What our Clients Say
 
Our commitment to that extra level of service for our clients is what keeps them coming back. Here's what some of them have been kind enough to tell us:
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Hi Ciara,
I just got home from New York and was welcomed by your beautiful flowers. Thanks for such a nice touch. It was a fitting ending to a wonderful trip.
The travel experience was excellent and exploring Indochine was simply unforgettable. While Cambodia and Laos were my two favorite destinations, and spending New Year’s Eve @ Halong Bay took my breath away, overall I was impressed with the people of the fascinating Southeast Asia region, all of whom were so kind and attentive.
I especially enjoyed having a private guide to take us by the hand in each city, giving us inside information of each location and allowing us to relax and forget about transportation logistics so we could truly enjoy every moment to its fullest. It really made all the difference in the world, specially being in that part of the world.
We had 6 different guides (3 males and 3 females).If I were to grade them, I would say that Mr. Hua (Hanoi/Halong) and Mr. Chang (Luang Prabang) were simply outstanding.They were not only very knowledgeable but also went out of their way to help us solve certain situations that arose and make us feel at home. The female guides were all very nice (JJ in Bangkok, Thuy in Saigon and Kim in Cambodia). The only one that was average was Tom (Hue/Hoi-Ann), mostly because his thick accent made it very difficult to understand him.
In terms of hotel choices, I was also very impressed, both because of their wonderful location and truly five-star services. The Shangri-La (Bangkok) and the Sofitel Metropole (Hanoi) were an attraction in itself. Also, the Maison (Laos), the Majestic (Saigon) and both Victoria properties (Hoi Ann & Seam Reap) were very cozy & charming. However, Hue’s Imperial Hotel, while it was rated as a 5-star, it was not up to par with the other hotels. It seems to cater to a more local clientele and both the food and facilities left much to be desired. I believe the classic La Residence or the modern Mercure would have been a better choice.
Overall, I can say I’ve been spoiled by Red Lantern’s way of travel and I would definitely recommend it to my friends or to serve as reference for your potential clients.
Sincerely,
Ivonne B.
Puerto Rico
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Dear Ambrose,
Marty and I wanted to thank you again for your super-meticulous planning of our trip! It really was incredible how everything, and I do mean every plan we made with you, came to pass on our madcap journey through India! You really heard our desires, and we experienced more richness than we had hoped for in the short time we had.
I had read every travel book, had dreamed about going for years, and was at a loss how to pull it all together. You eased the burden of choosing by arranging it all for us; having a guide in each stop to get us quickly in-depth added pleasure and knowledge to our experience. The guides themselves were charming and passionate, taking great pride in sharing their country with us. The time we spent on our own was perfectly balanced with these guided experiences. Really, Ambrose, I wouldn't think twice about signing on with you again for another Red Lantern Journey. It was a vivid dream come true for us!
Ki G. and Marty C.
Seattle, Washington
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Dear Ciara!
From the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for the wonderful time that I had in Thailand. There was not a single thing that I wanted to add or change in my itinerary. I also want to thank you for the lovely flowers that I received yesterday!!
From the restaurants that you 've recommended I loved Sirocco the best. It has breathtaking view on Bangkok and very good food as well. You have to arrive there at 6 p.m. if you plan to take pictures. I reserved it for 7 p.m. and it was too dark at that time, so I returned for more pictures in 2 days.
Vertigo - is also worth going to. I think the food is not that great there, very ordinary, and they try to fit as many people in a dining room area as they can, but for people who drink - they can hang out in the bar and enjoy magnificent views of night Bangkok! The atmosphere in BanyanTree Hotel is great.
I enjoyed Floating market, trip to Chiang Mai and Rai. Golden Triangle is beautiful!!
I was very happy in Karon beach in Phuket. It is not as busy as another one. I also had fun in Simon Cabaret:)
My guide in Chang Mai was wonderful, but I did not think that one in Bangkok was trying his best. I had to ask a lot of questions , otherwise he was not offering a lot of information to me.
I will definitely use Red Lantern again for my next trip to Asia, which I am planning again for August 2010. Keep me posted if you will have any good deals. I am interested in Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia. And thank you very much again.
Kate K.
