Staff at Discover the World

Email addy@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 216

Brought up on a farm in the west of Iceland and one of the founders of 'Icelandic Farm Holidays', Addy spent her summers with people from different parts of the world, giving her interest in travelling and exploring new destinations. After working in various hotels in Iceland, she studied Travel & Tourism at the Iceland School of Tourism where she graduated in 1997. Addy has lived in Germany, Italy and in the UK since 2000 where she has worked for Discover the World since 2001 as a travel consultant with focus on holidays to Iceland and Greenland. Addy has travelled extensively throughout Europe, Greenland and Iceland and is an experienced rider of the pure bred Icelandic horse.

Addy’s Top Travel Experiences

• Riding on the sandy beaches of Snaefellsnes where the view is panoramic, with the sea on one side and mountains on the other and the magical Snaefellsjokull in front of you
• The perfect stillness of sitting on the shores of the Icefjord in West Greenland, where as far as you can see there is nothing but Icebergs
• Riding snowmobiles in the dark through the woods in Lapland searching for the northern lights

Email aggie@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 005

Aggie’s keen interest in travel brought her to Discover the World in 2009 having previously worked in various travel roles after finishing her Masters degree in Sociology and Tourism. She takes great care in developing travel itineraries as in her view, preparation is just as important as travelling itself in order to receive full enjoyment from your holiday.

Aggie's Top Travel Experiences

• watching the beautiful Arctic scenery while husky sledding in Kulusuk, East Greenland - one the most remote places in the world 
• floating in the Dead Sea in Jordan – the most surreal experience of my life – and no swimming skills required
• watching the Northern Lights appear over the Icehotel, Sweden for the first time in my life – no words can give this truly magical phenomenon justice – you have to see them for yourself!
• climbing the Great Wall of China – an unforgettable experience to last a lifetime
• snowmobiling over the glaciers in Iceland followed by a nice bowl of hot Icelandic meat soup
• experiencing a true sense of freedom quad biking through the wilderness and vast open fields of North Quebec province, Canada and finishing off the day with roasting marshmallows overa campfire while gazing at the stars above
• exploring the deep underground salt mines in Wieliczka, Poland (which includes an entire church carved out of the rock salt!) at night with the lights out and only a miners’ helmet light to guide the way.
• backpacking through mystical Morocco, a country of many contrasts, and connecting with the locals to understand their way of life. 

Read about Aggie's husky adventures in Greenland »

Email  alex@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 236 

Since joining Discover the World in the midst of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in May 2010, Alex has become a Nordic convert – so much so that he has been banned from mentioning anything about Iceland, the Icehotel, or the northern lights by his friends and family! Why? Because he simply can’t stop talking about them! Bravely starting out his career in travel as an airport-based Passenger Services Agent, Alex caught the travel bug after waving everyone else off on holiday at London Gatwick Airport. A rugby tour in 1999 cemented New Zealand as one of his favourite places in the world to explore, but further wanderlust has introduced him to the wonders of North America; both on piste and in the saddle!

In Cambodia, Alex was particularly entranced by the beauty of Angkor Watt and its surrounding temples. Then came Iceland and he was simply wowed by the most dramatic scenery of the North, followed by time spent exploring in the East, South and West of Iceland.  Alex loved the epic road driving in Norway (read his travel story). More recently, he was lucky enough to visit the Icehotel, taking a turn working as a representative for DTW, and that is where his new obsession currently lies. With eleven years of experience behind him in sales and customer services he is an asset to the Nordic team.

Alex’s Top Travel Experiences:

• Shedding a frosty tear looking at the sky light up with aurora borealis at the Icehotel.
• Absolutely anything to do with the Ice Hotel – from the northern lights snowmobiling, to the Ice Bar, the husky sledging – just being out there – pure winter wonderland!
• Checking out the music and book shops in Reykjavik and looking through all the fantastic music artists and art books they have there
• Whale watching in the crisp arctic air from Husavik (North Iceland) and spotting thousands of puffins learning to fly! (read my blog)
• Spotting yellow-eyed penguins in Oamuru on South Island, New Zealand
• Navigating through the Norwegian Fjords and mountains – the most exhilarating driving I have ever done! (read my travel story)
• Soaking in the Nature Baths in Myvatn in -9 conditions – certainly cold, certainly memorable!
• Visiting the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur; feeding the elephants and watching them bathe in the river
• Powder skiing in the back bowls of Vail, Colorado USA

Email amy@discover-the-world.co.uk
01737 214 265

Amy joined Discover the World in 2009 and has been in travel for nearly eight years. During this time she has spent summer seasons in Cyprus and Spain before moving back to England to spent two years working with an internet travel agent specialising in customer service and looking after clients in resort. With her passion for travel she has been lucky enough to travel to America, Austria, Portugal, Germany and recently achieved her lifelong dream to explore the expanses of Australia (read her blog). 

