It was such a hit last week, that we’ve brought it back for a second week! Yes, my friends, it’s time to give one of our loyal online community members and one of our fabulous staff members a darn good grilling, as they take on The Gauntlet.
We’ll ask them five questions that will put their travel related experiences, opinions, and common sense to the test. Tough, perhaps. But no one said being well-travelled was easy.
Do you have travel opinions that you want to share with the world? Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.
Stepping up to The Gauntlet this week, it’s…
Travel lover and STA Travel Oscars winner Iain Montgomery from Lancashire, and Mary Morrison, Travel Expert at STA Travel Birmingham High St!
Here’s Iain in one of his spectacular photos:
Iain perches on a Canyon and enjoys the view
And here’s Mary enjoying some gelato in Florence.
Mary tucks into some ice cream - well, when in Rome (or Florence)...
Now we’ve got the introductions out of the way, let’s see what Iain and Mary have to offer, as they step into The Gauntlet…
| Mary Morrison, Travel Expert at STA Travel Birmingham High St | Iain Montgomery, an avid traveller from Lancashire | |
|---|---|---|
| Where’s next on your travel wishlist? | South America, I’m planning a trip to Argentina and Brazil next year for my 30th. Getting old won’t feel so bad whilst I’m relaxing on Copacabana beach. | Next up for me is the Gap Year. I’ve worked for two and a half years since university. Starting in Cancun, I’ll be heading overland through Central & South America ending up in Santiago taking in the Blue Hole, Macchu Picchu, Spanish lessons and other fun along the way! |
| Where’s your perfect weekend destination? | Italy. I spent a great few days in Pisa and Florence last year. Great architecture, cafe culture and, of course, delicious Italian food! | I love Brussels for a weekend away using the Eurostar. It’s like Paris but way more interesting. They have Tintin, amazing bloke food (beer, chips, waffles, chocolate, mussels etc), incredible bars and clubs, and the people are not only cool but friendly too. |
| Backpacker or flashpacker? | Used to be backpacker, now a definite flashpacker. | I’m totally a backpacker. I travel light; sometimes that means roughing it, but you come back with much better stories to tell your mates about. |
| Which stamp in your passport is your favourite? | My Vietnam stamp – it brings back good memories. Hands down the favourite country I’ve been to. | Indonesia. I flew into an obscure city in Sumatra that didn’t do visa on arrival. I had my own little bureaucratic mission to get my visa before I arrived that ,looking back, was quite good fun. While I was there the passport got soaked so the stamp is a bit runny now, but I think it just adds character. |
| Flying solo, as a two, or a crew? | As a two or a crew. I love having someone to share the experiences with. | Going as a pair – you can hook up with a group or separate for a day or two if you need a bit of space. |
Congratulations, Iain and Mary! You’ve taken on The Gauntlet and lived to tell the tale. Plus, you’re, like, famous now. Make sure you where sunglasses when you go out, or your fans will recognise you and it will all get too much.
Awesome stuff. Wondered why the paparazzi were on my tail this morning