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Dear Ambrose,
My goodness, what a nice surprise the flowers were yesterday. Thank you! A very nice touch to complete a wonderful trip. We had SUCH a great time.
I thank you for the well planned trip with dates and times that worked out great for such a very fast moving excursion. I blessed you often throughout the trip. The tour companies in India were very responsible and willing to provide their best. They did not miss a beat. We were greeted by their representatives on every occasion. The drivers cared for us (best they could in such crazy driving conditions) even had driver assistants on occasion, and the tour guides were not only informative but went out of their way to listen to any special request we had. Everyone really tried in every area. We were very well taken care of not to mention the superb accommodations. We have done a lot of traveling over the years and we put this trip up to being one of the best.
Ambrose, you did a beautiful job. I appreciated your close communication throughout. I plan to look into other trips your company offers in the future (a sure sign of traveling addiction as we haven't even gotten out of our suitcases yet from this adventure).
Again, thank you for memories of a lifetime. Wishing you the best for the new year.
Sincerely,
Kathie L. and family
Reno, Nevada
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Your help planning our trip through Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong was amazing. I appreciated your ability to adjust our tour departure times and regional flights so that we didn't have to get up too early in the morning! Planning a multi-country trip like this is very daunting and you took away the stress of doing it ourselves.
The best part were the hotels we stayed in and the research you did to get us the best rooms. The Imperial in Tokyo was our favorite. The Ryokan in Kyoto was a great experience. The Oriental in Bangkok was also great. There was a film festival in Bangkok while we were there and we got to rub shoulders with several celebrities and the president of France!
The unexpected extras, like room upgrades and tour add-ons made this trip very special.
Robert G. and Steve F.
Madison, Wisconsin
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Thank you for such a wonderful trip. Everything about our tour in Thailand went smoothly (except for the mistake I made on my arrival date--but the tour operator didn't miss a beat and was still there to meet my wife!). All our hotels were in very good locations, the tour operator took great care of us, and the elephant ride and rafting trip from Chiang Mai were beyond what is offered most tourists.
Bob G.
San Francisco, California
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Ambrose,
Thanks very much for the welcome home flower. We got home safe and sound last evening. Our bags flew and traveled all over India with no trouble, but Air Canada lost them between Toronto and Vancouver, however they arrived about ten PM last night, so all is well.
We had a wonderful time and again I can't say enough about your services and those of Go India. We have absolutely not a single complaint with respect to our guides, hotels and arrangements. The only troublesome aspect was the heat and humidity which, of course you mentioned too. I would certainly advise anyone who is planning this sort of trip to be out of India by the first of March. We coped quite well, but there were some very sweat soaked days.
Too early to talk about future plans, but be assured you will be the first to know when we plan our next adventure and we will certainly pass your name to anyone we know who wants a first class travel advisor.
Cheers,
Bob & Mary P.
Vancouver, B.C.
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Ambrose,
I haven't done this sooner because I am just now having time to sit down and process the China trip. I did want to make sure that I took the time to let you know what a fabulous trip it was. I'm sure being with a great group didn't hurt, but we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. Essentially there were not hitches to be found, even though we kept adding things willy nilly and didn't have the simplest itinerary. Michelle, our guide in Beijing, was superb. She was professional, yet friendly, knowledgeable, and very flexible in her heroic attempts to satisfy our every whim. We kept her busy keeping us busy from dawn 'til way past dusk - I do remember the look of relief on her face when we assured her that we didn't expect her to hike the section of the wall with us. I am sure that if we'd wanted her along she would have come.
I was interested to see how being in China during the October national holidays would affect our trip and, I can say wholeheartedly, that it made it better. I consider myself a somewhat experienced traveler but I'd never been to China and expected it to be a lot more overwhelming than it was. Really, I think I could live there in a heartbeat. I loved the fact that we visited places like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace with hoards of other people - and that most of them appeared to be Chinese, if not locals. There was this party feel in the air and plenty of subjects at which to point my camera. Guilin, the Li River, and Yangshou were more unique and beautiful than I imagined and I specially enjoyed the river cruise.
