For the Country Specialists roles, we are particularly interested in people who have travelled to any of our destinations and possess the right skills to deliver award-winning service to our customers. Planning a tailor-made  itinerary takes a lot of different skills. From knowledge of the destination to a highly organised approach, friendly telephone manner and the ability to put together individual, uniquely planned trips for each of our clients.

In return you’ll find working at Audley is relaxed yet professional, fun and challenging.

Take a look at the Audley Careers website and find out more about working at Audley.

Over the summer, I tend to drink mostly white, and now, as we head towards winter, my thoughts are turning to roaring log fires and a lovely glass of red wine. Not wanting to wish away the last few weeks of sunshine, but I’m already looking forward to it! After all, what else is there to like about the cold, wet winters we have here in the UK.

I tend to drink wine from four main areas of the world – France, New Zealand, South America and of course South Africa. For me, South Africa produces some of the most exciting and reliable wine of all. Whether it’s a Chenin Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Merlot or my favourite, a Shiraz, South African wine just seems to ooze quality and always represents extremely good value for money.

So it’s such a shame that I can’t enter our very own competition to win a case of South African wines worth up to £100 (the competition is of course not open to Audley employees!).

Most of the clients we send to South Africa tend to allow a few days of their itineraries to explore the Winelands region. Luckily, our South Africa specialists know the area extremely well – they regularly visit the country to check accommodation and explore the area. They use this knowledge to create the perfect, tailor-made South African itinerary for each of our customers.

Get a taste of South Africa  and enter our Winelands competition for your chance to win a case of specially selected South African wines worth up to £100.

Microhyla nepenthicola was discovered in Borneo

Scientists from the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and the University of Hamburg in Germany have found a new species of frog on an expedition in Borneo. 

The very cute Microhyla nepenthicola reaches just one centimetre in length and was first discovered in Kubah National Park in 2004; this discovery how now been described in the journal Zootaxa. 

The miniature red and orange creature lives and breeds on a pitcher plant, laying its eggs in the decomposing organic matter that gathers on the plant. Scientists believe the tiny size and reduced webbing of the frog could be the result of negotiating the slippery plant on which it lives.

Just came across this great page of video highlights from the BBC’s series “Nature’s Great Events“. You have to wonder how they managed to film some of this.

The clip I just watched was “The Great Melt” which showed time-lapse footage of the melting ice in the Arctic. Not only have they managed to position the camera in exactly the same place from one season to another, allowing us to see the difference in the landscapes, but they even pan the camera around in the same shot, as the ice melts!

Amazing stuff.

Find out about Audley’s trips to the Arctic

Heritage Expeditions

Ten years since their last expedition to the islands of the South Indian Ocean, New Zealand based cruise company, Heritage Expeditions, has organised a return to this remote location.

In November 2012 Rodney Russ and crew will venture to the small islands of Crozet, Heard, Kerguelen, St Paul and Amsterdam which dot the South Indian Ocean, in search of pristine wilderness and a plethora of delightful wildlife, from the rare Amsterdam (wandering) albatross to mosley’s rockhopper penguin. Setting sail from Mauritius the cruise finishes in Albany, Australia.

Very few expeditions ever venture into these latitudes so we are immensely pleased to be able to offer this cruise through Audley. Please contact our New Zealand team on 01993 838 820 to find out more about this expedition or to discuss your travel plans further.

Cake sale raises money for Pakistan flood victims

Members of Audley’s Indian Subcontinent team have this week held a cake sale to help raise funds for the devastating flood crisis in Pakistan.

The impressive spread of cakes, bakes and cookies included a lavish looking pavlova, a sumptuous banana and walnut cake and a Dutch apple pie. After the last morsels were cleared and the pounds and pennies counted, the team declared a final tally of £275 in money raised.

This money will be contributed towards aid and disaster relief efforts currently ongoing in the worst hit areas of Pakistan.

