We never forget that these are your holidays. We do care deeply about the integrity of what you are told, and how you see the sites, but we want you to enjoy yourself too! Everything has to be well organised, otherwise our complex progammes would not work, but we try to make sure that you are unaware of the logistics behind the scenes, so you can relax and have fun.
We have a problem with the very words: ‘Tour’ and ‘Manager’. They simply don’t sit happily in any sentence describing the bonhomous, easy-going kind of holidays we hope to provide. These are people we have discovered over the years and then trained in Andante’s way of travelling. They are botanists, linguists, geographers, ornithologists, archaeologists, teachers and many other things. Most work just a few times a year with us; year after year. They want you to have a great holiday, and will, in an unobtrusive and helpful manner, try their hardest to ensure that you do.
It’s just as difficult to explain how we choose your hotels. It’s usually done through star ratings, but the Andante stars would be very different. If we had our way, we’d give stars for clean hotels with proud owners where everything works. We’d hand out more stars for helpful receptionists and lots for good home cooking. In a town, we’d want to be near the centre, and in the country, we’d want good views. In these days of mass tourism, finding hotels with a sense of place is not always easy, but this is where our priorities lie. Sometimes the remote situation of a site means that the choice of hotels is limited and we just have to go with the best there is.
We have always believed that picnics add something special to a holiday, and (almost!) all our guests agree. Imagine walking off a site to be met with a spread of cheeses of the region, fresh local bread, big red tomatoes and pastries - these things rarely feature on hotel menus, but they make a perfect picnic. This can also be a time to try some different wines, beers or juices. They also save time if we are in a remote spot.
We believe it is fun to eat out in restaurants sometimes too - it can ring the changes and offer an escape from international cuisine in the hotel dining rooms. Pan-fried puffin or grilled guinea pig are not to everyone’s taste, but if you are in Iceland or Peru, it’s part of the travellers’ experience to see that they’re on the menu.
Archaeological sites are by their nature frequently preserved in remote and lovely countryside, and home to wildlife and wild flowers. Every tour mysteriously seems to include at least one amateur ornithologist or botanist amongst the guests, and this can add another dimension to the holiday. And, of course, such settings are wonderful for photographers and artists.
We have had such fun on our tours over the years, and made many friends amongst our guests. We have shared experiences majestic, moving and mundane. A wonderful team of people has made this possible, and continues to do so. We hope that you will travel with us in 2010 and try one of our holidays for yourself.
