Meet our Team

Route Map for a Specialist Travel Portal

The first route map for addictedtotravel.com was drawn up in the early months of 2006 by our three co-founders – Nick, David and Colin – each a fanatical traveller. With many years of experience gained from working for the leading brand names in the experience and adventure travel business our small team was strengthened further with the arrival of Sue, Carl and Stuart – all old hands in the business – but all still young enough to have bundles of energy, ideas, drive and enthusiasm for travel.

A Gathering of Adventure Travel Fanatics

Between us all we’re a pretty well-travelled bunch notching up over 150 countries, and leading over 250 trips and tours (in those hazy days as tour leaders a long time ago). We’ve developed award-winning websites, built up long-standing friendships with local travel experts around the world, written far too many glossy brochures, designed 100’s of very successful tour itineraries, and have over 80 years of combined knowledge and experience – and we’re still going strong! Read on to find out a little more about each of us and what makes us tick…

Nick Anstead

Nick Anstead

Co-founder & Africa Specialist

I'm from:

 The moorlands of Yorkshire but currently live in an oak forest in Hampshire.

I’ve lived in:

 Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania, China and Greece.

Languages:

 Conversant in several but sadly fluent in none, most words in Arabic and French.

Country Count:

 Closing in on a 100, but have been stuck in the mid 90’s for the past year - I get a real buzz from setting foot in new destinations!

I lost my heart in:

 Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda to a playful family of mountain gorillas.

I’m itching to visit:

 I’ve never set foot on South America – the Galapagos Islands are top of my list.

I want to return to:

 Madagascar – I was last there over 10 years ago and only saw a fraction of the country.

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 Reaching Istanbul after completing a life-changing cycle trip from York.

Favourite continent:

 It has to be Africa – such a stimulating continent entices me back over and over again.

When I travel I like:

 Spotting wildlife on safari, walking and discovering new places.

Biggest blunder:

 Losing my anti-malarial tablets in Uganda and subsequently contracting malaria.

I always travel with:

 More gadgets! Since I now always seem to take a laptop, digital camera and mobile phone.

Memorable meal:

 Easy! Succulent tiger prawns grilled to perfection on the Swahili coast of Tanzania.

Favourite RT project:

 The Africat Foundation – conserving Namibia’s large carnivores.

Last ‘big’ activity:

 Hiking in the Spanish Pyrenees.

David Havard

David Havard

Co-founder & Website Developer

I’m from:

 The garrison town of Aldershot but currently living in South West London

I’ve lived in:

 England

Languages:

 Alas only English but fluent in many programming languages

Country count:

 Around 30 now – many still to go…

I lost my heart in:

 Cambodia, beautiful country with people to match

I’m itching to visit:

 Still haven’t made it to South America – Brazil is top of my list

I want to return to:

 Sapa in Vietnam – the fog was so thick we couldn’t see beyond the end of our arms!

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 Travelling by boat over the Tonle Sap in Cambodia – the river villages are stunning and Ankor Wat is waiting at the end

Favourite continent:

 Asia - the colours, the people, the food, the buzz!

When I travel I like:

 To talk and eat with locals and do part of the journey by boat

Biggest blunder:

 Crashing a moped on Ko Samui in Thailand and spending the rest of the trip in plaster

I always travel with:

 Minimum possible but always music. Although that is going to change with a daughter in tow…

Memorable meal:

 For the wrong reasons I would have to say rolled calves head in Lyon, France

Favourite RT project:

 StreetFriends in Cambodia - working to meet the immediate essential needs, education, reintegration and ongoing support of Cambodia's many street children.

Last ‘big’ activity:

 Hiking in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco.

Colin Richards

Colin Richards

Co-founder & Aussie Specialist

I’m from:

 Being born near to Heathrow airport must have given me the travel bug. I now live with my wife and young family in Kent, UK

I’ve lived in:

 Kiev, Ukraine and Toronto, Canada

Languages:

 Fluent in English, South African, Australian and American – schoolboy French

Country count:

 42 so far – I’m trying to keep this number ahead of my age

I lost my heart in:

 A bar in Crete – very late and with a leg in plaster - long story!

I’m itching to visit:

 So many…….but Antarctica and Nepal are top of my wish list

I want to return to:

 Uganda – the trek to see the Mountain Gorilla’s is just waiting for me

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 Watching a Cheetah hunt a tommy on safari for the first time, followed by the aahhh as the mother then fed with her 3 cubs

Favourite continent:

 Australia……the cultural mix, the lifestyle, the outback and the star spotting

When I travel I like:

 Skiing in the mountains, diving in the sea, to safari in the bush and cycle on the flat

Biggest blunder:

 Partying ‘til 4am the night before going early morning shark cage diving….not good

I always travel with:

 Music and earphones – and a credit card

Memorable meal:

 Easy! Seafood and cold beer………Ras Nungwi Beach, Zanzibar

Favourite RT project:

 'Cotlands Orphanage’ in Johannesburg, South Africa

Last ‘big’ activity:

 Cycling in the French mountains. /td>

Carl Welsby

Carl Welsby

Middle East & Asia Specialist

I’m from:

 The bright lights of Blackpool. I now live on a smallholding in west-Wales – a stunning part of the country

I’ve lived in:

 Greece, Australia, Turkey, Israel

Languages:

 As a tour leader I had a smattering of Hindi, Greek, Mandarin, Turkish and Arabic. I’m now trying to learn Welsh though!

