Meet James
General Manager
James heads up our team at TransIndus HQ.
Originally from Snowdonia in North Wales, after graduating with a Masters degree in Physics from Manchester University James moved to Canada to pursue a life in the mountains, working in the outdoor guiding and ski industry for many years. In his late 20s, he began leading tour groups across Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, in some of the most adventurous regions on the planet. Only when he moved back to the UK in 2009 did he begin a more conventional office-based career in travel, but the desire to get out the road has not in the least diminished! His recent trips include visits to Japan & Kyrgyzstan.
Travel High
“Varanasi is somewhere that lingers in the memory longer than most places I’ve been to. From experiencing dawn on the Ganges to exploring the narrow alleyways behind the riverside ghats, the city is intense and overwhelming, and always full of extraordinary sights: stray cows being herded out the way of funeral marches; the Aarti ceremony at sunset; and the many ancient temples clustered in the old quarter. It seemed as if all of India’s spiritual life was there to see in a day – unforgettable.”
Favourite Hotel
“Few hotels enjoy a setting as idyllic as the Iwaso Ryokan on Miyajima Island. It’s what you really imagine a Japanese hotel should be like. In a beautiful location at the foot of Mt Misen, the traditional wood-and-stone building is surrounded by colourful maple trees and the sound of babbling streams and birdsong. You can enjoy a delicious ten-course meal served in your room while wearing your yukata, relax in the thermal waters of the onsen baths, hike up to the mountain summit, ride the cable car to take in the views of the Seto Inland Sea, or walk along the waterfront to experience the famous Itsukushima O-Torii gate (one of the “three most beautiful views in Japan”).”
My Travel Tip
Before you go, knowing the “why” of your trip is so important, even more so than the “fun-factor” in my opinion, and I encourage you to talk about this with our team of travel specialists. With their years of knowledge they can expertly guide you to make the right decisions for yourself and help you to discover things you wouldn’t have known about or found through your own research. Once you’re abroad, the success of a trip will depend to a large extent on the efforts you make to meet the local people. By trying to see what their lives are actually like you’ll get a better understanding of the destination you’re in, and hopefully take home something far more rewarding than your photos and souvenirs.
