St Ivo is a well-recognised (and well-loved) name within the Rayburn Tours team. Having run over 20 tours with us over the years, many have been at the hand of Mr Rob Chambers, Head of Geography, Travel & Tourism. Rob’s history with Rayburn dates all the way back to July 2007, when he embarked on his first Iceland tour with us, and has earned him a place in the hearts of all those who have worked with him along the way.
“It is the consistent high level of customer service from Jackie, Liz and Ian that keeps us coming back. We are never made to feel like anything is too much trouble, staff are always on hand whenever we have questions and are incredibly patient and incredibly helpful.
“The level and speed of contact is fantastic – there really feels like a personal touch where it is so easy and quick to get in touch with staff when needed. For me – customer service and our previous experience (as well as of course health and safety) are the fundamental factors.”
– Rob Chambers
“It is the consistent high level of customer service from Jackie, Liz and Ian that keeps us coming back. We are never made to feel like anything is too much trouble, staff are always on hand whenever we have questions and are incredibly patient and incredibly helpful.
“The level and speed of contact is fantastic – there really feels like a personal touch where it is so easy and quick to get in touch with staff when needed. For me – customer service and our previous experience (as well as of course health and safety) are the fundamental factors.”
– Rob Chambers
Many things have changed in Iceland since 2007, which have offered new and exciting excursions: a massive 6.3 Mwc earthquake (Quake 2008) and the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010 (Eyjafjallajokull Visitor Centre). But Rob has almost always included the following 3 outings:
- Blue Lagoon
- Heimaey Island
- Lava Centre
It goes without saying that the Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland, drawing in up to 4,000 guests each day. But what keeps bringing such a seasoned geographer like Rob back?
“We still really enjoy this – it is a great way to start the tour off – students are always excited to visit.”
“We still really enjoy this – it is a great way to start the tour off – students are always excited to visit.”
Heimaey Island is a tiny 8mi² island just off the South Coast of Iceland. Getting there by ferry is just one of the fun things you can do on a Heimaey Day, where you’ll then walk through lava fields and climb volcanos (Eldfell) that formed less than 50 years ago in 1973! The geographical benefits of a Heimaey Day are endless, and if you’re lucky, you might even see some whales on the way!
A recent addition to Rob’s tours is the Lava Centre which offers students an interactive, high-tech, educational experience. It’s dedicated to Iceland’s unbelievable amount of tectonic activity and the creation of Iceland over millions of years; thus becoming a firm favourite on our Iceland tours. Whilst its information-rich exhibition offers an incredible insight into nature’s epic forces, the high-tech displays draw students into the excitement that geography can bring.
“Yet another superb trip exploring the wonders of the Land of Fire and Ice – can’t recommend highly enough!”
“Yet another superb trip exploring the wonders of the Land of Fire and Ice – can’t recommend highly enough!”
Rob’s most recent tour to Iceland was the biggest yet, with a whopping 70 students making their way to the Nordic island in July this year. Rob got in touch to take his usual 30-40 students away, but due to the massive interest, he made the decision to take 2 groups so that no student was left behind! After years of itinerary planning with his dedicated Tour Co-ordinator, Ian Lowbridge, Rob decided to go with the following plan:
- Blue Lagoon
- Heimaey Island
- Lava Centre
- Papa’s Pizza
Of course these excursions were accompanied by the classics – the Golden Circle, South Coast, Reykjanes Peninsula – as well as the new addition of Papa’s Pizza. We always recommend Papa’s Pizza as it gives groups the chance to relax and bond over a delicious meal after a long day of climbing volcanoes and monitoring eruptions.
So thank you Rob, for offering the next generation of geographers an unforgettable experience in (what could be your second home) Iceland!
