

Josee & Michael Andalman

ISRAEL
SUSAN WEISSBERG, WYLLY'S TRAVEL

Dear Ms. Perrin,

Thank you for recommending Susan Weissberg as a specialist for Israel in your 2007 top travel specialist's list.

As Greek Orthodox christians, our family of eight persons needed a customized itinerary for first timers traveling to Israel and the Holy Land this past spring, with emphasis on christian sites. We did not want to travel in a group situation or on a tour bus.

Susan worked up an itinerary including not only the religious sites in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth and the Galilee but also chose a wonderful guide who had knowledge of archeology and history in all areas.

The first class hotels were perfect for all of our needs and we were moved to tears with our overall experience. Everyone should have a first time experience like this!!!!

We would highly recommend Susan Weissberg to any of your readers wishing to visit Irael in the future. She did a remarkable job.

Thank you.

Diana O'Brien

ARGENTINA & PERU
EMMANUEL BURGIO, BLUE PARALLEL

Argentina in December 2007
Peru in March 2008

Rave reviews are what we can say. Each trip was full of many delightful special surprises that were one-of-a-kind experiences. The guides were always local and with exceptional knowledge about culture, art, or nature depending on where travels took us.

American Airlines canceled our flight to Peru and though we missed going into the Amazon because of it, rearrangements were made quickly and seamlessly so the interruption was as painless as possible.

Highly recommended and we will return to use the agency again.

BALI
DIANE EMBREE, MICHAEL'S TRAVEL CENTRE

A few years ago (sorry for the late post, too busy traveling) I went to Bali and Diane Embree of Michael's Travel Center from LA helped me plan my trip. It was perfect. I am very independent, but she managed to make my stay a fantastic experience, exactly like I want to travel with an extra touch of local culture, lots of nature and a great resort in Ubud, I still dream about.
I thought it is always nice to show gratitude, she did a fab job and I had a great trip. Thank you

THE CARIBBEAN
TERRY MCCABE, ALTOUR

Hi Wendy,

I just wanted to thank you so much for recommending the truly phenomenal Terry McCabe of Altour in NJ.

I live in New York and was looking to plan a very romantic, secluded vacation with my husband. I had found the perfect place, but felt totally overwhelmed by the idea of having to coordinate all the travel details -- the place I wanted to go to required us to take a big plane, a little plane, and then a boat.

I read the article about the best travel professionals in Conde Nast Traveler (I'm a subscriber) and was thrilled to be given this JEWEL of a travel agent -- Terry was an absolute joy to work with!!

Terry knows her stuff -- VERY WELL -- and was able to coordinate all my travel arrangements in a matter of minutes for an extremely reasonable price. On top of that, she made herself very available to me -- I had many questions along the way since it had been two years since I last traveled. She answered all of them -- every single one -- and she answered them quickly professionally. She knew all about the tiny little secluded place I wanted to go and the fact that she considers it one of her favorite places to be really made me excited about going there.

I returned from my trip and contacted Terry right away to thank her for all her help. She accomplished in minutes what would have taken me days. My husband and I are thinking of going back in May and Terry McCabe will be the one to plan our next trip and every one after that. I've already recommended her to my family and friends. I just can't praise her highly enough!

Thanks again for helping me find the only travel agent I will ever need.

Rebecca Rose

TAHITI
KLEON HOWE, THE ART OF TRAVEL

My husband and I decided to visit Tahiti this year for our 10'th Anniversary. My idea was to just buy a trip online or maybe use COSTCO travel services. My husband suggested we use The Art of Travel based on their recommendation for travel agents. He showed me a Conde Nast article about the advantages of using travel agents for big trips. After reading the article I agreed because it sounded like we would be much more likely to receive exactly what we wanted that way.

Kleon planned a 20 night, 4 island trip for us including Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahaa'. For each stay he moved up the quality of our accommodations which was really quite nice. Kleon worked veyr closely with us to ascertain our main activities and accommodation preereences. We told Kleon we wanted to snorkel right from our over the water bungalow and he selected teh perfect property for us on Moorea at The Pearl. He also was able to acquire the more private units, which we asked for with the best biews at each location. We were extremely pleased with all of it. For our Anniversary dinner Kleon got us reservations at the much sought after Villa Mahana on Bora Bora. He was able to get us the table of honor up high overlooking a romantic courtyard. It was fabulous!!!

Working with Kleon was delightful. He was extremely responsive throughout the process. He knows how to build your excitment for the trip. And...he is very charming indeed. Talking with Kleon is always a fun experience. The final package Kleon put together was incredibly professional and made the trip flow very smoothly. We didn't have to dig around for a thing. All transfers went smoothly and everyone greeted us courteously.

My husband, David and I, would highly recommend Kleon to anyone planning a trip and we already have. We think you made a great choice designating him as the best expert for Tahiti. Kleon is a consummate travel professional.

ITALY
JOYCE FALCONE, THE ITALIAN CONCIERGE

This past June, I traveled with a group of eight to Italy for over 3 weeks. Using the services of The Italian Concierge was the best decision I made. Joyce Falcone, the owner of this fantastic travel company, made our trip unforgettable! From booking the perfect apartments in Rome to organizing incredible, unique tours that we never would have known about, Ms. Falcone helped us plan our own custom itinerary. Ms Falcone was able to balance what would be interesting for all four of the children, ages 10 through 15, as well as for the adults. We combined Italian history, interesting sites, beautiful places and delicious food and wine.