I won't say that, in some ways, I'm not glad to be home but you can be assured that I will recommend Red Lantern Journeys to my friends and family and will keep you on the short list for further trips. (Kevin mentioned that you are working on including Mongolia in your future offerings - I've always wanted to be able to resurrect my horsemanship skills and race my Mongolian war pony home to my yurt for supper). I'll also be sure to include a review and recommendation of RLJ on my blog once I get around the posting about the trip. (Yes, I'm slow I know - work just keeps getting the way).
Heidi K.
Seattle, Washington
Red Lantern Journeys Note: You can visit Heidi's blog here and see more comments and photos about her trip (scroll down to the Hong Kong and China part): highflung.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html.
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The Pushkar Fair tour was fabulous! Everything we had hoped for and more. The flowers when we got back were a nice surprise and really special.
Jeanette W.
Charleston, South Carolina
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Hey!
I meant to write you. I had a great trip in Thailand! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Everything was top notch.
Guides were great, hotels were excellent, tours were fun. Always punctual, always friendly, and never had to worry that they weren't going to show up.
No problems whatsoever. Thank you for an excellent experience. If you want to use me as a reference for anyone who is thinking about a trip, let me know. Would be more than happy to give you guys the big thumbs up!
Adam G.
New York, New York
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Hi Ambrose!
The trip to China was fantastic! I'd rate it 10/10 for any category. This was a great experience, and a wonderful value. We're assembling our slide show now, and expect to have it complete by next week. The hike on the Great Wall was fantastic; being that far away from the "tourist" area was just what we wanted. The hike was about 11km and we took the cable car down from the last tower (tower 28) to save time.
By the way, we found an excellent scooter rental place in Yangshuo. We rented electric scooters and went about 15km outside the city area. We saw lots of fantastic countryside with rice fields, small villages and livestock. The e-scooters are the way to go! We made much more ground than we could have with bikes, allowing us to photograph more things.
Kevin C.
Shoreline, Washington
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Ambrose,
You get an A+ on everything that you planned and had control over. We had a marvelous time. The lodging, cars and drivers, and (with one exception in Pondicherry itself) the guides were top of the line. The trip exceeded our expectations. We're planning, sometime in the next couple of years, a Japan trip. Do you "do" Japan? Because we would feel very happy to use you again. We're also, in the same time frame, thinking about another trip to India. Best, and thanks,
Bob K.
Austin, Texas
Note from Red Lantern: Yes, we do "do" Japan.
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Hello Ambrose,
My trip was wonderful. The guides in Bangkok and Chiang Mai were exceptional. I truly felt cared for and valued. The Radisson in Bangkok was a flash hotel, it was a shame it was so far removed from the city center. The night time traffic was so significant I remained in the hotel by night. However, the restaurants were superb. Chiang Mai was perhaps my favorite leg of the journey, a terriffic mix of history, spiritual experience and adventure. Again my guides in Chiang Mai were amazing. The only disappointing aspect of the trip was the arrangements for transfer in Phuket. The work seemed to have been contracted out. Yes i was transfered to my hotel and picked up, but I had to call a Mr T. to confirm other arrangements and had no vouchers. The Amari Coral Resort on the other hand was spectacular. It was an oasis in Patong. My guidebook suggested the only thing you could not find in Patong was serenity. You could at the Amari Coral. The cooking school in Samui was awesome. I learned a great deal. What a terriffic staff, gracious and generous. I am sure i will be able to utilize much of what I learned for years to come. It was an incredible surprise to have a transfer to and from on Koh Samui. I would highly reccomend your service to anyone. thanks again for a brilliant trip.
Sincerely,
Matthew R.
West Cape May, New Jersey
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Ambrose,
Thank you for the follow up. The trip [to Vietnam] was great, all went very well. Our guides were very reliable and showed up on time. The vehicles that were used were in very good order and the drivers did an exceptional job. All of the hotels were very good. The two outstanding hotels were the Victoria [in Hoi An] and the Imperial [in Hue]. The amount of time we spent in each city just about right for us.
We thank you for all you did and plan on recommending you.
Thank you,
Bob & Robbie D.
Mooresville, North Carolina
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Ambrose:
I am still daydreaming about Vietnam. I loved everything about it. It's on par with my trip to Africa. Seeing a different culture, government, lifestyle etc... incredible.
