Passenger Profiles

We are always interested to learn why our passengers decide (and continue!) to travel with us. For this edition of our e-newsletter we spoke with two sets of very recent passengers – one couple who has traveled with us several times in the past and one couple who took their first trip with us this year.

If you have an experience, story or photo from a past Brown Travelers trip that you would like to share with us, please feel free to contact us at Brown_Travelers@alumni.brown.edu.

Jeanne Ellis Ormrod ’70 & Richard Ormrod
(Newmarket, NH)

The Ormrods have taken three Brown Travelers trips in past years – “Village Life in the Dordogne,” “Cruising the Baltic Sea and the Norwegian Fjords” and “Empires of the Past” – and most recently participated in our March 2009 “Moroccan Discovery.” They travel quite a bit and particularly enjoy traveling with Brown because “the people are always bright and professional and make good traveling companions.”

Jeanne and Dick like to take Brown Travelers trips to destinations they aren’t likely to visit on their own, such as the Aegean. On their visit there (on “Empires of the Past”) they “saw things such as the Minoan and Mycenaean ruins, where we learned so much about the ancient civilizations through expert guides and the Brown faculty.”

It’s difficult for them to pick a favorite trip. “They all have been great. It’s like comparing apples to oranges...The trips are very well planned out and the Brown professors add to the trip...Economically the trips are a good deal. You couldn’t plan all of the meals, excursions and lectures on your own for less. You see much more than if you were traveling on your own.” They particularly cited Morocco as an example, where Jeanne said they had fantastic meals in private residences. She also pointed to the Dordogne trip, which she said was a great combination of different parts of history and culture.

Their advice for someone considering participating in a Brown Travelers program? “Do it!”

Sarah Lloyd Wolf ’72 & Charles Wolf ’72
(Oak Park, IL)

The Wolfs just participated in their first trip with the Brown Travelers – “Treasures of Southern Africa” in March 2009. The brochure arrived at just the right time, as Chuck was looking for a change of pace after spending time caring for his parents. The trip gave them something concrete to which they could look forward. They felt it offered an intriguing itinerary and they also liked the fact that the group would be relatively small.

They enjoyed “the opportunities beyond what regular tourists get to do.” They feel that “the closer you get to what real people in the country are doing, the better appreciation you gain for their lives,” and this trip gave them these opportunities. Sallie also said that the Brown faculty member on the trip, Ferd Jones, “added immensely to the overall experience and really helped put things in context.”

Sallie also went on to say that their guides were great and that the travel company that arranged the trip was terrific. She also said that the group, which was a mix of Brown and Penn alumni, was very cohesive and that they enjoyed meeting everyone on the trip. They loved the hotels, saying that they had “lots of character.” And they felt that the trip overall was a good bargain.

The Wolfs offer the following advice for someone taking a Brown Travelers trip: “Pack light. Dress for comfort. Don’t stress out before you go! And once you’re there, take advantage of excursions and side trips. They can really help make the trip unique.”

Where in the world are the Brown Travelers going now...

Can you guess where this picture was taken? (answer below)