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Peter Arnold
I worked and lived in the south of England until 2004 when I moved to France with my wife to run a gite. I have been involved with charity challenges since 1986, initially as a fund raiser, then helping out as a van driver, mechanic and tour manager. I think the only role I have not filled is tour doctor. Having been a life long motorcyclist and a more recent convert to club cycling, my events usually involve two wheels. It is difficult to select a favourite event because they all offer something different, but if pushed I would opt for the cycle ride through rural Rajasthan, a journey of amazing highs and lows. I keep coming back to these events because I enjoy the 'craic' and the sense of achievement shared by the whole group at the finish.
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Henk Blanckenberg
I grew up and still live in Cape Town, South Africa, a country that has always been a brew of vastly different cultures. It has fuelled my fascination for the different cultures of the world, both ancient and modern. Adventure and the outdoors have always been part of my life. I have been a Tour Guide and Manager for the last 7 years and also speak German and Afrikaans, a derivative of Dutch. What I love most about the events are the people. Every person comes on a charity challenge seeking something. It is this process and the interaction between people that I love above all. Helping people to challenge themselves, expand their limits and achieve tremendous goals, gives a lot of satisfaction. And all this for incredibly worthy causes!
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Lucy Davies
I have been involved in the travel business for almost 20 years. I started tour managing when I was at university and paid my way through my degree course by taking American high school kids on educational trips to Italy. The odd desk job confirmed to me that I preferred life outdoors and in 1997 a colleague told me about an eccentric company who were running charity fund raising challenges. Almost without thinking I applied and a few weeks later I was trainee tour manager on the National Deaf Children’s Society’s first cycle challenge in Jordan. The first event is always the most memorable but without a doubt Cuba is my favourite destination. Cycling through the Cuban towns and countryside never loses it magic, even after more than 40 rides! I speak Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.
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Ami Dotan
I started hiking as a child and liked it so much that I decided to make the hobby a profession. I studied to become a Tour Guide for 3 years and then travelled for 1½ years in South America. On my return I took my BA in Biology then studied for an MBA at Lancaster University.
Throughout my professional life of about 25 years I have guided treks to a range of places including Israel, the Sinai Desert, Morocco and South America. My favourite tour is the Inca Trail, which has a fascinating combination of magnificent landscape and unbelievable archaeology. I speak Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew and English.
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Di Ellerton
I studied sports science and physiology at Manchester University before becoming a full time mountain runner worldwide for a number of years. After a spell trekking and leading in the Himalayas, I came to work for Classic Tours and am now going into my seventh year! When I'm not running up mountains, I enjoy managing tours to China, Vietnam and Nepal. Closer to home I lead training weekends in the Peak District in preparation for our overseas challenges - why not come and join us?
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Claude Fallik
I have been involved in adventure travel for over 15 years. Born in Belgium and based in Israel, my first years as a guide were mainly spent in desert areas. Today, I cover very wide areas of the world, from Nepal via the Middle East and Africa to the Americas. This is helped by my fluent English, French, Spanish and Hebrew, plus some basic Dutch and Arabic. My favourite places are probably the Sinai Desert and Morocco. These easily reachable areas still retain their original remote character with fantastic scenery and hospitable people.
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Emma Getliffe
I have been involved with Classic Tours since 1995 when I went on a bike ride in Israel as a participant. Since then I have tour managed over 40 treks and bike rides and converted the idea of this type of event into horse treks in Jordan, Iceland, Morocco, Egypt, Iceland, Spain, France and India. My passion for horse riding makes these my favourite events. I speak French and a smattering of basic words in each country I go to!
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Philip Kool
I was born in Amsterdam and had the travel bug instilled in me at a young age by my parents. Years of sailing got me hooked on the outdoors. After finishing my BA in Hotel and Business Management I moved to Israel where I fell in love with the desert and lived for 4 years in a small desert farming community. Later I combined cultural guiding with leading groups in the Middle East. I have been tour managing charity events all over the globe for Classic Tours for the past 8 years. My favourite destination is the Sinai Desert hike because of the fantastic landscapes, quiet surroundings and challenging environment it offers. I speak Dutch, German, English, Hebrew and French.