Thank you for all your help!!!
I have already recommended your company to everyone and am glad I found your services. Thank you and we will be in touch our next go around to Southeast Asia.
Kelly V. and John S.
Los Angeles, California
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Everything was really great....You did a wonderful job.. and we were very happy with all aspects of the tour..
Just one thing.. The last hotel in Phuket .. I would not recommend.. They have a list in the room of items for sale, i.e. pictures on the wall, towels, sheets, pillows, etc. My husband and I thought it was funny.. Until we went to check out.. We were in the lobby and she had us wait, while supposedly some one went to the room.. She then proceed to tell me our ash tray was missing and it will be 250 baht.. I explained to her the ass tray she was referring to was never in the room.. and she said we took it and needed to pay her.. Our driver was waiting to take us to the airport.. so I wound up paying her the baht to leave. 250 baht really isn't that big of a deal, it was just really slimy the way it was done...
I just wanted to let you know because, really, that was the only negative thing about the trip. The food and tour guides were exceptional and it was a trip we will always cherish.
Thanks again, and I will recommend Red Lantern to anyone who travels to Asia.
Amanda and Wesly Y.
San Leandro, California
Note from Red Lantern: We listen to our clients. As a result of their experience there, we will no longer use the Patong Lodge due to this issue.
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Jwalant,
We had a great time on the [Everest Base Camp] trek. Buddi Rai was a very good guide and we had a really good time with him and the porters. I would recomend you anytime.
Also, the rafting was a lot of fun! We both got swept out of the raft twice, but it was a good time. The others in our group helped make things interesting. It was fun though and the guides were great.
David and Jeff T.
Cheyenne, Wyoming
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Jwalant,
I was planning on calling you! We returned a couple of days ago [from Bhutan] and are settling in after a long and fantastic trip. A very special thank you to you, your sister Jenny and your mother for having us over for dinner [in Kathmandu--Jwalant's family still lives there and runs a trekking agency]. It was absolutely delicious and it was a fantastic beginning to the trip. In fact, Jessica and I were thinking it would have been nice to spend a couple more days exploring Kathmandu (we know you originally suggested and you're probably saying "I told you so" but now we know for a future trip). In fact trekking Annapurna sounds fascinating so I may be contacting you again next year.
Thanks for all your hard work Jwalant! Your effort enabled us to experience a trip that we envisioned for quite some time. If you're ever in San Francisco, we would love to meet you in person and treat you to dinner. Also please give our thanks and best regards to Jenny and your mom.
All the best,
Nina W. and Jessica S.
San Francisco, California
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Dear Ambrose,
Our recent trip to China surpassed our expectations. This an experience we will always cherish and are very glad we chose your travel agency. Thanks to you and all the members of your team for making this a great success. We hope to count on you for our next trip.
Loved the flowers,
regards,
Angel R. and Carmen M with Luis and Emma Z.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida
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Ambrose,
Thank you for the flowers and all the arrangements for our China/Tibet trip. It was a great journey with countless memorable stops. If we need a trip in the future to China we will think of you.
Szabolcs and Iza P.
Chicago, Illinois
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Dear Ambrose,
We had the time of our lives [in Thailand]. It was truly mystical, educational, emotional, and also relaxing. Our guide in Bangkok, EK, was the best. You should request him all of the time. I will recommend, and already have, your services. thanks for everything.
Sincerely,
Rita D.
Wooster, Ohio
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Dear Ambrose:
I am writing to commend Red Lantern Journeys, and to thank everone at RLJ, for making our trip to Nepal so special. From start to finish, we were provided with expert, caring service, which made the whole experience thoroughly enjoyable.
Jwalant offered comprehensive and responsive pre-trip information, so that we were completely prepared for our journey. When our flight into Kathmandu was delayed, he immediately arranged a different pickup so that we were met and cared for at the airport by Ram Hari. When he learned that I was planning to propose to my girlfriend on the trek, he thoughtfully arranged for a ceremony at a Buddhist nunnery to bless our engagement -- a truly unexpected and unforgettable experience.
