Midweek Interview with Chimu Adventures’ Valerie Waterston
Destination Specialist at Chimu Adventures, Valerie Waterston, reveals all in our latest Midweek Interview, although we promise no “rack of truth” or hot irons were used in the process of the interview.
The challenge for the industry is…
Increasing awareness to the general public of the risks of booking overseas holidays, particularly tours in underdeveloped areas, utilising online overseas operators.
The lack of security on your booking, quality of service, unknown company ethics and authenticity, along with language barriers once you arrive and then no recourse on undelivered services, is just not worth the risk.
The things I like about my job…
I really enjoy the style of work – creating itineraries and sending people on a holiday I’ve been able to build based on my own local experiences from guiding in South America for 5 years.
Chimu also has a very healthy office environment which makes work enjoyable and I work with some really great people.
And the frustrations are…
Relying on technology that doesn’t always work.
If I didn’t work in travel I would be…
A logistician for an emergency disaster relief agency. I had just finished my training for RedR and was waiting for a posting when my previous tour leading job came up. I just wasn’t finished with guiding, particularly South America, so went back to that. And now I’m at Chimu!
Favorite airline…
The one that’s on time.
My proudest moment…
Carefully and tactfully negotiated to secure the safe extraction of myself and two passengers out of a hot war zone that had separated us from the rest of the group on the border of Uganda and ‘Zaire’.
I’m still not sure why the guerrilla soldiers listened to a short mad demanding blonde but it got us out of there!
The naughtiest thing I ever did was…
…my mother might read this!
I try to relax by….
…my mother might read this too!
The last time I feared for my life was…
When you spend as long as I did on the road (15 years on and off as an overland expedition leader/tour escort/ guide predominantly in developing countries) there is plenty of opportunity to put your life at risk I guess.
Nearly drowning when I was sucked through a culvert under a road that collapsed during the biggest flood on record in the Serengeti and spat out 100m downstream – although I came out beaten and bruised it’s one experience that still haunts me.
If I can, I always try to avoid….
Flooded culverts!
I really wish I had…
Climbed Mt Kilimanjaro when in Africa. The opportunity was always there but I never took it up.
The best advice I ever received was…
Stay away from flooded culverts.
I don’t understand why…
People are fearful of travel to South America. What’s even more mysterious is speaking to people overseas who perceive Australia as dangerous because of our wildlife!
My greatest weakness is…
Not being able to say no.
And my greatest strength…
My ability to problem solve.
If I won a million dollars I would…
Many of us think we’d be great philanthropists if we were rich. I would invest the $1m first, and then work on those dreams.
If I was prime minister…
I would quit! Do you know the pension you can get from that?
If I could be someone else for a day I would be …
An extreme downhill snow skier.
I’ve always wanted to travel to….
Anywhere I haven’t been.
My favourite holiday was….
A trip to Hawaii to paddle the Molokai channel. A cyclone prevented the paddling marathon from taking place for only the second time since its inception but it was still the best holiday with my team (closely followed by a trip to Antarctica!).
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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