Since joining Discover the World Amy has especially loved visiting Iceland; travelling around this amazing volcanic island (her next mission is to witness an erupting volcano!). She has also visited the Faroes and enjoyed a fantastic trip to East Greenland in May 2011  (read her blog). One of her favourite trips to date was travelling to Swedish Lapland to look after Discover the World guests visiting the Icehotel, which included two sightings in three nights of the magical aurora borealis. She also braved a night 'on ice' in one of the incredible Art Suites, and even managed to oversleep (proving that they are incredibly comfortable!).

Along with travel, Amy is passionate about the customer service that she gives and the first-hand destination knowledge she is eager to share with her clients. Amy is currently co-ordinating Discover the World's Lapland and Iceland weddings programmes, arranging special days that adventurous brides and grooms will never forget!

Amy's Top Travel Experiences

• Relaxing in the natural waters of the Blue Lagoon.
• Watching the icebergs silently drifting on the Jokulsarlon lagoon while dipping a toe into the icy water.
• Swimming in clear blue waters of the Mediterranean surrounded by fish.
• Snowmobiling on the frozen lake near the Icehotel and catching some amazing sightings of the northern lights.
• Hiking into the mountains of Tasiilaq village to discover the amazing waterfall under fresh snow.
• Taking a first helicopter trip over the amazing icecaps and glaciers in Greenland.
• Being just metres away from a wild crocodile and her young on the Daintree River in Queensland.
• Admiring the breathtaking views and stunning beaches at Cape Tribulation. 

Email barbara@discover-the-world.co.uk

In the early days of Arctic Experience, while her family was growing up, Barbara helped with the creation of the database and brochure dispatch. She joined Discover the World full time in 2000 as an Administrator. She is responsible for the distribution of the travel information required for our tours and also covers the reception desk where her broad knowledge of Iceland, Swedish Lapland and Finland is paramount. She has travelled to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Malaysia, Kenya, North Africa, Maldives, Seychelles, Cyprus, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, France, Monaco and of course Iceland, Swedish Lapland and Finland.

Barbara's Top Travel Experiences

• The thrill of mushing my own team of huskies through picturesque forests and over frozen lakes in Lapland is a memory I will treasure forever
• The winter wonderland that is Kakslauttanen in Finland, staying in a romantic cabin that had its own log fire and personal sauna, situated in the peaceful snow covered forest close to the Russian border was idyllic
• Meeting the Sami herders on the Reindeer Safari was a unique experience

Email ben@discover-the-world.co.uk  
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 229

Ben (also answers to ‘Bin’…) is our resident Kiwi and is part Maori (only 1/32, but that still counts!). Before joining Discover the World in 2011 Ben’s colourful past includes 6 years in the New Zealand tourism industry; he also ran away to join the circus in New York (twice) and has travelled extensively throughout New Zealand, Australia and North America. Additional talents include juggling and being able to reach things on high shelves - very important with Lindi and Lauren on the team!!

Ben’s Top Travel Experiences:

• Swimming in meltwater on Franz Josef Glacier, NZ - bracing, to say the least!
• Most memorable wildlife encounter was surfing with an orca at Whale Bay, NZ 
• Birds have proved to be less friendly – have been stabbed through the hand by a yellow-eyed penguin (my fault entirely!) and attacked by a flock of Australian cockatoos 
• Setting my hair on fire during a circus performance in upstate New York...

Email charlotte@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 234

Charlotte started her career in travel 22 years ago, and has covered many different genres within the industry. She joined Discover the World in 2007 as a sales consultant in the Lapland department, but moved onto the school/groups department within a few months. Charlotte has travelled all over the world during her years in travel, the highlight being a trip to Iceland in June last year.

Charlotte’s Top Travel Experiences: 

• Husky sledging in Lapland, especially as the huskies are so friendly
• Swimming in the Blue Lagoon, snowmobiling up a glacier, riding an Icelandic horse

Email  clive@discover-the-world.co.uk

Clive has a passion for Iceland like no one else! Living in Epsom, Surrey, Clive enjoys marathon running, diving, guitar making and travelling. Clive has four children, who also love to visit Iceland and a chocolate Labrador called Sam who prefers to stay at home! Here’s a little bit more about the man who gave us Discover the World…

In 1972 Clive lived and worked in the North West Iceland village of Flateyri. He worked for a year in a fish factory and on fishing boats during which time he managed to explore a lot of the country. This was enough to start a love affair with Iceland that would last for life!

In 1973 Clive returned home and started working for Scantours as their Iceland expert. This was one of only two company's which sold holidays to Iceland at the time and was also responsible for Denmark and Finland.

In 1976 he joined Twickenham Travel (Twickers World) to launch their first Iceland programme, which he designed and managed. Within 18 months TT were the largest Iceland operator in the UK, and significantly raised the profile of Iceland as a tourist destination.

In 1980 Clive became Director of new operator, Sonicworld, which became market leader to Iceland within two years. He continued designing and innovating new ways of seeing Iceland.