Our trekking team was first rate. Our guide, Buddhi Rai, was as knowledgeable, considerate, patient and friendly as anyone we have ever met. Each day, he provided us with interesting information, useful insights, much-needed reassurance, and energizing entertainment & laughter -- all as if we had known each other for years. Like a good friend, he looked after our physical and mental well-being to ensure that we were in the best condition to complete and enjoy every stage of the trek. If only Buddhi could guide us on our journey through life, we'd be healthy and happy always!
Our porters, Pesal and Krishna, were total professionals. Pesal was particularly attentive, especially during mealtime when he was consistently on the spot with whatever we needed -- often before we even realized we needed it.
Our accommodations were seemingly the best to be had. Pesal would secure for us not only the nicest lodge in town, but usually the best room in the nicest lodge. The quality and variety of the food at our lodges was also very good. Following Buddhi's recommendations, we enjoyed well-balanced meals, got the proper nutrition for high-altitude exertion, and never had any GI issues. In fact, we've never felt so well-rested and well-fed.
Our team seemed to be better equipped and more experienced than the others we encountered along the circuit. Quite tellingly, we noticed that other trekkers, including those with guides of their own, often looked to our team for additional expertise. For example, other trekkers tended to see which lodge we booked and then followed suit on the assumption that it was the best choice available. Similary, other trekkers would eavesdrop on our nightly strategy sessions with Buddhi in order to learn what to expect from the following day's trek and how to plan accordingly. Of course, Buddhi, the true "people person" that he is, would happily respond by offering information and encouragement to anyone within earshot.
The tour of Kathmandu unexpectedly turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. The tour leader, Binaya, was both knowledgeable and personable. Like so many at RLJ, he quickly became a friend to us; and we will always remember the day spent with Binaya and his wife, Minakshi, at the hilltop nunnery.
All arrangements within Nepal were fastidiously handled by Jenny. Whereas so many at RLJ seemed to us like old friends, Jenny seemed like a long-lost sister. Moreover, she is scrupulous and competent beyond compare. The bottom line is that there is no one beside Jenny to whom I'd more willingly entrust my passport, my extra luggage, or indeed my plans for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
We're back home in Chicago now, but we feel strangely homesick -- for the places, and especially the people, we got to know on our trip. Thank you, Red Lantern Journeys, for making us feel at home, among family & friends, in Nepal.
Yours truly,
David Greenberg
Chicago, Illinois
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Ambrose,
Hi and thanks for the great trip you planned for us. All of the plans worked out well, we were most impressed with all of our guides, they were well informed, spoke English well and welcomed us with enthusiasm.
The cruise on the Yangtze was awesome, we got a free upgrade to a suite and found it most comfortable. The weather was a challenge but the only change to our itinerary occurred in Shanghai where we spend the second day in Shanghai at the museum, the French quarter and the Urban Development Centre instead of going to Suzhou. We almost got stuck in Yichang as the airport was closed when we disembarked from the boat but the airport opened for about 5 hours later in the day and we got out and arrived in Shanghai. The next day both airports were closed so we felt most fortunate.
The weather was cold and we found the heat in the hotels in Southern China to be poor. However, we had warm clothes and survived it all. We realize that the weather conditions were the worst in 60 years.
The only hotel that we would not recommend for use again is the Yangshou Tang Ren Jie, the hotel itself was fine but the management was poor, not responsive to our concerns. Our experience was confirmed by our guide as well.
We found China to be a surprise, most signs are in both Mandarin and English, many people in the tourist industry know some English so it was easy to get around and the general population seemed very friendly, wanting to have pictures taken with us and smiling at us as we saw them on the street. In Yangshou, we arranged for our guide to take us into the country side and we met an elderly woman who shared her home with us for an hour or so. We valued that insight into country living. We left Yangshou in the morning and spent most of the next day in Guilin where we visited a silk factory, a pearl factory and a tea institute where we participated in a tea ceremony. We enjoyed the day immensely.
In summary, we would recommend your company to our friends and thank you for the planning you did for us. All the hotels except for the one (Yangshou) were excellent; clean, comfortable, friendly staff and good food and the guides were all punctual, hospitable, friendly, well informed and spoke English well.
Thanks again for planning a good trip which has left us with many great memories and wonderful pictures. Your timeliness in responding to our emails was most appreciated, particularly when we were on the road and did not always have ready access to emails. You did a great job for us!