Country count:

 I don’t count, but certainly over 40. I tend to revisit the same places regularly - if I had a pound for every trip to Egypt…

I lost my heart in:

 Oman – to a girl I met on a work trip. The foolish woman married me

I’m itching to visit:

 India. Again. If you’ve been, you’ll know why

I want to return to:

 Mongolia. I went in 1995 and was blown away by the Land of the Big Sky

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 The Pyramids – the way they sneak up on you as you trundle down Pyramids Road, then Bang! They’re there – massive and 4,500 years old

Favourite continent:

 Asia….. You can keep Africa and Latin America – Asia’s where the real deal is

When I travel I like:

 To go trekking if I get the time. I can usually sneak in a dive or two too

Biggest blunder:

 Spending a night in a carpet shop in Luxor downing red wine before taking a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings. Some things you only do once

I always travel with:

 As small a backpack as possible

Memorable meal:

 Most of a flash-fried palm-grub in China

Favourite RT project:

 If I had to choose it would be the Apsara Arts Foundation – giving street-kids a helping hand and conserving Cambodian music and dance

Last ‘big’ activity:

 Sea kayaking over Kekova in Turkey – amazing!

Stuart Whittington

Stuart Whittington

Americas & Polar Specialist

I’m from:

 The Glorious Lake District, just south of the Scottish border

I’ve lived in:

 I have been enormously lucky and have spent a good amount of time living in a wide range of places across the UK, Europe, Africa and Latin America

Languages:

 English is my mother tongue. When I lived in Tanzania I could converse sufficiently in Kiswahili, but this has sadly been reduced to just a few random words, like mwezi (moon) and parachichi (avocado). Handy. My spoken Spanish is reasonable, Brazilian/Portuguese rusty and I am currently trying to learn French.

Country count:

 I’ve always aimed to spend quality time in a country, rather than clocking-up quantity. That said, I’ve visited some 50-60 different countries, from over a year in Tanzania to a couple of hours in Myanmar, where I popped over the Thai border for a Burmese haircut.

I lost my heart in:

 A crystal clear blue lagoon and a paradise beach in Brazil

I’m itching to visit:

 Colombia – I am intrigued by its colonial past to recent history, its location, geography and people

I want to return to:

 I visited Nicaragua earlier this year – a phenomenal place! I look forward to discovering more off the beaten track gems soon

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 The incredible thrill of snorkelling with killer whales, in a remote Norwegian fjord, beneath the Northern Lights

Favourite continent:

 Ever since I first set foot in South America, I have been enchanted by its diversity, landscapes, rhythm, and people

When I travel I like:

 Sitting down for a chat with the locals in crowded markets and street-side stalls, as everyday life continues around us

Biggest blunder:

 Leaving my passport under a Dutch Youth Hostel’s pillow in my early days of travelling, then blagging my way through UK immigration using a girl friend’s passport

I always travel with:

 A small notepad and pencil to jot down my thoughts, capture memories or draw a sketch of the scene before me

Memorable meal:

 Consuming all manner of Yak related products in the ‘Happy Yak’ restaurant in Lhasa, Tibet

Favourite RT project:

 In Brazil I got involved in a tiny little grass-roots organisation for Street Kids, which was partly funded by Jimmy Page. This involved performing arts and literature, aiming to develop the childrens’ creativity. Great fun and very different.

Last ‘big’ activity:

 A major trek over the South American Ice Field, Patagonia, including several nights camped out upon the ice.

Sue Anstead

Sue Anstead

Destination Support

I’m from:

 Originally from Chiswick, West London now living out in the sticks in Hampshire

I’ve lived in:

 Spain, the Canary Islands and Greece

Languages:

 Get by in Spanish

Country count:

 60+ at the moment

I lost my heart in:

 Cameroon, spending Christmas with the locals in Yaounde

I’m itching to visit:

 The mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda

I want to return to:

 Namibia, I only visited it on a long weekend many years ago and would love to see more

Biggest travel ‘wow’:

 Crossing the Sahara Desert in the middle of August!! Must be mad...

Favourite continent:

 It has to be Africa – which is probably why I fell for Nick!

When I travel I like:

 To experience different ways of life - the best to date would be attending huge funeral parties which go on for days and days in Sulawesi and having to eat Sheep head in Kazakhstan

Biggest blunder:

 None yet - at least none that I am owning up to

I always travel with:

 My husband and children – I wouldn’t go anywhere without them

Memorable meal:

 Thai night market stalls – very cheap and delicious

Favourite RT project:

 The Africat Foundation – conserving Namibia’s large carnivores

Last ‘big’ activity:

 Camel trekking in southern Morocco.