Clive founded Arctic Experience in 1983 with Mark Leaney, and within two years it became market leader to Iceland. In 1988 the pair co-founded Discover the World, with zoologist and author Mark Carwardine. The company started off specialising in unique wildlife holidays around the world and pioneered many new holiday concepts. Later programmes to New Zealand, Antarctica and Lapland were added. Both Arctic Experience and Discover the World operated side by side as sister companies for many years, bringing many new travel experiences to the UK public.

In 2001 both companies were amalgamated under the Discover the World name and since then the company has gone from strength to strength.

Over the years Clive Has visited over 50 countries and lived in Iceland and New Zealand. Clive’s passion for Iceland remains unrivalled by anyone! 

Clive's Top Travel Experiences so far: 

• Seeing the northern lights in Iceland for the first time ever!
• Watching a vent spewing out lava as Krafla volcano erupted
• Travelling by boat to New Zealand and back when he was 5
• Working in deep sea fishing boats off Iceland... and later really getting to know the place and discovering its hidden secrets
• Exploring the vastness of Canada and Alaska
• Scuba diving in Oman and Iceland
• Getting out and about on safari in Namibia
• Sailing around remote parts of Spitsbergen
• Whale watching in the Azores
• Swimming with dolphins and sharks in the Bahamas
• Blasting through the tundra on a snowmobile in Lapland
• Mushing a dog team in Greenland

Email dan@discover-the-world.co.uk

Dan has travelled to a variety of destinations including Greenland, Morocco, Oman, Thailand, Australia, USA, Bahamas and much of mainland Europe including Swedish Lapland on several occasions. He has travelled throughout Iceland and New Zealand extensively. Before joining Discover the World, Dan completed his degree in geography at the University of Newcastle, then spent two years working in various sales and recruitment roles.

Dan’s Top Travel Experiences: 

• An adrenaline-filled 40 second free fall during sky dive over Taupo, New Zealand
• Watching the northern lights whilst in a geothermal heated hot tub in Iceland
• Diving with Mako sharks off coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand
• Driving through the Icelandic Highlands on a clear day in a super jeep; sightseeing Europe’s largest wet desert, amongst picturesque snow capped mountains, volcanoes, lava fields, hot springs, magnificent waterfalls, glaciers and stunning birdlife
• A snowmobile ride across the Icelandic Myrdaljokull Icecap, to then stand 200 meters away from the erupting Eyjapjallajokull. One of the most exciting experiences of my life!

Email darren@discover-the-world.co.uk

Darren has worked with the educational travel market for almost 20 years. Originally working with overseas groups arriving in the UK on study tours to more recently overseeing sport and adventure groups for one of the countries largest school group operators. He has travelled extensively in Asia and Eastern Europe and spent many periods of time working overseas with British school groups as resort manager in countries such as Italy, Austria and Canada.

Darren’s Top Travel Experiences

• Traveling across Eastern Europe by train
• Travelling 2,500 miles from Cancun to Mexico City by bus
• A train journey across Java from Jakarta to Surabaya in Indonesia
• The Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur
• The National Chinese Museum in Taiwan
• Skiing in Austria as often as possible 
• Family camping in Dorset

Email drifa@discover-the-world.co.uk

Drifa was born in Husavik, Iceland and brought up by Lake Myvatn where her parents ran a hotel and welcomed clients from Discover the World for many years. After Drama training in London, Drifa joined the Iceland Sales Team and has worked for Discover the World on and off over the years, mainly on sales but more recently in customer service. Drifa's travels consist of flying from UK to Iceland and back again, spending her life in the two countries she loves.

Drifa’s Top Travel Experiences

• Enjoying the midnight sun on top of Hverfjall by Lake Myvatn
• Feeling the pulling power of the largest waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss
• Experiencing the hospitality of the Icelandic people in Dalvik on Fish Day at the beginning of August

Email emma@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 287

Emma started her career in travel as a tour leader for an adventure travel company which took her to many fascinating countries in Africa, Scandinavia and Central America. Three years later she decided to return to the UK after a life on the road and joined Discover the World in order to pursue her love of working in travel. Emma has since developed a real passion for the Nordic regions, especially the scenery and opportunities they provide for outdoor pursuits.

Emma’s Top Travel Experiences

• Experiencing the midnight sun in Iceland and hiking in the magnificent highland regions with spectacular views.
• Snowmobiling across the wide open slopes at Bjorkliden.
• Sampling the world famous waffles at Laktatjakko mountain lodge.
• Drifting down the meandering Klaralven river on a timber raft enjoying the wilderness of Varmland in central Sweden.

Email gary@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 208

After gaining a degree in Geography and briefly dabbling in the world of retail, Gary’s travels to South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji left him with no doubt that the travel industry was to be his final destination. He joined the Discover The World family in February 2009 as an operations and dispatch executive. However, his boundless enthusiasm for travel has now been put to good use by the Nordic team. Since changing roles he has travelled extensively throughout Iceland, Lapland and Norway and can not wait for his next adventure.