Best wishes,
Irma and Al
Victoria, BC, Canada
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Lisa,
We just got back from Japan, literally like an hour ago, and wanted to tell you and Ambrose that we had a wonderful time. The rooms were really exceptional, the tours just what we wanted, the right amount and length, and all obstacles were overcome.
We also had the worse meal for the most amount of money we've ever had, but that is Japan's problem (and ours), not yours. I happen to like Japanese food, so twice I sprang for the $30 it cost for a Japanese breakfast. Even got compliments on my chopstick style!
You guys did splendidly. Be proud.
Bob K.
Austin, Texas
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Lisa,
Thanks for the flowers!
Narun, our guide in Cambodia was great. He has some of the most amazing stories I've ever heard. The guy was an attraction by himself.
I think the only negative feedback we had was that some of the days ended too early. In Chiang Mai we were done by 3 on both days, so we probably could have combined some activities and done a few more things. I think we ended a little early one day in Cambodia as well, but Narun took us to another temple.
The restaurants and food were fine. The hotel in Chaing Mai was great, the other two hotels were good. No problems with any of them.
We never waited on the guides, they were always on time. Car service was good too. Everything came together well, it made the trip almost too easy.
Joe H.
New York, NY
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Dear Ambrose,
Thank you for the beautiful welcome home flowers. The trip exceeded our expectations and the service was exceptional. I have only one comment which is regarding the possible reduction of one day in Kathmandu. I believe that arrangements could have been made by the Nepal agency to schedule our departure after seeing the breathtaking Mt. Everest. Other than that, the trip was 110% excellent. Thank you for your guidance.
Looking forward to meeting you when in Seattle. You are always welcome to visit us in Atlanta.
With personal regards, I remain, very truly yours,
Roger P.
Atlanta, Georgia
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Hi Ambrose,
Just wanted to thank you and everyone at Red Lantern for a terrific trip! And for a lovely bouquet of flowers too.
Everyone we worked with at every stage of the trip was exceptional, from our airport transfers down to the trek itself. The Nepal people were an absolute pleasure and were extremely accountable, as were our guides, Ram and Kami. Everyone took care of us beautifully and often went above and beyond the call of duty.
Hopefully I will get around to sending a more detailed report soon, but before any more time went by I just wanted to let you know that we really appreciate all your work in making this trip happen. It was very special for all of us.
Best,
Tylan G.
Atlanta, Georgia
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Hi Ambrose,
Thank you so much for the flower arrangement. We arrived home today, and it was such a nice surprise.
Our SE Asia trip was wonderful, and everything went without problem. Our guides were so nice and very helpful, and the hotels were beyond expectation.
I will talk with you at the beginning of the week with probably way too much detail.
Jim took lots and lots of pics including each of our rooms and the hotels. Eventually we will organize and forward to you.
Again thank you so much for the flowers, and for doing such a great job arranging all.
Bonnie P.
Visalia, California
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Hi, Ambrose.
We are back safe and sound from our Asia adventure. We enjoyed the private tour you arranged for us very much – it was so reassuring to have someone meet us at our destination points, do the driving around those crazy cities (!), take us to the best spots, and ensure that we got to the right airline counters for the onward journeys.
Everything went according to plan and our tour guides were great – often taking us to unscheduled spots! Thank you very much.
Debbie and Greg B.
Calgary, Canada
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Dear Ambrose:
Thank you for the flowers that were waiting for me at the conclusion of my beautiful journey to Bhutan. What a special trip. Bhutan is incredibly beautiful, the people spontaneously friendly, the culture gentle, spiritual and inspirational. I was deeply touched by it all and had a wonderful time. Whenever life gets too hectic, I close my eyes and imagine myself gazing at Tiger's Nest from that wonderful viewpoint just before beginning the stone steps.
Your agent in Bhutan did a great job for us. The guides were sensitive, knowledgeable and accommodating. We got to know Bhim and Dorji (driver) best. The accommodations ranged from very nice to modest, but that was okay also. I only wish that we could have had more time - an extra day in Trongsa, and time to walk into the Phobjikha Valley - perhaps overnighting there. Maybe I will be able to return in the spring some time to do these things.