Joyce Falcone's vast knowledge of her favorite country is limitless. It was well worth the initial consultation just to get all of her remarkable suggestions of what to do and where to go off the beaten path. Many of her favorite ideas were not even mentioned in any of our nine tour books.

I was so impressed with her abilities that I came home and immediately signed up for one of her escorted tours this fall. Her web site is easy to use and very informative (http://www.italianconcierge.us.)

Mille grazie to the Italian Concierge for helping to make our trip perfect!

CRUISES
RICHARD TUREN, CHURCHILL & TUREN

I just wanted to share with you our immense pleasure at working with Richard Turen of Churchill and Turen, over the past few years,

We had subscribed to Conde Nast Traveler for a long time, so several years ago when we thought about booking our first ever cruise - to Alaska - we read with great interest the cruise issue. Based on their recommended travel agents (of whom I called several), we opted for Churchill and Turen, and found them kind, patient, conscientious, and more affordable than other agents. Though we live in Utah, dealing with their Illinois office has never been a problem.

We have now booked six cruises through their company, and the services offered now are as attentive, pleasant, personal, and economical as when we were brand new clients. I have referred Richard to other friends as well.

Recently when a scheduling conflict necessitated our changing a February cruise on Regent to an earlier date, Richard handled everything VERY quickly, and was able to save us a good deal of money for the change process. I cannot imagine ever using another travel agent.

My only hesitance in posting this note, is that I don't want to see him become TOO popular!

CRUISES
MARY JEAN TULLY, THE CRUISE PROFESSIONALS

The best decision I ever made regarding my travel, was the decision to hire Mary Jean. This Woman is so knowledgeable and goes way beyond the call of duty.
Her expertise was the incentive I needed to go beyond just booking a cruise. I have had the pleasure to experience first hand, excellent pre and post cruise land vacations and extended land packages while cruising. You can expect the best hotels, transportation, restaurants and guides in any part of the world when using Mary Jean. You can also expect accurate information, given in a timely fashion and answers to any question you may have. With Mary Jean as my agent, I know that I will receive the best vacation and also the best value for my dollars spent. She is clearly heads above her competition. She is honest, hard working and will make sure her customers are always treated as VIP's in every situation. Every one I have referred to her thank me over and over. Conde Nast Traveler is right on base, continuing to showcase Mary Jean as one of the best travel specialists. This recognition is well deserved and well earned.

JAPAN
NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL & TOURS

Wendy,

My wife and I visited Kyoto and the Nagano/Niigata region in Japan over the course of two weeks this October.

The overall trip was planned through Nancy Craft at Esprit Travel & Tours, including a tour of Kyoto with Espirit's Masa Fujiwara.

Our exprience with Nancy during the planning and with respect to the in-country support while in Japan was excellent. In particular, Masa and she enabled us to effectively navigate the many sites and events to experience in Kyoto, including witnessing an early morning religous ceremony at one of the local temples and gaining a lot deeper insight into the signifance of the many gardens in the city.

It goes without saying that having a planner with country-specific experience is invaluable.

Regards,
Doug Collins
Mason, Ohio

JAPAN
NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL & TOURS

Dear Wendy,

My wife and I traveled to Japan from October 14-31, 2008. Our trip was planned by Nancy Craft at Esprit Travel. We visited Tokyo, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Kurashikii, Naoshima Island (Benesse Museum) and Takamatsu.

It was a superb trip. The planning, scheduling and meticulously correct directions were letter perfect. The hotels and one ryokan were excellent; all were extremely well located. All the hotel reservations were made and the transportation scheduled and reserved. Multiple train connections and transfers were easy to make from the detailed directions. Excellent restaurant options were provided. Itinerary options were discussed and detailed information and advice on the possibilities was provided by Nancy. After discussing our interests and goals, she provided us with an itinerary which exactly matched our interests. We had information about other options from which to choose when we actually got to Japan, if we wanted to alter the itinerary. The time was scheduled so that we had plenty of time to see all the things that we desired in the time alloted. We had guides for only two of the days during the trip; they were excellent and took us to cultural things that we would not otherwise have seen.

This will be a trip which increases in pleasure with time and memory.

For me, a travel specialist should be knowledgeable, experienced, flexible, available and have the ability to ascertain the client's interests and trip goals.
I feel that Nancy provided us with all these qualities in the highest degree. We could not be more pleased with this trip.

Karl Robinson
Saratoga, CA

JAPAN
NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL & TOURS
As you probably know, Japan as a travel destination represents an exceptional challenge: there is so much to see, language is often a barrier and, last but not least, it is an expensive country.

We had the good fortune to use Esprit Travel to organize our trip. Now that the journey is completed, I have nothing but rave reviews:

1. The choice of lodgings matched precisely our brief.
2. The pace and planning were perfect.
3. The instructions were clear, thorough and meticulously professional.
4. The sightseeing advice was broad enough to allow choices based on our preferences.
5. Travel within the country by train worked out seamlessly.
6. The accompaniment was of top quality and expertise.

I intend to recommend Nancy Craft and her team to anyone I know who plans to go to Japan and we ourselves are thinking of going back in the Sprint of 2010 ý obviously using the services of Esprit Travel once again.