Gary's Top Travel Experiences

• Walking through the famous IceHotel Sweden for the first time. It surpassed all my expectations which was quite an achievement, considering the amazing stories my colleagues had told me. Quite possibly the greatest work of art I will ever see.
• Falling hopelessly into the icy water during an attempt at raft rodeo… a game our guide gleefully invented as we hurtled down the River Hvita’s rapids near The Golden Circle. (I was fine.)
• Feeding giant turtles on the Great Barrier Reef is another incredible experience and has the added bonus of being slightly more sedate.

Email georgina@discover-the-world.co.uk  

After growing up in Africa, Georgina developed a deep love of travel and has spent the past 15 years working in the travel industry. The last twelve years have been spent at Discover the World initially as a Marketing Assistant followed by several years as the Bahamas Product Manager and for the past 6 years as Head of Marketing. Georgina has travelled extensively to many of our destinations including Iceland, Lapland, Churchill and New Zealand as well as several other countries including many in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.

Georgina’s Top Travel Experiences

• Driving my own team of huskies through the magical winter wilderness of Lapland
• Experiencing my best nights sleep ever at the Icehotel - and no I wasn't at all cold!
• Enjoying the wonderful food and wines that the Hawkes Bay region in New Zealand has to offer
• Driving through the most unique and spectacular scenery I have ever seen in Iceland, where around every corner there is a view to take your breath away and rarely anyone else in sight

Email jackie@discover-the-world.co.uk

Jackie joined Discover The World in October 2003 and deals with most of the payments for the company. She has travelled to France, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus and Nepal and to our destinations Iceland and Sweden.

Jackie's Top Travel Experiences

• Travelling through the Icelandic countryside in the winter when all you can see is snow for miles and miles, then a frozen waterfall and then a boiling geysir coming out of the ground - magical

Email jo@discover-the-world.co.uk 
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 213

Jo joined the company after finishing university by working in the administration department and then went on to sell the wildlife watching holidays, which is her real passion. She has travelled extensively throughout her time here to many of our past and present destinations including Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Norway, Churchill and British Columbia in Canada, Ecuador and the Galapagos, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, Gibraltar, the Azores, Bahamas and Sri Lanka. She has also visited much of Europe, China, Thailand, Bali and Kuala Lumpar as well as various parts of the US.

Jo’s Top Travel Experiences

• Quietly cruising past icebergs the size of buildings swathed in mist in a Zodiac boat in Greenland
• Seeing the northern lights dancing across the sky over the frozen lake at the ICEHOTEL
• Watching polar bear cubs playing next to the tundra buggy in Canada
• Taking a scenic flight over Kaikoura in New Zealand and watching the sperm whales diving below

Email jo.betts@discover-the-world.co.uk

Jo has worked in the travel industry for a number of years and began her career working in the Product department of a Canada Specialist Tour operator. Jo joined Discover the World in 2002 as part of the Iceland Operations team and is now responsible for the smooth running of the Nordic operations team. Destinations she has travelled to include Canada, Sweden, the Caribbean, Iceland, Greece and France, to name a few!

Jo’s Top Travel Experiences

• Enjoying the midnight sun on the beach near Hotel Budir in Iceland.
• Watching minke whales within a couple of metres of our boat on a whale watching trip from Reykjavik harbour.
• Hearing the roar of the the thundering water at Skogafoss with the waterfall framed by a rainbow.

Email jo.bower@discover-the-world.co.uk

Jo joined the company back in 1999. Working in the marketing department, she is responsible for the production of advertising both print and online, coordinating Discover the World’s presence at exhibitions and helping to maintain our shiny new website. By far Jo’s favourite task is writing and putting together DTW’s Iceland and Lapland brochures amongst others, which she has been doing for as long as she can remember. She has a fond affection for these northern destinations as well as a passion for self-drive travel: by car, husky sledge, snowmobile or superjeep! Self-drive trips are DTW's most popular and Jo still has her fingers crossed that the company will venture into North America - now if only she could borrow Stephen Fry's taxi...

Jo’s Top Travel Experiences

• Getting close to magnificent polar bears 'play fighting' on the tundra in Churchill, Manitoba (almost as exciting as meeting Ewan McGregor filming them)
• Standing on top of a mountain in Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland, mesmerised by an amazing display of the northern lights
• Experiencing Iceland's glacial lagoon at Jokulsarlon in perfect sunshine and walking amongst icebergs on a black sand beach - surreal and unforgettable

Email john@discover-the-world.co.uk  
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 253

Johnny joined Discover the World in September 2009. He started his career as a travel agent visiting some fantastic destinations such as Bermuda, Mexico, Egypt and most of the Caribbean to name a few. Johnny previously worked for the Nordic shipping company, Hurtigruten. He got a chance to experience one of Hurtigruten’s voyages journeying the spectacular far north of Norway in winter from Tromso to Kirkenes. Since joining Discover the World, Johnny has visited Sweden staying at the amazing ICEHOTEL, a snowy remote log cabin and visiting The Aurora Sky Station at Abisko. At the Sky Station Johnny was fortunate to see the breath-taking aurora borealis!  In May 2011 he visited Iceland to see what the country is like after the Grimsvotn eruption, and has just revealed a talent as an on-camera, roving reporter for Discover the World!