Special moments included
temple blessings each day
river rafting on the Pho Chu river
the all-day climb to Tiger's Nest
hanging a prayer flag at the top of Yotang La
meeting the Queen Mother at Kichu Lhakhang (near Paro)
visit to an elementary and a high school in Trongsa
attending the Wangdue and Thimphu Festivals
Thank you again.
Marilynn G.
Pacific Grove, California
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Hello Ambrose,
First let me say you run a "class act". The lovely orchids arrived yesterday afternoon; what a pleasant and thoughtful surprise.I had intended to write you as soon as I recovered and got organized, but will do so now though still in early stages of readjusting.
Bottom line, the entire trip could not have gone better, no significant problems and it was all we had hoped it would be. A few minor flight delays, but all connections were made smoothly, especially considering all the opportunities for something to go wrong. One very minor issue: our transfer man in Kohlkata really looked after our every need, but was a bit overly agressive in his ways, especially compared with all the many others throughout our trip. I felt he was pushing a bit too much for the tip. We were very tired when we arrived and just wanted to get to our hotel. He suggested a one and a half hour tour of the city on the way. After some debate Marlys and I decided it would be good if we could do it in an hour, to which he agreed. It lasted 2 hours. This is such a minor issue Ambrose I hesitate to mention. I do so because his style was so unlike everyone else. Probably a matter of the big city versus the country.
Bhutan was very special. Weather was perfect and a welcomed change from Bangkok and Assam; liked the accommodations, especially the Tenzinling, (we had the usual? barking dogs in Thimpu); enjoyed all the food; Kencho was an absolute delight and went out of his way to make the best use of every minute we had, adjusting the times and agenda to fit our wants and needs. Marlys sat out certain activities as planned. As a photographer you can imagine how often we stopped so I could do my thing. As I did not make the climb to Taktsang - which apparently we all (you, me, and Kencho) had concluded adviseable, we were able to see that much more. I think because we established good rapport with Kencho we twice lunched at the Plum restaurant where his wife Lhamo works. As she hopes to visit a Bhutanese friend in California next year we have invited her to come be our guest.
Three days is not long enough to really see any place like Bhutan, but I really feel that thanks to our personalized treatment, and considering Marlys's limited mobility we came away with a very good understanding and appreciation of this very unique country, its people and culture. With what I know now, and given more time, I would love to have made a 7 to 10 day drive across the country. But we did not have the time and realistically Marlys would not have been up to it.
I have already recommended Red Lantern to my brother and a lovely Irish couple we met on the Brahmaputra cruise. I expect to have the chance to do more. I also, want to make a special pitch for Kencho, he is not only very good at what he does, he is fun to be with. I would be pleased to be a referrence for you, should you have the need.
Thanks again for a great tour and I wish you continued success with Red Lantern. If you ever get our way give me a call. It would be a pleasure to meet you.
Robert B.
Ukiah, California
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Ciara,
The trip [to Thailand and Cambodia] was wonderful. International flying is always long and tiring. Bangkok was fun, shopping night bazaars and visiting the temples. The Peninsula was a great hotel and they upgraded us to connecting suites for us and the children! The dinner show at sala rim nam across from the Oriental and next to the Peninsula was expensive and not very authentic. Cambodia was very very good and the Victoria Hotel was just right - not too touristy and off the main street. Chaing Mai was also fun and the Dhara Dhevi was one of the best hotels we have seen in the world. The elephants were the highlights of the trip. The long long 5 hr. drive to the hill tribes was the worst point of the trip - depressing, tragic, begging people with little cultural integrity. Would not recommend that to anyone, except that we did go to the golden triangle and across to Burma shopping at the bazaar. That was fun. The Airport Novotel gave us a complimentary 8pm check out which made the midnight plane tolerable. My DVD is in progress.
Thanks for the flowers
Michael V. and Family
Richmond, Virgina
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Hey Ciara,
Just a quick note to thank you for the lovely detail of the flowers I received today.
Net-net: The trip [to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos] was absolutely wonderful. Everything went as planned. Guides on each city were absolutely fantastic, and overall, the whole flow of the trip was just right (one hectic place, one mellow place, one hectic place, one mellow place...). Hotels were marvelous.