Cordially yours,

Raymond Bermay

INDIA
VICTOR BISWAS, INTERNATIONAL VENTURES AND TRAVEL

My wife and I just finished our first trip to India, a trip we had wanted to do for a long time. We have been in love with Indian culture and food for a long time and knew that we were going to have a great time, but our journey surpassed all our expectations. We are not in our twenties any more and were looking for a trip made to our needs and desires. Victor Biswas and his team designed for us a magnificent adventure that was both very pleasant and accommodating and from the early stages of planning tried to cover most of our wishes to the actual trip. By their suggestion, we first booked our plane ticket from the US, we upgraded to business class with frequent flyer miles, and then the trip was planned around the dates we had, so our 15 plus hour long flight was a comfortable one. IVAT then planned the places we would visit, and we received 2 hotel proposals: a 5 star one and a 6 star proposal. Victor and his team helped us make a mixed proposal, covering the best of both. The ahhhhhh!!! syndrome was present all the time in our trip. It started in Delhi at the Red Fort, Humayunýs Tomb and the Qutb-Minar. We thought they were magnificent and nothing could top them, but then we would go to the next sight and our expression would be Ahhhhhh!!! again, and that happened at every stage of the trip. Varanasi was a mystical experience and the Temples at Khajuraho were spectacular, but then there was Agra with the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Rajasthan, with its palaces and forts was beyond magnificent and the caves of Ellora and Ajanta were unbelievable. Our trip finished in Mumbai, a thriving city with amazing shopping.

India is a country of contrasts and extremes and you have to be prepared as to what to expect. On one side you have the culture, the religion, the people and the monuments, all that very rich and amazing, and on the other side you have street vendors and beggars trying to get something out of you and can sometimes be a little overwhelming. Victor prepared us for that beforehand in writing and at several meetings we had with him.

We were very well attended during the whole trip and our needs, whatever they might be, were fulfilled by the IVAT Staff. For example, we wanted a SIMM chip for our cell phones and it is a complicated task in India; it took us 2 days to get one and to visit 5 vendors to recharge it in the middle of the trip, we could never have done it without the help of our guides. All the administrative tasks at the airports and hotels were handled by IVAT representatives, even our luggage was taken care of. The hotels we visited were extraordinary. Basically we stayed at Taj and Oberoi Hotels. The Oberoi Hotels are new and fabulous. We felt we were staying in palaces, the grounds and rooms were dreamlike. Its personnel is young, very willing to attend you and ready to solve any problems that may arise, but being 6 stars hotels, we felt that they needed a little more experience. All the Taj Hotels we stayed at were excellent, especially in Jaipur and Mumbai, with experienced staff and outstanding attention. Our guides, overall, were knowledgeable, on time and helpful. We do think the guides should help more in keeping at a distance the beggars and vendors that sometimes surround you. Some of them developed a useful technique consisting in allowing one or 2 vendors at the door of the bus, after we were already inside, in case we wanted to buy something; other took action after we complained and we were left alone. The people we met in the street and and at the sights were very nice. It was a holiday time in India, Dewali, during our visit, so there was a lot of internal tourism. The people were very friendly and wanted to have their picture taken with us. We exchanged email addresses with some and have traded pictures and impressions with them.

India is a shopping paradise. They have beautiful textiles, carpets, carvings, jewels and one can go crazy. The guides know exactly where to take you and at times they pushed a little too much the shop visiting.

Victor and his company made our trip an unforgettable one. They even had a few surprises prepared for us that we did not expect, so we felt that they really cared about us. This trip was money well spent and we canýt wait to plan the next one.

Paulina and Felix Altaras

PERU
TOM DAMON, SOUTHWIND ADVENTURES, INC

In your January, 2007 issue, I read a fascinating "Iconic Itineraries" article about a custom tour in Peru arranged by Tom Damon from Southwind Adventures. I saved that article and, earlier this year, asked Tom to help me with a similar trip.
I have just returned from a wonderful, 12 day trip to Cusco, The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca.
Tom and all of the guides ensured that I had a unique cultural experience, saving us from the typical tourist traps. The guides each had broad and deep knowledge, a willingness and ability to share, and relationships with the local people that added so much to the trip.
Every aspect of the trip came off without a hitch, even though the guides were very accommodating to special requests.
I have traveled all over the world, but this trip ranks at the top thanks to the special attention provided by Tom and the people he hired to guide me.

SOUTHEAST ASIA
ANDREA ROSS, JOURNEYS WITHIN

We just completed a trip to Southeast Asia for which we used Journeyýs Within. Our trip began with a house trade in Thailand which we had arranged. We started our tour with Journeys Within in Siem Reap. When we got on the plane from Bangkok to Siem Reap, we had no idea what to expect, whether all plans would go according the itinerary I had agreed upon with April OýConnell Cole or not as I had found Journeys Within on the Internet and knew nothing about them except that the agency sounded like it fit our values and interests.

Well, the trip was extraordinary right from the start. We were picked up at the Siem Reap airport early in the morning and went straight to Angkor Wat. After several hours we were taken to the Journeyýs Within B&B where we were to spend three nights. The place was delightful - a big house with living area and the ýfront deský in which the proprietors of the B&B and travel agency live upstairs ý 4 lovely rooms in a separate structure and a suite in still another structure. And, a beautiful pool which we thoroughly enjoyed and used. Andrea and Brandon (the ownersý) and the staff are all lovely and were very helpful and answering the million questions we had about Cambodia and the other places we were planning to visit.

