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 John
Berry - Managing Director
With dim and distant heritage stretching back to 1820 English settlers to
the Cape Province, John grew up as a free-range all-organic kid in the last
British outpost of Natal. With big open skies, wild beaches, loads of
friends and lots of space the outdoor bug bit hard and at an early age.
So after a first life in South Africa’s corporate world as an engineer,
"collar-and-tie" routines were replaced by "shorts-and-rafters" in Kariba in
1994.
The company was born and John has spent at least some time wearing most of
the hats needing to be worn in any fledgling company. Kariba at the start of
the internet age was an amazing place until the politicians dimmed the
lights.
Hence the move to the UK in 2000. John has since moved away from systems,
marketing and technical stuff, serves as our MD and is concentrating on our
East African safaris for the next few years.
When not in the UK office John will be found on a mountain bike with mates,
walking or swimming the family Labradors, doing consumer shows in the UK or
travelling in Uganda and Tanzania. John is cooking up some expeditionary
ideas around Lake Natron, the Ruwenzoris and some of the really quiet spots
in southern Tanzania for 2009.
 ...John's
public galleries
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 Trish
Berry - Development and Finance Director
Trish was brought up barefoot on an African tobacco and cattle farm
(until she was sent to boarding school)! The farm had thousands of acres of
bush filled with duiker, bush pigs, guinea fowl, all things small and the
occasional elephant that’d strayed too far from the Zambezi!
Trish studied interior architecture for the corporate market but has spent
most of her working life in the safari industry one way or the other. Trish
is Financial Director and currently acts as our General Manager.
Having lived for 36 years in Africa, Trish has spent time in England since
dark days in Zimbabwe after the 2000 election. She returns to Africa as
often as possible and sometimes when it’s impossible - even then it’s not
enough to satisfy her love of this amazing continent.
Trish is a seasoned traveller in southern Africa and has spent many days
seeking out the remoter and less trammelled spots in Kenya, Tanzania,
Rwanda, Uganda and Gabon.
When not in the Devon office this year Trish will be looking for every
conceivable business reason to be with her teenage children, Ashton and
Corrie at Imperial College in London.
Trish was spotted riding her bike from London to Paris for a charity in
Zambia and takes part in other sporting activities. Trish was most recently
seen in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
...Trish's
public galleries
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 Chris
Worden - Professional Safari Guide and Senior Consultant
Born in Masvingo near Great Zimbabwe, Chris has lived in remoter spots
most of his life. His early interest in wildlife led to a career starting
with the Department of National Parks in 1980. Chris qualified as a
Professional Guide in 1986.
One of the "old school" guides in Zimbabwe, Chris has led many safaris
through Southern African including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, and
further afield in Uganda, Congo, Gabon and Madagascar.
Chris is credited with a study on the White Faced Owl published in
several bird books including the definitive work "Roberts Birds of South
Africa". An accomplished photographer, Chris won Zimbabwe's Wildlife
Photographic Competition in 1993 and has done several presentations for
wildlife charities each year since.
Chris is a company Director and our resident Pro Guide spending most of
the year planning specialist itineraries to his favourite destinations in
Southern Africa. Chris spends a few months every year conducting private
safaris for wildlife photographers and specialist clients.
In his spare time Chris is also our official Hardware and Software Test
Engineer and over the years has pushed every element of our office system to
its limits ... using two typing fingers!
Chris was found in Gabon, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and New Zealand last
season, he'll be on safari again in Gabon, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia
this coming season.
If not on safari or in the Victoria Falls office, Chris can be found at consumer
shows in Scotland, England (x3) and Indaba in South Africa this season.
...Chris's
public galleries
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 Debbie
Stubbs - Team Manager
Based in a satellite office on the edge of Dartmoor National Park with
two furry co-workers, Debbie is fortunate to have glorious views and
wonderful moor land walks on her doorstep.
Two post graduate daughters are now ‘independant’ - one living in Devon
working in habitat management and the other was last sighted in travelling
back from the South Luangwa, Zambia (her middle name should have been
‘walkabout’ as she has the travel bug).
Debbie has worked in the safari industry since 2000 - first with one of the
UK's best safari marketing and representation companies and since 2004 as
our Sales Team Manager.