Johnny’s Top Travel Experiences

• An unexpected showcase of northern lights onboard Hurtigruten
• Snowmobiling from The ICEHOTEL
• Taming a reindeer in a Sami Camp in Sweden
• Holding a husky pup at the Kennels in remote Norway
• Visiting the Valley of the Kings in Egypt
• Relaxing by the fire in a cosy log cabin in rural Sweden

Email kassie@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 232 

Kassie has worked in travel for eight years, five of those at Discover the World. She have travelled to many places, including America, Dubai, New Zealand, Lapland, Iceland and even lived in Sydney, Australia. She started at the company  as a sales executive in the Lapland department and moved across to the administrative side in April 2007. In December 2008 Kassie temporarily left us to have her son, Max before returning in January 2010 to join a newly formed Nordic team.

Kassie’s Top Travel Experiences

• Husky sledging across the frozen lakes and forest trails of snowy Lapland.

Email kathleen@discover-the-world.co.uk

After leaving her home country of Germany, Kathleen has worked in England, Scotland, the Channel Islands, Florida and Australia. Back in the UK, she first started with a UK inbound tour operator before joining the sales team at Discover the World specialising in Iceland, Greenland and Alaska. Kathleen has experienced a number of our lovely destinations including Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Norway, Sweden, Finland and of course Australia, our newest and most amazing destination yet.

Kathleen's Top Travel Experiences

• Get your crampons on for a glacier walk or some ice-climbing, then relax in the Blue Lagoon
• Cruise among icebergs in the calm waters off the tiny village of Kulusuk in East Greenland
• Experience the vast Australian Outback and go swimming with horses on a remote cattle station

Email kim@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 272

After achieving a degree in fashion design with her final collection inspired by travels to the Ice Hotel in Swedish Lapland and numerous visits to Iceland, Kim joined Discover the World’s Nordic team before moving into our schools department for a period. She is now back in the Nordic fold and enjoys talking to people about the places which have provided the inspiration for her designs. A keen traveller, Kim has visited Paris, Rome, Miami, The Bahamas, Spain and Portugal to name but a few.

Kim's Top Travel Experiences:

• Husky sledging and ice sculpting in Swedish Lapland (not at the same time though!)
• Snowmobiling on Vatnajökull in Iceland
• Whale watching in Husavik
• Ice driving and go-karting on a frozen lake in Iceland

Email laura@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 280

Laura joined Discover the World in summer 2010 and brings a wealth of travel experience with her. Lucky enough to have travelled from a young age, she has visited America, Canada, Africa, The Caribbean and most of Europe. Laura has worked in travel for over 10 years now dealing largely with winter activity holidays such as skiing and Lapland breaks. She has also worked in worldwide cruise holidays. With a passion for different travel experiences, this year, Laura has enjoyed seeing the wildlife and participating in water-based activities in Thailand as well as discovering the amazing scenery of Iceland (read her blog), comprising geysers, glaciers and waterfalls.

Laura's Top Travel Experiences

• Swimming in the Blue Lagoon and seeing the northern lights in Iceland
• Snowmobiling, reindeer sledging and husky sledging in Lapland
• Scuba diving in Barbados
• Gambling in Las Vegas
• Climbing Dunns River Falls in Jamaica
• Reaching the top of Table Mountain in South Africa

Email lauren@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 243

In 2003 Lauren moved to Auckland, New Zealand and studied at Rangitoto College for 2 years before working in Auckland City. Lauren has a great passion for all things Kiwi and after moving back to the UK in 2007 she joined the New Zealand Sales Team at Discover the World. Lauren has travelled extensively throughout New Zealand and is now an accredited New Zealand & Australian Specialist. She has also had the amazing opportunity of visiting the Canadian Arctic last August and successfully sailed the North West Passage - a truly unforgettable experience! Since then, she has expanded her Arctic and Antarctica knowledge and is now also, a Polar Journeys Travel Consultant. She has recently returned from a 5 month, round the world adventure travelling throughout South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji! She has also visited several countries throughout Europe as well as the paradise islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands.

Lauren's Top Travel Experiences

• Travelling on our wee campervan on the West Coast of Australia and feeding the dolphins at Monkey Mia - a highlight of my round the world trip!
• Meeting Jason Phillips in Whakawerawera Thermal Village, Rotorua, was an amazing experience. The geothermal village is full of genuine Maori culture and stories are told through traditional song and dance. I spent some time with Jason before he designed my Whakapapa tattoo which represents my family history, personal achievements and connections to special people and places. The whole experience was very moving - most definitely a true Maori experience!”
• The first sighting of a mother Polar Bear and cub in the Canadian Arctic - absolutely incredible!

