Travel Explorer Magazine (AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 EDITION)

Q&A
We meet David Wickers, award-winning travel journalist and Director
of Specialist tour operator Bridge & Wickers.
How and when did your passion for travel begin?
My passion for travel was kindled at a very early
age. Not from going anywhere interesting as a
child with my parents - unless you count Margate
and Great Yarmouth (we were pretty hard up). But
as soon as I got my offer from Cambridge I was off,
hitch hiking all around Europe for six months. Uni
summer holidays were always filled with travel
adventures, from roaming around the Middle East
and across North Africa to a head to toe journey
through Latin America.
How did your travel career begin?
After a series of different writing mini careers, first
as a comedy script writer, penning sketches for
the likes of Dave Allen, The Two Ronnies, Kenneth
Connor and Ned Sherrin/Quiz of the Week. I then
wrote a number of children’s books and, after
spending a year in Calabria, writing about selfsufficiency
and growing vegetables.
After tiring of writing features about growing
turnips and what to put in your compost heap, I
realised that I might just be able to earn a living
writing about by true passion, travel. After
freelancing for various publications I became
Chief Travel Correspondent for The Sunday Times,
a position I held for 17 years. I have also been Travel
Editor for Marie Claire and am currently Travel
Editor on Good Housekeeping.
Tour operating was born out of a friendship
with Jerry Bridge who had successfully created
a company called Bridge The World. After selling
BTW to E Bookers, Jerry suggested, some 12 years
ago, that he and I start an up market company
focussed initially on Australia and New Zealand. I
was really excited by the idea. We set up offices in
London’s fashionable Primrose Hill, employed a
small team of destination experts and our business,
and our reputation, grew rapidly. We were more
recently acquired by the luxury tour operator The
Ultimate Travel Company, which covers much of
the rest of the world, but we continue as a standalone
unit under the umbrella of our new ‘parent’.
We have also expanded our destinations to include
both Canada and the USA.
Where was your most memorable trip to and why?
This is hard to answer as there have been so many.
If forced to pick one I’d say my very first visit to
the USA. The specific moment I cherish is flying
into New York, hopping in a yellow cab and driving
across the Queensboro Bridge at night, suddenly
the immense wall of buildings, their lights staring
across the East River like thousands of eyes, then
suddenly plunging into the very soul of the city, its
streets so alive with cars and people. I always envy
anyone going to New York for the very first time
and being overwhelmed by that very same sight.
How do you think travel can enhance your life?
I’m a firm believer in the old cliche that travel
broadens the mind as well as your horizons. Of
course many people look upon a holiday as a chance
to just relax, lie on a beach and recuperate after
demanding months at work. But even a simple fly
and flop holiday gives you a chance to take a look at
another culture, maybe shop in the local markets,
visit a museum or gallery, eat in restaurants that
don’t serve roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. But
the most rewarding experiences, in my mind,
involve not only travelling to a destination but
exploring once you’re there, renting a car or riding
trains and getting off the beaten track.
Have you had a life changing moment on holiday?
I very nearly had a life ending moment when I was
mugged in Los Angeles at gunpoint. My own fault
really. I’d gone to visit Watts Towers, a regularly
visited public sculpture in the heart of (certainly
then) a high crime ghetto. The stupid part was
deciding to go for a walk around the neighbourhood
with a camera slung round my neck. Three guys
approached, one with a gun, demanding the
camera. Goodbye camera - but at least the guys
scarpered as soon as they’d got what they wanted.
The moral of the story? Take local advice on where
it’s safe to wander, especially at night.
Where will you be visiting next?
I’ve just been sailing in Turkey, a proper holiday,
but my next two work assignments will be to
Switzerland, walking in the Engadin Valley, and
Tuscany, both of which I will be writing about.
I then go to British Columbia in Canada where
I’m escorting a small group of Bridge & Wickers’
clients. We’ll be flying to Vancouver, then flying by
seaplane to a remote but luxurious resort called
Sonora to see bears and maybe whales, followed
by a two-day journey on the Rocky Mountaineer
to Jasper where we’ll be following the spectacular
Icefields Parkway to Banff before flying home from
Calgary, RB can take your reservation today!