The Africa bug bit hard during Debbie's first safari experience - the
sights, smells and sounds of Africa have had her hankering after the
continent since.
Within Africa Debbie has travelled through Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and
Botswana but regularly hears the next trip calling and is ever ready to
answer! Debbie was most recently seen in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia with a
long wait at Johannesburg airport in between. She's even tried out the new
Yotel "coffins" at Heathrow airport for us with a healthy dose of whisky to
get her through the night!
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 Liz
Ferreira - Safari Specialist - Southern Africa
Liz was born in England and moved at the young age of 2 to Africa; she
grew up in Zimbabwe. Based in our Zambezi valley office she lives with her
husband and young son in a wonderful house perched atop Kariba Heights with
a stunning view overlooking Lake Kariba.
Liz regularly sees baboons, buffalo and elephant on trips to the local
supermarket and is passionate about Kariba, sunny days at the pool and "big
town big time" shopping whenever she's near a real city!
As a part of the original team in the Kariba office, Liz initially managed
products for the company and is now a mainstay of our consulting team.
Liz has travelled throughout Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa and
much of Zimbabwe and continues to work with a strong following of old and
new clients travelling to Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
When not in the Zambezi valley office this year Liz will be found in South
Africa and Botswana with a short stint in our UK head office.
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 Delene
Dempster - Safari Specialist - Victoria Falls
Delene is one of the busiest people in the company. Always an excellent
ambassador, Delene used to be the first voice you'd hear in our Kariba
office before moving to an even remoter haunt in the Luangwa Valley. Delene
is still very fond of her phone but unfortunately lives in an area where
there are none!
Part of our original Zambezi team responsible for managing flowcharts and
client movements, Delene is now based in Mfuwe, Zambia and serves as one of
our specialist consultants taking care of clients travelling on the Zambezi
and Luangwa valleys.
Delene has a closely knit family life with two grown sons and a husband who
manages a fleet of safari vehicles. Delene is always keen to test a new
camp, attend a trade show or just go on safari!
When not in the Luangwa valley, Delene can be found in the UK and Malawi
along with Zambia and Zimbabwe this year.
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 Jackie
Pearson - Safari Specialist - Southern and East Africa
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, Jackie finished her schooling, earned a Diploma
in Tourism and worked for 9 years in sales and marketing for two leading
safari operators in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Her speciality then was adventure
travel and canoe safaris in Victoria Falls and the lower Zambezi. During the
1990's Jackie worked closely with our team in the Kariba offices.
It took a few years of badgering her to join us before she relented - Jackie
emigrated from Zimbabwe in 2002 and joined the UK team. Jackie has
travelled extensively through Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana,
Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zanzibar and regularly visits her family living in
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Jackie specialises in tailor made safaris to East and Southern Africa and
works with many of our returning clients.
With a young son and a busy husband who is also on our team, Jackie works
from her home office in Lincoln - always ready and enthusiastic to help in
whatever way!
Jackie was most recently found in Rwanda and Uganda.
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 Julian
Simpson - Safari Specialist - Southern Africa
Based in our UK Head Office, Jools is a born and bred Devonian who joined
us after graduating from the University of Plymouth and University of Kansas
with a BA Geography degree.
Although Jools is the youngest member of the team he's already travelled
throughout much of Southern Africa over the past six years especially
comparing the standard of Gin & Tonics en route!
Diagnosed with "itchy feet" at an early age, Jools has travelled much of
continental Europe and spends the majority of his leave skiing in the Alps
or travelling around the USA.
Jools has done every possible Zambezi adventure activity, from bungee,
microlight, canoe to quad bike in an effort to avoid having to raft the
mighty Zambezi River.
Jools is seasoned in Swaziland and Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa but
his special interest areas include Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park,
Botswana and Zambia. He'll be in Zambia, Botswana and Zim again and dreams
of exploring further afield (but we won't let him until he's been rafting)!
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 Sam
Kirton - Safari specialist - Southern and East Africa
Sam was born in Hertfordshire and spent her informative years growing up
in the valleys of South Wales, where she developed her passion for the great
outdoors. An avid traveller from a tender age, she came to Africa via
Australasia, having done time in Australia and New Zealand followed by a
stint with a London based travel PR company.
