Sarah in Antarctica

Sarah Zamzow, the Director of Operations and Group Sales for Sanders Travel Centre, went on an incredible trip to Antarctica at the first of this year. Here is a quick recap of her journey. 

My trip to Antarctica was a trip of a lifetime for sure! We sailed with Quark, a Virtuoso expedition cruise line. The Expedition team members who lead our zodiac outings and taught the onboard lectures were fabulous, and really made the trip! We sailed from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina. Ushuaia is a destination in and of itself, and is worth spending a few days in before or after your Antarctic sailing. We spent a day hiking the Tierre del Fuego National Park, and another day cruising the Beagle Channel by Catamaran. Arakur is a fabulous resort to stay at before you sail. Its beautiful accommodations are topped only by the beautiful mountain setting they are in, and they have fabulous hiking trails right on property.

It takes two full days to sail the Drake Passage to reach Antarctica. Those prone to seasickness like I am are recommended to get medicine from their doctor in advance as the waters can be very rough.

Our first day we experienced 24 foot swells! Thankfully the rest of the trip (including the crossing back) we had beautiful weather. Our cruise itinerary had 4 days along the Antarctic Peninsula. We had 2 excursions every day, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon after we sailed to a different location. The guests were divided into two groups. At each excursion half the people would go on land and the other half would do a zodiac cruise. Then we would switch. We were one of the lucky people to sign up early enough to be in the kayak group. The kayakers were the first ones off the ship and the last ones back on at each excursion. We got a unique look at Antarctica because we were at water level with the animals and scenery. We also got to be still in the silence of Antarctica since we were not in a motorized vehicle. I strongly recommend people sign up for kayaking if they have kayak experience and are active travelers. We saw tons of wildlife, including a family of orcas, tons of Gentoo penguins, and five different kinds of seals.

We also camped overnight one night on the ice, and did the polar plunge! For a detailed day to day of my trip visit my personal blog at http://sarahabroad09.blogspot.com/.

Visiting Antarctica was a truly magical experience! It is an incredibly beautiful and pristine destination. I feel so honored to have been able to visit it, and would recommend everyone go if they have the opportunity. If you have questions or want to book your own trip of a lifetime ,contact your Sanders travel advisor or Sarah at sarah@sanderstravel.com.

Kathy in Prague and Berlin

Kathy Lubrano, one of our awesome advisors, got the opportunity to travel abroad to Prague and Berlin. She stayed at the Four Seasons in Prague and at the Hilton and the Regent Hotels in Berlin.

Kathy’s trip started off in Prague where she had already booked a car to pick her up from the airport through Travel Bound. She was pleasantly surprised by the service offered. Her group was met at customs and escorted to the car by their guide. The car provided cold bottled water, a Prague guide book, and a voucher for a free walking tour of Prague.

They took the short drive to the Four Seasons hotel, which is located adjacent to the river in the old town area of Prague. This beautiful hotel has been remodeled from 4 separate buildings into 1 seamless building. It offers 5 different room categories including: 1) Modern, 2) Superior, 3) Deluxe, 4) Renaissance, and 5) Premier River View. They are all priced differently and offer distinctive amenities. Kathy stayed in a Deluxe Twin and offered a tip to book a river view room, if quiet nights are extremely important to your vacation. She says that the nightlife in the Prague streets can be loud up until the early hours of the morning.

In Prague Kathy took advantage of the many tours offered. She used Travel Bound to visit the city of Cesky Krumlov, especially to see the famous castle. Her favorite part was the drive to the city. She remembers the beautiful foliage and golden leaves falling from the trees.

Kathy’s one problem with Prague was that the train station was not very user friendly. She would suggest using a tour company that ensures that your driver helps you onto your correct train, as the platforms and corridors are very confusing.

When they got off the train in Berlin, a Travel Bound driver was there ready to pick them up with a sign stating her name. They were driven to the Hilton Berlin and surprisingly were upgraded to the Executive floor of the hotel. They only spent one night in the Hilton Berlin and Kathy recommends this hotel for our more budget conscious travelers. It offers comfortable living for an affordable price.

The next night, Kathy’s group stayed a few blocks away at the Regent Hotel. This hotel has an ideal location, across the street for Gendarmenmarkt, a famous square full of beautiful architecture. It holds Christmas markets in the summer, as well as open air concerts.

The Regent Hotel has a beautiful lobby, full of old world charm.

Kathy described it as having “opulence and grandeur”. She said the hotel staff was warm and inviting and had the number priority of making their guests happy.

All in all, Kathy loved her trip to Prague and Berlin. Her accommodations and tour groups that she booked in advance through her Sanders Travel connections are what made her trip such a success. She hopes to go back to see more of these beautiful cities.