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How do you go about making an archaeological tour? A number of first rate ingredients are required - great sites, seamless logistics, and a passionate and knowledgeable guide. Perhaps the biggest element of all for me when planning a tour is the story. I don’t want to simply arrange a route around a series of isolated historical ruins, instead I want to weave a fascinating tale, a historical back-story where each ancient city we visit is like a jigsaw piece that sheds ever more light on the region’s history and culture. Some stories are intrinsically obvious like travelling across Turkey in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, but others require much more careful consideration.

It all starts with a ‘recce’, going out to make an on the ground reconnaissance of the sites in a proposed tour area. To me this is like a marvellous adventure, I’m like a child in a sweet shop trying to decide where and what I should start with, perhaps something Greek or maybe Byzantine, perhaps a small but untouched temple standing romantically lost in olive groves or a giant Roman city, like Ephesus, packed with tourists. I love the energy and buzz of visiting new sites, but on a recce I am preoccupied with all the practical things that need to be thought through, especially how to pick and then unite the most special of sites into a compelling and cohesive tour.

I remember the first time I ever led an archaeological tour back in the spring of 1996. I was asked by a UK travel company to step in as tour leader eight days before a trip exploring ancient Caria in Turkey. At first I declined because I hadn’t visited half the sites on the itinerary and wouldn’t dream of taking a group anywhere I hadn’t been. When they called the next day and asked me again, I agreed provided they fly me out the next day and hire me a jeep with driver so I could tear around the sites on a whirlwind recce. It was a baptism of fire, but one that has stood me in very good stead. One of the most important lessons I learned was it doesn’t matter how much you know of a site’s history if you don’t know your way around.

In fact the first thing I do when I get to a site is let all the history disappear from my head. For me the first walk around a site is all about practicalities, not least where do I want to begin. More often than not I choose to avoid the specified main entrance and approach a site from a different angle - both physically and historically. I like to enter on an ancient road if possible, like the sacred way leading to the temple of Apollo at Didyma. I like to create a sense of drama, as at Stratonikeia, a Hellenistic foundation in Caria. A mile away from the main entrance I take groups on a small path through trees, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, which suddenly caves away into a vast theatre with a breathtaking view. If the site is overgrown, and in rural Turkey one goat path looks pretty much like the others, sometimes it’s just a case of finding the best way around.

Once I’ve figured out my route around the site, I rewalk the whole route again, and again. Navigation around a site is paramount. When I’m showing a group around I don’t want to be spending my time trying to find my way, and I certainly want my route pre-planned to the best historical and dramatic effect.

After that it’s a case of scouring the libraries to pull out the latest excavation and survey reports. That’s where a top quality tour guide comes into their own, fresh knowledge and a lively perspective, rather than a spiel learned by rote, or material regurgitated from age old guide books.

Back in the office maps are pulled out and it all comes down to matching up the sites, the story, and the logistics. Many of the tours I arrange are archaeological cruises in Turkey aboard handbuilt wooden gulets. They’re a marvellous way to step back in time, not only do you avoid the hotel changes, the roads, and traffic, but it’s often the best means of exploring ancient civilisations, like the Lycians, who were essentially maritime, geared to the sea. What finer way to visit a city like Knidos, where Praxiteles infamous naked statue of Aphrodite once stood, than to sail straight into its old commercial harbour and drop anchor beside its ancient mooring stones. Travel is a key element in the stories I tell, and whether a tour is based on roads or the sea I always try and make a virtue of the transport, by drawing on ancient parallels - be it shipwrecks, travel writing, or the classical tourists and pilgrims who visited the same sites and even bought tacky souvenirs.

When creating the final tour itinerary, geography and logistics often carry the deciding vote, but if possible I love to start small and build. I think our Lycian cruise works that idea almost perfectly. The first few sites are in breathtaking locations, but in themselves the ruins are scant. They give everyone a chance to get their bearings, to settle into the landscape, and perhaps marvel at one broken tomb, a few inscribed stones, or the odd piece of sculpture lying on the ground. As the days go by, the sites get bigger and more impressive, one has a Byzantine church, the next has a theatre, another has a baths so each location adds another layer of understanding, another facet of ancient architecture and city life. By the time we reach some of the greatest sites in the world - Aspendos, with one of the best preserved Roman theatres and aqueducts, Perge, a city with great boulevards and agoras lined with columns and baths swathed in marble - the group has already seen the basics and can revel in such size and magnificence.

