Susanne Muskita

Middle East Product and Travel Specialist

I caught the travel bug at an early age – my favourite book was a big Reader’s Digest book, which featured many off the beaten track countries around the globe. Many years later I have been fortunate enough to visit most of these places. Occasionally I still leaf through the book. I have gone full circle now! I started my career in travel nearly 30 years ago when I led tours in Syria and Jordan, and I can’t wait to return to the Middle East again.

My tour leading days have taken me to India for tiger safaris, the USA & Alaska as a driver-guide and the African continent (I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro several times). Especially the latter still has a special place in my heart.

Born in the Netherlands, I am of Moluccan Dutch descent as my parents are originally from the Moluccas - the original Spice Islands – in the east of Indonesia. Nowadays I live in Scotland, with the great outdoors right on my doorstep where I can hike, canoe and mountain bike, and work from home.

Travel gets people talking and I like to share my knowledge of the places I have been to. I love to tell and write stories, which is why this job in travel is the perfect way to combine my passions.

Last September, I had the chance to visit Palestine with Regent Holidays, which was an enlightening journey. I hadn’t been to the Middle East since my time in Syria and Jordan and forgot how welcoming the people were. The trip was more than just a visit to the Holy Land. I was invited to the home of my guide and had dinner with his family.
I stayed with another family for two nights in Beit Sahour and learnt so much by simply talking to people. Whether it was the long conversations with the hotel owner in Bethlehem or the powerful and often personal stories of the guides in Jerusalem, Sebastiya, and Nazareth. These "behind the scenes" experiences gave me an insight into the average Palestinian's life. Despite the insane war that’s raging there now, I can't wait to return and see my new friends again.

A month later I went to Lebanon a few days before the scheduled arrival of Lebanon Explorer Group. Accompanied by a guide, I wandered through the streets of Beirut, such a lively and vibrant place, with plenty of restaurants to sample the incredible Lebanese cuisine and where buildings from the Ottoman-era era, stood next to modern skyscrapers and bullet-riddled buildings. The trendy Gemayze neighbourhood reminded me of London’s Covent Garden with its cool coffee shops and hip hotels and strolling along the Corniche on a Sunday was the ultimate people-watching experience.
I had forgotten what it was like to get ‘lost’ in a souq, in Sidon and marvelled at the incredible Roman sites in Tyre. However, when the group of incredibly resilient travellers arrived, we were only able to visit Beirut and Deir el Qamar in the mountains. Our trip was cut short due to safety reasons, and we needed to leave. I am hopeful that I can return in October to lead another group and this time finish the tour.

Susanne Muskita

Middle East Product and Travel Specialist

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