At Mercury Holidays we not only love to write about destinations, culture, TV and all things travel; we also love to interview our employees who have discovered the world and wish to share their experiences with our readers.
This month’s interview featured employee is Sophie; she’s been with the company for nearly a year and her love of travel is the reason for joining the team.
Sophie works within our Tours department and has travelled extensively, from Amsterdam and Morocco to Thailand, Cambodia and many more exciting destinations.
One of Sophie’s most memorable trips was Impressions of Vietnam, an escorted tour provided by Mercury Holidays.
This 9-day tour included a visit to Saigon, Can Tho, Hanoi and Halong Bay, as well as excursions to the underground network of Cuchi tunnels, a walking tour of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, an overnight cruise through the limestone Karsts of Halong Bay and much more.
When we asked Sophie what was the main highlight of the tour, she couldn’t simply name just one;
‘The first main highlight would be sleeping on a boat in Halong Bay – it was incredible, to be on the sea watching the sunset was so peaceful and still. At sunrise we enjoyed some Tai Chi which was surreal given the surroundings but magical at the same time.’
The second incredible experience was the Water Puppet show in Hanoi. Water Puppetry originated from local rice paddy farmers over 1000 years ago and are still a massive draw for tourists. Shows are performed in Vietnamese which can be translated, although Sophie recommends experiencing the spectacle in the native language.
Not only does Sophie love to explore Asia (she’s been twice), she also loves to discover other parts of the world; her recent trip to Morocco saw her climb the impressive Mount Toubkal – at 4,167 metres, it is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, North Africa and the Arab World.
Finally, we asked Sophie where she’s off to next and what destinations are on her ‘must-do’ list.
‘I’m off to Milan very soon for an 8-day camper van trip! This has taken a lot of planning and I’m hoping to visit Slovenia and Venice during the journey […] The places I’d love to see next are India, Nepal, Costa Rica and Tanzania.’
With so much travelling planned, we’re sure we’ll be catching up with Sophie again very soon to hear about her amazing journeys!
If you’d like to explore the world and embark upon your own escorted tour, take a look at our extensive range of trips by clicking the button below.