Email lindi@discover-the-world.co.uk

Lindi started her career in sports administration with the International Tennis Federation and then spent several years working in the bio-pharmaceutical industry. She has a degree in management studies and is an accredited Life Coach. Following a year working and living in New Zealand, Lindi joined Discover the World in 2003 and has enjoyed the wonders of the travel industry ever since! She is passionate about New Zealand, its people and its culture. She has a life-long addiction to travel and her favourite destinations include New Zealand (of course!), Japan, Australia, Brazil, the USA, and Italy amongst many others.

Lindi’s Top Travel Experiences

• Standing on top of Mt Tarawera in Rotorua, New Zealand and taking off on a “scree” slide with a sheer ascent from the top to the bottom and into a fractured volcanic crater that literally “ blew its top” in 1886
• Flying to the top of the Remarkables mountain range by helicopter; sipping champagne whilst overlooking the most breathtaking scenery and views of Queenstown below
• Observing the 5 minute “Sound of Silence” on board the Fiordland Navigator at Doubtful Sound, in the depths of Fiordland National Park, and being humbled by the immense power of nature in this incredible wilderness and its awe-inspiring landscape

Email liz@discover-the-world.co.uk  

Liz joined Discover the World in 2002, working in the Iceland operations team before becoming Programme Manager for New Zealand for several years. Following an 18 month break she returned to DTW as Polar Journeys Product Manager in 2008, and more recently has set up our new Australia and Canada programmes. Having lived and worked in both Canada and New Zealand, Liz has also travelled extensively throughout Australia, NZ and the South Pacific, as well as North, Central and South America. She has also visited Iceland several times and in December 2008 achieved a lifelong dream of visiting Antarctica – which managed to surpass every expectation!  

Liz's travels have also inspired her artwork, which can be viewed at   www.doodles-by-liz.co.uk 

Liz’s Top Travel Experiences

• Swimming with Whale Sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, is one of the ultimate wildlife experiences and a real privilege. To be in the water with these huge creatures literally takes your breath away, and combined with the glorious coral of the reef and the chance to see dugongs, turtles and manta rays, this really is an experience to treasure 
• Everything about Antarctica was just incredible; from the majestic scenery, the immense icebergs, the fascinating history of exploration, the endearingly comical penguins and other amazing wildlife, to the invigorating polar plunge, the great company on board and the enthusiasm and knowledge of the expedition team

Email lorraine@discover-the-world.co.uk

Lorraine started her career in travel many moons ago. She joined Discover the World in 2006 as manager of our Living Planet Schools Programme. Lorraine has travelled extensively to the USA, Canada, Argentina, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Namibia and since being at DTW has fallen in love with Iceland, Lapland and New Zealand. In 2008 she achieved a school girl dream of seeing a polar bear when she worked as a tour escort on our Around Spitsbergen voyage.

Lorraine’s Top Travel Experiences: 

• Seeing the northern lights for the first time, and sharing this with 30 very lucky students on a school trip to Iceland
• Watching a majestic polar bear on a Spitsbergen voyage
• Flying to the Franz Josef glacier by helicopter
• Spending a wonderful night on Milford Sound in New Zealand

Email mark@discover-the-world.co.uk

Mark has worked in the travel business for 27 years and is one of the founders of Discover the World with Clive Stacey. Previously, he worked as an accountant and auditor.

Passions include travelling, tennis, golf, boating and skiing and he has travelled extensively to many of the destinations we feature and many more besides, some of the more exotic being Sierra Leone, Senegal, Botswana, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Costs Rica.

Top travel experiences:

• River rafting on the Pacuare River, Costs Rica
• Husky sledging and staying in the Ice Hotel, Lapland
• Visiting Canima (Angel Falls) in Venezuela
• Kayaking in the mangroves, Bahamas Outer Islands
• Encountering Polar Bears in Wager Bay, North West Territories of Canada
• Driving the Skelton Coast in Namibia
• Off roading in Iceland
• Skiing – anywhere!

Email megan@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 235

Megan joined the Nordic team in September 2010. She started her career in travel four years ago for Kuoni. After her first two years working sales she moved into the weddings department where she spent a further two years. During her time at Kuoni Megan has visited many exciting holiday and wedding destinations including, Italy, America, Maldives, Seychelles & Sri Lanka. Since joining Discover the World, Megan has visited Iceland where she saw waterfalls, geysers, and of course the amazing Northern Lights as well as the Icehotel, southern Sweden and Norway.

Megan's Top Travel Experiences

• Seeing the Northern Lights
• Elephant riding in Sri Lanka 
• Flying into the Grand Canyon in USA 
• Meeting and spending time with orphaned children in a small rural community in Egypt 
• Relaxing in the Blue Lagoon 
• Chilling at the glacial lagoon

Email michael@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel +44 (0)1737 214 262

Michael has worked in the travel industry for twelve years, spending five years at French Railways. He joined Discover the World in 2006 and has travelled throughout Europe and Scandinavia. One day he hopes to venture further afield to Australia and New Zealand.

