“…the spirit of exploration…” – Yvonne Ho

Last week, we got the chance speaking with Ms Yvonne Ho, an expeditionist, whom shared with us about her experience onboard the Le Commandant Charcot. Through her words, we understand how important we have to respect the nature, and have a spirit of exploration while we approach the geographic North Pole and the area surrounding it. Many times, guests will wonder where they will land next or visit next while on the cruise, and the team onboard do not always have an answer for it. As part of this experience, guests are invited to enjoy the moments as they venture outside of their comfort zone, into previously uncharted territory.

Join us as we explore the once hard-to-reach destination!

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Alison Kirk Lauritsen, an Expedition Leader and Quark Academy Trainer in Quark Expeditions Patrick Woodhead, CEO of White Desert and author of 4 bestselling books published in 11 different languages, a Prince’s Trust Ambassador and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

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A land of arid desert and scorched mountains, the birthplace of Islam. The only country on the Arabian Peninsula with a foot in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Opened to foreign tourists only in September 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conjures up all the romance and adventure of the golden age of discovery.

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Chang Theng Hwee. A trailblazer in Asia’s luxury travel industry

The sense of wonder for our planet earth sends Theng Hwee to 123 over countries across all 7 continents. Just before the world’s border was shut, Theng Hwee and his wife, Siew Yim, visited Saudi Arabia organized by Intriq Journey. We are pleased to have Theng Hwee to share with us his wondrous tales of Saudi Arabia and why it should be on your bucket list to visit when the border reopens.

Discover our carefully curated sample itineraries to Saudi Arabia.

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Join us to learn about this intriguing period of Korean history and discover the UNESCO world heritage sites in Gyeongju, Buyeo and Gongju where traces of these fabled kingdoms can be found. This webinar will focus more on two dynasties Silla and Baekje. The former is described by Chinese emissaries as a country of gold, whereas the latter is known for its metal craftsmanship.

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Sohey Ahn Sohey is an English-Speaking License Guide in Seoul since 2013. As a tour guide, she has guided many corporates VIPs as well as government high officials. Her expert guided study tours were especially hugely popular with History groups. She is also a trainer on “How to deliver Korean History to Tourists” at Korean Guide Association for new tour guides. Her Lectures were incomparable with professional academics, historians and writers and her knowledge of their subject area and an ability to communicate their learning in a way that were enlighten and stimulate her students. Her passion, enthusiasm and knowledge of Korean history makes her narration comes alive

The post Webinar – Three Kingdoms of Korea – Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla appeared first on Intriq Journey.

 

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Galicia, home to the finishing point of the pilgrimage route, St James’ Way, at Santiago de Compostela, is Spain’s wild western edge with medieval fishing villages, lush forests and World Heritage Monuments. The stunning Picos de Europa National Park staddles the regions of Asturias and Cantabria, verdant mountains and valleys dotted with historic towns and villages – a natural delight for those outdoor enthusiasts. You find UNESCO listed prehistoric caves, architectural legacies across time, as well as beautiful sandy beaches.

Get ready to discover the secrets of “Green Spain”, an unforgettable trail through wild beaches, charming towns, large nature parks and Biosphere reserves. Bienvenidos a España! See you soon in Spain!

Discover our specially curated itineraries to Spain.

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Cristina Gonzalez Ruiz – The Green Spain Ambassador

Cristina was born in Bilbao, Spain, and holds a BA (Hons) in Leisure and Tourism Management from the London Metropolitan University, UK, and an MA in Leisure and Tourism Management from the University of Deusto, Spain. After a short work stint in the Tourism Industry, she moved to Brussels, Belgium, to work at the European Commission for a year. After this, she started to work at the Spanish Tourism Board, first in Brussels and then in Singapore, as the Director Assistant. In 1999, she began her career in the field of education, first as a Lecturer in Tourism studies and later as a Lecturer of Spanish as a foreign language. Since 2002, she has held the position of Coordinator of the Spanish Language Program at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. After completing a double MA in Applied Linguistics and Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, she was promoted to Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Modern Languages at NTU, Singapore. Currently, Cristina is pursuing a PhD in Applied Linguistics to Language Teaching while continuing teaching Spanish at NTU, Singapore.

The post Webinar – Green Spain. The Spirit Of the North appeared first on Intriq Journey.

