Tag: arctic circle

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Susie's Amazing Grand Explorer Adventure

Susie’s Amazing Grand Explorer Adventure

Sue Clark one of our customers has not long returned from her holiday with Leger Holidays. Read on to see what she thought of her trip with us on our Arctic Circle and the Land of the Midnight Sun Tour.

 


Which tour did you go on?

I went on the Arctic Circle and the Land of the Midnight Sun 16-day Grand Explorer trip departing June 29th 2013
 

How did you get there and how long did it take?

Initially by feeder coach in Lincoln, which also was our tour coach, and I undertook the whole tour by coach. During the adventure I also travelled on 10 ferries, which included an overnight one from Stockholm, Sweden to Turku in Finland
As mentioned previously, it was for 16 days, but as someone who travels as she lives, preferring the journey to the destination-it was paced just right.
 

Where did you stay?

Too numerous to mention and in a variety of accommodation, including a ski chalet.
 

What was the weather like? Did it affect your visit?

This tour was not about the weather but the experience, but the added bonus was that for the majority of the time it was glorious weather. I witnessed the Midnight Sun in Rovaniemi in full sunshine. The visit to North Cape was cloudy and windy, but very atmospheric. It rained in Tromso but that only added to the beauty of the countryside. Without the rain I would not have experienced the wonderful waterfalls and lush scenery we travelled through.
 

Which optional excursions did you do?

I booked the guided sightseeing evening tour in Oslo, and what an enlightening tour this was! I was completely unprepared for the visit to the Vigeland Sculpture Park, and as a sculpture spotter I was in raptures. For me, this optional excursion was worth every pound I spent on it!
 

Conclusion

In the words of one of our drivers, this was an adventure rather than a holiday, and it was an adventure I would not have missed! Throughout the adventure I grew in cultural, spiritual and geographical experience. It was also a very positive experience because I travelled with a lovely group of people and also a couple of great drivers.
This experience has convinced me not only to undertake more Leger Grand Explorer tours, but also to visit Scandinavia, particularly all the capital cities, for longer as I was only able to have ‘tasters’ on this occasion.
Thank you Leger, without whom I would not have been able to have such an amazing Grand Explorer adventure 🙂
 
 

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Be Brave With Your Breaks: Top Travel Tips from Dr David Lewis

Be Brave With Your Breaks:  Top Travel Tips from Dr David Lewis

 

Thinking about trying a new holiday destination – or even an entirely new type of trip – can be a big step for people.

 
Maybe you like to go back to the same places every year as you know you’ll have a great time. Or maybe you always like to do a cruise as that kind of holiday has worked well for you in the past.
 
But maybe 2013 is the year of change. You fancy being a bit more adventurous, seeing some of the ‘must-see’ sights the world has to offer. But where do you start? It can be quite intimidating trying to figure out all the places you might want to go and how to get there.
 
We have worked with renowned Psychologist Dr David Lewis to develop some top tips to help aspiring adventurers make their travel dreams come true:
 

  1. It’s all about the planning, planning, planning. Where have you always dreamt of going? What do you want to see or do when you get there? If you are undecided speak to someone who has already done it. There is safety in numbers and hearing about other people’s exploits emboldens you to do likewise.
  2. Once you’ve decided on your trip – do your homework. By learning as much as possible in advance about where you are going, you will make it more interesting, enjoyable and rewarding. And help build up the anticipation!
  3. When preparing for a holiday, or even when you are away, keep a checklist and tick off tasks and items as they are completed. This will increase your confidence and prevent slip-ups or lapses in memory.
  4. If you are going to a place where English may not be widely spoken or understood, even if you are on an escorted tour, write down a few basic phrases in that language to help you communicate. You will feel empowered by having it to hand ‘just in case’.
  5. Having to rush unnecessarily depletes energy levels and increases stress. Leave yourself plenty of time to get places or consider an escorted tour where the travel arrangements are all sorted for you, removing that element of worry.
  6. As people get older they need more ‘me time’ to collect their thoughts and increase energy levels. Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day chilling out away from too many distractions.
  7. Never say never. And don’t ever use ‘I’m too old for that’ as an excuse for not doing something you secretly long to do. At the same time be prepared to say ‘no, not for me’ if you really don’t want to undertake an activity or go to a certain destination.