Perhaps the other essential element in creating an archaeological tour is timing. Above all don’t cram in too much. I’d much rather give everyone a chance to sit in a theatre and savour the scene, nevermind the view, the birdsong, and the atmosphere, than cram in three sites a day on a whirlwind mission. Don’t travel in the hottest months, and even when it’s a cooler season, avoid the heat of the day, for a start the light is all the better early in the morning and later in the afternoon.

Whether it’s getting to a restaurant for lunch, making sure the drives aren’t too long, or something unique like swimming at Patara where St Nicholas was born, as the sun sinks like an orange orb into the sea, timing is paramount. If that means leaving some great sites out of a tour itinerary, that’s fine, I always think it’s a good rule of thumb to leave some places unexplored so there’s always something special to come back for.

Peter runs a specialist travel company, Peter Sommer Travels http://www.petersommer.com, offering archaeological tours and cruises in Turkey. In 1994 he walked 2,000 miles retracing Alexander the Great’s route across Turkey and fell in love with the country. You can find out more about Peter at http://www.petersommer.com/peter.html
An archaeologist and documentary producer he has worked on many acclaimed BBC/PBS/CNN TV series including In the footsteps of Alexander the Great, and Tales from the Green Valley, about life on a Welsh farm in the year 1620, which was shown to rave reviews on BBC2 in the UK in 2005.

He has had travel articles published in newspapers incl. The Times (UK), The Brisbane Sunday Mail & The South China Morning Post, and in various magazines. He is a member of the Outdoor Writers’ Guild, the UK’s best established guild of professional outdoor & travel writers. You can read a range of his articles at http://www.petersommer.com/writing_index.html

email Peter at info@petersommer.com or Tel +44 (0)1600 861 929

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Have you ever taken a trip where it seemed that everything went wrong? What should have been a care free, relaxing vacation or an efficient business trip quickly turns into a stress-filled nightmare. No one likes to dwell on the negative, but the old saying “hope for the best, and plan for the worst” has a lot of truth to it. Many things can go wrong and planning ahead will help you avoid unwanted drama, stress and hassles. Travel delays or accidents, hidden fees and costs, lost or delayed luggage, medical or dental emergencies, travel accidents, rental car damage, potential terrorist attack alerts, emergency assistance problems, identity theft and more are common problems that can, and most likely, will occur on some occasion during trip taking. In hindsight could most of the hassles on that trip have been prevented or made more bearable by planning for the unexpected? Here are some tips for doing just that.

1. Start planning your trip early. Four to six weeks before you depart is not too early to start planning. If you are purchasing a comprehensive or all-inclusive package, make sure you research the agency you are dealing with. Some offer packages that guarantee no surprise up-charges or add-ons. If you don’t understand their policies or package rates, make them explain it to you until you do understand it. Asking the right questions beforehand can eliminate disappointment over unrealized expectations. Know what you are getting for your money. Never assume that what you think you are hearing is factual until it is fully explained and you see it guaranteed in writing. If you are planning a business trip on short notice, use an agency that you trust, or one that you consider reputable.

If short notice trips are normal for you, or if you know that travel could be required on short notice due to an emergency situation, keep a bag packed in your closet with the things you consider basic necessities. Include at least one complete change of clothes, and necessary toiletries. Also include a small amount of your regular medication, if applicable, and important account numbers and phone numbers. If packing space is at a premium, purchase sample size toiletries to keep in your “short notice” bag. Make sure it is of carry-on size for airline travel. This will take some stress off in the event that plans must be made quickly. If your luggage is lost or delayed, you will be glad you took the time to pack your carry-on bag in this manner.

2. Research your trip thoroughly. The Internet is a good choice for doing this. To get the best deals and the best accommodations to suit your preferences, there is no substitute for being informed and fully aware of what is available. In the information age, there are huge amounts of travel information available on the World Wide Web. Tickets, and even permits, in some cases, can be printed on your home computer printer from the Internet. Rental car reservations, hotel reservations are made easy for convenient prices and quality comparisons on-line.

3. Plan for the unexpected: Troubles can occur when you least anticipate them, so take along some peace of mind and protect your trip investment by purchasing travel insurance. Make sure the travel insurance you purchase covers job loss or transfers, uninhabitable accommodations, emergency assistance, travel accidents, delays, lost or delayed luggage, weather-affected cancellation, medical and dental expenses, terrorism, and identity theft. In addition, plans should offer flexible coverage periods for pre-existing medical conditions. Choose a company that answers all calls with a live person, not an automated attendant. Confirm all your purchases and reservations at a later time either on the Web or by phone to ensure no glitches have occurred.