All of our arrangements worked without one single glitch. We were met promptly by cars and drivers, guides who spoke sufficient English and with enough knowledge of what we planned to see. We planned to limit our itinerary to Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand as we were looking for a leisurely trip. All of the sites we visited were wonderful and the big surprise was the accommodations. We had wanted to keep our trip within a reasonable cost and we expected only the simplest of accommodations, but we were utterly surprised. Each place we stayed had significant charm, comfort well beyond expectation and lovely swimming pools (which we aadored) except for Luang Prabang which had no pool, since most places there donýt.

A high point for us was a two-day trip on the Mekong from Luang Prabang to the Northern Thailand border. This ýcruiseý down the river in a typical Mekong boat (roofed and open on the sides with comfortable seating which allowed guests to move around freely) with a stopover for the night in a lodge up the banks of the river.

I would certainly recommend Journeys Within as wonderful to work with, reliable, full of good advice, and very knowledgeable about Southeast Asia.

Iým all ready to think about Vietnam and if we are able to consider that in the future we will, for sure, ask Journeys Within to plan our trip with us and make all the arrangements.

Sincerely,

Susan Kaplan

EGYPT, JORDAN
JIM BERKELEY, DESTINATIONS & ADVENTURES INTERNATIONAL

My wife Sandy and I traveled to Egypt and Jordan for two weeks in April, 2008 with the expert assistance of Jim Berkeley at Destinations and Adventures International. Our daughter a college senior who speaks fluent French and Arabic, was at the American University in Cairo for the semester and we planned our visit around her schedule; Jim was phenomenal at setting up our guides to tackle the maze of Cairo. He had arranged for someone to meet us at the airport in Cairo on every occasion we were a the airport in Cairo. (After touring Egypt, we spent three days in Jordan with two nights in Petra before coming back to Cairo for several days prior to returning home. Jim suggested we stay at the Cairo Marriott near where our daughter was living. Jim made sure our airport arrivals and departures were seamless and set us us with superb guides in Egypt, all female at our request (our daughter plans a career in the foreign service). He made sure we had a diverse group of guides and most of them knew him and had met him personally. Even we traveled to Abu Simbel from Cairo, he made sure that the guide joined the flight at the stopover on the one-stop flight from Cairo.

We would work with Jim and the crew at Destinations and Adventures in a heartbeat. We had a worry free trip. His network was tremendous and the trip was tailored to meet our needs. And speaking with fellow travelers who used other luxury travel companies, the cost was extremely competitive.

Thanks again for all your advice.

David and Sandy Beswick
Wilmington, Delaware

EAST AFRICA
LINDA FRIEDMAN, CUSTOM SAFARIS

Dear Ms. Perrin,
Since 1971 I've travelled on standard safaris, as well as personally organized and led leisure, adventure, photographic and Christian Mission safaris to Kenya and Tanzania over fifteen times.
In January and February 2009 Custom Safaris worked with me to organize my most unique safari today. Ten days on Christian evangelical safari in a remote area east of Masai Mara,ten days literally living in a Masai village west of Masai Mara, and seven days at Huruma Children's Home in Ngong Hills, Kenya. As usual everything went flawlessly with Custom Safari in the picture.
Travellers to East Africa (Kenya & Tanzania)who want great organizational skill, value, and personal care, consideration, and assistance far from home need to look no further than Custom Safari in Bethesda, Md.
With Linda Friedman in Maryland, and George Gituku, the onsite General Manager of their operations in Nairobi and East Africa, you are in extremely competent and experienced safari organizer hands. They think of everything.
Since 1997, George, and his highly professional and knowledgeable driver/game guides, have been my safari company of choice to organize my own custom itineraries off, and on, the beaten safari circuit. When it comes to meticulous planning and forethought to insure your safari is successful and without complications, and more importantly, having someone who is Johnny-on-the-spot if something out of Custom Safaris control arises, George Gituki is your man in Nairobi. He communicates almost daily with his drivers to insure quality control of your safari.
When you spend tens of thousands of dollars, and a great deal of time to have a once-in-a lifetime experience with your friends and relatives, you want the most knowledgeable onsite Safari Tour Manager. George is just that, and he also builds in a few wonderful unexpected surprises for his clients. His cadre of highly skilled, courteous, and knowledgeable driver/game guides abides by George's credo that "The customer is always right".
Don't leave your safari of a lifetime at risk when you can be assured of the best in customer service -- Custom Safari Linda Friedman in Maryland and George Gituku in Nairobi.
Tom Spencer
1984 Kings Landing Rd
Hampstead, NC 28443
On East African Safaris since 1971-2009.

JAPAN
NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL & TOURS

Dear Wendy, As a world traveler, long time Conde Naste subscriber and avid reader of The Wendy Perrin Report, I would like to thank you for your annual travel agent recommendations. Our granddaughter is fascinated by Japanese culture, is studying the languages in school and has always dreamed of going to Japan. My husband and I decided I should take her for her sixteenth birthday. Fortunately, I had your travel agent report and called Nancy Craft of Esprit Travel. She did an incredible job of planning our two generational adventure. Everything went off like clock work but we had plenty of time for serendipitous experiences. Our guides were knowledgeable and a lots of fun. The highlight was the evening she planned for us in the Gion district of Kyoto. Our guide, Geisha documentary film maker John Wells, and producer Peter Macintosh took us for an enlightening stroll through the Geisha district and then we enjoyed a private evening with them and a young geisha. Granddaughter Nicole had such a wonderful time playing games, eating, and watching the dance.
Nancy had arranged a personal tea ceremony with the abbot at Buddhist monastery, calligraphy lessons with a noted artist and the best keepsake possible, a photo session with Nicole in full Giesha dress and makeup. The pictures are fabulous. Thanks to Nancy and your recommendation, spring break and turning sixteen will be a treasured life time memory for Nicole and her Nani.
Wendy Thompson

FILIPPO CURINGA, I.D.I.
ITALY

Dear Wendy:

Just had to write & give two big thumbs up for Filippo Curinga.