Michael’s Top Travel Experiences

• Snowmobiling across the frozen sea in Finland and stopping for a lunch of freshly caught Arctic Char cooked on a camp fire - delicious!
• Visiting the frozen Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland and watching it throw off many rainbows. Not another soul around, so peaceful.
• Husky sledging in Sweden: all you can hear are the dogs breathing and you really feel that you are away from it all.

Email misha@discover-the-world.co.uk

Misha joined Discover the World Lapland team in 2006 after igniting a passion for travel as cabin crew with BA and Virgin Atlantic. Misha now oversees the wedding team, making dreams come true for many a happy couple. During her time with the company, Misha has travelled extensively all across the Lapland region as well as sampling the wonder and adventure of Iceland. Somewhat appropriately for someone who used to fly for a living, Misha firmly believes that the sky’s the limit when it comes to people’s dreams!

Misha’s Top Travel Experiences

• Snowmobiling through snow-clad forests under a starry night sky in search of the magical northern lights.
• Sitting quietly alongside a glistening glacial lagoon listening to the icebergs ‘sing'.
• Cruising around Iceland in a Superjeep.
• Jumping aboard a Zodiac in the Norwegian Fjords searching for majestic orca. 

Misha is currently on maternity leave.

Email natalie.clarke@discover-the-world.co.uk

Natalie began her career in the airline industry working for both Japan and Singapore Airlines, before going to work for Thomson for several years in operations and ticketing roles. Her highlight was taking a year out to travel around Asia, Australia and New Zealand on a working holiday.

Natalie’s Top Travel Experiences: 

• Riding a beautiful Icelandic horse and experiencing the tolt, a speciality of this unique breed
• Mushing my own team of huskies through the Swedish winter wonderland
• Swimming with playful fur seals in the shallow waters of the Kaikoura Peninsula and skydiving over Lake Taupo in New Zealand

Email nicci@discover-the-world.co.uk

Nicci has always worked in an accounts environment and joining Discover the World gave her the perfect chance to combine her career with a passion for travelling. Destinations which she has travelled to include Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand and the Americas. Nicci is fluent in Italian and loves to escape to Italy in the summer where she has many relatives.

Nicci's Top Travel Experiences

• Swimming with wild dolphins in New Zealand
• Learning (or rather attempting) to surf on the East Coast of Australia
• Free falling 45 seconds on a skydive over the beautiful Fox Glacier in New Zealand
• Snowmobiling through snow clad forests in Sweden in search of the Northern Lights... and finding them
• Experiencing the breathtaking Icehotel which you can't explain properly to anyone until they see it for themselves (best I can offer is that you believe you're in Narnia)

Email nikki@discover-the-world.co.uk 

Nikki began her career in travel in 1998, organising educational trips throughout Europe. She joined Discover the World two years later, and has been involved in various programmes with the company, ranging from the Bahamas to the Polar regions and most recently looking after our Iceland and Greenland programme. Nikki has travelled extensively throughout Iceland and Western Europe, North America, Sri Lanka and Latin America, and is particularly drawn to remote and dramatic mountain scenery, or in fact any place with glaciers, icebergs and a cooler climate in general! She has spent two austral summers in Antarctica, living and working in the company of gentoo penguins at historic British base Port Lockroy (for the charity UK Antarctic Heritage Trust), and was Base Leader there for the 2010-11 season.

Nikki’s Top Travel Experiences

• Watching gentoo penguins 'fly' underwater in Antarctica, penguin chicks nibbling at her boots, listening to stranded icebergs crackle whilst wandering along the shoreline after a storm.
• Taking a relaxing dip in North Iceland's nature baths, looking out over volcanic craters and towards shimmering Lake Myvatn.
• Driving empty roads that skirt the water's edge in the magnificent West Fjords of Iceland, under bright blue skies and with good music and company.
• Kayaking in the rain towards the meringue-peaked Shoup glacier near Valdez, Alaska.  Seeing bald eagles in the wild!
• Seeing the magical northern lights in Churchill, northern Manitoba after a wonderful day watching polar bears play on the tundra. 
• Watching amazing aurora borealis displays from South Iceland after a mouthwatering gourmet meal at Hotel Ranga.

Read Nikki's travel stories on South Georgia and the Falkland Islands »

Email pam@discover-the-world.co.uk

Pam's direct marketing background before arriving at Discover the World in 2001 was a far cry from the travel industry, and she couldn't believe her luck when she swapped envelopes for holidays. Being able to wax-lyrical on a daily basis about some of the most spectacular destinations on the planet is not a chore. Pam loves to travel to places with inspiring landscapes, and counts among these Iceland, Sweden and Antarctica, although she has a particular soft spot for the Antipodes from the rust red outback of Australia to the lush green of New Zealand's Coromandel.