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Max Kramer
I became involved in charity challenges as a participant and was on the very first Classic Tours event – a cycle ride in Israel. After doing 2 more rides Classic Tours asked me to tour manage a bike ride in Israel. Here I am some 10 years later still cycling and climbing my way round the world. I have now gained much experience and still enjoy every minute of being on an event. My favourite destination was trekking in Jordan finishing in Petra but I am happy anywhere that allows me to meet wonderful people, both participants and local people in the countries we visit. My language skills are beginning to improve. I have some knowledge of Hebrew and French but I am an expert at making myself understood using sign language!
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Nick Ledgard
A ‘gently undulating’ route via the Royal National Theatre, Channel 4, coach loads of Americans and the odd ski season led me to my first bike ride in Israel in 1997 – many years later I can proudly say that I know ‘hot water’ in several different languages! I have trekked and pedalled all over the globe for the most amazing causes and talked to hundreds of people at pre-event meetings. From ‘Carnival’ in Cuba to cycling through the ‘Valley of the Kings’ – climbing 1300 Steps in China and endless desert in Jordan. Favourite event? All of them….
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Sarah Perry
I have worked as a Tour Manager for the last 7 years all over the world. I am Mountain Leader trained and speak French, Russian and on a good day a bit of Spanish and Italian. My favourite parts of the world include China (because it's just so different), Tanzania (for the views from and of Kilimanjaro) and Russia (but maybe excluding the frozen pig fat for breakfast!).
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Theo Peeters
Born in Holland where I was raised on a farm and trained to be a teacher, which I combined with a promising but short-lived cycling career. Realising that there must be more to life than a secure but limited job as a teacher I left to go travelling in my mid twenties, chasing the indefinable. Two years of cycling through the African Continent and one full year of hitching through South America gave me lots of travelling experience. After a farming and National Cycling Coach career I decided to become a tour guide. My favourite areas are the mountains and the deserts. I speaks Dutch, English, German, Spanish, Hebrew and basic Arabic and when not on an assignment I like to go out camping with my son or to drive my four-wheel drive truck through the desert.
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Adrian Quist
After university and a spell as a radio journalist with the BBC, 3 years with Reuters made me finally realise the error of my ways. In 1995 I decided to pander again to my love of travel and dislike of the great indoors and I returned to tour managing. Since then I have been lucky enough to lead groups in places as far afield as Nepal, South America, Iceland and the Middle East. My favourite event is probably the amazing Mayan experience that is the Mexico bike ride – and I would never admit that the tequila along the way and world’s most beautiful beach at the finishing line have anything to do with this. I sometimes live in London and occasionally speak Spanish, French, German and a smattering of Italian.
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Gideon Seligman
I grew up in the UK but lived in Israel for 12 years, and whilst there worked as a guide on Classic Tours’ first bike ride in 1992. Over the years I have guided and managed events in 16 countries, and have planned rides and treks in 6, mainly in Africa. My favourite event was one in Israel in 1997, moved from Egypt at short notice, when a glorious meeting of a great group of riders and a team that worked like clockwork culminated in 2 participants getting married in a Bedouin tent.
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Julian Walden
I fell in love with the great outdoors, especially mountains and wilderness places as a child when I first started hiking. This soon led to long distance walks (back packing), then climbing and mountaineering. I am now member of a Mountain Rescue team in the Peak District, where I spend as much time as possible when I am not working. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to travel to many areas of the world including Africa, Middle East, Asia and Europe. Each area is special in its own way, but one of my favourite places is the Sinai Desert; the landscape is tremendous and it is as challenging as it is breathtaking. As well as managing tours I am involved with the training weekends in Wales and the Peak District.
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Miriam Zumpolle
I was born in Holland but have lived in Rome since 1972. I have worked in all areas of travel from selling student cards and charter flights to managing and co-ordinating American youth and student groups around Europe. However, being out there myself whether climbing mountains, running marathons or cycling around the globe has always been my passion.
Since 2000 I have been leading bike and trekking groups with Classic Tours. Designing new itineraries and checking them out is part of this exciting work. My favourite trek is the action-packed 3 Volcanoes Challenge in Italy. Of all the bike rides I have done those in Laos and Vietnam are my favourite for the scenery, local culture and ever-smiling people. I speak Dutch, English, Italian, German, French and Spanish.
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