I especially want to pass on my recommendation to other folks like me, who on vacation, like it or not, wind up being Mr. or Mrs. In-Charge.

Ever get sick of wrestling with maps, or deciding on another restaurant, or of your familys dead eyes as you deliver monotone snippets from a guide book? Ever slump, exhausted from decisions and driving, into your hotel bed, wondering if its really worth it?

Get one of Filippos wonderful guides.

I promise youll LOVE the aaaaah feeling of folding away that map, confident you're in capable hands, and that your day will be awesome.

Filippos gang is incredibly well informed (art, history, cuisine&the works), entertaining and awe-inspiringly (!!!) patient. And some of them are funny as hell.

My extended family just returned to California from a trip to Rome and Tuscany.

Ive done Italy 101 a few times, and reluctantly included the usual canon of Must-Sees for the 1st-timers among us; but I have to say, Mirellas hilarious and knowledgeable insights made me feel like I was seeing St. Peters and The David for the first time.

And to everyones delight, we were frequently spirited off the beaten tourist tracks to real Italian towns, with real Italians producing chocolate (that trip was really for the kids, but funnily enough all the grown-ups tagged along), olive oil or Tuscan wine.

We splashed out on a private tour of The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. Can you imagine being there without the tourist crush? Experience of a lifetime; truly.

And the guys really know what makes for a good balance. Just as the kids are getting whiney, bang, theres a great lunch or dinner right around the corner. When youre ready for a day by the pool, theres a super hotel in the form of a tranquil farm house, or remote monastery, or Renaissance palazzo.

What with an artist, a wine know-it-all, a rampant shopaholic (sorry Honey, but its true), kids and a bunch of foodies in our party, we had a bunch of different agendas and requirements. We needed some handling and herding.

And you know what? Mr. In-Charge didnt have to do it; I actually got a vacation too!

And that's priceless.

Rick Fields

NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL AND TOURS
JAPAN

My husband and I recently returned from our first visit to Japan. Since I learned about our trip planner, Esprit Travel, through the Conde Nast Gold List, I thought I would give you a report.

In a word, the experience was fabulous! We spent the latter half of May visiting Tokyo, Takayama, Kanazawa and Kyoto. For us the highlights of the trip included the wonderful, gracious, helpful Japanese people, the glorious gardens and the shopping.

Since my husband has an interest in calligraphy, Esprit arranged for us to spend a morning with a calligraphy master in his studio. That was a special treat in an itinerary that was tailored for us, packed with things to do and see, and blessed with clear instructions that paved the way for neophytes like us to find our way around with a minimum of hassle.

The logistics (hotels, trains, airport transportation) worked perfectly. We had terrific guides in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Since returning and telling friends about our trip, I have been struck by how many people would like to go to Japan but find the prospect too daunting. That was our situation. I am recommending Esprit to them.

JOYCE FALCONE, THE ITALIAN CONCIERGE
ITALY

Wendy,
Back in late April, my wife and I began to plan a very special Italian vacation  a two week trip in June of 2009 celebrating our thirty year wedding anniversary.  Since my wife has usually carried the burden of planning our vacations, I told her that this time I would do the heavy lifting, that after thirty years, I knew what we both liked and that I wanted her to simply relax and enjoy this trip  leave all the work to me, honey, I said!
Well, that all sounded terrific and I can tell you it won me a lot of points (and yes, even after 30 years, I need all the points I can get!), however, as soon I sat down in front of the computer to begin researching the trip I began having second thoughts about my ability to pull this off - so many questions! 
My wife had always talked about going to Tuscany  but, it was our first time in Italy, where else should we go?  Should we go to Venice?  Bypass Venice?  What about Rome?  How many days there?  We love the ocean  so do we try to squeeze in the Amalfi Coast?  How do we make the most of Florence?  Where to stay?  What tour guides should we book?  Where to eat?  How would I assess and select all the way from San Diego?  How could I ensure that I was making the right choices?  How could I ensure that this would be an AWESOME vacation?  As I struggled with these questions, I happened to stumble on your Rolodex and I knew then and there, my problem was solved.
I contacted several specialists listed in your Rolodex and within minutes had an answer from Joyce Falcone, The Italian Concierge.  Her promptness weighed heavily in my decision, however, I also liked her flexibility, the fact that she was willing to act as a consultant or advisor  meaning she would suggest, recommend, provide choices, send me web links, etc. and I would be responsible for my own arrangements.  I signed an agreement that obligated me to consume three hours of her time at a very reasonable rate and within hours I was receiving suggested itineraries, pointers on train travel, recommended hotels, names and contact information for tour guides, restaurants, and much more.
As I began to make reservations, I ran into snags with hotels that were not available or new questions about the itinerary.  Joyce was always back in touch with me within minutes (she makes good use of her PDA) and always with a good disposition and a willingness to help even when my e-mails arrived on a Sunday or late evenings.
I have nothing but praise for Joyce Falcone, there was not a single aspect of the trip that we did not enjoy  the places she recommended were the right ones, the hotel properties were truly special, the tour guides were very knowledgeable, and restaurants were awesome  everything clearly chosen by someone who knows Italy.  AND, it was all done at a very reasonable price; I never went over the initial allotment of three hours.
There is no negative other than to say: make sure you have plenty of time before you commit to the CONSULTATION route  if you are short on time (most people are), I suggest you choose the CUSTOM ITINERARIES AND RESERVATIONS option.  I spent nearly 40 hours of my own time even with Joyces help  yes, I kept a log.
Bottom line, if you are planning a trip to a country or area you are not familiar with, consider one of Wendys travel specialist.  If the trip is to Italy then, Joyce Falcone is the specialist for you.
Dario Santana
San Diego, CA

