Small Group Switzerland Tours

Name:
Pam Schewe

LANGUAGE:
Pam speaks English and can get by in both French and Spanish. Pam is also rather proud of the fact that she can say “thank you” in at least 40 languages.

COUNTRIES VISITED:
The scratch-off map on her wall now has more than 70 countries revealed. Personal trips have ranged from active adventures in the Himalayas and Andes to cultural escapes in India and Asia. Of course there’s also the quest to find the best beach in the South Pacific and quietly enjoy a hammock there. Life goals include visiting more than 100 of the nations on our planet.

TOURS LED:
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Central & Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Caucasus, Iceland, Caribbean Islands, the Guyana's, "The Five Stan's" & Southern Africa.

ABOUT:
Pam spent many years working in radio broadcasting in Vancouver but decided that instead of working in order to travel, she would be much happier traveling for work. The only real difference between the two careers is that now she can tell immediately when her jokes are not funny. “Is this mic on…??”

Name:
Martin Charlton

EDUCATION:
Bachelor's Degree in Geography; further studies in Archaeology & Anthropology. Life's real education happens outside the classroom.

LANGUAGE:
English and some French & Spanish.

TOURS LED:
Having led tours for Adventures Abroad for almost 25 years, there are few corners of the globe where Martin’s left a stone unturned: everywhere from North Korea to Nauru, Saudi Arabia to Sudan, Guinea-Bissau to French Guiana. With over 200 tours through over 125 countries under his belt, it might be faster to list the regions where he hasn’t led a tour.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
"My love of travel and infectious enthusiasm for different cultures has taken me to over 155 countries. The further off the beaten path, the better. For a favourite place: perhaps South Georgia Island, the Canadian Arctic, or Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. World's best city = Istanbul!"

ABOUT:
"Don't pack anything that you would be upset to lose, that needs to be ironed, or is encased in glass." - words to live by.

Name:
Jonathan Hodgson

EDUCATION:
BA in Psychology at McGill University; MBA at the University of British Columbia; self-educated passion for history and culture.

LANGUAGE:
English; conversational French; improving Spanish and Russian. And a decent Scottish accent.

TOURS LED:
I have led tours in over 100 countries over the last 14 years of working for Adventures Abroad on all of the continents except for Antarctica.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
Where to begin? Each place has something that makes it a special destination. A few that spring to mind: Kaieteur Falls in Guyana; the snow-covered mountains of Ladakh, India; sipping tea in a chaikhana of the old town of Bukhara, Uzbekistan; and watching the changing colours of Uluru (Ayers Rock) at sunset.

ABOUT:
Jonathan has lived much of his life dedicated to the idea that he would rather have a wealth of experiences than a wealth of riches. Having taken up a nomadic lifestyle shortly after finishing his undergraduate degree, he has been on the move on and off over the last 25+ years. The wanderlust has taken him to basing himself in places such as Scotland, Australia and Uzbekistan, and to visiting many more locations around our planet. Now (sort of) settled in Vancouver with his wonderful (and patient) family, he still loves the idea of having the world as his office and always enjoys trying to capture the essence of the locations he travels and tours in with his photography.

Name:
Victor Romagnoli

EDUCATION:
HBA English BA History

LANGUAGE:
Being able to speak several languages has made travelling an enriching experience; the conversations one can so easily slip into with locals - who come from all walks of life - adds greatly to my feel for a place.

TOURS LED:
Over a span of almost 30 years, I have lead tours virtually all over the globe.

FAVOURITE DESTINATION:
Some of my favourite tours just come into being suddenly as a result of a request; someone will ask me to put together an itinerary that will include the highlights of several countries and the next thing you know we have, for example, a tour to Uruguay, Paraguay & Bolivia, or Lesotho, Namibia & Botswana. Sometimes I will be asked to arrange a detailed itinerary to just one region within a country - like a close up look at Sicily or Crete or the Basque Country or Newfoundland. Without the keen curiosity that so many of you travellers have, none of these "spontaneous" tours would come into being. But they do.

ABOUT:
I love the excitement of getting up each morning on a tour and not knowing exactly how a day will unfold. It keeps me on my toes so to speak, and adds a breath of excitement to each day on tour. With almost 30 years of tour leading under my belt, I thank all of you for being a part of this exciting journey.

Serene beauty meets medieval history. Glacier-cut mountain peaks from the Alps lock in Switzerland and compete for its skyline. Across the Swiss Plateau, Alpine marmots skitter over grassy flatlands as mountain dwellers sound the trumpet-like harmonics of alphorns. Locals from the small villages of Interlaken and Grindelwald splash with fish in sunken lakes.
Move out of the plateau and into the narrow cobblestone streets, where you can shop Zurich’s colourful Bahnhofstrasse Street while Swiss folk musicians entertain you with centuries’ old music. Fraumunster Cathedral bathes the medieval roads in shadow, its stained-glass windows creating a kaleidoscopic backdrop.
Our small group Switzerland tours take you from the snowy mountains of St. Moritz’s exclusive ski resort to the frenzy of Zurich. Lose yourself in ancient cities and remote villages, relax in hidden lakes, and discover the unending history of this tiny country.