Following the country’s biggest flood in 80 years, at least 1,600 people are feared dead and millions left homeless and in need of aid. The growing crisis is exacerbated by reports of further heavy downpours expected over the coming days, with authorities in some areas issuing “extreme” and “imminent” flood warnings.

Find out more about the flood crisis in Pakistan and how you can help support charities working to help people who have been affected – go to www.thebiggive.org.uk.

Arlington Row in the Cotswolds, on a February misty morning

With the travel bug well and truly rooted in our systems here at Audley, it seems only natural that many of us also have a passion for photography. But while some of us are happy with the results of our trusty point and click cameras, others are a bit more practiced with a lens. 

Sarah Howard, one of Audley’s Southeast Asia specialists, is able to combine her love of travel with her passion for photography, and as a professional landscape and travel photographer she also holds photography workshops in the Cotswolds through Image Seen, a company she runs alongside Photoshop expert Martyn Ferry. 

Image Seen is currently running a competition which celebrates the beauty of the Cotswolds and prizes up for grabs include one to one photography tuition with Sarah, a fabulous Ricoh R10 compact camera, accessories from Morris Photographic, and a fantastic 2 night stay at the historical White Hart Royal hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh. 

The Cotswold Scene competition is open to all amateur photographers, including the under 16′s, until 15th October 2010 and will culminate in a six week long exhibition at O3 Gallery in Oxford Castle at the end of the year. This is an excellent opportunity for budding photographers to show off their skills and see their work exhibited in one of Oxfords best galleries. 

With Sarah reaching the final of Travel Photographer of the Year in 2008 and 2009 and the competition being judged by renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite, and Steve Watkins, editor of Outdoor Photography magazine, this is a competition not to be missed.  

To find out more about visit the Image Seen website.

WildPhotos 2010 will take place at the Royal Geographical Society on 22-23 October

Exploring, discussing and celebrating the world of wildlife and nature photography, WildPhotos will return this year in a two-day symposium at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Taking place on 22nd and 23rd October, WildPhotos 2010 will feature an impressive line up of international speakers, including wildlife experts and professional photographers offering workshops, discussions and advice on up-to-the-minute trends and techniques in the world of wildlife photography.

The event will also play stage to a unique series of presentations from the winners of this year’s Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, with the winners’ names being announced the day before the show begins.

For more information and to buy tickets for WildPhotos 2010, visit the website at www.wildphotos.org.uk.

View of atomic bomb dome, Hiroshima peace park

The Japanese city of Hiroshima today marks the 65th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack that devastated the city during World War II. 

Representatives from 74 countries attended a memorial with a representative from the US, UK and France present for the first time, and a minute’s silence was held at 8:15, the exact time that the bomb fell. 

Approximately 140,000 people died as a direct result of the bomb which was dropped by United States forces on 6th August 1945, but the focus of today’s event was very much on working towards a future free of nuclear weapons. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, also in attendance for the first time, said the time had come to move from “Ground Zero, to Global Zero” – a world without any nuclear weapons.

We collect all these various notes and coins and when the box gets to the point when it is nearly too heavy to carry we take it up to Friends of Conservation who are able to have this all sorted and converted into Stirling.

Our most recent collection raised £334, and we are continuing to collect more currency.

Penguin Island begins on 14th July 2010, 7:30pm, BBC1

Anyone tuned into BBC1 at 7:30 this evening will catch the beginning of Penguin Island, a new six-part documentary series following the lives, loves and survival techniques of the world’s smallest penguins.

Found on Phillip Island in Australia, the world-famous little penguins entertain half a million tourists a year with a sunset parade from the surf to their burrows. But behind the scenes, the penguins’ lives are even more interesting. Penguin Island uses the latest underwater satellite tracking and Big Brother-style video surveillance to follow the lives of several penguin families who live in a colony where relationships are fraught and survival is tenuous. 