4. Make sure you will have all the arrangements and paperwork you’ll need- airline tickets, passports, visas, maps, rental car and hotel reservations, permits as well as health and travel insurance documentation. Carry enough cash for emergencies, phone calls or unexpected fees. Don’t carry large amounts of cash. Traveler’s checks and credit cards are a better alternative. Make a list of all the pertinent numbers of your credit card, driver’s license, visas, passport, ticket, reservation, prescriptions and any other important documentation. Include any emergency phone numbers to call if any of these items are lost or stolen. Put a copy of this list in your carry-on, and carry the other one on your person.

Have someone you trust watch your home or apartment, or house-sit while you are away. Think about the things that need to be done in your absence- watching and feeding your pets, watering your plants, etc. If you don’t have a house/pet-sitter, have a light left on inside your residence so it would appear that someone is home at night. If you have someone checking up on things periodically, have them rotate the lighting and retrieve your mail and your newspapers. Another option to this is to have your newspaper and mail delivery temporarily suspended. You can also put your lighting on inexpensive timers, which can closely imitate your normal lighting routines.

5. Write out an itinerary- before you head out the door, give someone you know and trust a written copy of your trip plans. This should include: Your estimated time of departure, mode of transportation (flight numbers and/or make, model and license plate numbers), the names, addresses and phone numbers (especially cell phone numbers) of all group members traveling, any relevant medical conditions that may affect you or your travelling companions. Also include your travel insurance policy names, numbers and beneficiary information, your hotels’ phone number and address and expected time of arrival, time of return, and all pertinent return travel information.

Make arrangements to contact the person holding your itinerary at specific intervals during the trip, and then again when your trip is over. Agree with your contact person on a procedure for contacting the authorities if you do not report in by a certain time. This can be especially important when traveling in high-risk areas of the world, or even anywhere outside the United States. In some cases, if you have a pet and choose to hire a reputable pet-sitter or house-sitter, this can be your contact person.

In short, the quality of your trip depends largely on proper planning for the unexpected. Most of us like to think that things will come off without a hitch, but the truth is that even with the best of planning, things can, and will go wrong from time to time. Planning early, thorough research, double checking arrangements, coverage and documentation, and writing out an itinerary may not completely dispel unexpected problems, but it does produce a peace of mind and assurance knowing that there is a plan in place to deal with the unexpected if it does come about.

This article was written by Rita R. Powers with support from CSA Travel Protection, providers of Travel Insurance and travel assistance services. For information on how travel insurance can add to your travel experience, please visit http://www.csatravelprotection.com. Any reproductions of this article must provide a link back to CSA Travel Protection.

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The time spent anticipating a holiday often seems immeasurable next to the seemingly short time it takes to actually experience the holiday. Before you know it, your getaway is over, you’re on your way back to your day-to-day routines, and you’re not quite sure when you’ll be able to take your next getaway. No one wants a holiday to end; but seeing as how they can’t last forever, there is a way to ensure that you make the absolute most of your current - and future - travels.

If each of your trips worked towards earning you another holiday, you’d undoubtedly travel - and relax - a bit more. That’s precisely why travel reward schemes have gained such immense popularity over the years. People love to travel; and when their travels further their chances of getting away, they simply can’t lose. And aside from heightening holiday opportunities, reward schemes offer members a host of exclusive services, amenities, privileges and tailored benefits which only work to make their holiday experiences more remarkable.

The two most widespread travel reward schemes involve flight and hotel programmes; and while such programmes were initially based on partnerships between credit card companies and either hotels or airlines, you’ll nowadays find that many hotels and airlines operate their very own reward schemes. When you book your stay with a participating hotel on a recurring basis, you’ll earn ‘points’ for another visit with them at the destination of your choice. Similarly, if you fly on a regular basis with a reward-scheme airline, you’ll earn miles towards a flight to any destination.

There are even a number of multi-reward programmes which combine various aspects of travel, such as flights, hotels and car rentals under a single reward scheme. What’s more, membership is often free - so all you have to do to earn points is to travel - and enjoy your trip - as you normally would. You’ll earn a wealth of rewards in no time, which means another terrific holiday is on the horizon; and rest assured that the process of claiming points or rewards is always simple.

It’s often suggested that people who don’t travel in abundance choose and stick to a single reward programme. With all of their travel ‘points’ and credits going towards a single scheme, they’ll be able to claim their reward much sooner than if their points are scattered among various programmes.

But that being said, there are a number of great reward schemes to choose from - and if there’s one way to make the most of your travels, it’s to ensure that each trip works towards earning you another fantastic holiday.

Michael is a keen writer living in Edinburgh. Michael’s Website: Taxis Belfast

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