Pam’s Top Travel Experiences

• Gliding across the sweeping Canterbury Plains of New Zealand in a hot air balloon and watching a miniature world awaken below
• Taking a drive through the giant karri forests of South Western Australia and discovering the softer side of this amazing country
• Swimming with whale sharks off Ningaloo Reef in WA - quite simply awesome!
• Making that first shore landing in Antarctica surrounded by hundreds of gentoo and chinstrap penguins - the sense of expectation was phenomenal and the experience delivered fully
• Experiencing the Midnight Sun for the first time - where else, but in a hot tub in Iceland 

Email paolo@discover-the-world.co.uk

Paolo has been working in the travel industry for 10 years. Since joining Discover the World, he has had the opportunity to visit amazing places such as Iceland, Greenland and New Zealand, making him truly passionate about these destinations and loving nothing more than putting together the perfect trip!

Paolo’s Top Travel Experiences

• Admiring Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland - any time, any season
• Taking a boat trip to the fascinating glacier Apusiâjik from Kulusuk, Greenland
• Flying by helicopter amongst the Southern Alps in New Zealand and over Lake Wakatipu

Email paula@discover-the-world.co.uk 

Having worked for Kuoni Travel for 25 years, Paula joined the team at Discover the World in October 2008. She started her career in travel as a telex operator (before fax machines and email were ever heard of!) and moved onwards in a variety of customer service and operational roles, looking after passengers all around the world. Her travels so far have taken her to nearly 30 countries for both business and pleasure. Now that Paula has joined us at Discover The World, she is very much looking forward to expanding her travel experiences even further. 

Email sari@discover-the-world.co.uk

Sari has worked in the travel industry for more than 20 years and joined Discover the World in January 1994. Finnish by birth, she has in-depth knowledge of not only her native country, but also of Iceland and other Nordic countries. Together with her extensive experience of the Arctic, Sari has travelled to Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and North Africa.

Sari’s Top Travel Experiences

• Seeing blue whales, humpbacks, orcas, minke whales and dolphins off the coast of Iceland.
• Diving in Lake Thingvallavatn in Iceland in the rift where the tectonic plates are pulling apart.
• Driving her own husky team in Lapland and sleeping in the ICEHOTEL.

Email silvena@discover-the-world.co.uk

Silvena started her career in travel as a tour guide in Bulgaria before starting work at Discover the World in 2003 as part of the Iceland operations team. Now she organises the Nordic sales team thanks to her fantastic knowledge of all the destinations and activities. Be it examining glaciers in Greenland or speeding through the Finnish wilderness, Silvena’s been there, done that and got the t-shirt!

Silvena’s Top Travel Experiences

• Standing quietly in awe of the northern lights dancing across the sky in Swedish Lapland.
• The surreal experience of luxuriating in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland – despite having frozen eyelashes!

Email simon@discover-the-world.co.uk

Simon joined Discover the World in 2005 after re-training in web design at college. His role has evolved from helping to maintain the websites and creating emails, to focusing more on analysing website traffic and conversions.

Simon’s Top Travel Experience

• Summer self drive in Iceland. The highlight for me was the remarkable scenary travelling though vast flat plains punctuated with pseudo-craters under the hot Icelandic sun. Would love to go back on a motorbike

  
Email simon.bradley@discover-the-world.co.uk

Simon's career started in London where he was IT and Admin Manager for a niche marine insurance provider and business travel company. He also underwrote business interruption insurance for small cruise vessel operators. During his time there he travelled extensively worldwide, in particular to Scandinavia which included a visit to a mine in Spitsbergenn.

Simon's Top Travel Experiences

• A magic two weeks exploring the Galapagos Islands on the MV “Sagitta”. The highlight was horse riding high in the Ecuadorian mountains

Email stacy@discover-the-world.co.uk

Stacy joined the company in early 2008. He has travelled to a wide variety of places including Florida, Mexico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Antigua, Mauritius, India, France and Portugal and looks forward to discovering the destinations Discover the World has to offer!

Email thora.ingvarsdottir@discover-the-world.co.uk
Tel + 44 (0) 1737 214 272

Although born in the UK, Thora was raised in Iceland from an early age. With her international background and her father’s tour guiding in the Icelandic highlands, Thora has been a keen traveller all her life. After receiving a diploma in Travel and Tourism Studies and going to university in Iceland, she moved back to the UK, where she soon joined the Nordic team at Discover The World. Some of the places Thora has travelled to are Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Monaco, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Hungary and Italy.

Thora’s Top Travel Experiences 

• Sitting at the edge of a cliff on Iceland’s northern coast at midnight on a sunny summer night, watching the sun sink towards the Arctic ocean before starting to rise again.
• Whizzing across the snowy Icelandic highlands on a snowmobile.
• Swimming in beautiful Lake Bled in Slovenia at the foot of the Alps – in a thunderstorm!

Email vanessa@discover-the-world.co.uk  
Tel 01737 214 217

Vanessa has worked in Finance for nearly 20 years, of which the last two years have been in the Travel Industry. Prior to working for DTW she worked for Chartered Accountants, a Media company and over 10 years in the car industry.

Vanessa's Top Travel Experiences:

• Diving for abalone in Australia (not too many though as it is regulated)