Over six half-hour episodes, Penguin Island follows the penguins as a dedicated team of rangers and scientists monitor and protect them through the hottest summer on record. 

Be sure to tune in tonight as viewers are introduced to Bluey and Sheila, one of the 13,000 little penguin couples who live on Phillip Island.

Phillip Island is located just an hour and a half away from Melbourne and can easily be incorporated into a tailor-made itinerary with Audley. To find out more visit the Australia section of our site.

'Uthando South Africa' is a registered non-profit organisation based in Cape Town.

Each year, the Africa team organises a fund-raiser quiz for the staff of Audley, and this year it took a Family Fortunes theme, with the various departments battling it out through various rounds for the champion’s trophy! Nearly 80 people came along to support the event, which was a really fantastic turnout.

The Africa team has two charities that they support: the Mara Rianda Charitable Trust, raising money to pump clean water to schools outside the Masai Mara; and the Uthando foundation, which organises small-scale community projects in South Africa such as youth projects and conservation work.

The evening began with a barbeque to make the most of the beautiful summer’s evening, and all profits raised from the food, drinks and quiz entry were collected for these two charities.

It was a really fun evening, with lots of laughs at some of the strange questions and even stranger answers, and overall £620 was raised which will be shared between the two charities.

If you have any questions about these charities or would like to make a donation, do contact the Africa team on 01993 838 500 or visit our Responsible Travel in Africa section.

Christ the Redeemer statue re-opens in Rio de Janeiro

Following a four-month facelift and £2.7 million in public and private donations, Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue has re-opened to the world.

The 80-year-old monument, which depicts Jesus Christ standing with his arms outstretched, was closed earlier this year due to water and weather damage to its face and hands. A team of 100 restorers and volunteers set about repairing the statue – an arduous task which resulted in using 60,000 pieces of stone from the same quarry that was used to mine the material for the original structure in 1931.

The statue, which stands at the summit of Corcovado Hill overlooking Rio’s beautiful coastline, was illuminated in green and gold light at its grand unveiling in honour of the Brazilian football team’s 2010 World Cup campaign.

To find out more about visiting Rio de Janeiro or to book a tailor-made holiday to Brazil, visit our website or call one of our South America specialists on 01993 838 610.

Gizmo the owl basking in the sun

 A rare owl that went missing from his aviary in Witney two weeks ago has been spotted in the grounds of the New Mill this week.

Gizmo, a Peruvian striped owl, spent most of yesterday morning perched on the weir outside of the atrium and seemed to be enjoying his now-found freedom so much that he decided to fly away when animal rescue were called! Not even Gizmo’s owner, Wayne Smith, could tempt the owl into returning home and a repeat effort to catch the bird had to be made today.

At six months old, Gizmo belongs to Mr Smith’s daughter and had only been with the family three months before escaping on Tuesday 15th June. Despite being bred in captivity he was looking healthy and it is assumed he has been hunting for himself.

 We hope Gizmo returns to his family very soon.

Statue at Luxor Museum, Egypt

If you’ve been to Egypt or are considering a trip there in the near future you might like to know there is a major related exhibition this autumn at the British Museum.

This exhibition focuses on the ancient Egyptians’ journey from death to the afterlife, focusing on the famous Book of the Dead. This ‘Book’ was not a single text but a compilation of spells designed to guide the deceased through the dangers of the underworld, ultimately ensuring eternal life.

The exhibition will be displaying many never before seen papyrus and linen texts, some over 3,500 years old. There will also be funerary figurines, amulets and jewellery on display.

Exhibition details

For more details visit the British Museum website.

Japanese cuisine

A taste of the Far East will reach Chipping Norton this weekend, where a local resident will be running a Japanese cooking course.

Miyuki Sedhora lives in Churchill near Chipping Norton with her husband Robin Walden, and two children, Freddy and Tazu, but was born in Hiroshima. She moved to England 24 years ago and has recently set up cookery courses for those interested in learning about traditional Japanese cuisine.