SUSAN WEISSBERG, WYLLYS TRAVEL
ISRAEL

We just returned from a trip of a lifetime to Israel, all thanks to the top professional skills of Susan Weissberg.

As someone who waited her whole life to go to Israel, this trip had to perfect and beyond perfect it was. From the very start, Susan arranged a unique trip for us taking into consideration my huband and my own interests and put them together into one fabulous trip.

From the professional side, Susan answers every mail so promptly, there is no waiting for an answer. She is always cherry and really listens to your desires.

The final packet that arrives is simply gorgeous. A leather bound notebook comes complete with your itinerary and all the other details ( restaurants, shopping, the scheduled transports, etc). then all of this is packed into a silver box! Very professional and impressive.

But it was not just the outward appearances that are done right, everything was done right. From the VIP service at the airport, to the the hotel selection and the complimentary upgrades to making sure everything was going right while we were on the trip( she e mails you while you are away and sent birthday greetings to my husband as well)

But perhaps the best thing about Susan is her insider connnections. We had the best guide in all of our 20 yrs of international travel. We love having private guides as they add so much more to our trips.

Well, the hand selected guide she had for us made the trip. He took us not only to the scheduled events on our itinerary, but veered off the program to include other visits and to meet alot of his friends. He was an officer in the Israeli army and was a fairly famous footballer in Israel as well. We swear he knew EVERYONE in Israel. What other guide would take you to meet his friend , an archaeologist in Bet' Shean and we get to sit in his shack drinking tea and shooting the breeze. These kind of experiences can mean so much more and last longer with you than just seeing the sights alone.

Everything came off without a hitch and my lifelong dream to visit Israel was that and so much more.

I know there are people who will plan their own trip to Israel, but with this being my husband's birthday trip as well as so important to me in my life, I really needed to turn this over to someone like Susan.

And once there, I really feel that if you had someone like Susan to plan your trip, you'd get a alot more out of it with minimal hassle and effort. Why not just enjoy your trip?!

Without any hesitation, I highly recommend you use Susan to plan your next trip to Israel. She also will plan Jordan and Egypt as well, so you can make a Middle East Medley trip and be assured it will be the trip of your dreams.

Robyn and Allan Webb
Date of trip: July 2009
Alexandria, VA

FILIPPO CURINGA, IDI TRAVEL
ITALY

I just wanted to send you a quick note about one of your preferred Travels agents in Italy, IDI Travel. I just recently used them to help plan a trip to Italy and I thought you would like to know that they met and exceeded all my expectations. Filippo and his staff were very professional and so knowledgeable about the hotels to stay at and the things to do.

I would highly recommend them them to anyone to use to plan their trip and I will of course use them again next year when I travel back to Italy.

Wendy,
We had an excellent experience using one of your recommended travel agents for a trip to South Africa in December 2008. Julian Harrison, of Premier Travel Services in Philadelphia, was extremely helpful in planning the trip for my husband and son. He was professional, courteous, and always available by email or phone. The places visited were Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and a safari in Kruger Nationl Park. Each of the hotels and activities he recommended were of the highest quality. He took care of all reservations for flights, hotels, and tours, and was extremely helpful when one of the flights was delayed because of a snow storm. Thank you for your recommendation, as we never could have arranged such a successful trip without his help. I would highly recommend Julian to anyone planning a trip to South Africa.

ANDREA ROSS, JOURNEYS WITHIN TOUR COMPANY
SOUTHEAST ASIA

Two of us went on a private tour of Cambodia and Vietnam in February 2009, arranged by Journeys Within Tour Company

With one possible exception, every guide and driver was exceptional - fluent English (from the guides - the drivers spoke very basic and sufficient English), great breadth of knowledge of the area, a sense of fun, and providing us with a way to experience the place more as guests or friends rather than here-today gone-tomorrow tourists.

The Journeys Within B&B in Siem Reap is absolutely wonderful - our room had a bathroom worthy of a $400+ hotel in San Francisco and was decorated beautifully (and free laundry was included!) Andrea and Brandon do a lot of good work with the local community and one of our best experiences was "teaching" English to a group of college-age students at the school next to the B&B.

One of our guides in Vietnam was ill and distracted and didn't live up to our high expectations based on our experiences up to then - everything else was fantastic.

Try to include more time at the Siem Reap B&B (we stayed 2 nights), as it's a fantastic place to relax in between viewing the fantastic jungle temples - we started our tour there and in hindsight it would have been nicer to end there - otherwise just talk with Andrea about your style, must-sees and budget, and she will put something great together!

