Who's Who at Regent Holidays?

Andrea Godfrey - General Manager

Andrea in St Petersburg

Andrea was a Tours Manager for the Baltic States and Russia for many years at Regent starting back in 1995. As a Russian and Soviet Studies graduate, she has always been intrigued and fascinated by this vast country and discovers something new on every visit back. One of her favourite tours is the Great Siberian Sayan Ring and hopes that our clients include a visit to Siberia or at least another town or city other than Moscow or St Petersburg. She believes that being in the wide open space of the tundra, picnicking beside Russian birch trees and visiting provincial towns is to experience the real Russia. Last summer she embarked on a wonderful journey of a life-time along the Trans-Siberian with her family so has plenty of handy tips and advice to hand, including the obvious ones such don't try and keep up with the Russians when vodka drinking!!

Andrea has lived in Russia and Ukraine and speaks Russian, although she admits her Russian is getting a little rusty so has headed back to night classes to improve it! Andrea now works full time back in our Bristol Office and works with the Tours Managers in developing our products in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia and Caucasus, as well as writing Regent’s brochures.

Christina started with Regent Holidays in 1986 and is now in her 22nd year with us, Christina already had a passion for Regent destinations when she joined the company. She is still as enthusiastic about Regent's World, travelling regularly to Russia and China. Want to know what it is really like on the Trans-Siberian train routes - can I wash; will there be food? Christina will be able to answer these and many more questions from personal experience.

Recent travels have included the South Gobi Desert of Mongolia, Tibet and China's Sichuan Province, famed for its Panda Reserve, variety of rare plants and hot, spicy food. Christina also travelled on our new Private Trans-Siberian Railway itinerary in the summer of 2007. In October 2007 she visited Shanghai, Nanning, Guilin and enjoyed a cruise on the Li River.

Along with her love of travel, Christina enjoys languages, although Mandarin Chinese is proving a challenge! As you would expect from such a long association with Regent, Christina has visited most of our destinations and is committed to using her knowledge to put together the best itinerary for you.

"For the closest sensation to paradise - I recommend watching the sunset from the top of a sand dune in the South Gobi desert with nothing but the whisper of the wind in the sand to disturb the peace. Alternatively the wonderful harmony of man and nature as the winter sun catches the icicles delicately suspended from the wrought iron work of St Petersburg's many bridges."

Jill Young - Tours Manager

Jill in Yalta, Ukraine

Jill Young joined Regent in 2002 after spending over an exciting year travelling around Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Jill also spent 3 years teaching in an international school in Ukraine, where she got to know Kyiv like the back of her hand plus visiting some of Ukraine’s other cities and towns. Just don’t ask her about her road trip to Kamenets Podilsky, but understand there is a very good reason why we don’t recommend car hire in Ukraine yet!

Although Jill is primarily responsible for selling these destinations, she has also visited Moscow and St Petersburg where she inspected over 20 hotels that we use on a regular basis. In the summer of 2007 - Jill visited Kyiv, Odessa and the Crimea with our wonderful local Ukrainian partner. They visited many sites, museums and inspected all the hotels we feature - and under strict instructions from Andrea took many photos of the hotels and their rooms. Although quite what we are going to do with the 20 or so photos of bathrooms and toilets, she took, we don't know. But if you are going to Ukraine and want to see an image of the bathrooms in your hotel, then please contact us!

Carl joined Regent Holidays in 2004 shortly after returning to the UK after two years living in Mongolia. Carl's passion for travel, particularly too the lesser visited spots of the globe, has led him to and through numerous exciting and offbeat destinations. Carl's recent trips have included a trip to Moldova with 250 Scottish football supporters, a busy fortnight traversing Uzbekistan, two weeks travelling throughout Iran and Azerbaijan, a visit to Vladivostok and a couple of fascinating visits to North Korea, a country which, along with Mongolia, he deems to be his "favourite!"

When not trying to brush up on his Mongolian skills, in his free time Carl enjoys planning his next journey overseas, which is always likely to be in one of Regent's more unusual destinations! For 2008 he plans to escort our Ultimate North Korea Group Tour ( his 5th visit to North Korea), and has numerous other plans brewing for personal trips. He has just returned from an excellent 10 day work trip in Turkmenistan so has loads of advice and tips. He was really impressed with our local guide there and is looking forward to putting together some interesting itineraries there.

Carl says, "If souvenirs such as Persian rugs and Russian Vodka don't take your fancy, then why not try shopping in Pyongyang, where tourist shops are lined with biographies of revolutionary leaders, videos of military parades and other such curiosities that will make fantastically unique and unusual gifts!"

Alison first joined Regent in 1987 and has had a long association with the company since then, travelling to many Regent destinations. In 1998 she moved to the USA, living in Illinois and California and managed to visit 28 of the 50 states. Back home now in the UK, we are delighted to welcome her back to Regent as our Tours & Marketing Executive.

In her spare time she enjoys watercolour painting and learning languages. From her many years of tour leading experience in Eastern Europe and the Far East, she has found that knowing how to say 'please' and 'thank you' and 'where is the toilet' are the first phrases you need to master.