I am totally pleased with the experience. It exceeded all my expectations. Definitely, you will be hearing from me when planning my next trip.
Anyway, hope to have some time by the end of the week to write and provide details of my experience.
Thanks again Ciara,
Alicia D.
New York City
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Dear Ms. Sampaio
I've been back from my Far East trip for almost 10 days now. Still jet lagged a bit. I am a seasoned traveler, I have been to over 80 countries around the world. This particular trip was amazing, one of the best and most exotic journeys I have ever taken. I would like to briefly review my specific impressions of the trip:
Thailand
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The Oriental Hotel lived up to its reputation. A beautiful place. The local guide for a brief city tour was adequate. I believe that their fee for a short city tour was little too expensive.
Bhutan
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Beautiful, mysterious country, fascinating culture, the best kept secret in Asia, excellent organization of my trip.
The Uma Paro Hotel was superb! Beautiful place, tastefully done, excellent service, amazing meals, perhaps little too expensive ($11 USD for a glass of multi vitamin fruit juice! Ouch!).
The Migmar Hotel was mediocre in terms of accommodation, but the service was really excellent. The staff and their manager did everything in their power to make my stay comfortable.
The local guide in Bhutan, Sangay Dorji was terrific: very knowledgeable about his country and culture, easy going, friendly, spoke excellent English, overall did an excellent job. So was the driver, Tenzin Gyeltshen, who was very kind, polite, patient and friendly. The Bhutan Eco Tours should be happy to have them on their team. Superb job!
Myanmar
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Very exotic, beautiful country, still untouched and undiscovered, kind, gentle people, fascinating history.
The Tamarid Agency owner, Ms. Cho Cho Lwin was extraordinarily kind. She welcomed me personally at the airport, called guides many times to ensure that everything was going well during the tour, came to say good bye at the end of my trip and even gave me a beautiful gift!
The Strand Hotel in Yangon was a great place, perhaps little past its former glory, but very charming never the less.
The Mandalay Hill resort was a good hotel, perfectly adequate.
The Aureum Palace Hotel was an extraordinary hotel. Beautifully designed, with excellent service and superb food. One of my favorite hotels of all times.
The local guide in Yangon and Mandalay, Si Thu Win, as well as the guide in Bagan, whose name I can not remember, were both very professional, kind, easy going, well informed. They did a great job.
Overall it was a great, great trip. I am very grateful to you and your tour operators for arranging such a wonderful journey. I will highly recommend you to all my friends.
Thank you once again,
Slobodan M.
Boston, MA
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Hi Laura:
We were very pleased with all of the arrangements you made on our behalf. Thank-you so much. Not sure you are back from India yet. Thank-you so much for the beautiful flowers. They are really appreciated.
It was such a thrill to see my 80 year old mother-in-law Ruth act like a school-girl when she saw the Taj Mahal. The accommodations at Agra were especially meaningful with a beautiful view of the Taj since Ruth simply stared at the Taj all the time she was in her room. So an excellent choice. The accommodations in Jaipur were especially authentic and full of character. We really enjoyed them and the choice for the Tiger preserve was very special and serene. We also liked the Delhi accommodations.
Kudos to 'I go India' for managing the Commonwealth Games travel contract. They are well organized.
I have a couple of suggestions for you and please take them in the spirit they are given. When people want to go to the Taj Mahal I think it is important for them to know that they might really appreciate it more if they saw it more than once at different times of the day. We changed our itinerary and saw it at dawn as well as late morning. Our guide for that part of the trip was incredibly responsive to us. We were so pleased we saw it more than once. Our driver for most of the trip was very friendly and responsive to Ruth's needs. Ruth actually made the morning tours but rested at the hotel in the afternoons.
We enjoyed the son et lumiere in Delhi and the one in Jaipur looked like it had even more potential.
We added an extra jeep safari and saw a male and female tiger on two different drives. It was the highlight of the trip for me. The cat population is now down to 38 in that preserve. Two cats were poisoned last week.
You and your agency made this trip of a lifetime for all of us. Thank-you so much.
My best,
Kelley P.
Washington, DC
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