 
So whether you secretly want to scale Mount Kilimanjaro, see the volcanoes in Italy, or you long to sail along the Fjords of Norway, we say – go for it! Those in need of some holiday inspiration can also visit our website where you’ll find plenty of great break ideas including our Grand Explorer tours to destinations such as America, Russia and the Arctic Circle.
 
 

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Why do people like to travel?

Everyone has their own reason for getting away – I have a full list of them – but whatever our reason for travelling in the first place, once we’re away our brain seems to take on those sponge-like qualities we had as a child.

We become more alert to things happening around us, to sights, sounds and smells we experience, which is why it’s common to come back from our travels with so many more memories than we’d have from the same period of time back home.

To experience world cultures…

Some people travel specifically to discover new cultures – they want to see the difference between their own culture and that of the people in the country they’re visiting. It’s intriguing to see the way other people behave in other parts of the world – just watching them go about their daily business can be a real eye-opener. It’s so easy to take things for granted in our everyday lives, and immersing ourselves in the culture of foreign parts can be quite fascinating.

Experience different cultures.
Experience different cultures.

To do something different…

Placing ourselves ‘in the thick of it’ really helps us develop a different perspective on life, opening our eyes, ears, mind – and our taste buds – to all the amazing things that are out there. Speak a different language – or at least try; eat a dish you’ve never tried before; take a ride in a horse and carriage; go to the ballet; take in a classical music concert; climb aboard a boat… there’s a whole world out there just waiting to be experienced.

Eat something different: Cevapcici – the local dish I tried in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Eat something different: Cevapcici – the local dish I tried in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Out of curiosity…

We’ve all read about places, seen them on TV, or heard others talk about them, but what’s it really like to be there? What are the people like? Are the buildings really as big as they look on TV? Does scenery really take your breath away? So why not experience these places for yourself – find out more about them, explore them further. Nothing will satisfy your curiosity quite as much as being there, finding all the answers for yourself.

It's true what they say: standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon really DID take my breath away.
It’s true what they say: standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon really DID take my breath away.

For fun, excitement and adventure…

People can sometimes be a bit wary of the unknown – things that are different to back home; afraid of change. But so much excitement and adventure can be achieved, just by doing something a bit different to what you’d normally do.

To escape every day life…

It’s not unusual to become a bit bored of every day life. The daily routine: bills to pay; shopping to do; a big project at work; meals to cook; clothes to wash; gardens to tend to… there’s no wonder so many people look forward to some ‘time out’ each year. It’s a time to switch off from everything back home; to be free from responsibility; to leave our worries behind. We all know that all those things will still be there when we get back, but for that short period of time, they don’t exist. It does us good to get away from everything for a while, and we tend to come back feeling much fresher and more positive (for a while, at least!).

Escape the daily routine!
Escape the daily routine!

To see the sights…

Those famous landmarks you’ve heard about… Rome’s Colosseum; the Great Wall of China; the Eiffel Tower; natural wonders such as the Midnight Sun in the Arctic Circle; centuries-old glaciers and thundering waterfalls; or amazing architectural feats like Florence’s Duomo; Pisa’s leaning tower and the vast Alhambra Palace… they’re on many people’s ‘tick list’ of places to visit in the world.

Florence: somewhere I'd always wanted to go.
Florence: somewhere I’d always wanted to go.

To meet new people…

On the trips I’ve been on I’ve met some wonderful and interesting people: travelling companions and people from the areas I’ve visited. People from different places sometimes act differently, have different beliefs and have many different stories to share. I love listening to people about their travels and places they want to go to: people who have many years of holidays behind them and others who are just starting to discover the world. And just as we are all individual, we all have different things we want to get from our precious time away.

What’s your reason for getting away? What type of holidays do you like? Share your holiday stories with us.

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Leger Holidays launch new Grand Explorer website

Here at Leger we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Grand Explorer website.

The site houses our great range of Grand Explorer Tours, which cover a vast array of countries and take in some simply breathtaking scenery,
These tours are carefully planned right down to the very last details; we can even pick you up from your home with our door-to-door service, so there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about.
With destinations including places such as Russia, India, China, Norway and even the Arctic Circle these tours really are not to be missed.
For more information on our tours visit our new Grand Explorer website