Nancy Miller, San Francisco CA

WINE COUNTRY, CALIFORNIA
Susan Tanzman, Martin's Travel
June 2009
I went to Susan for help with planning my birthday wine trip. My best girl friend and I had always talked about doing a wine country trip to celebrate our 30th birthdays, and I wanted it to be perfect. However, neither of us had ever been north of Los Angeles, so we did not know what to do. I had signed us up for this expensive wine/ferry tour out of San Francisco and I was looking at chain hotels when I met Susan.
Susan immediately had me cancel that expensive tour, explaining that I wouldn't need it. (She was absolutely right.) She also insisted that we stay in B&B's, which I had never done, but she convinced me that we'd love it. (Right again!)
Having only 5 days, we decided to start in San Francisco (since that's where my friend was flying into) and then head up to Sonoma for 2 nights. We would then drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea for a beach day, and finally down to Santa Barbara for two nights.
San Francisco was a very fun day. We ate down on Fisherman's Wharf, falling in love with dungeness crab. We really wanted to ride the cable car, so we waited in line for almost 45 mins (it was Father's Day) but it was worth it. Those are some of my favorite pictures of the whole trip! We ended up at Ghiardelli having chocolate sundaes which were AMAZING! Then we headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge and got some great pics at the little park underneath it. We probably could have spent more time sightseeing there, but we were excited to get to some R&R, so we left for Sonoma.
Sonoma was our favorite, mainly because the Hidden Oak Inn bed and breakfast was the greatest place I've ever stayed IN MY LIFE. I absolutely loved it there and would recommend it to everyone! Not only was it in a great spot, but it was adorable and the owners/food/rooms/atmosphere/pool was perfect. The biggest surprise was the cupcakes, that we didn't order, waiting at our door when we came back from the wine tastings! I dream about that place and I can't wait to go back.
In terms of wine tasting, Hidden Oak Inn is part of this group where you get a Wine Passport and can get tastings for free or cheap. That saved us a lot of money. We started at Benzinger and did a tour there, which was great for us novices. We learned a lot right away, so we didn't feel so out of place. The passport also offered a deal that went along with that.
We went to Ledsen Winery next, which was a beautiful castle, but we weren't huge fans.
Our favorite winery of the trip was Chateau St. Jean, where the staff was super friendly, the gift shop was awesome, and we ate our picnic lunch in adirondack chairs overlooking the vines. Gorgeous!
Imagery winery had really beautiful art and labels, as well as good wine. I liked the you could buy coasters of your fave wine labels.
Arrowood Winery had the most beautiful tasting room - huge windows looking out over their wraparound deck to the vines.

Carmel-by-the-Sea and the Fireplace Inn were nice, but unfortunately we didn't realize that N.California is cloudy in June. We did not get a good beach day when we were there - too cloudy. They say Aug and Sept are the best times for beaches. Oh well. If it were beachy, I'm sure we would have liked Fireplace Inn more. I wouldn't really call that a B&B, since the breakfast was just bagels, but the closeness to the beach and the uniqueness of the rooms would have been ideal. So we ended up not really checking out Carmel-by-the-Sea at all. We ate a yummy birthday dinner at the Fish Hopper in Monterey - my friend said it was maybe her favorite meal ever. Macadamia crusted fish and more dungeness crab!
Monterrey also had a tasting room for Scheid Vineyards. The staff was a lot of fun there and the wines were great.
Up in Carmel Valley, which was serene and peaceful, we visited a french inspired winery, Chateau Julien. Their gardens were breathtaking and we took lots of pictures.
Heller Estates winery had the cutest gift shop, and a neat sculpture garden outside. We loved "The Dancers" which are also on the wine labels.

Santa Barbara was great for just relaxing, which we did. The Bath Street Inn had GREAT food and a very sweet atmosphere - even though it kinda felt like you were staying over your grandmother's place.
We checked out the Santa Barbara winery tasting room, which was pretty straightforward, and then went to Jaffurs. At Jaffurs, it feels like you're doing a tasting in someone's driveway, but the guys who own it love wine and were really fun.
We ate at Brophy Brothers Clam Bar and restaurant, where the view of the water and sailboats could not be beat. Wait to sit on the deck, or sit at the bar facing the water, definitely.
At the last minute, we went to Zen Spa, where the prices were right and the massages/facials were very relaxing. We loved how they have you soak your feet and drink water or champagne before your treatment. Definitely got you in the mood to unwind.
All in all, it was an amazing trip. I was so thankful to Susan for her suggestions. Everything was right on, and I'll be using her again to help plan my honeymoon!

Jessica Gardner
Studio City, CA

JAPAN
NANCY CRAFT, ESPRIT TRAVEL & TOURS

Dear Wendy,

My wife and I have just returned from, by far, the most memorable trip we have ever taken. Our journey to Japan began long before stepping foot on the plane. We were in contact with Nancy regularly as we worked together to build the perfect itinerary. All of our requests were met and our expectations exceeded.

Esprit is famous for their detailed turn key itineraries; whilst touring in Tokyo, Kyoto, Arashiyama and Hakone all we had to do was connect the dots and enjoy the ride.

Our guides in Tokyo and Kyoto were an invaluable part of the trip and so graciously introduced us to "their" Japan; one that lies off the beaten path and has opened our eyes, our minds and our hearts to the wonders that is the land of the rising sun.

Upon our return, my wife and I have already begun planning a group visit to Japan with our extended family and I'm looking forward to working once again with the team at Esprit travel whom I no longer consider simply as contacts but rather as friends who are genuinely intent on ensuring that the Japan experience is lived and not just seen.

