The Peoples Choice - Venture Magazine Issue #3 Pages 18-19

Kumuka 'The Start Of A Journey'

For some people their first Kumuka trip isn’t just a new adventure – it’s the start of a relationship that will take them around the globe. Several clients have happily completed a dozen of our tours and are planning more. It seems the Kumuka experience can be as addictive as travel itself. Fitting then, that Kumuka’s name, which is African in origin, translates to ‘the start of a journey’. On the following pages, Venture catches up with some of our most fervent fans.

Kumu-krazy: Elizabeth Chapmann & Jennifer Terpstra!

Elizabeth and Jennifer are travel buddies. Like many Kiwis, they live in London and they are mad about travel. Over the past decade, they’ve clocked up more than fifty countries between them, mostly on Kumuka adventures.

Q You’ve just got back from a trip through Mexico. What was that like?
LIZ Fantastic. We went on an escorted local transport tour, with a Kumuka guide, Lee Nicholson, who speaks fluent Spanish. So you get to travel with local people, which is really cool. We started in Mexico City and went down through Chiapas into the Yucatán and finally ended up on the Caribbean.

Q So how does that work, when you say you started in Mexico City? And what was the city like?
JENN I flew straight from London. Liz was in New Zealand, so she came via Los Angeles. Mexico City? Well…it’s great, but it’s still a city. We went for the ruins and the beaches.
LIZ Yes, the scenery and the Maya ruins were incredible. The history aspect of the trip ticked a huge box for me. Even when I’m in London and realise that the pub I’m sitting in was built in 1400 or something, I get rather excited. Coming from New Zealand, it’s just such a contrast. While I loved Mexico, I didn’t find it spiritually uplifting. Much less than say, Africa.

Q Your first trip was to Africa, so that obviously made a deep impression?
LIZ Oh, absolutely. I was bowled over by it. The people are what you remember so vividly; they’re just so friendly. Despite many living in poverty and having so little, they still are determined to smile and be happy. So yes, I really fell in love with Africa.
JENN Setting foot in Africa and meeting its people, and seeing children always smiling and greeting you despite their circumstances, really made me appreciate everything I had.

Q Have you made any major mistakes while travelling?
LIZ I made a terrible mistake on my first Kumuka experience, a six-week overland trip through Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. I slightly over-indulged on alcohol while on the plane from Australia, and when we landed in Zimbabwe, I didn’t have my senses about me. Thankfully, a lovely couple from Zimbabwe took charge and helped me get through immigration. They even put me up at their house while I sobered up. I call that travel karma – when you really need help, it comes along. Since that incident, I’ve always tried to help fellow travellers in need while I’m on the road.

Q As women, have you experienced more hassles while abroad?
LIZ Even in Egypt, where some people complain about getting hassled, I didn’t find it too difficult. And that’s being blonde, which means standing out like a free ice cream stand on a sweltering day.
JENN We sometimes play ‘good cop, bad cop’ if we’re being hassled, just so we can leave without creating offence. But to be honest, we haven’t had many problems travelling with Kumuka.

Q So tell us how you started travelling and which Kumuka trips you’ve done.
JENN I got the travel bug at an early age from my family. I eventually got a job with Air New Zealand, though flying wasn’t part of my job description. However, there was a staff discount, which meant I could hop to London for a mere $50. I leaped at it and never went back to work – sorry boss! And the Kumuka trips? Well that started with a jaunt from Venice back to London via Eastern Europe. It was on that trip that I actually met Liz. Next was Egypt and Jordan, then Mozambique and finally Mexico.
LIZ My first ever travel experience was the Kumuka trip to Africa that I mentioned earlier – my inexperience is my excuse for being unaware of alcohol’s effects at altitude. After that, I enjoyed a one-month trip through Peru on a Kumuka truck. I loved tackling the Inca Trail, as well as the headwaters of the Amazon. Life in New Zealand wasn’t treating me as well as it should, so I made the jump to London for a big change. Upon arrival I immediately booked a Kumuka European tour to find some friends, and get my life sorted out. And on the way back from Venice, I met Jenn and several others who are now close friends in London.

Q If you had to sum up Kumuka’s trips, what is it that keeps you coming back for more?
JENN I think firstly it’s value for money. Most meals are included and there are no hidden extras, so you can budget and plan extremely well. They’re also really well organized. I like the fact that the age range on each tour has been diverse – they don’t draw the line at those aged between 18 and 35.
LIZ For me, a big factor is also the small group sizes. Kumuka’s staff are also key – they always seem to be great, really happy and positive, as well as good communicators (so important!). It’s clear that they genuinely think through their itineraries. They are also clever with their orientation tours, especially in European cities. Kumuka shows you around for a couple or hours to get a feel, then they let you explore on your own. I like it that I always have some time to myself on all of Kumuka’s trips.
JENN One more thing... There’s a real clarity about the itineraries that gives me confidence that it’s all going to work out, even if I’m going somewhere quite remote.

Kumuka’s Know-How!

WHY DO WE THINK PEOPLE COME BACK?

• You’re in experienced hands. We’ve been established for over 23 years and carry over 10,000 clients per year. Our staff have travelled extensively in the areas we visit.
• We offer more inclusions than anyone. When people see what is included in the price, they realise our tours are fantastic value for money.
• There are no nasty surprises – what you see is what you get. There are no credit card charges, service fees and unexpected taxes.
• We make booking easy with a simple four-step online booking system.
• Variety. We offer over 240 exciting tours, ranging from 7 days to 35 weeks, covering 62 countries and spanning 6 continents. You can travel on anything from a coach to camel, depending on your inclination.