The classes are held in Miyuki’s home and include a basic introduction to Japanese cooking as well as the more advanced sushi making, using traditional ingredients such as kombo (kelp), miso and rice wines.

Courses are running tomorrow (18th June), 25th June and 3rd July. If you would like to take part call 01608 641944 or email miyukisedohara@yahoo.co.jp to book your place.

If you’re interested in tailor-made travel to Japan, find out more on Audley’s main website. Alternatively you can discover more about Japanese food with our guide to Japanese cuisine.

China leads the way in high-speed rail

The Shinkansen in Japan, or bullet train as it is more commonly known, is often referred to when talking about the world’s fastest forms of travel. However, it is actually Japan’s neighbour, China that holds the record for the world’s fastest rail journey.

In 2008 China began its first high-speed passenger service and by 2012 the country hopes to have more high-speed train tracks than the rest of the world combined. Investing billions into this ambitious project, a cutting-edge network of trains and subways look set to transform the flow of people and goods in and around the country.

Why not travel aboard the world’s fastest train on a tailor-made holiday in China?

Click here to view the embedded video.

The India Tiger Safari with Audley Travel video is a unique glimpse at the amazing wildlife encounters that await visitors in India’s central wildlife parks. The video features footage taken by Harsha Ogale, one of Audley’s Indian Subcontinent specialists, and it was taken during Harsha’s recent trip to the Bandavgarh and Tadoba National Parks in central India.

The clip also includes narration from Harsha, which helps to guide viewers through the video and provide more information on the types of animals that might be spotted and the best ways to plan your wildlife safari of India.

Click the arrow to play the video above, or alternatively visit our Wildlife of India section to find out more about booking a tailor-made trip to India with Audley.

Request the new dedicated Audley Japan brochure

We’ve just launched a stand-alone Japan brochure, giving extensive information and ideas for travel throughout the country. It’s also the first of our brochures to have a fresh, new look.

The new brochure is aimed at those looking to go to Japan for the first time as well as the repeat visitor. The brochure divides Japan into three sections: northern, central and southern Japan.  Each section includes a map showing the key highlights of the region, advice on getting around, a box showing when to go and a choice of suggested itineraries.

With this new brochure, we took the opportunity to improve the design and content of our brochures in general.  We freshened up the layout with clearer typography and an overall “cleaner” look and added new sections to provide inspiration.

New sections of the brochure include “feature boxes”, designed to give more information about the key experiences on offer in Japan. Topics covered include ryokan accommodation, onsen bathing, festivals, food, wintersports, traditional crafts, sumo wrestling and geisha walks.

Find out more about how our team of Japan specialists can create a tailor-made holiday to Japan.

Or you can order a copy of the new Japan brochure on our website.

The Malaysian garden at the Chelsea Flower Show

Our Southeast Asia Programme Manager, Natalie Lewis, was the guest of the Minister of Tourism from Malaysia at the Chelsea Flower Show on Wednesday last week. The Malaysia garden received a Gold Award for their garden entitled “Spirit of Malaysia Garden”.

The designers David Cubero and James Wong aimed to demonstrate the diversity of the mixed population and culture of Malaysia as well as the rich biodiversity of the plant and flower species found in the country.

Malaysia is home to the world’s oldest rainforest, estimated to be 150 million years old, and there are over 12,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 300 species of palms and 60 species of bamboo to be found.

Jimmy Choo with the Malaysian Minister of Tourism

The National Parks and Gardens of Malaysia are the focus of the latest tourism campaign, and tied in with this Natalie was given a limited edition copy of a hard backed book entitled Paradise Found – Journeys through Noble Gardens of Asia.

She also got to meet the shoe designer Jimmy Choo, who is a great ambassador for Malaysia here in the UK!

• There is a 360 degree tour of the garden on the official flower show website (requires Flash).
• Go to Amazon for more details about Paradise Found: Journeys through Noble Gardens of Asia.