Thank you again to Steve, Nancy, Nishi-San and of course to the endearing Japanese people who made our stay so very special and whom we eagerly look forward to working with and seeing again in the near future.

Warm regards,

Nidal & Diana
Beirut, Lebanon

I just returned from a wonderful Pottery tour in Japan, that was sponsored and led by a guide from Esprit Travel, located in Kyoto and Telluride, CO. I never take tours, other than those run by Esprit. I am a meandering type of traveler, so much prefer independent traveling with a guide and driver at most. However, this was my 5th Esprit Tour. I choose this company 1). because of the small number of people on it, 2). our complimentary interests have always produced group members who immediately connect, and 3). because of the laid-back nature of the tour leader, Steve Beimel. This 9 day trip felt like travelling with close family members. There is a lot to be said about self-selection, and Esprit Tours appeal to those of us with like interests, who like to be involved in the tour, and hate being shlepped around like cattle.

I have always loved that Esprit tours have at least some degree of interaction with the country: using public transportation, buying lunch from food stands and bakeries at the train stations, supermarkets, etc. Our meals are at wonderful neighborhood restaurants, some found happenstance next door to the hotel at which we were staying. Walking through the neighborhoods and taking advantage of "serendipity" of extra and unexpected delights make Esprit tours super special.

Steve Beimel, founder of Esprit, was the tour leader. He played a huge role in setting a comfortable tone an informal manner with the group. He has a way of being in control without the feel of control. He's easy-going with the group, and pays attention to everyone's needs. His knowledge is endless. He has a lot of patience and enthusiasm and always has a big smile on his face. You just know you are in competent hands.

I have been traveling with Esprit on and off since their second Walking Tour in 1004. Their trips just get better and bettr. Esprit is the only travel organization that I recommend to the many people who query me about Japan travel. I am a big fan of the company and wanted to share some of my admiration with those of you wondering about a great organization for travel in Japan. Choose Esprit! You will not be unhappy.

Wanda Radetti
Tasteful Croatian Journeys

My wife and I first met with Wanda while we were planning our honeymoon. Though we opted to not travel to Croatia for our wedding trip, we left our meeting with her impressed with her knowledge and enthusiasm for the Dalmatian Coast and determined to plan a trip there for the following summer.

In August 2009, the two of (and four friends) contracted Wanda to plan a seven day yacht charter - leaving from Split - to sail the surrounding islands. Every step of the way, Wanda was responsive, courteous and helpful in our planning. She thought of every detail - from the chauffeured transfers to/from the airport/marina, etc. to the choice of captain for our sailing adventure. Wanda took the time to ask us our preferences, and she matched them perfectly. We had a remarkable time on the Adriatic, and have Wanda to thank for all of it. I would HIGHLY recommend her services and look forward to asking her to plan our next journey to the region.

Croatia September 2009
Tasteful Croatian Journeys
Wanda S. Radetti

My husband and I were planning our honeymoon and thought Croatia might be the place to go. Boy was it! I consulted the Conde Nast website which recommended Wanda at TCJ. When I called I was greeted with kindness, respect and true interest in our trip, despite the fact we were working on a tight budget. A trip was designed for us around our interests and personalities. Every detail was thought of and we were made to feel like a priority, not just a faceless couple.

Upon our arrival in Croatia, we could not have been happier. Every hotel was stellar, every destination was spectacular, and every recommended restaurant was exactly what we wanted. Each hotel and restaurant greeted us with the ultimate of service and care, owing to Wanda's connections, friendships and reputation in the industry. All of the drivers were outstanding, and took very good care of us, and made sure that we saw all the best sights along the way.

Our honeymoon was romantic, exciting, luxurious and truly memorable, all thanks to Wanda and TCJ. Highly recommended!!!

Sarita and Stephen, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Croatia
Wanda Radetti, Tasteful Croatian Journeys

My wife and I used Wanda and Tasteful Croatian Journeys for a week trip to Croatia in September 2009. We were very impressed with the service, attention to detail and itinerary that was put together for us.

She listened carefully to what my wife and I wanted to see and do while traveling the Dalmatian coast and made suggestions that were perfect and within our budget. TCJ thought of everything  the perfect hotels to stay at in Split and Dubrovnik, restaurant recommendations that were right on and excursions that made this trip something we will never forget.

The guides, drivers and concierge service TCJ use are fun, knowledgeable and went out of their way to make sure our vacation was as relaxing as possible.

Working with Wanda and TCJ was the best decision my wife and I made when planning our trip and I would highly recommend Wanda and Tasteful Croatian Journeys to anyone headed to Croatia.

Matt and Kate Mitchell, NY, NY

We just wanted to take a moment and thank you for making our 10th anniversary more special than we had ever imagined. Wanda, Every bit of our journey was flawless from transportation, to entertainment, to cultural excursions, to doing nothing as we took in the beautiful waters and topography of Croatias many islands. Diocletians palace remains a favorite of ours and we will always remember the Roman festival that was taking place when we were there. My husband still tells the story of the best fish hes ever had at Garifuls restaurant on Hvar. I still remember our visit on the mountain to the farmers house where we ate domestic prosciutto with his homemade cheese and organic tomatoes while overlooking the Adriatic in all its splendor. There is nothing we would change if we had the chance to do it all again, except, maybe stay longer. Every person that helped us along our way was professional, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about their jobs. Thank you again, Wanda, for making our anniversary trip so special.
Wishing you the best,
JJ and Sonu