Discover our specially curated cruise itineraries to intriguing destinations around the world.

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The Balkans, the southeast European Peninsula of dramatic landscape, has seen some of the most interesting and impactful histories of all time. It was here that Roman Empire divided into 2 halves; it was here where the Ottoman, the Habsburg and the Venetian clashed to see who ruled supreme; it was here where WWI started, and it was here where the Cold War played out one of the greatest heights.

Today, the 8 Balkan countries namely Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania carried on with their lives manifested in many ways by all these turbulent histories forming a mosaic of unique cultures and heritage. Theng Hwee, an avid traveler who has journeyed to all these countries over several trips, will share the intriguing tidbits of his latest travel with a professor.

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Chang Theng Hwee, one of the Pioneers of luxury travel in Asia The love of discovering new places and seeking out unique experiences prompted Theng Hwee to make a switch from a promising banking career in 1993 to the world of bespoke travel. Country Holidays Travel was born and soon grew to be one of the pioneers in luxury travel in the region, with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Dubai thus opening doors to some of the most remote destinations including Antarctica, Iran, Ethiopia, Yemen, Mali. The company was bought over by an overseas travel company in 2018. Theng Hwee also was appointed the Secretary General of NATAS (National Association of Travel Agents of Singapore) from 2002 to 2004.

Theng Hwee is co-author of a book, “Treasures of the Indochina”, with accomplished photographer Jimmy Lam.

Out of the 123 countries across 7 continents that he has been to, destinations preserving a unique historical culture and pristine nature appeals most to Theng Hwee. This includes multiple trips to the Balkans, which has intrigued him with their distinctive history and heartfelt tales from the ground. We are delighted to have Theng Hwee share his own stories of this fascinating region in this upcoming webinar, and find out more about the anecdote relating to the banana and the professor.

The post Webinar – The Balkans. A Journey with a Banana Professor appeared first on Intriq Journey.

Mongolia is the land of Genghis Khan, the least populated country on Earth, with vast pristine landscapes of untouched beauty and wilderness since medieval times, when the Mongols ruled parts of China, Russia, Persia, Iraq as well as the grasslands of Mongolia on horseback. Today, it is still the most equestrian nation on Earth, home to a rich cultural heritage and the nomadic herdsmen way of life, with about 30 percent of the entire population still living in yurts and herding livestock such as cashmere goats, sheep, horses, yaks and camels. Our guest speaker is Jan Wigsten, an intrepid Swede who has traverse all corners of this fascinating country, including the remote Altai Mountains border zones. Listen to stories about his private ‘off-grid’ travels and how such expedition-style journeys can be done in an authentic, yet comfortable way while keeping a certain level of luxury. Imagine waking up in your private yurt camp to a 360° view of pristine landscapes untouched by human development and experiencing the true hospitality of the Mongolian nomads.

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Jan Wigsten – Mongolia Expedition Travel Expert Jan Wigsten is no stranger to Mongolia, having travelled professionally around the region since 1980, curating experiences for fly fishing, snow leopard expeditions, horse riding safaris. His key focus, however, has been adapting the traditional yurt allowing for mobility, privacy and five-star camping experiences for exclusive wilderness journeys, yet retaining an authenticity of the lodging. In 2012, Jan was awarded the Friendship Medal by President Elbegdorj on the very first Mongolian state visit to Sweden, for his contribution to conservation and tourism in Mongolia, Jan was also involved as a consultant for conservation/tourism and rural development projects around South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Scandinavia and Asia, and is currently an advisor to UNDP Mongolia, the Mongolian government and the Sustainable Tourism Development Center to focus on the nomadic culture in tourism post-covid. Singaporeans may also find him familiar as Jan and his camps were featured on the CNA (Channel News Asia) sustainable tourism series “In Pursuit of Magic” a few years back.

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Sophie Ibbotson, Central Asia Expert Sophie Ibbotson is a Central Asia expert who has worked in the region since 2008. She is a consultant to the World Bank, an advisor to the Government of Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan’s Ambassador for Tourism. She has written five guidebooks for Bradt Travel Guides, as well as articles for publications such as The Telegraph, Financial Times, and The Economist; and is a trustee of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. Sophie has previously lectured at the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Asiatic Society, and Tashkent International Tourism Fair, as well as for tour operators such as Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, Trans Indus, and Travel the Unknown.

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