Audley Charity Trek 2010 in Morocco

 In May nine Audley clients, one specialist and one tour leader travelled to Morocco to embark on a five-day trek for charity. Here, Morocco specialist, Donna Piccini, talks about their journey.   

Jebel Toubkal in Morocco was the setting for the 2010 Audley Charity Trek. Myself plus the trek leader, Alan Ward and nine clients spent five days hiking in stunning High Atlas Mountains. The trip got off to an interesting start as Royal Air Maroc cancelled flights. However determination and a very long coach ride got us to the starting point, the Kasbah de Toubkal in the village of Imlil. From here we spent a few days enjoying long acclimatisation walks in the mountains.  

On day three, with everyone in good spirits we set out for the Neltner Lodge, base camp of Jebel Toubkal. The scenery was stunning and we passed local farmers and walked through mountain villages. After a few hours we followed a zigzag path to the scree faces of Jebel Toubkal and the lodge which was our camp site for the night. After a very filling evening meal we watched the full moon illuminate the snow-covered peaks of the surrounding mountains then climbed into our sleeping bags for an early night.  

Early the next morning we began our assent of the mountain using a reasonably clear approach up the south corrie. The hike got harder the higher we climbed with snow cover and scree really pushing the leg muscles! With the help of Alan and the guides from the Kasbah de Toubkal we all reached the 4167m summit. We were rewarded with magnificent views of Jebel Siroua to the south and Marrakech to the north.  

After a well-earned rest we began our decent and our journey back to the Kasbah de Toubkal. The snow that had made ascent quite difficult proved very useful on the way down! Everyone made it back to the Kasbah for our final night in the mountains. We enjoyed a late evening meal and a celebratory glass of champagne before bedding down for an excellent nights sleep!  

Well done to all who took part in the charity event which so far has raised £1,700 for two different charities – the Hannan School in Morocco and Orbis, the flying eye hospital.

A montage of contemporary Vietnamese art from the exhibition.

If you have an interest in the cultural side of Vietnam, then you might be interested in a forthcoming art exhibition showcasing contemporary art from that country. 

Four of Vietnam’s most talented artists will be displaying their work in a range of mediums, including oil, watercolours and even ink. 

The exhibition runs from the 29 June – 10 July 2010 and will be held at the Lennox Gallery in London. For more details you should visit the Modern Art Vietnam website.

The tuatara lizard is endemic to New Zeland.

Well, not a Tyrannosaurus rex of course, but it does date back 200 million years – the tiny tuatara lizard. What makes this sighting so unusal is that is is only the second time in more than 200 years that one has been spotted on the mainland, the first one being back in 2008.

Often referred to as a “living fossil’” the tuatara is endemic to New Zealand and the only place on the mainland where it exists is in Zealandia, a purpose build sanctuary in the capital Wellington.

Tuatara fact: The name “tuatara” derives from the Māori language, and means “peaks on the back”.

The following clip shows the beautiful scenery and some the fantastic array of wildlife. Look out for the elephants walking through Mfuwe Lodge at 2.30 mins, one of our most popular lodges.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The streets of Beirut

Spirit of the Phoenix: Beirut and the story of Lebanon has been organised by the Arab British Centre and CAABU, and is being presented by Tim Llewellyn, ex Middle East Correspondent for the BBC and author of ‘Spirit of the Phoenix’. His latest work attempts to answer questions about this tiny, fertile Mediterranean country, and asks why it has become a byword for violence and chaos in the minds of much of the world.   

Taking place from 6pm until 8pm the talk will be held in the Khalili Lecture Theatre in Russell Square College Buildings. Following the lecture there will be a question and answer session, and drinks reception. This event is free of charge, and seating is assigned on a first come, first served basis. 

For more information on this event visit the Arab British Centre website or contact Imogen Ware at The Arab British Centre on 020 7832 1310.