Sam moved to Devon in 2004, joining one of the UK's leading Africa
specialist marketing and representation companies. Her African odyssey began
with trips to South Africa, Botswana and Kenya.
Sam commutes between her Tavistock home office and our head office near
Dartmoor. Sam will also be found in Tanzania and Zambia this season. She
loves wandering the moor with her ever-faithful companion, Boogie, the
chocolate Labrador, messing about by the sea and falling over in the snow.
Aspirations include acquiring a canoe for her and Boogie (and maybe husband
Will too).
...Sam's
public galleries
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 Mark
Pearson - Safari Specialist - Southern and Eastern Africa
Mark comes into the travel industry from an unusual angle having been a
professionally qualified horticulturist and nurseryman with over 20yrs
experience. He is very well travelled and has visited most of Africa, Asia
and Europe.
His recent forays into Africa have led him to Zanzibar, North Tanzania,
Livingstone, Botswana, Victoria Falls, Nyanga and Harare. He has a great
love for photography, walking and is very interested in the cultural side of
countries he visits. Recently he's had to learn how to spend his time at a
computer instead of outdoors although he's sure to dash off whenever he gets
the opportunity!
Mark met another member of our team, Jackie (otherwise known as Misi), and
married her in 2003. Together they make our second husband and wife couple
with a great strength of experience between them.
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 Jane
Bullen - Finance
Born in Germany, Jane spent most of her childhood on the move around the
UK and a few years in Singapore, long before it was all tidied-up!
She's worked in Norway and Scotland before moving to Devon and has since
travelled to a smorgasbord of spots around Europe, Thailand, America,
Canada, Scandinavia and a few islands in the Mediterranean. Each year she
tries to snatch a week to ski in the Alps and adores the stunning scenery
and atmosphere in the mountains.
Her time at home in Devon is spent playing tennis, gardening, reading and
just generally trying to keep up with life and four children.
Jane manages our company accounts from the Ermington office. Shell shocked
over the last few years worth of dealing with our African suppliers Jane
always looks forward to seeing Africa from a different point of view other
than the end of an invoice. (Her most recent African forays were into Kenya
and Zambia/Namibia/South Africa)
"Tarmac" is Jane's office companion, a blue roan cocker spaniel, intent on
proving that he's the real Alpha male at head office...he survives by wits
alone...
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 Char
Ward - Team administrator - Africa
Char hails from Irish stock who arrived in then Rhodesia in the early
1900’s. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Char has two children - one
pursuing a commercial diving career who has also just had twins, and the
other a teacher. There're a few other babies in the family - a "dachsie", a
Boxer and a Rhodesian RidgebackxDoberman cross!
Since 1975 Char has lived with her fishing-mad husband in Kariba, enjoying
the freedom of living in the bush and having elephants wandering past the
house.
As the coordinator of safaris for the Africa based safari consultants, Char
takes care of itineraries and back up plans for clients travelling through
southern Africa.
Char is a seasoned traveller in Turkey, Spain, the USA and closer to home
through South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Char's an eager participant in Kariba's annual international tiger fishing
tournament (KITFT) and can be seen daily running up the road to the Heights,
an almost "un-drivable" steep road from the lake to the top of the
surrounding hills. This year Char is testing out the Lower Zambezi river
both on foot and by canoe.
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 The
Web Duo - Ashton and Corrie
Ashton and Corrie assist with keeping our websites updated and although
they're both at university, undertake this role during their holidays and
down time.
Both are reading Materials Science Engineering Masters at
Imperial College in London. They do intend specialising in different
segments of materials science eventually so not everything will be exactly
the same for them!
Whilst developing material for the websites Corrie has decided to take up
scuba diving to take advantage of the Indian Ocean Islands while Ashton
intends climbing every mountain in our range including the Rwenzori's and Mt
Kilimanjaro later this year.
Both are well travelled in Africa and have tried out the many family
activities especially canoeing the Zambezi, sailing and diving on Lake
Malawi and fishing and can vouch Africa is THE PLACE to be if you're a
teenager!
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