62. HOW MUCH IS THE TRAVEL INSURANCE? STUDENT RATE (Age 30 or Younger) Trip of 10 or Fewer Days $71 Trip of 11 or More Days $102 ADULT RATE (Age 31 or Older) Trip of 10 or Fewer Days $112 Trip of 11 or More Days $133 INSURANCE = PEACE OF MIND
Notas del editor
The company's motto is "Learn to travel, travel to learn" and it's this idea that travel is a special form of education and the philosophy that learning can be and should be fun, that is at the heart of all of Casterbridge's activities and why, as a former (personalize) teacher, I take particular pleasure in being associated with Casterbridge Tours.
As we make these opening words I thought that you might like to see where our company was founded, this is Casterbridge Hall, where we began our operations in 1979 in the southwest of England in the little village of Templecombe. You would be quite right to ask (name), where do you English come up with ridiculous-sounding names for these English villages? In fact Templecombe - because Combe is an ancient celtic word meaning Valley and Temple because this used to be home to the Knight's Templar. So it was literally on the rolling countryside around C. Hall that these medieval knights used to joust, practice horse riding, sword fighting and various chivalrous arts before going off on their crusades to defend the Christian treasures in the Holy Land . 25 years ago Casterbridge brought our first few groups stayed to C. Hall around the surrounding Wessex area and this is where our touring philosophies evolved:
Firstly, every group has their own private tour. You will never be combined with other groups who might not share your same standards or interests. It is your own bus, your own driver, your own guide, 24 hours a day, your own private program.
Secondly, this structure of having your own private tour means you can custom-design your own tour exclusively for your own group anywhere around the themes, dates and destinations of your choosing and that is exactly what Mr/Mrs has done with their tour of ........(Historic and Literary England).
On a touring note, we like to spend more time off the bus visiting the sights rather than more time on the bus going past the sights!
If that is the case, let’s include in advance as many of the admissions as possible. Nothing is worse than putting a student in a position where they have traveled half-way round the world and don’t have the funds to visit a sight on any one day that they have waited half their life to see. This also means that the students don’t have to carry large amounts of spending money, which for younger students is very important indeed. And this also allows us to take advantage of our group rates for you to offer our group's the best possible value for money at all times. You are looking at one of our groups at Glastonbury Abbey, sat in front of the grave of King Arthur and Guinevere
Finally (if we are trying to give the group a maximum insight into the local culture) let's have a guide with you at all times throughout the day. The guides are under a strict brief to make the evenings as much an activity filled part of the day as the morning and afternoon. To be honest, it is often such personal touches that we think can make the difference between a good tour and a really great tour.
What has happened 25 years later by using these philosophies? We now have our own full-time office in North America, we've gathered a team of great travelers, many former teachers, we're not only doing tours around the south-west of England, we are doing tours throughout all of Britain,
Continental Europe,
Eastern Europe, Russia,
into Asia, China, Hong Kong, Turkey,
Australia and New Zealand and
even Latin America.
even Latin America.
For your reference, around groups travel with Casterbridge on an annual basis (everything from schools, colleges to choirs, bands and special interest adult groups) .
2002 …we were very honored to be awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award
We’ve obviously undergone a tremendous growth over recent years and we attribute that success to the very tangible benefits of having your own private tour and the personal attention and service that ensues for each group as a result. The advantages are that it is infinitely more flexible, intimate, more personal atmosphere for all concerned and it is a safer, more fun, more educational ,. A Casterbridge tour is safe, fun, flexible, intimate and of course educational………
Relax, students, it won’t be torture! What do we aim to provide on a daily basis? Variety is the key word. Essentially a balance of an educational or cultural visit, then a recreational activity (coastal walk, river cruise, ascent of a tower)* and then free-time and spare-time activities.
What is our aim at the end of a day. to provide you with an interesting, enjoyable vacation but more than that, with your own guide and this variety of activities we to provide you with a unique and very personal insight into the people and culture of the country you are visiting. The European way of life. Conclusion So, as you look over…. and view …as you will have the opportunity to do on one of your final evenings (in Rome), for our part, I know that everyone at CT both in our Head office in Europe and in our liaison office in Virginia, we will all be doing our utmost to make sure that you all have an, interesting, rewarding and very highly enjoyable experience as you discover (Historic and Literary England). Thank you very much.
MAP OF ITALY - It is the 5th century AD. With the collapse of the Roman Empire, down swoop the marauding armies from central Europe. None were more terrifying than the Barbarians. Where would the people of Rome take refuge? Some flee south, others take refuge in the Hills of Tuscany, while others were driven north to a series of islands on the northern Adriatic coast. So it was that 1500 years ago, a city was founded. Because of its trading position, the city flourished and today is one of the most famous cities on earth. Ask yourself, how do you develop a city on 117 islands and 150 canals? Believe me, the reality of this city today far surpasses anything that you could ever conjure up in your own imagination.
RUTS - POMPEII STREETS - It will possibly be when you can physically see the ruts where the Chariots used to run through the streets that you will realize you have journeyed yourself through time and are standing on the very spot where the people of Pompeii (or Herculaenum) conducted their daily lives. (Romanesque Arches). An eruption in 79AD which was 1 year before the atrocities of the Colosseum’s 100 day celebration opening.
into Asia, China, Hong Kong, Turkey,
For your reference, around groups travel with Casterbridge on an annual basis (everything from schools, colleges to choirs, bands and special interest adult groups) .